Page 63 of Alone with the Beastly Duke
There was perfect silence at the table after Axel spoke, and Jasmine could even see two of the Ton’s gossips burying their heads in shame. Thankfully, Rose broke the silence.
“Did you hear His Grace? Treat people with kindness, and that starts from not playing expensive pranks on people,” Rose said.
“He never said that,” Cassian replied stubbornly.
Rose rolled her eyes and sighed. “You are simply incorrigible.”
“No one is mean to you, Your Grace; we simply do not like that you act like you are better than everyone else in the Ton. You never attend any ball parties thrown in the Ton, and you...” someone whose name Jasmine did not know argued.
Axel smiled. “And after what has happened tonight, I do not regret segregating myself from the Ton. I do not wish to be part of a group of people who would treat me like a monster.”
“Only a monster kills his own wife,” Lady Feathering remarked as she raised a cup of wine to her lips.
There was another moment of uncomfortable silence with Axel smiling.
“Indeed. And I have some good news for you all,” he said.
This does not sound good.
Everyone leaned in toward him, hanging on to every word that came out of his mouth.
“All of you in the Ton do not have to worry about having a monster as your neighbor anymore,” he announced, still smiling. “I have been planning a trip to Norway, and I will be leaving at any moment.”
Jasmine gasped, and a few people glanced at her. Seeing that she was beginning to call attention to herself, she smiled and quickly drank some wine to get herself less rattled.
Is this why he has been avoiding me today? He is leaving?
Jasmine stole a glance at Axel, but he seemed to be avoiding her gaze. Jasmine could almost feel her heartbreak into a million pieces. She had never felt so hurt, and it was for a man that did not even seem to care about her.
She could not help but remember all the moments they shared. The Duke sharing books with her, taking her with him to water his flowers, and sneaking into her room and holding her till dawn. She could have sworn that he cared deeply for her, but it seemed that it was all a lie. If he could flippantly just announce that he was leaving for Norway without even informing her beforehand, then she really was not as important to him as he was to her.
I must have been a simple distraction that amused him.
Tears welled up in her eyes, but she blinked them away. It would not do for her to break into tears at a table filled with the Ton’s gossip mongers.
“But, Your Grace,” Jasmine’s father started, “we have enjoyed having you as a neighbor, and we would be sad indeed to see you leave.”
Axel smiled. “Indeed! Everyone in the Ton has been incredibly welcoming to me, and it will hurt me to have to leave,” Axel said sarcastically.
“His Grace has a sense of humor,” Lord Linley said, laughing a little too loud. Jasmine knew then that the Viscount was drunk.
“Indeed, I do,” Axel responded, “and my sense of humor does not include being horrible to other people.”
“Hear, Hear!” The Viscount said.
“We will miss having you amidst us indeed,” the Countess said. “I had hoped that you would be a regular guest at our balls, so it is a shame to see you leave.”
“Indeed!” Axel replied.
“The Ton will be glad to see you leave,” Lady Feathering snapped. Her eyes glazed over, and Jasmine knew she was also drunk like most dinner guests.
Axel placed the cup in his hand on the table and rose.
“And I would love to leave this dinner now. Thank you very much, Lord and Lady Thornhill, for inviting me to your dinner. You have been considerate hosts, and I wish I could say the same for the other people at this table,” Axel said, and with that, he walked out.
Everyone gaped at him as he left.
Jasmine would have been impressed at his departure if she was not already so mad at him for simply disregarding her. She felt the tears well up again, and she wiped them off furiously so no one would notice.
