Page 45 of Her Duke By Accident
Matthew blinked fervently, his chest rising and falling with parted lips. He still searched her eyes, as though he looked for something there, but had yet to find it. “Your Grace,” he breathed, voice hoarse and ragged.
Suddenly, he swallowed, and hurriedly cleared his throat. Removing himself from the waltz position, Matthew rubbed his hands against his sides as if to get the feeling of her hands off him. “Your Grace,” he repeated, more coldly this time. Matthew dipped down into a bow. “If you’ll excuse me.”
And just like that, the duke stormed to the door, snagging his coat up along the way.
Alicia stood there, staring at the spot where he once was, arms extended as though his phantom were still in front of her. She huffed, the embarrassment riding up her throat like a sickness.
“Alicia,” Lucy quietly said, testing the waters. “Are you all right?”
The shame threatened to swallow her up. “Fine,” she snapped. “I’m fine.”
“You look…”
Alicia’s head snapped over to the girl. “I look what? Embarrassed? Rejected?”
Lucy frowned, taking a step back. “Sad. I was going to say sad.”
“I—” Alicia breathed, reaching for her. She stopped herself, taking a deep breath to calm the emotion that crawled up her neck. “I’m sorry, Lucy.” She began to storm toward the door.
“Where are you going?”
“To talk to the duke,” Alicia replied.
Marching out of the drawing room, Alicia held up her skirts and sped through the halls, now familiar with which paths to take.She passed a window in the hall that overlooked the back of the estate, and caught a glimpse of Matthew’s tall figure hunched and approaching the garden. She picked up her pace.
As Alicia exited the estate, with the sun slowly setting on the horizon, she clenched her fists, collecting the courage she needed to finally confront the duke.
CHAPTER 13
Achill overtook the air that early evening, one that even sent Renfield into his garden shed for warmth. Alicia wrapped her arms around herself in an effort to stop the chill from sending shivers down her spine. She didn’t bother to lift her skirts, letting the earth stain them brown with dust and dirt.
Matthew barreled through the garden gate a moment before her, disappearing behind the tall bushes and blossoming garden beds. She quickly followed, not letting the anger flicker or diminish.
Turning a corner, Alicia almost ran into his chest, as he stood there, poised and stoic, staring down at her with a heavy disapproval.
“What do you think you’re doing?” he grumbled.
Alicia frowned at him. “I think I deserve an explanation.”
“What on earth for?”
She gaped in disbelief. “For your rudeness back in the drawing room,” she said. “For how you left!”
“You pulled me in there, not even bothering to ask what I was on my way to do.”
Alicia let out a humorless laugh. “So you were on your way to the gardens?”
He frowned. “What?”
“Were you on your way to the gardens when I stopped you?”
Matthew stared at her, his lips pressed together as if to keep himself from speaking.
“I would love to know what terribly important business awaited you in between the flower beds,” she said sarcastically.
“My business is none of your concern,” he snapped.
“Right,” she said, “because I am just the duchess.”
