Page 9 of Healing the Duke's Desires
Alexander’s jaw clenched, his patience wearing thin. The lady in question didn’t take her eyes off of him. This gave him even more strength to endure the marquess’ unyielding arrogance. “When you shout so loudly that the whole ballroom can hear you, thatismy concern. I will not stand idly and watch you bully others. You may be a marquess, but that does not grant you the right to behave like a tyrant.”
The marquess’ eyes narrowed in disbelief, his anger boiling over, but he knew his station. “Need I remind you that I am twice your age? It would not do you well to treat me in such a disrespectful manner.”
“You may be twice my age, but it seems you didn’t learn how to treat others with respect and decency,” Alexander spat back, his tone laced with controlled fury.
The marquess’ face twisted with rage, but he seemed momentarily taken aback by Alexander’s fierce determination. He clenched his fists. For a moment, Alexander thought he might hit him, so he was ready to duck or jump to the side, resorting to avoidance rather than returning the first punch. But the second one he would be more than willing to return.
The commotion had drawn the attention of other guests, and the room fell into an uneasy hush.
“Do not think that this is over.” The marquess’ nostrils flared with frustration. “I shall find Lord Ashfordshire and tell him all about the incompetency of his servants.”
“You are free to do that.” Alexander nodded.
The marquess seemed like he wanted to say something else, but he changed his mind at the last minute. With that, he stormed off, leaving a tense atmosphere in his wake. The guests exchanged nervous glances, and whispers spread throughout the ballroom. Alexander remained undeterred, his anger still simmering beneath the surface.
His heart was beating wildly, as he turned to the lady, trying to come up with the right words to speak to her for the first time. How could he even go about that after this horrible incident?
At that moment, he realized she wasn’t there any longer. His eyes searched the ballroom, but she was nowhere to be seen—until he noticed her disappear behind the balcony door. It would have been easy to just let her be. After all, whoever had come with her should be by her side now. But strangely, he wanted to be the one offering her comfort. Without thinking, he followed her out onto the balcony.
“Excuse me,” he said walking up to her while her back was still turned to him.
She twitched upon hearing his voice, turning to him, looking startled. Maybe she’d thought he was the marquess. But upon seeing who it was, her eyes seemed to calm.
“I’m sorry to disturb you. I just wanted to see if you are all right,” he said, carefully choosing his words. He didn’t even know her name, and yet he felt a strange desire to protect her, to keep her safe from the likes of the marquess.
“I… I’ll be fine,” she said, her voice slightly shaky. “I’m sorry you had to interfere.”
“That was wrong,” he said simply, feeling a little awkward.
Strangely, his answer made her smile. “Do you always stand up for what is right?”
Even more strangely, he smiled back. “I try to.”
“A knight in shining armor?” she asked, sounding amused, but he could immediately tell that this was her way of guarding herself.
“A duke,” he corrected her. “The Duke of Ravenswood, to be exact.”
“Lady Emily,” she told him her name. “My father is the Earl of Ashfordshire.”
“Ah.” He nodded. He knew of the man, but he did not know him personally.
Then she seemed to remember something, and she turned away from him again, leaning against the railing of the balcony that overlooked the illuminated garden. She looked so dainty, so little that he wanted to wrap his arms around her and take her somewhere safe, where no one would ever speak like that man in front of her. He had no idea where these unexpected thoughts were coming from, but wherever it was, they were pouring.
“I just can’t help but worry about the gossip that will surely spread after what happened,” she confessed, revealing all her vulnerability.
“I know it is not an easy thing to do, but you should not let the gossip of thetondictate your emotions,” he said in a voice that was steady and calming. “Such incidents happen to everyone, and those who judge you for it—you, who is not to blame even in the slightest—are simply showing their own ignorance.”
She turned to him this time, her eyes still troubled. “But they will talk… aboutme.Not abouthim.”
He shrugged, already having gone through something like this, learning this lesson the hard way. “People will always find something to talk about. Idle gossip is a character trait of theton. You must know this.”
She seemed like a little bird with a broken wing, and he wanted to heal her, to teach her how to fly again.
“They will make it seem like it’s all my fault,” she said, this time on the verge of tears.
He reached into his pocket and extracted a handkerchief, which he proceeded to offer to her. She looked up at him, her fingers reaching for it, grazing against his ever so slightly but enough for it to awaken a longing he didn’t even know was still inside of him. He was taken aback by the sudden rush of awareness that surged through him. His heart pounded in his chest, and he struggled to maintain his composure.
Having no idea what he was doing or why, he watched her try to blot out the stain with the handkerchief.
