A Bride for Alfie (Yorkshire Brides) Read Online Free PDF Page B

you. I just cannot do it.” She faltered. The tears were threatening to spill.
    He shoved his hands in his pockets. “What if I told you Angel he only wants to see you happy.”
    “He came to see you on his way to Edinburgh?”
    “He did...”
    “He may say he just wants to see me happy Mr. Lockwood, but it would devastate him, you must see that.”
    “All I can see is that I love you, and you have admitted you love me.”
    He moved toward her. She held her ground. He reached for her and pulled her into his arms. He kissed her roughly. She responded in kind. She could not resist him. His hands made quick work of the buttons at the back of her dress while he maneuvered them towards a chair. He pulled her down to straddle him, his hands underneath her dress, now hiked up to her hips with the neckline gaping. He trailed kisses down her slender neck, and atop her exposed flesh.
    “Audra...” It was her brother’s voice. She looked. He had averted his eyes, and Michaels discreetly walked away.
    Mr. Lockwood helped her to her feet, steadied her, and buttoned her dress. She saw sympathy in his captivating greyish-green eyes, but then it morphed into an unmistakable look of contrition. Bewildered, she turned away from him; It was then she discovered Mr. Lockwood had been facing the window, which would have given him an unrestricted view of Allan’s arrival. She spun back around. “You did this on purpose.”
    Allan took her arm and forced her toward the door. “Audra, go to Mother.”
    “No, Allan, he did this on purpose. He saw you coming.” She resisted.
    Allan’s voice rose. “Was he forcing you Audra, because if not, him seeing me coming means nothing.”
    “No, he was not forcing me.”
    “Then go to Mother.”
    As she made her exit, she called back to her brother. “I will not marry him!”
    Audra stormed into the hallway but stopped in the shadows across the hall. She could see Alfie from her vantage point. He faced Allan steadily. “Before you say anything Mr. Parker, I love her, and I want to marry her.”
    “You did see me coming?”
    “I did... She had told me she was in love with me, but she was still planning on marrying the good doctor. When I saw you I knew at the very least my butler would see us together.”
    “I know she loves you Mr. Lockwood, but I also understand the loyalty she feels towards Robert. Did you tell her Robert came to see you?”
    “You know about that too?”
    “I assumed,” Allan said.
    “Is that why you came here tonight?”
    “No, I found the letter you sent, and I know my sister’s impulsive nature. I was afraid one of you may do something foolish, but now I see my coming here has provided a catalyst for her ruin. You have put me in an awkward position with her. I am cognizant of the fact I do not need to insist on a marriage since with your precipitous action you intended to bring about that precise situation; however, I would ask it be as soon as you can acquire a license, and the banns are read. I imagine your entire household is aware of the situation by now. The longer this drags out the harder it is going to be on everyone.”
    *
    Audra just made it to her mother in the guest room, and explained the situation, before Allan entered.
    “Audra, as soon as Mr. Lockwood can acquire a license, and the banns are read, you two will wed.”
    “No...”
    Allan took her hands in his. “I understand your feelings of loyalty to Robert, but do you realize he went to see Mr. Lockwood on his way to Edinburgh. He just wants you to be happy.”
    Tears were streaming down her face now. “Everyone keeps telling me he just wants me to be happy. I know he wants me to be happy, but I also know this will hurt him terribly. He has waited so long for us to be together, and he worked so hard to have everything just right. I ruined everything by coming here.”
    “It makes no difference now Audra. Two people witnessed you in a compromising position, and you did not deny your willing