Page 71 of Her Duke By Accident
“Your Grace,” Juliet said, “might I express myself freely?”
Alicia eyed her cautiously. “You may.”
“If I understand you, this evening might change your entire marriage,” Juliet said with a soft smile. “Faith and hope are strong tools when we feel most alone with our thoughts and fears. The duke is not a cruel man. He is a broken one, who has held himself together on his own for years. But you’re here now, and tonight might be the first time he allows someone to put him back together.”
Alicia stared at her. “I am terrified, Juliet.”
The maid sighed, reaching for the duchess’s cold hands. “What makes you so frightened, Your Grace?”
“I–I don’t know.”
“But you do,” Juliet said. “What is it?”
Alicia licked her lips, feeling the dread rise up to almost swallow her whole. Focusing on the warmth of Juliet’s hands, she breathed deeply to calm her racing heart. “What if he realizes he does not want me?”
“Oh, Your Grace,” Juliet sighed, “you cannot frighten yourself with that.”
“How can I not?” Alicia rose from the bed, pacing through the room. “How can I not think about him rejecting me once more, after all this? When will I know that I’ve done enough? That I have earned his trust?”
She turned to the maid, her hands shaking. “All my life, I have felt as though I have been drowning. Drowning under everything that has been forced upon me. But the moment I met him, despite the circumstances that could have ruined my family, it has changed.Ihave changed.”
“What are you now if not drowning?”
“Water, Juliet,” Alicia whispered. “I feel like water.”
The maid smiled, meeting her at the center of the room. “Let’s get you in the dress, Your Grace.”
“I–I don’t know if I can.”
“You can,” Juliet said. “He’s waiting for you.”
Alicia glanced at the dress. It shimmered in the dim light, as though it were truly made from strands of gold. Slowly, she crossed the room till she reached it, dragging a hand down the dress’s bodice. A chill ran through her. The thought of Matthew sitting there, waiting for her to arrive brought a sense of courage to her that untied the knot in her stomach.
She smiled at her maid. “Help me get dressed, won’t you, Juliet?”
The girl grinned, clapping her hands together excitedly. “Very good, Your Grace!”
Alicia glanced at herself in the mirror and watched the maid lace up the dress. It fit her snugly, and the more she stared, the older she looked. No matter what happened during their dinner, Alicia found herself growing more excited as the night went on.
She had a duke waiting for her.
Walking through the halls of Garvey in solitude was a more peaceful experience than Alicia expected it to be. The green walls looked warmer in the evening, the candles creating an orange hue at every corner. Alicia dragged her fingertips along the walls as she walked, letting the smooth textures calm her racing mind.
Alicia passed through the threshold of a dining room she hadn’t seen during her stay at Garvey. The manor seemed to grow larger with every second, with rooms appearing out of nowhere. As she entered the room, she noticed only one servant standing against the wall with a bottle in his hands. A small round table sat at the room’s center, a short candelabra in the middle. The flame’s quiet light cast an amber glow throughout the room.
With his back facing her, the duke stared out a window, hands twisted behind his back. The firelight sent soft rays over his broad shoulders, a fiery aura extending around his silhouette. He held his hands together tightly, knuckles turning a bright pale. His dark hair was slicked back down his neck, with a strand or two popping out. Alicia felt her breath catch in the back of her throat.
She stepped further into the room, the floor creaking beneath her feet.
“Your Grace,” the duke said as he turned. There was a flush to his cheeks, something Alicia had never seen on him before. “Good evening.”
She curtsied as a chill rolled down her spine. “Are you well?” she asked.
“Of course,” he replied with a frown. “Why do you ask?”
“Y–your face looked a bit flushed, Your Grace.” Alicia took small steps to the table. “Do you feel ill? Mr. Porter will be visiting in a few days, we can send him a letter to?—”
“I am quite well,” he interrupted, an amused smile creeping onto his face.
