Page 21 of The Marquess' Disguised Heiress
Alexander immediately knew she was the daughter of Lord and Lady Leicester, yet another person who had been involved in stealing everything that belonged to Eliza from her.
Lara had told Alexander how everyone in the household behaved terribly with Eliza, almost to the point of cruelty, and Victoria was a part of it as well. Alexander felt furious with her, but he did not let his face betray his true emotions.
“As I already told you, My Lady, I am incapable of telling you my name.”
Noticing Victoria standing with Alexander, several other ladies in the ton also gained the courage to walk up to him, and within seconds, a plethora of women surrounded him, all of them wanting an introduction. He had not even tried to gain this reaction, yet here he was, accidentally receiving all the attention he simply did not want.
Certainly not from these women.
“Why so, My Lord?” another young lady questioned.
Alexander could see anger on Victoria’s face towards all the other women who had gathered around them, and he knew she wanted him only for herself.
He had already disliked her at first glance, and now he could notice that she seemed both mean and full of herself. Alexander realized that someone like her was definitely capableof practicing cruelty towards Eliza, and she probably tortured the poor girl a lot.
His heart leapt in worry as he reminded himself that very soon, he would pull Eliza out of everything that troubled her.
“What is the point of this mask I am wearing if I am to reveal my identity?” he asked the young women, who nodded at the question, some of them laughing at the air of mystery he was trying to maintain.
Although, he could see how every single one of them enjoyed it.
“You can perhaps remove the mask and tell us your identity then?” Victoria countered, but Alexander simply shook his head.
“If that is what you wanted, you should have persuaded your parents against arranging a masquerade.”
“Had I known you were coming, I would have.”
“Too bad you were uninformed.” He shrugged, “I am afraid you will have to do with simply knowing me as the masked stranger because that is the closest you ladies will get to my name tonight.”
“I might forgive you for this secret if you dance the next set with me,” she extended her hand towards him, and Alexander stared at it for a few seconds.
He knew that humouring Victoria might mean extracting information from her if she proved to be one of the weak links in the family. He doubted her to be the weak link since she seemed both mean and cruel, but it was still worth a try.
He needed to be as close to the Russels as possible to find some information about them, or else the revelation of the truth might get slower, and he wanted Eliza free from this torture as quickly as possible.
“I would love to lead you in this dance, My Lady,” Alexander replied, taking Victoria’s hands.
He excused himself from everyone else as he led Lady Victoria towards the dance floor, where several other couples were assembling as well. The two of them stood in front of one another as the new set began, and the couples got into position and began dancing.
All Alexander could think about was finding a way to make Victoria talk, and he knew it was not going to be difficult. He could see she loved talking about herself.
“Won’t you say something, My Lord?” she finally began the conversation, and Alexander smiled from underneath his mask as she twirled around him.
“I have merely been wondering about you, My Lady,” he answered smartly.
“What about me, might I ask?”
“Anything and everything,” he replied, “Tell me more about you so I can get to know you better. You seem like a beautiful and rather interesting young lady.”
Victoria chuckled at the praise as he fed her ego, and just as he had imagined, she immediately perked up, ready to carry the entire conversation on her back.
He listened patiently as she droned on about being accomplished at everything a young woman should be accomplished in, the list of her attributes much too long. Alexander was almost sure she was lying simply to impress him but had no desire to call her out.
“You have an impressive list of accomplishments, My Lady.”
“Thank you, My Lord.”
“Do you read?”
