Page 14 of A Gamble with the Rakish Duke
“Yes,” she agreed, gritting her teeth. “His Grace’s tastes are quite… unpredictable.”
One of the younger ladies, Lady Evangeline, who had been eagerly sipping her tea, leaned forward with a playful grin. “And how did you spend your first anniversary?”
The question caught them both off guard, and they blurted out different answers yet again.
“We went to Bath for a lovely, quiet weekend,” Alexandra said.
Oliver, clearly not knowing when to shut his mouth, said with a grin, “We had a grand picnic in the countryside near the lake.”
Whispers broke out among the ladies.
Lady Portsfield’s eyes darted between the couple, her eyebrows raised in amused curiosity. “Oh, how charming! A picnic near a lake in Bath. Quite the inventive couple, aren’t you?”
Alexandra let out a strained laugh. “Yes, well… when you’re married to someone like the Duke of Westgrave, you have to keep things… exciting and creative.”
“Indeed,” Oliver added, squeezing her hand playfully. “It’s all about making memories, isn’t it, darling?”
Lady Portsfield beamed, oblivious to the subtle barbs exchanged between the couple. “You two are truly the epitome of a perfect match. I truly do not understand why there are any doubts about you two—you look ever so in love!”
Oliver squeezed Alexandra’s hand again, but this time she felt the warmth in the gesture, a silent acknowledgment of their ruse.
“Yes,” he said softly, looking at her. “We do make quite the pair, don’t we?”
Alexandra couldn’t help but smile, a genuine one this time, despite the desire to smack him once they left. “Oh, absolutely. We’re perfectly matched in every possible way.”
For now, they were safe, but what other questions could these ladies ask?
Thankfully, they spent the rest of the afternoon discussing safer topics and smiling when appropriate.
By the end of the visit, Alexandra realized that her husband was still holding her hand. The tension had somehow eased as the hours passed by.
Terrific performance.
“Your Grace, you and the Duke are a lovely couple,” Ellen had told Alexandra while helping her prepare for bed. “He is so handsome.”
Alexandra’s answering look had silenced the poor girl, but Ellen’s words had lingered in her mind.
What would Society see when she and her husband finally made a public appearance? The thought made goosebumps rise on her arms and her stomach flutter with something unfamiliar but not necessarily unwanted.
It was still dark when Alexandra slipped out of Oliver’s townhouse a week after she moved in with him. Ellen and her trunks had been transported to the three-story building, further emphasizing the enormity of this new arrangement. It made leaving and returning difficult, for not only was Oliver aware of Alexandra’s comings and goings, but also the servants seemed to be privy to everything.
This morning had been well-planned, at least in Alexandra’s mind.
Ellen was again anxious about her mistress sneaking out at dawn, although she seemed pleased that Alexandra was now living with her husband. The girl had read too many romance novels for her own good.
“We are n—” Alexandra caught herself before revealing too much.
Of course, Ellen might have some suspicions, but Alexandra knew she was playing a part. Perhaps it would be entertaining to play the happily married couple among theton. However, shealso had her plans to save her father—the same man who had thoroughly insulted her at Devil’s Draw.
That morning was the best time to leave the house because Oliver had left for a meeting the night before and would return late. Ellen would make excuses for her mistress, telling the other servants that she was indisposed and would remain in her room, so she alone could check on her.
Alexandra did not want to leave the house without Oliver’s knowledge. It felt like a betrayal, but her situation left her with no choice. Still, he had been mostly pleasant and had given her space. She was more worried about how she would react to his presence—probably like a simpering fool.
The carriage stopped at a market square, where Alexandra ordered Ted, the coachman, to wait for her. She walked into a dark alley where a small bachelor’s lodgings with ivy creeping up the walls stood between two others like it. What was different about this building was the nameplate on its door.
John Prescott, Professor of Music.
Alexandra was considering hiring one once she’d earned enough money and Oliver allowed her to return to the country, and perhaps live there alone in peace for the rest of her life.
