Page 46 of A Deal with her Forbidden Duke
“The only disgrace endured will be yours as you are escorted from the ball, Lady Bastian.”
Alexander’s voice was low. His height had him towering over the woman as he stared down, disapproving.
“Your G?—”
“You will not talk to my wife like that.”
“Of course, Your Grace. We were merely teasing.”
Alexander’s eyes cut to Madeleine. “If you are ready, we shall take our leave. It seems the company has grown… unpleasant.”
He gave another scowl down at the ladies before taking Madeleine’s hand and tugging her forward, through the throng of ladies.
Eyes locked onto them as they left the ballroom swiftly, before bidding their host a quick goodbye.
In the carriage ride, Madeleine could not speak past the weight of her shame, and Alexander seemed content to let her ease through it.
Yet his hand was not far from hers the whole while.
Chapter Fifteen
“You like the gardens.”
The acknowledgement came from Alexander several days later. Madeleine whirled around, pausing just before the hedge maze entrance.
“I do. Have you noticed anything else?”
“Yes,” he told her, a smirk playing on his lips as he looked over her as intently as he had that very first night. “That you look delectable in blue.”
His eyes dropped to the lower neckline of her dress, and she flushed.
Her walls slammed up immediately. “And you look terrible in red. It is not your color.”
She gazed pointedly at the red cravat he wore, like a thick slash of blood around his neck. In truth, he looked dangerous—and Madeleine did not trust herself around him when he posed so much danger.
“Ah, but you have looked long enough to reach a conclusion.” He laughed quietly. “You are right, though. You will look far better in it than I. Shall I drape it over you, Duchess? Tie those hands together? Maybe you simply like the feel of silk running down your spine.”
She blanched, stalling. “The day is pleasant, is it not?” Repressing a shiver as she imagined that very thing. Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel, and entered the hedge maze, delighting in the notion of getting lost in there.
“Do you know why they built this hedge maze?” Alexander asked, looking up at the high green walls.
He strolled lazily, while she, smaller than him, had to walk quicker to keep up.
“Entertainment, was it not?” she asked. “It is to entertain your guests.”
“Yes but Silverton did not entertain guests a great deal. It did, however, serve another purpose.”
“And what is that?”
Suddenly, her wrists were caught and she was spun to be pressed against the hedge behind her. The prickles stung her skin, and she only struggled for a moment, meeting her husband’s gaze.
“The other purpose was to conceal couples having secret rendezvous.”
Her breath came short as he leaned in close to her. She knew the taste and shape of those lips, and swallowed.
“We—we would not need to be secretive.”
“So you do wish we would be something?”
