Page 24 of The Jilted Duchess
He stepped aside to speak lowly with the gentleman, leaving her with the two young ladies who had the looks of cats prowling around a baby bird.
"Your Grace, I was so hoping we would meet you tonight," Agnes said (or was it Edith?) delightedly, her eyes sparkling. "There is justso muchI wanted to ask about!"
"Oh, me too! So much, we're all talking about it and it is in all the gossip sheets I do assure you," Edith said in a gushing voice (or was it Agnes?).
"What was it that you wanted to ask me about?" Alexandra said, worried that she knew the answer but hoping that no one could be that bold at a society event. She had never been interested in scandal or gossip papers, and being featured in one sounded like actual torture.
"Well," the one that Alexandra had decided was Agnes said slowly, smoothing down the glittery skirt of her silver gown and glancing at her sister under her eyelashes. "We wanted to ask you what it's like."
"Yes," Edith said, lowering her voice like they were bosom friends sharing confidences instead of strangers meeting at a ball who were not even acquaintances of each other. "Do tell. Tell useverything. What is it like being married to it?"
"I beg your pardon?" Alexandra felt a cold weight drop into her stomach in horror. "I do not understand the question."
"You know," Agnes said, her face alight with curiosity and fascination. "Being married toit. Thebeast."
CHAPTER TWELVE
The Beast. The horrible words hung in the air for a moment, and then Alexandra drew herself up, icy fury filling her veins.
“Excuse me,MissHarkworth?” She said, channeling Evelina at her most disapprovingly regal. “I’m terribly sorry, but it’s so loud in here, I’m going to need you to repeat yourself. You see, I cannot possibly have heard what it sounded like you said aboutHisGrace.”
The Misses Harkworth glanced at each other, reminding Alexandra of chickens ruffling their feathers when startled. Then the braver one, Edith probably, tried, “Well, you see, Your Grace, it’s only that we heard what happened.”
“And what did you hear?” Alexandra asked quizzically.
“That he foiled your intended marriage, of course! After stealing his half-brother’s dukedom, he rushed in to steal his bride, too.”The other one looked at Alexandra over her fan, with something sly and nasty in her eyes.
“What a bold accusation,” Alexandra said. “To make to a duke’s wife, and in public, too. I think you’ve been reading one too many gothic novels, my dear. I shall have to haveHis Gracehave a word with your father about restricting your reading material. It’s not good for an unmarried girl to have access to such things; they’ll give you all sorts of strange ideas.”
The other Miss Harkworth was now starting to look concerned, but Agnes, probably, didn’t seem worried at all, boldly looking Alexandra in the eyes. “You misunderstand, Your Grace, we’re merely concerned for you after all we’ve heard.”
“Are you?” Alexandra said tartly. “And what have you heard, apart from nonsense about my dear husband stealing me like a parcel on my wedding day?”
“Well, that he’s a brute,” likely Edith whispered. “That he was dragged up in the slums of Glasgow only to turn up with forged papers and a corrupt lawyer to usurp his half-brother’s rights!”
Definitely too many gothic novels,Alexandra thought, surprised. She hadn’t actually believed that when she’d said it earlier, but where else on earth could the girl be getting this nonsense?
“What absolute nonsense,” she said, affecting amusement to cover her anger, and, yes, fear too. Because if people were going around saying these sort of things about her husband out in theopen, then that could mean real trouble for them all. “Do you truly think parliament could be hoodwinked that way?”
“If he had enough supporters there,” Agnes began, clearly enjoying herself. “A conspiracy by the true Duke's enemies to unseat him…”
“Miss Harkworth,” Alexandra said sharply. “You are too bold.”
“We’re just concerned about you, Your Grace,” the other one said, and Alexandra thought the ridiculous girl might actually mean it. That she’d somehow wound herself up into genuine feeling along with her excitement over the absurd story the two of them had come up with together.Or been told, Alexandra realized with a sick feeling. This might very well be what was being said about him.
“Yes,” the spiteful one added. “If you’re in danger, Your Grace, you can tell us. We might be able to help.” It was a ridiculous statement and the girl knew it, because what could they possibly do against a Duke, especially one as well-connected and dangerous as they said?
“I know you must be heartbroken,” whispered the silly one, eyes wide with self-induced feeling. “Being wrenched away from your love match to wed that Scottish beast instead.”
“Love match!” Alexandra exclaimed, only to pull herself up, horrified at how loudly she’d just spoken. Glancing over at Hector, she could see he’d turned to look at her, a small frown on her face. Likely, he hadn’t heard what she’d said over the chatter.Hopefully, no one outside of their small, horrible circle had. Still, it was highly uncouth to be so loud, and her cheeks burned.
“You know what, Miss Harkworth,” Alexandra said, gathering her dignity together. “I did in fact make a love match. I was lucky enough to marry the most wonderful man in England, my dear husband, who I love very much indeed. Not only did I not have any kind of romance with the Marquess, but being swept off my feet by my Duke on that dreadful day is the best thing that has ever happened to me. He treasures my wishes and respects me as a human being, my every day is full of romance the like of which the authors you must be reading could not dream of. Now, if you will excuse me.”
Sweeping away from the two dreadful girls, fury and mortification burning inside her, Alexandra headed towards her husband. “My love,” she called, noting with pleasure that the little frown smoothed out at the endearment. “I would so like to dance with you at last.”
Hector smiled at her and she could see the words ‘aye lass’ forming in his mouth before he caught himself. “Well, how could I say nay to such a charmin' lady, you’ll nae mind, Harkworth?”
Lord Harkworth looked as though he might mind in fact, his mouth still open from the conversation they had been engaged in and his eyes darting between Alexandra's rigid posture and his own daughters with a dawning pallor that Alexandra was viciously glad to see.
