Page 47 of Married to the Ruthless Duke

His family was the exact opposite of Helen’s—formal, cold and disorganized. The Dowager Duchess and his half-siblings only saw him for what he could offer: a key to a life of affluence.

“I would like to apologize again.”

“Whatever for?” Helen asked with a smile.

“I fear I may have grossly underprepared you to deal with?—”

“Brother dearest!” a feminine voice cried from behind him.

His sister, Sophia Osborne, the soon-to-be Countess of Wolverton and the reason for the ball, had finally found them.

“Oh, I could tell it was you from that aristocratic stance.” She smiled widely, gliding over to them in a golden evening dress that shimmered in the candlelight and brought out the tone of her skin.

Alexander had to admit, she looked beautiful. At nineteen, even with her rather unattractive family, she had turned down many suitors before finally choosing to court the Earl of Wolverton.

“You’re looking rather… well fed, Brother.” She wrinkled her nose. “You should be more physically active. Perhaps go fencing sometime.”

“How insightful of you to offer such wonderful advice, Sister,” he said calmly, even though he wanted to bare his teeth. “You are looking fashionably… prickly.”

Helen stiffened by his side, and he instantly regretted his comment. When Sophia’s gaze, however, fixed on his bride, his resolve hardened as his body prepared for a fight.

His stepmother and brother hadn’t appeared yet, so he wasn’t all too bothered. Sophia was relatively placid, as far as his family was concerned. She would bare her claws, but when she met resistance, they were easily retracted.

“You must be Helen,” she said, her eyes running distastefully over his wife.

Alexander frowned at the obvious disrespect and impropriety of Sophia’s manner. She had not been introduced to Helen and hadn’t addressed her with her appropriate title.

He usually overlooked it when Sophia refused to address him by his title and even when she was blatantly disrespectful to him, despite him having full control of her life.

He had justified her actions even. After all, she had been raised by the bitter Dowager Duchess and had a reprobate brother, Nathaniel. It was almost entirely unavoidable for an impressionable girl to adopt terrible manners, but she had taken to them beyond the point of correction. He could only pity her husband-to-be.

“It’s lovely to meet you.” Helen smiled almost hesitantly.

Alexander gave her hand a squeeze, but her tension hadn’t abated. Perhaps it would have been better if he hadn’t given her such a terrible rundown on his family. Then, perhaps she would be more comfortable.

“Don’t be so frigid with me. I am your sister, after all,” Sophia said, rolling her eyes. “Save the politeness for your farm hands.”

“I apologize, Sophia,” Helen replied, looking every bit remorseful. “Perhaps we’ll find the time to get used to each other after the wedding.”

Alexander’s eyebrows rose, marking his surprise, but he immediately schooled his features.

“I guess so,” Sophia answered, losing her voice.

He felt the fear he had had for Helen leave him at the easy defeat of his sister, and even though she was a more placid member of his family, he was impressed. Helen had not quivered.

They settled into an uneasy silence which was broken when Sophia’s fiancé, the Earl of Wolverton, cleared his throat.

“Oh, dearest!” Sophie intertwined their hands, pulling him to their side. “This is my fiancé, Timothy, the Earl of Wolverton.”

“Your Grace.” He bowed.

He looked well enough with dark brown hair and plain brown eyes in a small face. He was dressed in garish evening wear, with an evening coat of gold that matched his wife-to-be’s gown.

Lord Wolverton was rumored to be a simple-minded fool, and Alexander had wondered if the sentiment was true, considering he had agreed to marry his sister, but looking at the man’s outfit, he realized the accuracy of the description.

“Don’t be so formal, darling,” Sophia scolded. “He is to be your brother, after all. You can call him Alexander.”

Alexander raised an eyebrow, daring him to try. The man looked away.

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