Page 11 of Her Duke By Accident
“I will no longer take your disrespect, Your Grace,” she said. “Whatever it is that haunts you has no place here, has no place in my own plight to be wed. My father was a brilliant man who only ever showed love for his family.” Alicia took in a shuddering breath. “Love.What ailed him at the end of his life was from poor luck alone, and even on his last day, he never fell from grace.”
She stepped back, becoming suddenly dejected. “Do what you must, Your Grace.”
Matthew felt the pity for the crying girl touch him for a moment, but when he met her green eyes again, all he could see was a lie. “If you’re not a fortune hunter,” he said, “shouldn’t you be more careful?”
“Nothing that I did wasnotcareful,” she said, her voice quiet and airy.
He stepped closer to her, arms tightly wound behind his back. “You kept me in that library, my lady.”
“Kept you?”
“Every time I tried to take my leave in the most respectful manner possible, you decided you needed me to stay for another favor.” Matthew tilted his head. “Don’t you remember, my lady?”
Alicia swiped below her eyes and sniffled.
“Only a woman seeking to be ruined would willingly stay alone with a man.”
Owen stepped forward. “Your Grace.”
“No,” Matthew interrupted. “You seek to trap a man to secure your family’s future. I will grant you this out of politeness. There’s no way for me to know how many men you have tried this with in the past,” he said as Alicia’s face flushed a deep red. “Nevertheless, I will do what is required of me.”
Alicia retreated till she stood behind her brother.
“Fine, then,” Matthew snapped, turning to face the marquess. “I have come today to ask for Lady Alicia’s hand in marriage.”
Alicia finally met his gaze. A deep sadness framed her face as he looked back with a sternness that was unrecognizable. There was nothing pleasant on that day.
The marquess bowed his head. “Thank you, Your Grace.”
“I have already acquired a special license.”
Owen nodded. “Very kind of you, Your Grace.”
“Tomorrow we go on a promenade for our image and we are getting married in a week,” Matthew said.
The brother and sister shared an uneasy look, their shoulders touching. Alicia seemed to want her brother to argue, to fight for something else. Before Owen could do anything against Matthew’s commands, he stepped forward.
With a cold and challenging stare, Matthew raised an eyebrow at the marquess. “Are we agreed, Egerton?”
Owen sighed, leaving his sister’s pleading eyes behind him. Giving another tight bow toward the duke, Owen kept his head down as he said, “Yes, Your Grace. Thank you for everything you have done to rectify this… unfortunate situation.”
Matthew looked upon his betrothed as her dejected gaze slowly turned toward the window. “It’s settled, then,” he said. There was a feeling lingering on his chest, something that could havebeen guilt. But the moment it came upon him it faded, becoming cold and angry.
How dare she,he thought,trap me here but act as if her life had ended?
“Splendid,” Owen said with a wide smile, “I had told the staff to prepare for a duel.” He laughed as though he hoped to share a joke with the duke.
“The day is not yet over, Lord Egerton,” Matthew said.
A smile grew on his lips, then, as he watched the marquess’s face it dropped in fear. On that note, Matthew bowed deeply, and said, “good day, Lord Egerton.” He turned to Alicia, but she still stared out the window. “Good afternoon, my lady.”
With a swift turn on his heel, Matthew left the parlor of Egerton estate, with a betrothal under his arm.
CHAPTER 5
The next afternoon, Matthew came as planned, inviting the Egerton family for a promenade through Walton Gardens, the largest park in London.
“Beautiful weather this season,” Matthew said to Alicia’s left. His arms were twisted behind his back, and the dark colors of his coat clashed against his skin. In the beauty of spring, he stood out, like one of the marbled states lining Egerton Manor’s entry way.
