Page 24 of Her Ruse with the Wicked Duke
“Indeed.” The Duke nodded, giving her a sideways look.
Suddenly, butterflies had taken over her stomach at the thought of truly being courted by the man who lightly held her arm with his now, blocking her from the evening breeze.
I need a refreshment to get these thoughts out of my head, and the Duke should have no trouble speaking with these men.
“Apologies. I must leave you, gentlemen, to fetch refreshments. A lady knows nothing of the intricacies of your business dealings.”
Rowan gave her a small smile, and she squeezed his arm tightly before releasing it. She whispered to him as she walked away, “I will just be over here, Your Grace.”
The Duke nodded, straightening his suit jacket and standing taller, emphasizing his wide shoulders. He turned back to them, and she made her way to one of the footmen, who offered her a glass of champagne. She took the flute and sat at one of the tables, sipping and watching the various social interactions of the evening.
A mother was scolding her daughter near the driveway as she scrambled into their carriage, and another woman was sitting at a table a few feet away from Alice, wiping her tears. She was going to stand up and check on the lady when a group of giggling women made their way over to her table.
“Miss Snow,” Elizabeth, Lord Bray’s daughter, said, with a roguish smile on her face. “We saw that you were on the Duke’s arm once again.”
“You have incredible observational skills, Miss Darcy,” Alice replied, taking a larger gulp of her drink.
I am going to need more than a flute of champagne to deal with this interaction.
The group giggled behind Elizabeth, but she did not find the same amusement in the comment. “You are aware that your brother will never let you marry, are you not? You are forced to bring your lady’s maid as your chaperone. You do not belong here, Miss Snow.”
“If I have offended you in some way, Miss Darcy, please disclose what I have done to vex you so. Is this your attempt at dispelling your own jealousy?” Alice stood up suddenly, the table in front of her shaking on the uneven ground.
“He will not marry you. It is a waste of your time. We all know that Lady Camilla Neale and the Duke have been practically matchmade to one another since their first breaths.”
“And who told you I wanted to marry the Duke?” Alice snapped, a little too loudly, catching the attention of everyone in the garden.
Elizabeth simply smirked, turning to walk away. “You should work on controlling your temper, Miss Snow. It is unladylike. Not that you would know anything of the matter.”
Alice looked around at the eyes on her, suddenly feeling exposed.
Maybe Elizabeth is right. Maybe all of this game-playing and nonsense with the Duke is useless. What was his relationship with Lady Camilla? And why would he ask me for help if he had someone so close around?
She saw Grace approaching, but before she made it to the table, Rowan grasped her wrist, sending a jolt through her body. “Are you all right, Miss Snow?”
“O-Of course, Your Grace. Did you make any deals with the gentlemen? I apologize sincerely if I caused an interruption.”
“Nonsense. I managed a few meetings, thanks to you.”
He smiled, and Alice believed it was the first genuine smile she had seen from him. It was a childlike grin that took up his entire face, making him look younger than his twenty-nine years. She lowered her gaze, catching herself as her mind wandered.
“I am sorry that I left you alone for so long. Miss Darcy has had it out for you, it seems.”
“Pardon?” Alice lifted her head.
“The first night I met you, I heard her mumbling about you. It is how I knew who to look for when I came to… apologize.” He shrugged playfully as they began to walk through the garden, away from the scrutinizing eyes of the ton.
“I am unsure that went the way you expected, Your Grace.” She smirked, her blush returning as she remembered their feverish kiss.
She had managed to ignore that kiss most hours of the day, but late at night, it haunted her mind as she was reminded of the way his hands wrapped around her face, the tips of his fingers making their way into her hair.
Stop it!
“Indeed, it is not the most gentlemanly apology I have given. But it was good, was it not?” He winked, leaning closer to her face.
“Y-Your Grace,” she stuttered, butterflies fluttering frantically in her stomach.
“I was just looking for a reaction.” He smiled.
