The Sherbrooke Bride - Catherine Coulter [46]
Alex stood very slowly, staring in mute fascination at her brother-in-law.
“I doubt Douglas has had a woman for a good while now. It’s likely he will be amenable to your approach. Do it, Alex. Patience isn’t a virtue in this case. Don’t be Penelope.”
Her hands were shaking. She thrust them into the folds of her gown. “I don’t know anything about seduction.”
Ryder laughed. “All females are born knowing about seduction, my dear. Just take off your clothes in front of him. An excellent start. You do understand about sex, don’t you? About conception?”
There came a shout. It was Douglas. “Ryder! Come here, now!”
“Ah, the lord and master wishes my presence. He probably wants to send me back to London.” He paused, looking down at his new sister-in-law. “I think you’re a good sort, Alex. Now isn’t the time to be patient with Douglas; you must act quickly. Also, if you’re wise, you’ll insist that Tony and Melissande remain here for a while. Comparisons are wonderfully enlightening sometimes, and my brother isn’t stupid. Seduce him tonight; don’t think about it, just do it. A man’s brain can be diverted.” Ryder wasn’t so certain about Douglas’s brain, but he didn’t wish to discourage Alex.
Ryder left her then to stare after him in bemusement and to bemoan the poor condition of the garden and of her marriage. Her fingers itched to dig in the rich black soil. Why were the gardens so neglected? Rosebushes begged for pruning. She realized with a small smile that Douglas needed pruning too.
At dinner that evening, Douglas announced, “There was a letter from our plantation manager in Jamaica. There is trouble at Kimberly Hall. Ryder will leave on the morrow to deal with it.”
“What sort of trouble?” Alexandra asked.
“Grayson wrote of strange doings, of black magic and visions from hell itself, murders and the like, of slave uprisings. You undoubtedly get the idea.”
“Grayson excels in exaggeration,” Ryder said. “If a fly flew past his head, he would call it a gigantic wasp and claim it was bedeviling him. This talk of perversions sounds interesting, but knowing Grayson, it involves nothing more than two noisy cats.”
“Ah, but he is a good man and an excellent manager,” Douglas said.
Ryder thought about his children and frowned. He’d dealt with all that needed to be done in his absence, but still, he would miss the little devils. He said aloud, realizing he’d been silent overlong, “I’ll leave for Southampton early tomorrow. Thus tonight is my last chance to ingratiate myself with my sister-in-law. I like the pink gown, Alexandra. I have always said that deep red titian hair is complemented by certain shades of pink.”
“Yes, it is,” Tony said, frowning at Alex, as if he’d never really seen her before.
“The gown is old and is cut like a nun’s habit,” Douglas said. “It is as dowdy as the blue gown you were wearing earlier this afternoon.”
The broom handle stiffened. Douglas raised his hand. “No, I didn’t say I would replace any of your gowns, so I don’t need more of your comments about wheedling. I was merely noting that your feminine display is sorely lacking.”
“It’s true a lady should attempt to display well,” Melissande said.
Douglas looked over at Melissande. She looked so utterly feminine and unspeakably delicious that for a moment he was mute.
“Your display, Mellie,” Tony said, caressing her bare upper arm, “would make our randy Prince George slip down in a puddle of his own drool.”
Alex laughed. “I should like to see that. Will you take Melissande to London, Tony, so that the prince may see her and slip?”
“In good time,” Tony said. “In good time.”
“I should like to go now,” Melissande said. “You have a town house I have never seen. I should like to give a ball and invite everyone important.”
“In good time,” Tony said. “First you must see Strawberry Hill, my family estate in the Cotswolds.”
“A wonderful place to raise children,