Page 32 of Duke of Silver
They walked together toward the front hall, and as Colin reached for his coat, he turned back with a grin. “Give my regards to the Duchess, would you?”
Before Alexander could respond, a voice cut in, soft but clear.
“She’s heard you already.”
Both men turned, their gazes lifting in surprise to find Elizabeth approaching, her graceful figure framed by the doorway.
“How pleasant to see you here, Lord Broughton,” she said with a smile that warmed the room, her eyes a brilliant blue that seemed to catch the morning light. The simple morningdress she wore flattered her pale, porcelain-like skin, and as she moved toward them, Alexander found himself momentarily transfixed.
He had managed to avoid her for days now, convincing himself it was for the best, but the truth was that her absence had done little to ease the constant invasion of his thoughts. He yearned for her—deeply, inexplicably—and the sight of her now only intensified that longing, a sensation he had tried so hard to suppress.
Quickly, he schooled his expression, locking away the emotions that threatened to surface. “That saves me delivering the message, then,” he said, his tone casual, though his mind was anything but.
Elizabeth chuckled, the sound light and teasing. “How lazy of you to find such simple tasks as delivering messages tedious,” she quipped, casting him a playful glance before turning back to Colin.
Colin, always quick with a charm, stepped forward with a smile. “It is even more pleasant seeing Her Grace’s lovely face,” he said, bowing gracefully as he lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles.
Alexander’s chest tightened as a soft pink blush rose to Elizabeth’s cheeks. It was a small reaction, but one that stirred something fierce within him. He did not like it—the manner in which she was smiling at Colin, or to any other man for that matter.
“Are you in the country for a while?” Elizabeth asked, her voice as light as ever, though Alexander could sense the subtle undercurrent of curiosity in her tone.
“I came to view a few properties I intend to purchase in the area,” Colin replied easily. “I might linger a little longer to see the processes through,” he added with a grin.
At that moment, Alexander’s gaze met his wife’s. There was something unreadable in her expression—tentative, perhaps, but veiled, as though she was weighing her next words carefully. Then, almost too quickly, she shifted her attention back to Colin.
“Why, that sounds like the perfect opportunity to host you for dinner then,” she said with a pleasant smile.
Colin beamed, never one to refuse a generous offer. “I never turn down a free meal.”
“Excellent,” Elizabeth replied, her tone smooth.
But when her eyes met Alexander’s again, he caught the brief flicker of triumph in her gaze. It was unmistakable. She had set something in motion, and the realization sent a jolt of unease through him. What exactly was she playing at?
As they watched Colin make his departure, Alexander couldn’t shake the feeling of being outmaneuvered. He felt as though the ground was shifting beneath him, trapping him in a game he hadn’t realized he was part of.
“Care to share your little game?” he asked once Colin was out of earshot as they walked together through the hallway.
Elizabeth paused, her footsteps halting as she turned to face him. “I beg your pardon?” she responded, feigning innocence with such ease it only deepened his wariness.
“Oh, do not feign innocence with me, Elizabeth,” Alexander chuckled, though the sound lacked warmth. There was something brewing, something he couldn’t yet grasp. “You’re playing at something here, for your dinner invitation to Broughton was not without a motive.”
“Is that so?” she asked, raising a brow as she came to a full stop in the hallway, forcing him to do the same.
Her face was a picture of innocence, her expression so composed that it nearly convinced him—nearly. But he knew better. She was playing a game, and he was at the center of it, though he couldn’t yet see the full board.
“I have no inkling what you are talking about,” she said sweetly.
“Is that so?” Alexander stepped deliberately closer, and the flicker of satisfaction he felt when she instinctively took a step back was undeniable. The delightful pink that bloomed across her cheeks as she looked up at him only added to his enjoyment.
“Perhaps I need an incentive to share that motive,” she said, her voice soft but filled with challenge.
He quirked an amused brow. “I thought you claimed yourself without an ulterior motive just now?”
“That was before I saw an opportunity,” she responded slyly, her gaze steady.
He couldn’t help but laugh. She was far more cunning than he’d given her credit for. “An opportunity for what?” he asked, genuinely intrigued now.
“An opportunity to gain something out of your curiosity,” she replied, her confidence matching his.
