Page 17 of Her Ruse with the Wicked Duke
Alice nodded before tiptoeing to the crack of the door, eavesdropping.
“I suppose you are here on business. I would love to hear about the harrowing adventures of the Duke in the Americas sometime,” Richard so obviously mocked him, and Alice wanted to palm her forehead, knowing that her brother would indefinitely make her look horrid in the Duke’s eyes. Without his help, she would have even less of a chance to marry.
“Of course,” Rowan said suddenly, and Alice furrowed her brow, confused.
Is he doing business with Richard now? How many deals is he making? And has Richard really offered up his money to a failing business? The world must be ending.
“I would love to invest with you, Your Grace, seeing that I will benefit.” Richard chuckled. He was terrible at hiding his greed.
“That is the goal,” the Duke replied before noticing her movement by the door.
Richard abruptly stood up, and Alice backed away from the door just in time to see him glare at her and shut the door behind him, leaving her out of the conversation entirely.
She went back to doing chores, bothered that she could not hear what they were talking about. She despised when her brother always shooed her out of the room, especially when she felt that she deserved to know where their parents’ money was going, even if she was simply a woman.
She cared deeply for this estate and the staff that tended to it, and she would be devastated to see anything bad happen to her parents’ legacy.
After a long while, the men finally exited the sitting room, laughing loudly about something Alice could guarantee was not funny enough to warrant that reaction.
“Fetch the Duke’s hat.” Richard snapped his fingers to no one in particular.
Alice stepped forward instinctively.
“I can see myself out,” Rowan said, stepping toward the door.
“Nonsense.”
Alice rolled her eyes as she grabbed his hat and coat from the foyer and turned to see that Rowan had followed her. She handed it to him, her brother blathering on in the hall at Rowan’s aide, despite the man not paying attention to him. As he grabbed it, his hand landed on hers, and she shot her gaze up to his, a blush growing on her cheeks.
“Apologies, Your Grace.”
“I should be the one apologizing. You should have let the maid get this for me. You will join me at the next event, correct? I will need your charm.”
“I would be honored, You Grace,” she whispered. “Thank you.”
“I hope to see you at the garden party in a week’s time, then, Miss Snow.” Rowan gave her a small smile, winking.
She felt her breath hitch in her throat, blinking at him with a stunned look on her face before watching him take the black hat, place it on his head, and head out the door.
Richard followed him out like an annoying child, and Alice watched from the doorway as the Duke’s carriage rode off into the early afternoon air.
* * *
“Did Miss Snow seem a bit off to you?” Rowan turned to his right-hand man in the carriage as they made their way home.
She acted like she was required to serve them, and he was confused by her submissive nature.
“I know not what you mean, Your Grace.”
“She is usually quite less docile. And she took my hat and coat, which was beyond odd.”
“Perhaps she was just nervous in your presence?” The man smiled, raising his eyebrows.
Rowan waved him off. “She is not the type, Maxwell. She is a strong woman who does not seem like the type to cower in the presence of a man.”
“Perhaps she has feelings for you.”
Rowan raised his head, before smiling. “I would wager against it.”
