Page 40 of A Duke's Sinful Bargain
“Yes, of course.” Alexander nodded, then unexpectedly felt tongue-tied. This was not something he would usually ask of his trusty steward. The man was also his friend, and that was the reason he felt he could open up to him. “There is… a favor, I would like to ask you.”
“A favor?” Tom raised a surprised eyebrow and his voice took on a reassuring note. “Whatever it is, Your Grace, you know you can always count on me.”
“Yes, old friend.” Alexander smiled, already appreciating the direction in which this conversation was heading. “You see, it is regarding Anna.”
Tom didn’t interrupt him, despite Alexander’s pause.
“I wish to organize a picnic for us, somewhere outside of town.” He didn’t need to explain why this was so. “And because she will most certainly bring her lady’s maid along to be our chaperone, I would like you to accompany me as well. It will serve as a guise. If anyone does see us, it will appear as a group outing, and not a private affair of any sort.”
“Her lady’s maid?” Tom seemed to be stuck somewhere in the middle of Alexander’s suggestion.
“Yes, Miss Eliza Littleton.” Alexander nodded.
Tom only then seemed to realize that he had gotten lost in thought. Straightening his posture, he nodded. “I am at your service, Your Grace. I will ensure on my part that everything is arranged seamlessly.” He was back to his usual reasonable self once again. “I take it that Lady Ravenscroft is the cause of your distracted behavior of the previous month?”
Alexander nodded back. “I cannot seem to hide anything from you.”
Tom grinned. “We know each other too well, Your Grace.”
“That we do, Tom,” Alexander could only agree. There was someone else he wanted to get to know better, and this picnic would be the perfect place for it. “Now, if you will give me a moment, I shall have a letter for you to deliver.”
“Of course, Your Grace.” Tom stood up respectfully. “I shall wait in front of the door until you call for me.”
“Thank you, Tom.” Alexander nodded, watching as Tom closed the door behind him.
He grabbed a piece of paper and a quill pen, which trembled slightly in his hand as it hovered over the crisp paper, ready to capture the eloquence of Alexander’s thoughts. Only the words that came to him seemed… wrong, somehow. They were not expressive enough. The inkwell gleamed in the candlelight, ready to be dipped in, to give voice to the intricate strokes on the paper. But Alexander’s hand didn’t move.
“Ugh…” he murmured in an annoyed manner. “Why is this so difficult?”
It wasn’t as if this was the first letter he had ever written to her. In fact, the previous ones were more… lascivious. Not directly, but still. The underlying message was so. Why was it so difficult for him to write a simple letter and invite Anna out to a picnic?
Perhaps you fear her rejection?That little voice always came to the surface when he least expected it. And worst of all, it always spoke the truth—the one Alexander refused to acknowledge.
He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. His thoughts were consumed by Anna. Her image, a portrait of grace and refinement, her smile as bright as the sun itself, her eyes like two stars in the night sky. He didn’t even realize that he had started to write.
With each stroke of the quill pen, he crafted words that mirrored his desire to see her beyond the confines of the night and his own home. His hand moved with practiced elegance and the rhythmic scratches of the quill against the paper resonated in the quiet room.
He felt as if he had written the entire letter with his eyes closed, his hand guided by nothing other than the words that flowed from his very heart. His eyes fluttered over the words, which he read silently to himself.
Dear Lady Anna,
This past month has been more wonderful than I could have imagined. Perhaps you share my sentiments. And perhaps you might even entertain my proposition. Picture, if you will, a tranquil setting adorned with blankets of emerald grass, the melodious whispers of the wind and the songbirds lending their voices to our own private symphony. Yes, a picnic amid the idyllic meadows that lie beyond the city limits.
I am well aware that this might go beyond the confines of our arrangement. It might even be… unthinkable. Then again, why? My suggestion is to ensure propriety by having my steward and your lady’s maid accompany us as chaperones.
I promise an array of delicacies to tempt even the most discerning palate and the finest vintage of wine. Perhaps you might even allow me to try my luck with cards again. One never knows when one might be victorious.
I await your response, hoping that you shall grace me with your company. The appointed day is today, unless you wish it to be some other in which case, all you need to do is say so, for it is your presence that will lend enchantment to the occasion.
With deepest admiration,
Alexander
Was it too much? Most certainly. Alexander had to admit that he had never written such a flowery letter to anyone in his entire life. Yet, he didn’t want to change a single word of it. Not wishing to delve any longer into it, he opened the door and welcomed Tom back into his study.
“Here is my letter,” he told Tom, handing him the envelope, which bore his seal plainly. He didn’t want to hide it this time. “You are to deliver it to Lady Ravenscroft.”
Upon hearing those words, Tom’s eyes widened with an uncontainable excitement, a bright smile forming on his lips. “Of course, Your Grace!” He almost grabbed the letter, as if it were a most prized possession. “I shall make sure Lady Ravenscroft receives it straight away.”
