Page 25 of Her Wicked Duke
Clarice nodded along.
Anne watched her, then looked back at Alexander, pondering over his statement from her mother’s ball, that her friends wouldn’t hesitate to see her downfall. That their jealousy could always come into play at any point.
Anne did not believe him. She knew her friends. They gossiped terribly, but they were good, honest ladies. They weren’t cruel or ungracious. She enjoyed her friends’ company. Alexander’s, however… that was still undecided.
“Anne, you missed it last night, but the Earl of Satton asked about you,” Clarice said, giggling. “He had hoped to ask you for a dance.”
“Really?” Anne asked, not interested in the Earl ever since witnessing his debauchery. “How peculiar.”
“Peculiar?” Jocelyn echoed, her dainty, pale eyebrows furrowing.
“He seems interested in others,” Anne answered non-committally.More like every lady he sees. “I would not have thought he would look for me in a crowd. Who else did he dance with?”
“A few debutantes,” Georgia said. “None that hold a candle to you, Anne.”
Anne did not have the heart to tell them why or how she had swiftly redirected her affections away from the Earl. Her eyes flitted to Alexander, who was deep in conversation at his table. He didn’t spare her a glance for a while, though she hoped his eyes would find hers across the terrace once again. Her stomach twisted as she tried to pick at her sandwich and wash it down with tea.
“How is your headache now?” Clarice asked. “We were so sorry you could not make it to the party last night, but the upcoming weeks are rather full! It would be a shame to see you fall ill and miss out on securing a good match. You have many suitors.”
Anne wondered if those words were spoken out of jealousy. Now that Alexander had brought up the admittedly silly notion of her friends hoping to see her downfall at any moment, possibly evenfreeing up gentlemen for their own consideration, she found it impossible to turn off that voice.
You have known these women for many years, Anne.Do not be foolish now and believe the whim of a man who is known to be heartless.
But he had warned her about the Earl and had been correct…
She pushed the thought out of her mind.
“It is much better,” she lied.
She had wanted to know if the letters would stop if she skipped an event, and indeed she had been right.
I will not pull out of another Season, she had told herself this morning while being dressed. She would be stronger than that.
“Did any suitors other than the Earl ask about me?”
“A few,” Georgia told her, her face bright and pretty as she mentioned a few young gentlemen who had called on Anne days ago.
Was any of those her stalker?
She bit her lip, keeping quiet. She did not need to worry her friends about her stalker problem.
“The meat is delicious, Clarice,” Jocelyn praised. “You must ask your cook to confer with mine. I would love to have bigger cuts of this served at my wedding breakfast.”
Anne was sipping her tea, and she coughed delicately when she heardwedding. Alexander’s stare burned into her neck as she cleared her throat. She ignored him. He could not pretend to care about her one moment and then ignore her the next.
“Wedding?” she echoed.
“Good Heavens, Anne! I was not able to update you in person, and I didn’t wish to say it in a letter! But I am to marry the Earl of Herling in two weeks!”
“Jocelyn!” Anne squealed. “That is wonderful news! I knew he would propose. I am only sorry that he waited so long to ask for your hand.”
“I am to be a countess.” Jocelyn sighed, smiling dreamily. Her hands were placed over her heart. “You must attend, Anne! And bring your Duke.”
“Indeed,” Clarice chimed in, giving Anne a knowing look. “Youmust.”
“I shall not be bringing Alexander,” Anne replied, laughing. She kept her voice low, lest he hear his name and have his ego bolstered. “We are not courting.”
“And yet he turned up with you today.”
