Read into My Heart

Chapter Sixteen

Miranda was up to something. She was being too inquisitive, not to mention elusive. Alex's hands twitched, he resisted the urge to rub his hands that had begun to feel clammy. Since he hardly ever had guests in his home, he never had to answer such personal questions, like his choice of books.

He hadn't been lying when he said they were merely for show. When Alex had inherited the estate, he ordered the servants to fill the bookshelf with whatever they could find from the library. He had been too bereft at the time to give it any more thought. Apart from having to cope with his father's death, Alex also had to learn how to run an Earldom while being illiterate. He thought that by having a full bookshelf behind his desk, it would make his limitation less obvious for when he held meetings of business.

But now Alex found himself in a situation that he never anticipated. He was allowing someone into his personal life, and he wasn't sure what to do about it. Miranda was one of the kindest persons he knew, yet he would not be able to bear her pity, or worse, her repulsion if she knew that he could not read.

Seeing her in his private study made Alex feel suddenly very vulnerable. Part of him thought she looked quite natural bending over his bookshelf, as if she had just come in to grab herself a novel. But when she said that she had been curious, Alex instantly became alert. Had she figured out his struggle? Or maybe felt that there was something not quite right about him? Either way, Alex wasn't sure he was ready to reveal his secret to anyone.

Pushing away from the doorframe, Alex walked toward Miranda, leaving the door slightly open for propriety's sake. Alex stood in the center of the room, trying to piece together the puzzle that was Miranda Edwards. "Why are you really here Miranda?" His eyes narrowed slightly as Miranda picked at the fabric of her dress, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Well," she began hesitantly, "I couldn't help but wonder what you are like when you are not in society." Miranda swept her arm toward his bookcase. "Like what books you read, or what you do to simply just pass the time." She turned sheepish as if she just realized her outburst but her eyes looked steadily into his. "I know you're a gallant gentleman who saves inexperienced ladies from fanatic horses." Her lips turned up at the corners and Alex couldn't help but smile in return. "But there's more to you Alexander Archer," Miranda continued. "And I want to know why you hide it from the world."

Alex felt his neck grow warm under his collar. He was right that Miranda had caught the scent of a trail. A trail that led to his deepest secret. If only she knew that by sharing it with the world, it could make his own come tumbling down.

"If I may be so bold to ask," Alex said, trying to distract her. "Why are you so interested in me? Shouldn't you be interrogating your many suitors? I'm sure Archer would answer any of your questions that concerned himself."

Miranda let out a snort. "I would have to agree that Mr. Archer does enjoy talking about himself." But then her face grew somber. "Maybe I'm being too brash. I should count myself fortunate to have caught the attention of any suitor."

"You hardly know him," Alex said in admonishment.

Miranda cocked her head. "I'm surprised you would speak so ill of your own cousin. And aren't you the pot calling the kettle black? If I recall correctly, you asked me to dance without a proper introduction."

With an arrogant smirk on his face, Alex stepped towards Miranda till they were inches apart. "Yes, but I was so devilishly handsome, you couldn't have possibly said no to me."

Miranda arched an eyebrow in an attempt to give a haughty expression. However, with the blush caressing her cheeks, Alex was not easily fooled. He remembered back to yesterday and how close he had been to kissing her. Even now he so wanted to close the distance between them, to see how her lips felt against his.