Filed To Story: Alessia Mistaken as Mistress Book PDF Free
“I’m a rude, insensitive fool,” he said. “I press my ideas and opinions on others. I don’t take no for an answer. I like having things my own way, and I have to be hit over the head to see another side of a situation. Up until I met you I thought I knew everything I wanted, and I didn’t think I needed anyone else in my life.
“Needing you went against my highly inflated opinion of myself. It was…like a weakness. And I don’t like being weak.”
She raised a hand to his face. Nicholas placed his fingers over hers and pressed her palm to his cheek.
“I need you, Alessia. Because I love you.”
Tears welled in her eyes again. “You don’t even know me,” she said, a shaky catch in her voice. “You don’t know the real Alessia.”
“Yes, I do,” he assured her. “I know the Alessia who loves her son above all else. I know the Alessia who cared enough about total strangers to see their needs and meet them herself. The Alessia who is a capable hardworking person who can deal with people and situations and run a house effortlessly.
“And I know the Alessia who regretted her mistakes and wanted to bring closure to the Halliday family by finding Claire’s body.”
He drew her close against his chest. “And I know the Alessia who is passionate and responsive and has a lot of love to give a man who’d never take it for granted.”
“Nicholas,” she whispered. “Are you sure?”
“Oh, I’m sure,” he replied with conviction. “And once I make up my mind, nobody changes it for me.”
Alessia smiled. A smile just for him. A smile he’d craved.
“Marry me, Alessia. I’ll spend the rest of my life making you happy.”
“That won’t be too hard,” she said. “Having you love me is all the happiness I can hold.”
“Oh, no,” he said and kissed her neck. “There’s much, much more happiness where that came from.”
She brought her arms between their bodies and framed his face in her palms. “I love you, Nicholas.”
Leda enveloped Alessia in one of her soft violet-scented hugs. After Leda released her, she dabbed at her eyes with her hankie. “You looked so beautiful in this dress,” she said, referring to the pale green confection Alessia had worn as she and Nicholas said their vows that afternoon. “I knew it was perfect for you.”
“Thank you for having it made for me,” Alessia said. “And thank you for loaning me your necklace. I’m so glad you got all of your jewelry back.”
“I’m just glad that dreadful girl didn’t get away with stealing from us and making it look like you’d done it. She actually had the audacity to be wearing my ring when Nicholas’s Pinkerton man led the sheriff to her!”
“I’ll bet she did some fancy talking.”
“It did her no good. You know the jewels weren’t even important to me. It was just the principle of the crime.”
Alessia touched the emerald on her chest.
“I love to see you in pretty things,” the older woman said. “I’d like you to keep it.”
“Oh, but I couldn’t-“
“It matches the bracelet that was your mother’s. This way you have something from both of your mothers.”
Alessia clasped Leda hands. “I’ll treasure it.”
Nicholas, in his ruffled white shirt and black coat and tie, came up beside Alessia and slid his arm around her waist.
“Are the women in my life happy?”
“Very,” Alessia assured him with a smile.
“You two are striking together,” his mother said. “Nicholas so dark and you so fair. And I love you like my very own.” She dabbed her eyes again. “I couldn’t have made a better choice for you myself,” Leda told her son.
He chuckled. “Most of the guests are gone,” he said, then added, “A few of them seemed a little surprised that I was marrying my brother’s wife so quickly, but no one seemed to care that you preferred to be called Alessia.”
“In some cultures it’s a man’s duty to marry his brother’s widow,” Leda said. “And even now marriages of convenience are arranged all the time.”
“Well, this marriage is convenient,” Nicholas said. “Since Alessia loves me, and I’m mad about her.”
As he hugged her, she caught sight of Claire’s mother.
“Celia did just fine, didn’t she?” Alessia said, pulling away.
“Not even a drop of champagne,” he replied.
“I’m concerned about her, though,” Alessia said. “She’s not like you, Leda. She has no friends and few interests.”
Gruver interrupted them just then. “Mrs. Rose is here, sir.”
Nicholas turned. “Good, show her in.” After Gruver had left, he said, “Celia concerned me, too. And I believe I’ve come up with something.”
“What’s that?” Alessia asked, and both women looked at him curiously.
“I’ve hired a companion for her. Someone to keep her company.” He gave her a sidelong smile. “Keep her out of trouble.”
Alessia and Leda exchanged a surprised glance. “Well, that’s generous,” Alessia said.
“And William will have a companion, too.”
“But William has Mrs. Trent,” Leda pointed out.
“This is a playmate, not a nursemaid,” he explained.
Leda stared at Alessia, and Alessia shook her head. “I have no idea what he’s talking about. Who is Mrs. Rose?”
Nicholas moved to the doorway, where he waited only a minute. “I had hoped you would be here in time for the wedding.”
His broad-shouldered form blocked her view of the person he spoke to.
“I wanted to, Mr. Halliday, but the train made a stopover and arrived late.” The voice sounded familiar.
Nicholas stepped aside and led the girl carrying a toddler forward. Alessia recognized her at once. “Hannah!”
“Alessia!” Hannah hurried to Alessia and hugged her. “This is Amanda.”
“Hello, Amanda,” Alessia said, smiling at the chubby little girl.
“Nicholas, this is who you hired to be Celia’s companion?” Alessia asked, incredulous.
He nodded.
She’d told him about Hannah losing her husband, and about the child she had to leave at her sister’s. Alessia had also shared the desperation a young woman in that position experienced, and had prayed Hannah wouldn’t have to marry someone horrible just to care for her daughter. The fact that he’d shared her concern and snatched Hannah out of that situation touched Alessia’s full-to-bursting heart.
“Oh, Nicholas,” she said, embracing and hugging him tightly. “You are the most wonderful man.”