After a brief moment of realization, he snorted and removed his other gauntlet. He held up his left hand to her.
“Put it on.”
Grinning shyly, she shoved the ring onto his enormous finger. He held his hand up, looking at it, acquainting himself with the feel of it. “It is as if it was made for me,” he announced. “A perfect fit.”
“Truly?”
“Truly.” He kissed her, taking another look at her ring. “And this one is as flawless and delicate and beautiful as you are.”
She smiled modestly; his compliments were coming to mean a great deal to her whereas once, she was suspicious of them. Matthew put his arm around her.
“Now you must pick out something else, otherwise I will feel very foolish,” he said.
“Why?”
“Because we have only been here a matter of minutes and you have already made your selection. Caroline and Mark will think I have forced you into a quick decision simply to be done with it.”
“We cannot let them think that,” she leaned against him, gazing up into his strong face. “By all means, let us visit other stalls.”
Matthew paid for the rings and they emerged back onto the avenue with their new-found adornments. As Alixandrea excitedly showed Caroline, Mark went over to his brother and peered at his ringed finger. He lifted an eyebrow and shook his head.
“Why did you let her talk you into that?” he snorted.
Matthew was not oblivious to how his brother felt about Alixandrea. It had been increasingly apparent since their father’s accident, even though she had clearly been exonerated of any wrongful actions. Though Mark had mostly kept his opinions to himself, there were times when the truth broke through. Yet his behavior did not seem isolated simply to Alixandrea; he had been increasingly hostile to his wife as well. The more the wives were around, the more unhappy Mark seemed to be. Matthew knew his brother well enough to know why.
“I am proud to wear this,” he told his brother. “If you had any sense, you would wear one, too.”
Mark looked at him as if he’d lost his mind. “Why?”
Matthew lowered his voice. “Because you are married and I would ask, for the duration of this trip, that you at least act as if you are. I do not want to hear tale of your indiscretions with your wife in residence with you.”
Mark’s dark eyes cooled. “My activities are of no concern to you and you have always respected that. I would ask that you continue to do so.”
“Not with Caroline present. What you do when she is at Wellesbourne and you are out and about is your business. But while she is here with you, I would expect you to honor your vows to her. If nothing else, to preserve the woman’s dignity. She has tolerated far too much of your roving ways and has never said a word. The least you could do is show her a measure of respect while we are in London.”
Mark did not back down. “You may give the orders on the battlefield or within the family, but when it comes to my marriage, I draw the line. You will not order me about in my own marriage.”
“I will say no more,” Matthew growled. “But I will tell you this; if Caroline comes to me in tears because of your lack of discretion, you will hear from me and it will not be pleasant.”
Mark shook his head. “You have been married two weeks and you think to lecture me? You are the last person that I would take marital advice from.”
“My marriage seems to be starting far better than yours did.”
“Give it time. You have had a woman or two in your bed during your visits to London.”
“Not while I was married.”
Mark suddenly jabbed an angry finger in Alixandrea’s direction. “By the law, if not by the law of God, you have been married to that woman for ten years and I know for a fact that you have bedded many a wench during that time. In fact, you cavorted quite seriously with Mena for a solid year withoutregard to your betrothal. So think not, brother, to lecture me on the sanctity of marriage when you smashed yours into the dirt for many long years and did so happily. Your self-righteousness makes me sick.”
Alixandrea and Caroline, by now, were listening. With Mark’s raised voice and Matthew’s body language, it had not been difficult to hear or see what was going on. Alixandrea took the full brunt of Mark’s last sentence, vicious and stormy as it was. He may as well have physically struck her; it would have done far less damage.
Alixandrea’s gaze traveled between her husband and Mark before silently, with dignity, making her way back over to the carriage that sat parked along the edge of the avenue. Without a hind glance, she climbed inside and closed the door. With tears in her eyes, Caroline followed.
Matthew stood there a moment before closing his eyes, sickened by what his wife had heard, knowing the heated words had devastated her. He could not muster the strength to become angry with his brother; Mark had said nothing that was untrue.
Wiping a weary, remorseful hand over his face, he followed his wife’s path back to the carriage. Looking in the cab window, he could see Alixandrea seated with her head hanging down. He could not see her face, but he could only imagine her expression.
“Alixandrea,” he said quietly. “Mark was angry with me. He spoke… out of turn. If I could take back his words, I would surely do so simply to ease your heart.”
