His Sudden Bride (The Brides # 1) COMPLETED

Chapter Nine Part One

Lexa never felt a fool for fleeing like that. God. Edward knew about her interests in science. And although it ought to have relieved her, she had felt embarrassed by that fact. Everything her mother told her about her becoming a marchioness and later duchess hit her hard. She was getting married, for Christ's sake. She ought to have given up this passion of hers. She needed to conform to what society expected her to become. The perfect wife, the perfect lady, the perfect--

Lexa scorned, it was almost sickening. It was truly sickening. She was feeling gloomy and dark for no reason.

Lexa was in her room making a sketch of a butterfly that she photographed from her time at Salisbury Plains and she had the fifth volume of The Midland Naturalist, which she had so eagerly had bought for a few pounds at the bookshop. Now the book was on her desk and a few papers where she was drawing the Adonis Blue butterfly were scattered around her. The males were more brightly spotted than the females, Lexa noted as she pushed up her glasses, and the females had more a chocolate brown colour to their wings, with orange spots, and a blue base.

Latin name, she scribbled, Polyommatus bellagrus. Prefer dry chalk or limestone grassland, very much the Salisbury Plains. As she went on to draw the female sex of the butterfly, a knock came about and Lexa looked up to see her Lucian standing at the doorway.

"My," he said, "You look like a scientist."

"A botanist," she corrected, "And an occasional lepidopterist."

"Lepido-a-what?" Lucian asked, confused by her scientific term.

"Lepidopterist, a person who studies months, insects, and butterflies."

Lucian shuddered by the thought. "You truly are bizarre."

Lexa smiled, "Why thank you." She paused and asked, "Is there a reason why you came to interfere with my studying?"

"Your fiancé is here to see you," Lucian said.

Lexa gasped and then felt a wave of panic engulf her. Edward was here? Right now?

"Tell his Lordship that I'm not here," said Lexa.

Lucian looked astonished, "Why?"

"I just..." she began, "I need to sort something out. Please send my apologises and tell him that I'm have taken ill."

"Is there a reason why you are avoiding him?" Lucian asked.

"I don't think that's any of your business," she snapped.

"It should be, Lexie," he said, "And you are getting married next Wednesday."

Lexa felt her panic increase. She was feeling her world crashing about her. Lucian looked worried by her pale state, and asked, "Lexa?"

She felt her breathing becoming more rapid. Lucian came towards her and ran his hand down her back, "Easy, Lexie. Breathe."

She listened and slowly exhaled.

"That's it," said Lucian soothingly, "Exhale. Inhale."

As she continued to release her breath, she felt her body becoming less tense and the panic attack, slow began to fade away. Lucian's hand continued to soothe her back and then Lexa, having held back her tears, burst with her emotions.

Lucian was alarmed by his sister's tears, and didn't know what to do. He took Lexa into his arms and comforted her as she sobbed.

"This isn't due to your monthly course, is it?"

Lexa gasped a laugh, "I'm not on my month. It passed two days ago."

"Then what ails you, dear sister? You rarely weep, and yet you are weeping."