Page 77 of To Have & To Hold

Emilia raced down the hall towards his voice.

Nathaniel had her brother pinned firmly against the wall. One hand gripped the front of his coat while the other held hisshoulder. Alexander strained against him with all his strength, his boots scraping uselessly against the marble floor, while Nathaniel appeared unmoved.

“Unhand me!” Alexander demanded, struggling again.

“I will,” Nathaniel replied through clenched teeth. “Once you stop swinging your fists!”

“I will do considerably worse if you have hurt my sister!”

“Stop!” Emilia stepped forward.

Both men froze, their heads turning towards her.

“Emilia?” Alexander breathed. The fight left his body as he stared at her in disbelief.

Emilia’s vision blurred with tears—though she could not tell if they were from joy or anger. She had imagined this moment a thousand different ways, but none of them had looked like this.

“Xander…” Emilia’s voice broke with a sob.

Nathaniel looked between them both, his hands falling away from Alexander’s collar before he stepped back without a word.

Emilia put one shaking foot in front of the other, stepping towards her brother. Alexander’s eyes swept over her face before inspecting every inch of her. His shoulders remained rigid until he reached for her hands, turning them over again and again until he was satisfied that she was unharmed. A trepidatious smile pulled on his lips as he met her eyes.

Emilia couldn’t hold back the sigh of relief that escaped her as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close. Alexander’s arms held her tightly, as if she would disappear if he ever let her go again.

Emilia buried her face deeper in her brother’s chest, tears freely flowing down her cheeks. She could sense Nathaniel’s eyes on them, but she didn’t dare look at him for fear of what she would see reflected in his gaze.

“What have you done?” She whispered into Alexander’s coat. Alexander tensed, but before he could answer, Nathaniel’s throat cleared from behind him.

“Perhaps this conversation would be better continued somewhere more private.” His voice was tense.

Emilia stepped back from her brother. Nathaniel stood several paces away from them, his hands clasped neatly behind his back. His gaze was fixed firmly on the floor.

Alexander placed himself between her and the duke, suspicion hardening every line of his face. “Lead the way, Your Grace.” Sarcasm dripped from every syllable.

Emilia shot him a warning glance before she hurried after Nathaniel, matching his pace as he marched down the hall.

“Nathaniel…” she whispered, lifting her head to ensure he could hear her. “I was going to tell you.”

“Tell me what?” Nathaniel’s pace sped up. “That you were expecting company?”

“No,” she replied to his retreating back. “I did not know he was coming here.”

“But you did know that he was alive.”

Emilia closed her eyes and took a steadying breath. “Yes,” she admitted.

Nathaniel hesitated for a moment, but still did not turn to look at her. She could see the disappointment etched into every line of his drooping shoulders. “You did not just keep this from me, Emilia. You lied to me.”

There was no emotion in his voice. Every word was spoken like the simple, unavoidable truth.

“I know. I was about to tell you…”

Nathaniel stopped walking. His head turned towards her slightly, but he still did not meet her eyes. “Tonight?”

“Yes.”

Nathaniel huffed as he continued on down the hall. “That is convenient.”