Page 65 of A Duke's Sinful Bargain
“Your Grace?” Lady Pentor’s voice brought him back to the present moment, and he realized he had gotten lost in thought.
“I apologize, Lady Pentor.” He bowed apologetically. “I do believe that exhaustion has taken over me. I would like to thank you for your gracious hospitality and the invaluable information you have provided me with.” He took her hand and kissed it with a loud smooch. “You are a gem.”
“Oh, goodness.” Lady Pentor chuckled, pressing her free hand to her lips. “And you are incorrigible, Your Grace. Utterly incorrigible.”
“Men always are.” Alexander winked at her, then slowly found his way through the crowd.
He was walking as if he owned the entire place. No. As if he owned the entirety of London and every single person in it. Most importantly, Sir Rupert. Now Alexander had him in the palm of his hand. He knew where the man was staying.
All it would take was a single letter, letting the man know that he had gathered all the money and the documents necessary for the transfer of land. The man would rush over to Alexander’s residence the following afternoon. He was certain of that.
As for Lady Genevieve, Alexander had to play that game right as well, but like any seasoned card player, he had a trick up his sleeve. Her letter would state what she wanted to hear. An offer of marriage, perhaps?
No,he shook his head. That would be too sudden, too unexpected. Just an innocent invitation to spend some time together, with a hint of more to come.Yes.He smiled to himself. That would suffice. She would take the bait. So would Sir Rupert.
Soon enough, he found himself in his carriage. He gave his driver direct orders to take him home as soon as possible. Once there, he would send for Tom. He needed him by his side for this, not only for writing the letter but also for making sure that it reached the right person.
Tomorrow,he thought as the carriage swayed.All will end tomorrow.Now, he was almost certain of that. He would keep the promise he had given Anna. No one would think of ever harming her again. He would make sure of it. His heart reminded him that there was more he wanted, more he desired to say.
Patience.He inhaled deeply. Patience would bring him everything he needed. But first he had to show Anna that she could trust him, that she could rely on him, that he could be everything she had ever wanted in a man and more—if only she chose to accept him and grant him access to her broken heart, which he would spend the rest of his life mending.
Chapter 34
Anna felt as if time had purposefully slowed down just to spite her. That was, of course, impossible, but the subjective feeling she’d had ever since she opened her eyes the following morning was unmistakable.
She forced down a few bites of buttered toast with jam, feeling absolutely no appetite whatsoever. The food felt like sand, scraping her throat as she swallowed it. But she had to eat. The tea, which she chose to have in the drawing room with Eliza, was fortunately much easier to consume.
The morning sunlight filtered through the heavy purple drapes of Anna’s drawing room, casting a gentle glow on the elegant furnishings. She was perched on a cushioned armchair, anxiously glancing at the ornate clock on the mantelpiece. However, it seemed the more she looked at it, the slower the time passed. At one point, it even seemed to her as if the hands were moving backward instead of forward.
To say she was restless would have been a gross understatement. With each passing minute, anticipation tightened its grip around her being. Unable to sit still any longer, she rose from her seat, her pacing steps echoing in the quiet room. Her embroidery hoop lay untouched on a small table in the corner, its charms not strong enough to keep Anna’s attention even for a single second.
“My lady,” Eliza spoke, observing the turmoil in her mistress with a knowing gaze, “the afternoon will soon arrive, and all will unfold as it is meant to. Worrying will only make you feel worse.”
Anna sighed, stopping by the table on which the embroidery hoop rested, her fingers tracing the delicate thread. Eliza was right. She was only making things worse by constantly thinking about it. But what else was there to think about?
Anna met Eliza’s gaze, finding solace in her friend’s unwavering support, for even when she disagreed with Anna’s choices, she stood by her mistress’ side no matter what.
“You are absolutely right, Eliza,” Anna said through another sigh. “I must be patient. It’s just that I don’t think I’ve ever found anything more difficult in my entire life.”
“You know,” Eliza said, her hands still occupied with arranging a delicate lace shawl, “I’ve heard the latest gossip from the market. Mrs. Abernathy shared it with me the moment she returned. It is a fascinating story of a daring rescue by the city constables.”
Anna looked up, unable to stifle a chuckle. Eliza knew very well that her mistress had no interest in gossip, but these were outstanding circumstances. She needed something,anythingto distract her.
“Oh, yes.” Eliza smiled mischievously, placing the shawl to her side. “It is a tale that has the entire town buzzing.”
“Has it now?” Anna felt a sense of unexpected relief wash over her. “Pray, do tell, Eliza.”
“With pleasure, my lady,” Eliza said, adjusting herself on the chaise longue. “You see, it all began in the bustling market square. Constable Turner, with his usual air of authority, found himself in a most peculiar situation. A mischievous group of piglets managed to escape from a farmer’s pen, creating quite the commotion!”
“Piglets on the loose?” Anna’s eyes widened in shock. “You must be making this up, Eliza!”
“Oh, no, no, by no means.” Eliza shook her head gravely, which only made the whole situation even more humorous. “Constable Turner, always one for a challenge, took it upon himself to round up the unruly creatures. Just imagine, the good constable, chasing piglets in circles, his hat askew, and the people around him cheering him on! Mrs. Abernathy says it was a once-in-a-lifetime sight!”
“I can imagine!” Anna found herself laughing without restraint, imagining the commotion that must have taken place at the market that morning.
Eliza continued with her colorful narrative of the daring rescue, weaving in even more humorous anecdotes and embellishments that Mrs. Abernathy had picked up from the local chatter. Without even meaning to, Anna found herself drawn into the lively account, laughter replacing the lines of worry on her face.
Minutes later, the drawing room echoed with shared amusement, and for Anna, these distracting tales of the morning’s commotion became a temporary respite from the weight of anticipation.
