Page 26 of Her Wicked Duke
“We met outside the manor,” she told Clarice as if that made it better. “Mama accompanied me here.”
“And yet he watches you,” Clarice pointed out, never missing a thing. There was a reason she was the main focal point of their group. She noticed everything around them—gossip or not. “He watches you like he owns you already.”
“I think it’s quite romantic,” Georgia commented. “His Grace is heartless, but perhaps Anne is the one he has discovered his heart exists for.”
“Oh, Georgia, come now!” Anne protested, blushing. “That is not how Alexander thinks.”
“And you do not address him with his title, which speaks of your familiarity,” Jocelyn teased.
“Romantic, familiar.” Anne tutted. “You were all warning me about him not two weeks ago!”
“Gossip can be both true and proven to be merely rumors.” Clarice giggled. “Perhaps the Dukeisdangerous and heartless to everyone but you.”
“And what sort of companion is that? A man who dislikes the rest of the world, except for me?” Anne scoffed. “I would be shunned from every social event if he were to accompany me!”
“Or you might change him,” Georgia pointed out.
“Whatishappening with His Grace and you?” Jocelyn asked, her voice a little too loud.
Anne’s eyes caught Alexander’s, and her hands curled into fists at his smug, little smile. He had surely heard them.
He must love watching her struggle to explain a proposition she had agreed to—and had asked him to see through with her.
She gave them a brief answer. “It appears that my brother has asked him to chaperone me while he is away on his tour.”
And he also kissed me.He stole my breath away, and he has awakened a desire in me that I cannot shake off no matter how much I try to appease it alone.
“That is all?” Jocelyn asked, her eyes alight over her teacup.
“What else should I expect?” Anne asked, blushing.
She knew exactly what they meant. These were the friends she had discussed gaining experience before marriage with. She could not keep up the innocent, coy act in front of them for long.
Georgia leaned in, giggling. “I do believe some ladies have pleasurable moments with some gentlemen away from prying eyes.”
“With His Grace?” Anne laughed. “Please. If there were other options, then I would take them. Perhaps I should have braved the party last night if only to stop anyone from thinking that I am seekingpleasurable momentswith Alexander.”
Oh, but you wish to, Anne.
It felt so normal to sit and giggle with her friends like she always had when she wasn’t afraid of a stalker or thinking of Alexander night and day or mediating her parents’ disputes. This was the perfect afternoon for her.
Even if she felt Alexander’s gaze burning holes into her neck, she did her best to avoid it.
“Surely, as your chaperone, he would attend my wedding?” Jocelyn asked, all angelic innocence. “It would look quite impressive if a duke turned up to watch my wedding ceremony.”
“Nothing is happening between Alexander and I,” Anne insisted.
“Do not heed our initial warnings anymore, Anne,” Clarice said, waving her off. “Perhaps His Grace is not as dangerous as the gossip led us to believe. Indeed, we didn’t know how close he was to your brother, so perhaps he is a decent man at heart. And if he is looking after you in your brother’s absence, he cannot be all bad.”
“Unless he hasdeviousintentions.” Georgia giggled, waggling her eyebrows suggestively.
“I am a lady!” Anne protested. “Nobody is bringing their devious intentions near me.”
The four of them giggled throughout the rest of the tea, and Anne felt the heat of Alexander’s gaze on her throughout, but whenever she dared to look in his direction, he was always chatting away.
Chapter Nine
“Iwould offer you and your mother a ride home in my carriage, but…” Alexander’s voice reached Anne’s ears as everyone filed out of Clarice’s home. When she turned toward him, he had a smug look on his face, and one of his thick eyebrows was arched. “I wouldn’t want you to be caught in mydevious intentions.”
