My Lady Vixen (16 page)

Thankfully Adam did not leave her unattended during the long evening, until near the end when General Prevost, the governor and several prominent gentlemen congregated in the corner to discuss plans to take Charleston in the near future. While they talked Alexa waited as far out of the mainstream of dancers as possible. Nevertheless she was painstakingly located and cornered by Lady Gwen and her escort. Captain Lance Barrington.

“Your dress is lovely. Alexa.” Gwen snickered
maliciously. “Concealing yet enticing, is it not, Lance, darling?”

“Very attractive, Lady Foxworth,” Lance agreed, practically oozing charm. “And so is the lady inside. But then, I thought so the first time I met you.”

“You mean at my wedding to Adam?” asked Alexa, a chill of foreboding prickling along her back.

“Why, no, milady, at your engagement party. Your engagement to Charles Whitlaw. You might not remember me in the crush of people that night but I remember you. It was Charles who invited me. We’ve known each other since our school days.”

Alexa felt herself begin to black out and drew in deep breaths to keep from pitching forward and making a fool of herself. “That was a long time ago.”

“At least six months ago,” piped up Gwen viciously, staring fixedly at Alexa’s middle.

“Am I interrupting?” At that moment Alexa was never happier to see anyone in her life as Adam appeared at her elbow.

“No … no,” insisted Alexa with such obvious relief that Adam slanted a baleful glare at Gwen and Lance.

“Then come along, my love. General Prevost expressed a desire to meet you.”

Moving with alacrity, Alexa wasted not even a backward glance as she took Adam’s proffered arm. Her meeting with the general went well until the men began talking once again about the Fox, for the moment ignoring her as if she didn’t exist. When General Prevost said, “Hanging is too good for a traitor and pirate. It won’t be long before we have him and then we’ll see how brave he is hanging in the town square.”

Fuming inwardly, Alexa allowed her anger to cloud her judgment as she blurted out indiscreetly, “The Fox is fighting for what he believes in! For justice, for
freedom for a country and people he loves!” All eyes turned in her direction as absolute silence reigned. Adam groaned as if in pain and General Prevost’s face turned several shades of red. Governor Wright sputtered indignantly as did several of the other gentlemen.

“It seems, Lord Penwell, that we have a patriot in our midst,” the general said when he finally found his voice. “Are you certain your wife is the daughter of Sir John Ashley?”

“I’m sorry, General.” Adam apologized sincerely. “As you can see my wife is not herself tonight. Why, she is as loyal as I am. I’m certain her condition is causing her to say things she doesn’t mean.” All the while he made excuses for Alexa, Adam cursed inwardly, silently raging against Alexa for nearly ruining everything with her wayward tongue and traitorous leanings.

The general’s eyes grew hard as nails until his gaze settled on Alexa’s stomach, unnoticed by him before because of her ingeniously designed dress. Immediately his stony features softened and he allowed himself to relax. “Ah, I see, Lady Foxworth, your husband is correct. Indeed you are not responsible for your words. My own wife took to doing and saying strange things when she was in the … er … family way. I strongly advise you to take your lady home, milord, she seems to be exhausted.”

“Of course, General,” agreed Adam immediately, turning Alexa in the direction of the door.

“And Lord Penwell, I suggest you keep her there until she … feels better,” implied the general sternly.

Adam hurried Alexa from the room as hundreds of people looked on in disapproval. “My God, Alexa, what are you trying to do, ruin me?”

“I don’t care, Adam!” Alexa countered hotly. “He had
no business talking about Fox that way. Or about the brave people who want nothing but to be left in peace to run their own country!”

“Alexa, I find your strong support of Fox strange. Is there something between the two of you I should know?”

Alexa blushed guiltily, thinking about the night Fox had taken her virginity and could well have sired her child. “Don’t be silly, Adam,” she scoffed, dropping her eyes evasively. “It’s just that I truly feel empathy with these Americans. They are tough, brave, and certainly not lacking in pride.”

“And you admire all those qualities?”

“What woman doesn’t?”

“Obviously Fox is some kind of folk hero to you.”

“Aye, and Mac, too. They are both brave and daring.”

“And so are you, my little spitfire,” Adam said softly.

They reached their carriage and Adam carefully handed Alexa inside. He was about to climb in beside her when he suddenly changed his mind. “You go on home without me, Alexa. I’m going back inside and try to placate General Prevost and the Governor.”

“But Adam, how will you get home?” Alexa protested. For some reason she did not want to be alone tonight.

“I’ll borrow a horse and follow later. Do as I say, Alexa.” Adam frowned sternly. “I want to undo some of the damage you’ve created tonight.”

Irked by his cool, aloof manner, Alexa nodded jerkily and ordered the coachman forward.

Alexa was barely out of sight when Gwen, having followed the couple out of perverse curiosity, sidled up to Adam. “I knew she was trouble, darling,” she drawled throatily, “the moment she turned up uninvited in your study and laid waste to all our plans.”

Adam slanted Gwen a bemused glance. “What do you
suggest I do, Gwen? Alexa is carrying my child.”

“Get rid of her once the child is born. Send her back to her father. Or … is it that she is better in bed than I am. Adam?”

“Surely you don’t expect me to answer that!” Adam replied, vastly amused.

“As big as she is she can’t be doing you any good, darling. You know I’m crazy about you. No one has ever made me feel like you do. Why not let me provide what your wife is incapable of giving you?”

Her low seductive voice promised delights Adam had long denied himself while her lips, so soft and inviting, begged for his kisses. Without him willing it his mouth covered hers hungrily. Abandoning herself to his drugging kisses, Gwen melted into his crushing arms, not caring whether anyone might be watching. “Oh, Adam,” Gwen sighed raggedly. “I know you still want me. Make love to me, my darling. I’ve been too long without you.”

Adam was stunned by his response to Gwen’s blatant invitation. Desire throbbed through his veins as his body reacted instantly to the soft warmth in his arms. It had been ages since he had a woman; since his wedding night, to be exact. Gwen was a handy and obviously willing substitute for the woman he really longed to make love to, so why not accept what she offered? he asked himself, unwilling to moralize so long as need dulled his senses. Alexa need never know, and besides, Gwen was nothing to him but a willing receptacle for his lust.

“Where?” Adam croaked hoarsely. “Where can we go?”

Triumph sparking her desire, Gwen whispered urgently, “The guest cottage, it will be deserted now while the reception is in progress. Come, darling, hurry. I want you so badly my body is afire for your touch.”

Needing no further urging, Adam swooped up Gwen’s lithe form in his strong arms and turned in the direction of the cottage, a place he and Gwen had used often in the past for their trysts.

The carriage carrying Alexa had barely traveled to the end of the driveway before she realized she had lost her reticule in the excitement of her hasty departure. Flustered, she ordered the coachman to return to the Governor’s mansion so she might ask Adam to look for it. Thinking she might have dropped it outside when she and Adam left the house, Alexa retraced her steps while she sent the coachman inside to look for her husband. And then she saw him, but he was not alone.

Gwen was pressed so close to Adam’s hard frame that they appeared as one. After a kiss that Alexa was certain went on forever, she watched stunned while Adam took up his ladylove and started off for some unknown destination. Alexa’s distress was such that she was unaware of the strangled sob that passed between her parted lips.

Startled, Adam heard the sound and whirled, fearing they had been discovered by one or more of the guests. He was completely unprepared to confront his wife’s astounded face: one fist stuffed in her mouth, the other clenched in the folds of her red dress.

“Oh, God,” he groaned as if in agony as he roughly set a smirking Gwen on her feet. “I thought you left.” Dismay made his voice gruff.

“Obviously,” Alexa choked out. “But you won’t have to tell me twice.” Turning in a froth of red, Alexa began running back along the path toward the carriage, desperate to escape the sight of Adam with another woman in his arms. The night was dark, the way strewn with loose stones, and Alexa’s body awkward and ungainly. In her haste to flee from Gwen’s smirking face
and Adam’s confusion, she tripped. Her ankle turned and she fell heavily to the ground, her stomach taking the brunt of the fall.

She was halfway up before Adam gained his wits and rushed to her side. “Alexa, my love, are you hurt? Oh my God, I wouldn’t have this happen for the world!” He began a slow but frantic search of her limbs for any sign of injury, but thankfully found none.

“Don’t touch me, Adam!”

“I’m sorry, Alexa.” Adam rejoined lamely. “I never meant to hurt you.”

“I want to go home, Adam,” Alexa said shakily.

Still fearing she might be hurt in some way. Adam cradled her gently in his arms and carried her back to the carriage, settling her on the seat and sliding in beside her. “What made you come back?” he asked once she was made comfortable. The coachman, at Adam’s signal, slowly started forward, doing his best not to add further to Alexa’s distress. From a distance Gwen watched, frowning.

“I suddenly discovered I lost my reticule somewhere and came back to look for it.”

“Are … are you certain you’re not hurt? What about the baby?”

“There seem to be no bones broken,” Alexa allowed grudgingly, fixing Adam with a contemptuous glare.

“Alexa, allow me to explain. I had too much to drink and … and … forgive me … Gwen means nothing to me. She offered …”

“It doesn’t matter. Adam.” Alexa cut him off in mid-sentence. “You owe me no explanations. I know why you married me and you never promised to be faithful.”

Groaning inwardly Adam decided not to pursue the matter further, thereby adding to Alexa’s distress. Plenty of time for explanations later when she had
calmed down. For nearly an hour they traveled in silence.

Suddenly Alexa doubled over, clutching her middle convulsively. A groan of anguish escaped her throat and beads of perspiration dotted her furrowed brow. Adam turned deathly white, more frightened than he had ever been in his life.

“What is it. Alexa? Is it the baby? Oh, God, what have I done to you?”

“No … no!” cried Alexa, biting her lip against the pain, “it is too early! Help me. Adam! Help me!”

Her plea tearing him apart, Adam urged the coachman dangerously faster as he tenderly cradled Alexa’s tormented body in his arms, all the while cursing Gwen, cursing fate, but mostly cursing himself. He had never felt so helpless or so useless in his life.

Adam was eternally grateful his plantation lay not too far from the city, situated on the south bank of the Savannah River. Traveling as fast as safety allowed, they reached Foxworth Manor shortly and Adam was galloping up the stairs two at a time with Alexa in his arms while the coachman was dispatched posthaste back to Savannah for the doctor.

With shaking hands Adam undressed Alexa, slipped a nightgown over her head and tucked her in bed. “Are the pains getting any better, my love?” he asked anxiously, hopefully.

Biting her lip to keep from crying out. Alexa shook her head negatively. In an attempt to ease her pain. Adam poured cool water into the basin and gently bathed the perspiration from her face and neck, though Alexa was in too much agony to appreciate his effort. Her one consuming thought as she drifted in and out of pain was that Adam would have made love to Gwen had she not interrupted at an inopportune moment. And she was about to lose her baby because of it.

Two hours later the doctor from Savannah arrived and Adam reluctantly left Alexa’s side while he made a thorough examination of his patient. A half-hour later he confronted Adam in the hallway, shaking his head sadly.
“I’m
sorry, Lord Penwell, but I can detect no heartbeat. Your wife told me she fell. Evidently the child suffered the brunt of the fall. I’m afraid there is nothing more I can do except offer help in aborting the dead fetus.”

Adam sagged against the wall, glad for its support. He was stunned at what his lust had wrought. “Does Alexa know, doctor?” he asked jerkily.

“No, I thought it best not to cause her any more anguish than necessary. She’ll need all her strength for the birthing.” He made to reenter the bedroom, then turned back to Adam. “If one of your people is experienced in midwifery, send for her. I’ll be glad for the help.”

Adam nodded and rang for Jem, asking him to summon Mammy Lou, the elderly woman who delivered all the babies born on the plantation. She was competent and intelligent and should prove capable of following the doctor’s directions.

To Adam’s tormented mind it seemed that he paced outside the door for hours, but in fact only two were to pass before Alexa emitted a piercing shriek that sent shivers up and down his spine. Then all was quiet. Fear for Alexa nearly caused him to go rushing into the bedroom despite the doctor’s orders to remain outside. His hand was reaching for the doorknob when the panel opened and Mammy Lou stepped out carrying a tiny bundle swaddled in a white cloth.

At Adam’s inquiring look, Mammy Lou said, “He didn’t have a chance, Mastah Adam. His tiny skull was crushed.”

“It was a boy?”

“Yas, suh. Perfect in every way, though he couldn’t
have weighed more than three pounds. I’m sorry, suh.”

“Tell Jem to have the carpenter build a small box. Mammy Lou,” Adam said, his voice catching painfully in his throat. “We’ll have the funeral in the morning.” Mammy Lou started to walk away with her tiny bundle. “Wait!” said Adam suddenly. “I’d like to see him.”