Lord Grenville's Choice Read Free Page A

It felt dry and smooth, but warm, not lifeless as it had been the night before. She had great hopes that he was going to open his eyes again, and she intended to be there when he did.
    Laying her head against her father’s chest, Felicity said, “Papa, I am here. I will not leave you. I promise. Please do not leave me. I could not bear to lose you.”
    What a dear, dear man he was. In his current state,his face had no lines upon it. It was unusually placid. Normally, it was marked by humor. Papa still had a proper head of hair, though it was white now, still worn long, though fashions were changing.
    When tea was finally brought in, his eyes still remained closed. Even the bracing beverage did not serve to revive Felicity. Worn out from anxiety and lack of sleep, she drifted off with her head on her father’s chest, his heart beating comfortingly beneath her ear.
    Felicity was awakened by a little hand lying over hers. Slowly, she emerged from sleep to find Jack standing next to her, his face solemn.
    “Oh, darling, how good to see you!” She hugged him fiercely. “As you can see, Grandpapa is not well. I am tending him so that he will get better.”
    He looked from his ailing grandfather to her, a humorous expression replacing his look of concern. “Your hair is falling down, Mama, but I am happy to see you. You were not there to have strawberries for tea!”
    Felicity realized she had done nothing about her appearance since sometime the day before. Her hands flew to her hair just as she noticed Alex standing in the doorway.
    His tall, well-built body was leaning against the doorframe, his hands in his pockets. When she saw him, he straightened. To her concern, his deep blue eyes were shadowed with fatigue. Raising one of his dark, strongly marked brows, he asked, “How is your father doing, Felicity?”
    She could tell nothing from his neutral tone of voice. Swiftly removing all the pins from her hair, she said, “The physician believes he had a brain seizure. He is still unconscious, but his heartbeat is strong. I think he will open his eyes soon. I do not want to leave him.”
    “You must be very tired.” His face still held no expression.
    “Yes. Yes, I am, Alex.”
    “Perhaps Nanny Owen and Jack could sit with Lord Morecombe for a few minutes. I would like to speak with you alone.”
    Trying to straighten the tangles in her long hair with her fingers, Felicity rose and followed Alex into her father’s sitting room. He closed the door and began to pace.
    “Why did you not leave word what had happened with Norse when you left last night? I would have come straightway I got home.”
    “Alex, you and Papa have never been close. I did not even think of it.”
    “You did not think I might wonder where my wife had gone in the middle of the night?”
    “I truly had no idea you would miss me.”
    “You cannot be serious,” he said, his eyes sparking with anger. “Is this about Elizabeth, Felicity?”
    Anger rushed to her head. “Elizabeth? No! All I could think of was Papa, who was found unconscious and who might be dead by the time I got here! Elizabeth had no place at all in my thoughts.”
    “What about when you sent for Jack? Was that not about punishing me?”
    “It certainly was not about you at all! I knew he would be disappointed over my missing tea with him today. I have no idea how long I will remain here. I thought it best that he be spared the anxiety of my continued absence.”
    “And you still thought not to inform me of your whereabouts.”
    “Nanny Owen was given instructions to tell you where I was.”
    “You could not spare the time nor the ink to pen a note to me directly?”
    “Alexander, I have truly been concerned with my father’s health. It is very precarious, and I would like to return to him this very moment, if you please.”
    As she turned to leave the room, he took her arm. “I still think you are ill-disposed toward me because of what you imagine is between me and