Page 59 of Alone with the Beastly Duke
“You are right,” Jasmine replied.
“Of course, I am,” Rose responded.
Jasmine looked at her sister and laughed. Rose also laughed, and they both burst into laughter that was rather loud and gained them a couple of reprimanding looks from people. At this moment, Jasmine was simply happy and fulfilled, standing with her sister and sharing a laugh. It was almost like the old times again.
“His Grace, The Duke of Hexington!” the butler announced.
Jasmine’s heart skipped a beat as she recognized that name.
“The Nordic Beast has finally decided to grace us with his presence,” William said as he stood beside them.
“I am certain he considered not coming at all,” Rose related, “and I cannot blame him, what with all the annoying members of the Ton here today.”
Jasmine was only half listening to her siblings as she busied herself with fixing her hair behind her ears and pressing her necklace to sit right at the middle of her chest. She was nervous as this was the first time that Axel would be seeing her at a public gathering.
“Jasmine, what do you think?” Rose asked.
“What?” Jasmine asked. She had been too busy ensuring that she still looked as pretty as when she left her room that she did not hear what William and Rose had been saying.
“We were saying that...”
Jasmine never got to hear what they were saying because, at that moment, Axel walked into the hallway in all his giant regality, and there was silence as everyone had their eyes trained on him. He was dressed in a fine coat that fitted his form and trousers that showed off the outline of his toned thighs.
Jasmine could not help but remember her hands running through his legs, hair, and every part of him while they were both pleasuring each other. She closed her eyes and shook her head to send the thoughts away. She had to stay in the best mental state possible as she could not afford to let anything slip about what she and Axel had been up to. She especially could not afford to let anything slip considering that her parents had managed to invite most of the Ton tonight.
Axel had a polite smile on his face as he strode in, and as his eyes wandered around, Jasmine could tell that he was shocked to see so many people at the house. She kept her eyes trained on him, and when their eyes finally met, she smiled at him reassuringly. However, instead of smiling back, he simply held her gaze for just a moment before looking away.
Jasmine was disappointed. She was definitely not expecting him to show her affection publicly, but he could have at least spared her a smile.
Even as he slowly made his way into the hallway, Jasmine could see the hostility of the Ton. Not only did they eye him suspiciously, but they also moved away from him as though he had a contagious disease they could contract just by being around him.
“The Nordic Beast...”
“He housed the girl...”
“The poor girl must have been...”
Slowly, whispers about Axel began to spread across the room, and Jasmine’s heart went out to Axel. She could not imagine how hurtful it must be for him to have everyone treat him so awfully.
The sound of the gong rent the air as the butler announced that dinner was ready. People began to file into the dining room, and, at that instant, Jasmine got the idea to sneak a moment alone with Axel, who seemed to have been avoiding her.
She approached him, but when he saw her, his eyes narrowed in disapproval. This, however, did not deter Jasmine.
“Your Grace,” Jasmine said to him, curtseying.
“Lady Jasmine,” Axel responded, “it is good to finally see you in the company of your lovely family.”
Nothing in Axel’s voice betrayed the fact that they were more acquainted than they let on.
“Are you avoiding me, Axel?” Jasmine asked in a low tone that even anyone standing close to them would not hear.
“Lady Jasmine, would you not agree that I should take my seat in the dining room now? I absolutely cannot wait to try that chicken you boasted about,” he evaded. “Now, if you will excuse me.”
With that, Axel began to walk away. This was, however, not before he muttered to her, “I am trying to protect you.”
Jasmine smiled as she also headed for the dining room. As she entered, she saw that the dining room had been rearranged to accommodate their many guests. The table was bigger and longer, and there were definitely more chairs. She entered just after Axel and watched as he tried to get a seat. He settled for one seat where there were no occupants on either side. Jasmine sat beside her sister, and once the guests had all streamed in, she realized that all the other guests had purposefully made sure to avoid the two seats on either side of Axel.
Jasmine’s heart went out to Axel again, but he did not seem to be fazed by any of this. Or perhaps he was fazed by it, but he was just so good at hiding it now after dealing with it for so long. Everyone dove into the food, stuffing themselves with servings of vegetables, chicken, soups, and puddings. There were mundane conversations, and Jasmine did not really pay attention to them until...
