Page 33 of Her Ruse with the Wicked Duke
Rowan pulled out her chair for her and sat down next to her as several dishes were laid in front of them.
“So, Rowan, we never got the full story of how you two met.” Cain smiled, egging his friend on.
Rowan turned to Alice, who looked slightly stunned before smiling abashedly. “It was quite unmemorable.” He shrugged, knowing that it couldn’t be further from the truth. “I told you that we met at a soiree. She has been helping me to get ahold of some investors.”
“Are you happy, my friend?” Xander asked. “You are so caught up in your work. Do you have time for leisure?”
Rowan picked at his food with his fork, bothered by the question. He disliked it when people questioned his motivation to keep his father’s business alive, especially because he knew that they implied that happiness was solely acquired by marriage, which he understood to be false. He watched romance destroy his father, and his friend’s reputation, and had no urge to join them.
“If he was not so caught up in his business and actively avoiding a wife, he would probably be happier,” Cain muttered, eating his potatoes.
“Have you spoken to your mother recently, Rowan? She sent word a week ago, asking if we had heard from you,” Xander added. “She seems to think that you spend more time here than you do.”
Of course, she was looking for me again, and reaching out to my best friends at that. Why could she not take the hint?
“I visited her when I arrived in London. She is well. I see no reason why she had to contact you,” Rowan scoffed, stabbing at his peas.
“You know how she is,” Xander replied.
“Ah, yes! The one who stole her son’s ability to love.” Cain winked at Rowan, who rolled his eyes, feeling annoyance begin to burn in his throat.
“What happened with your mother?” Alice asked quietly.
“Nothing,” he snapped, then went quiet, focusing on his food.
Dinner went by slowly, and once he finished his dinner, he turned to Alice, who was quietly drinking her champagne beside him.
How many glasses has she had? Her face is glowing.
He was about to lean over and ask when the loud clinking of silverware on glass rang through the room.
“I hope everyone thoroughly enjoyed their dinner. More socializing, and more drinking…” Xander shifted his gaze to Robert Billings, who gave a guilty shrug. “… will commence back in the sitting room. Feel free to head that way.”
Alice stood up suddenly, her chair scraping the floor. “Your Grace, this was just delicious. I cannot thank you enough.”
“Of course, Miss Snow. Would you like to join us in the other room for some of our usual festivities?” Xander asked, and Rowan watched as she nodded vigorously, seemingly anxious to leave the room.
“Oh, me, too!” Sarah Shelley cooed, slipping from her chair and joining Alice on the other side of the table, looping her arm through hers and shuffling her out of the room.
Alice looked back one last time to catch Rowan’s gaze, but he was unable to read it before she disappeared behind the door with the actress.
“What do those two have in store for the evening?” Cain smiled as the door swung shut.
“I have not a clue,” Rowan muttered, taking a sip of his bourbon. “They will indeed be a pair to witness.”
* * *
Alice was glad that Miss Shelley did not despise her. Her first impression of the woman was not the greatest, but after the two had bonded over several glasses of champagne before and during dinner, they warmed up to one another.
“Will you sit with me, Miss Snow?” the woman begged, and Alice smiled politely, knowing she did not have a choice, since she was already being dragged to the couch. “This dress is exquisite,mon amie. Where did you get it?”
“I got it as a gift,” Alice replied, not wanting to flaunt the kindness that she already felt undeserving of.
She heard approaching voices, and everyone eventually filed into the room once again.
Rowan took a seat on the other side of the couch from Alice, and although she was feeling the effects of the alcohol warming her body and dulling her awareness of her surroundings, she was acutely aware that he had sat practically as far away from her as possible.
Is he still upset about my mentioning of his mother? Did I truly offend him so horribly that he does not even want to sit near me?
