XXIX. The Most-Loved in Wickhurst-1

The word that the newlywed couple had finally returned to Wickhurst traveled so fast that Harold had to give immediate orders to the butler to close the doors of the manor to anyone who would call, most particularly any former member of Grey's. "You are quite the popular kind, darling," Alice mentioned from the settee while staring at her husband who was reading the latest Herald with a big frown on his face. "Thank you," he murmured without tearing his eyes off the paper. "How is Mother fairing in her new estate?" "She loves it. It is close enough to Langworthy, close to Lady Edwina and her old friends." "We should visit her soon, else she would think I placed her far to spare her of being a witness." "Witness to what?" "Breaking your heart," he said with a sigh, flipping another page where his frown merely worsened and his face contorted with disbelief. Ignoring his answer, Alice sighed and looked over to the window. "I would rather you do not read the gossips, Harry. It is quite a fine day today." He folded the paper at her statement and looked at her. His face lit up as he began to smile. "I would rather devour you here, my lady, but we have better things to do." Alice frowned. "I do not foresee anything better than making love with you at the moment, Harry." Harold groaned as he approached her. He bent down to plant a kiss on her lips. "You are a temptress." He grabbed her hand and straightened, taking her with him so she stood before him. He gave her another kiss. "We should take a walk." Her eyes widened. "Walk? Where?" "The park, where else?" he said, pulling her across the parlor. "Everyone seems not convinced that we both returned alive and happy." "Alive? Both?" "They speculate that one of us returned with a corpse." "What a ridiculous thing to say!" "Precisely." Alice felt she was beginning to fume. "We are not taking the carriage. I want everyone to see us both walking alive from this manor to the park." "Of course, darling." "Without a limp." "Yes, of course." "No bruises." "Yes." "No coercion." Harold chuckled as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders down the hallway. "Darling, I understand what you mean." "But not those people. And all the while I thought town folks have more sense." ***** "You would not believe this," Eva breathlessly said to Alice the very moment she entered the manor. "Believe it or not, Eva, I can believe anything at this point. But please, pray tell," Alice wryly said. "Where is your husband." "Upstairs, straight to Harold's study," her friend replied. "Now, you will not believe this..." Alice shrugged and waited for her friend's surprising news. "Lady Gedge came calling earlier." Brows raised in surprise, Alice said, "Well, that is quite unbelievable, I must agree. What did she want?" "She wants to acquire my help to meet you." "Why would she wish to meet me?" Eva shrugged. "To offer her apologies. She has learned that Sebastian devised the entire scandal and used her." "If her wit was quick as her tongue, she would have realized it sooner." Eva contained her smile. "So you will not meet her?" "I have no interest to." Eva nodded. "I understand. By the by," Eva said, grinning at her, "are you with babe?" Alice looked at Eva incredulously. "Eva, Harry and I just arrived five days ago." Eva rolled her eyes. "Alice, the last we saw each other, which was yesterday, you were quite wise. Being in Wickhurst does not make you pregnant, does it?" Alice shook her head. "It is too early to tell." Her friend bit her lower lip. "Are you perhaps..." "No!" Alice immediately cried out. "Of course I am not trying to avoid it. Dare not mention that in front of Harry." "I'm sorry," Eva said. "It seems that the gossips are getting to me, you see? I hate them and I desperately want them to be wrong." Alice squared her shoulders. "Harry and I shall prove them wrong, Eva, fret not." Eva sighed. "If these wicked gossips prevail, Alice, you and Harry ought to consider coming home to Kenward." "And add fuel to the fire? These people will simply think they are right if we go away again and hide." She got up and rang for tea. "But we are visiting Kenward soon. My horses are to arrive there in three days." Eva raised her brows. "Harold agreed that you bring your horses with you?" "Of course." Eva laughed. "You are one lucky woman." Alice scoffed. "Well, he is also one lucky man." ***** "We have too many callers of late," Alice noted to Harry. It had been three weeks since they arrived from Tiny Town, but the amount of callers they received daily did not seem to be declining anytime soon. "You should get used to them, darling," Harry replied, looking out the window. One of his friends had just gotten married and tonight was the newlywed's grand wedding ball. "You may even learn to love it." Alice sighed. "I do not believe I will adapt well to Wickhurst. I cannot have too many friends either." She sighed as she righted her skirt. "I miss my horses already." Harold laughed. "Your horses are fine, darling. You saw them adapting well in Kenward." He clasped his hand over hers. "Darling, once you loosen and show your true self, people will start to see how marvelous you are." "That will not happen, Harry." "I can teach you. Before you know it, you will be the most-loved in Wickhurst." She scoffed and he chuckled, kissing the top of her head. The carriage drew to a stop and when they both stepped out, the few people by the entrance of the manor stopped to stare. Alice had gotten quite used to them that she managed to ignore them completely and allowed Harold to guide her inside. It was not hard to pretend that the oglers were naught but lampposts. Eva and Martin were already waiting for them inside the ballroom and they were later joined by Theobald. "Where is Rachel?" asked Alice.