‘Greece?’ He lifted his hand, his fingers skimming against hers where she had them resting on the chair. She looked down at his touch, a butterfly-soft shiver tracing her spine.
‘My father was a close aide to the King, so we left Greece when the royal family was forced into exile.’
She studied his face to see his reaction, to see if it made him uncomfortable, but he only smiled.
‘You become even more interesting by the moment, Alexandra.’
Alexandra moved her fingers slightly to see what he did, but Bernard only touched his knuckles to hers again.
‘I have lived with my aunt and uncle, Will’s parents, since I arrived,’ she said, not sure why she was telling Bernard her secrets when she’d worked so hard to keep them hidden. ‘My mother passed away, and my father decided it would be better for me to live somewhere other than with him.’
‘Ahh, so that’s why I like you. We have our fathers in common.’
She stared at him. ‘We do?’
‘My father decided it would be better for me to live somewhere other than with him too.’ His fingers moved against hers again, only this time he intertwined them, his gaze fixed on their hands. ‘He gave me exactly an hour to pack my things and find a new place to live when I announced I was going to be a musician.’
‘Well, I suppose he was rather generous giving you an entire hour. How kind of him.’
Bernard laughed and tipped his head back, taking proper hold of her hand now. ‘And all because I told him I wanted to follow my passion instead of becoming a surgeon like him. It seemed he wanted a carbon copy of himself.’
‘But he must be so proud of you, now that you’re in the orchestra? Does he often come to watch you?’
Bernard laughed. ‘My father hasn’t spoken to me since I left home, and my mother is too afraid of upsetting him to come to one of my performances.’
‘I’m sorry,’ she said, moving slightly closer to him.
‘Don’t be.’ His voice was low. ‘I have my orchestra family, and I know I will always have a home so long as I’m playing music and doing what I love.’
Alexandra reached up and touched Bernard’s face. She wasn’t certain if it was the amount of champagne she’d consumed or if it was simply a natural reaction, but she had the most overwhelming urge to brush her fingertips down his cheek. He had a hint of stubble that was rough to her skin, and she wondered what it would feel like against her cheek.
‘Do I have to give you a warning about staying away from my cousin?’
Will was suddenly standing over them then, but Bernard didn’t let go of her hand. Instead he smiled and lifted it, pressing a slow kiss to it.
‘Permission to see your cousin again?’ he asked, without taking his eyes off her.
‘Yes,’ she said.
‘No,’ Will declared.
Alexandra burst out laughing when she spoke at the exact same time as Will, who simply threw his hands up in the air.
‘Now it’s time to get you home before you turn into a pumpkin,’ Will said, taking her other hand and tugging her away from Bernard. ‘If I don’t get you home by curfew, no one will be seeing her again.’
Before she left, Alexandra extracted herself from Will and leaned down to Bernard, whispering a soft kiss to his cheek. He somehow smelt like a blend of cinnamon and leather, and she knew that she would still be thinking about how that rough edge of stubble felt against her soft skin come morning.
And when he lifted her hand and kissed her in return, his lips against her knuckles as his eyes met hers, she found herself biting down hard on her lip in an attempt to hide her smile.
16
Alexandra woke with Bernard on her mind. The second her eyes opened she clutched the sheets to her chest, remembering the soft touch of his lips on her skin, the warmth of his breath as he’d hovered there. It wasn’t a true first kiss, but it had certainly made her eighteenth birthday memorable, and it was something she was going to think about for days, she just knew it.
She rose, going to the window and parting the thick velvet drapes so she could look outside. The sun was shining, and she watched the happenings outside, wondering what time it was. All she knew for certain was that she’d most likely slept past breakfast after her late night out. Alexandra’s stomach growled as if in protest, but she was quickly distracted by a soft knock at the door. It certainly wasn’t Belle, for she would have simply burst in without warning.
‘Miss Alexandra?’
‘Come in,’ she called back, recognising the housekeeper’s voice.
