Page 20 of Married to the Forbidden Duke
“Of course,” she said breathily, and his eyes narrowed at her. “Anything you say, husband.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Alice did not wait for the ball to begin her assault on the Duke and his wellbeing. He’d had the audacity of kissing her—had, moreover, the audacity of making herlikeit—and she would not stand for such impudence!
He had asked if she would ruin him, and she had told him the truth.
She started with small things.
After watching his routine for several days, a pattern began to emerge. He would rise relatively early for breakfast, disappear out to one of his clubs after, would perhaps dine there at noon, and would return in the late afternoon to address matters of business in his study or library. After that would come dinner, which she tended to avoid, and he usually whiled away the hours in the library or left the house again for an engagement. Those were rare, however, and she doubted he was attending balls or soirees without her.
The first step she took was to venture into the kitchens and change the menu for both breakfast and dinner. When dining with her aunt and uncle, she had noticed him pull a face at liver, and so she requested a dinner of chopped liver and onions. Then, for breakfast, she requested kippers.
And, for the first time since she arrived at the house, she ventured down for breakfast at the same time as him. For her plan to work, she would have to see his reaction.
Another thought had occurred to her, too. Men usually felt as though they were entitled to their wives, and he had proven he wanted her.
Thus, if she humiliated himandmade him want her, that would be the best kind of revenge.
Perfect.
The gown she wore wasn’t scandalous by any measure—but it clung to her figure in a way that made her feel suddenly, acutely aware of her own body. The fabric, soft and dusk-blue, traced the lines of her waist and hips with gentle insistence, far more closely than her usual, more modest attire. She had considered changing. She hadn’t.
When she stepped into the breakfast room, he looked up—and stilled. His gaze drifted over her slowly, deliberately, and lingered.
So long, in fact, that heat crept up her neck. For one wild, irrational moment, she wished she could cast aside her walking stick and glide across the room without the reminder of her injury.
“Alice.” His voice was low, roughened by sleep—or something else. He shoved back his chair, rising to meet her with a sudden, quiet intensity. “I—I wasn’t expecting to see you.”
“This is my house too, is it not?” She ignored his proximity, and the memory of his mouth against hers. Her stomach fluttered, and she ignored that, too. “I can go wherever I please.”
“Naturally,” he said dryly, returning to his place at the head of the table. “But I had not expected you to be pleased at the prospect of spending time with me.”
“I was famished.” She reached for the kippers, placing one on her plate. He eyed the fish askance, but to her disappointment, said nothing. If he suspected her of having interfered in the kitchen, he was doing an excellent job of hiding it.
She did notice, however, the way his gaze lingered on the dipped bodice of her gown, especially when she leaned over the table for some toast.
“How are the preparations for the ball?” he asked.
“Well, I think they’re going well. I’ve arranged for flowers to be delivered tomorrow, and some men are coming to draw chalk onthe ballroom floor. The servants have their instructions.” She cut open the fish, and steam rose into the air. His nostrils flared with an almost imperceptible wince.
Excellent, another thing she learned he disliked.
She would ensure kippers were on the menu for every breakfast between now and the end of time, and she would attend every mealtime so long as she could ensure he endured the discomfort!
A small revenge, but one well worth the taking.
“The physician will arrive today,” he began, and she wondered if he had found his own form of revenge. They were both mocking one another. Howveryironic.
“I do not wish to see another physician. I have been seeing one for five years.”
“You will see him, Alice,” the Duke declared sternly, and when she glanced up, she saw ire in his eyes that had not been there previously. “I will make sure of it, even if it means holding you down so he can examine you. Do you understand?”
She blinked, momentarily shocked by his pronouncement. “…Yes.”
“Good.” He returned to his breakfast of toast.
Next, she would remove the jam.
