Page 13 of Her Duke By Accident
Alicia flinched. “I’m sorry, Your Grace,” she apologized, looking down towards the intruder. “It was Titus, he just surprised me.”
A shaggy wolfhound walked alongside them, his long tongue rolling out to hang from his mouth. Alicia rubbed the dog’s chin as his tail wagged enthusiastically.
“Titus,” Matthew repeated.
The wolfhound’s head tilted at the sound of his name from a stranger.
The duke seemed to struggle between remaining stoic and cracking a stiff smile. “Where on earth did he come from?” he asked, looking over his shoulder.
“He belongs to my younger sister, Penelope.” Alicia turned around to face the trio following them. She waved towards the younger girl beside Owen, who had her hand on the top of another long-haired wolfhound. The girl looked away from the onlooking eyes, seemingly embarrassed.
“They are hounds,” Alicia explained. “Penelope found them when she was thirteen, and they’ve been by her side ever since.”
Titus lazily trotted back towards his owner.
“Your father allowed such a thing?”
Turning back toward the path, Alicia continued to walk alongside the duke. “Not at first,” she said with a chuckle. “When they were puppies, they were quite hard to resist.”
Matthew scoffed. “And when they grew? Expecting a different life than what was forced upon them?”
“Well,” she began with a shrug, “they were happy.”
“I find that hard to believe.”
“Believe whatever you want to believe,” Alicia said. “Those hounds ensure my sister is protected and never longing for company. If it makes her smile, then what is the harm?”
Matthew shook his head. “You never fail to sound naive.”
“Do you wish to cause an argument, Your Grace?”
“I wish for nothing,” he replied. “But imagine we acted like the couple the ton believes us to be. Might make matters simpler.”
Alicia remained quiet, not wanting to continue in a conversation that insulted her.
“My lady,” he started, almost in a warning tone, “you realize that I am not the one who needs to bow down to society’s standards, right?”
“The ton still looks upon you, Your Grace.”
Matthew laughed sardonically. “Not in the way it will look uponyouif you remain this way.”
“My brother is?—”
“Do not use the Lord Egerton to classify your station better than what it is,” Matthew said. “In the kindest way possible, I tell you that you are a wealthy daughter who cannot provide a better station for your husband.”
Alicia went silent, staring at the ground as they walked on.
“I will remain the duke until I die,” he continued. “The status behind my name will not be tarnished, even if I were to be caught in a… scandalous position with a lady who is not my wife.” Matthew pressed his lips together. “This betrothal will save your family from any further tarnish. And as you will wed a duke, the rest of your family will reap the rewards.”
“I understand.”
“I’m afraid you don’t,” Matthew said.
“Your Grace?”
“Half the battle,” he said, “is about convincing the ton.”
“What?”
