Page 10 of Stealing the Rake's Heart
Alex took the cravat pin. It was cool against his fingers.
“Thank you, Mother. Now, we really must go into dinner.”
Mary pouted. “I’m never hungry these days.”
“But you must eat,” he insisted. “Please, Mother. For me. For your little Alex.”
She softened a little. “Well, if you say so.”
He extended his arm, and Mary took it, her hand white and frail as a bird. They walked through the hallways in silence.
After the gloom of the hallway outside, the well-lit dining roomdidseem a little bright, and Alex blinked against the glare.
The others were already there – William at the head of the table, Katherine in her usual spot, and Timothy beside her. They all glanced up when Alex and Mary entered, and for a moment, Alex found himself struck dumb.
He’s just like Father.
Sitting in their father’s seat, face thrown into sharp relief by the candles, and resolutelynotsmiling, William resembled the old duke more than anything Alex had ever seen before.
Oh, theyallresembled the duke, in that they had his skin, his eyes, his hair, his handsome features, but there was something about William tonight that made the resemblance even more obvious.
Swallowing hard, Alex helped his mother to her seat – at the other end of the table, where she insisted on sitting, as the old duke had insisted on her sitting before, even though her children all sat close together – and took his own seat.
“You’re late,” William said crisply, as soon as he was seated.
“I came as soon as I could,” Alex answered in a low voice. “Mother was disoriented again.”
“She is not disoriented.”
“Sheis. She’s not herself.”
“I don’t notice a difference,” William gestured for the first footman to start serving up the soup course. “I’m not a tyrant, Alex, but I do like to start meals on time, if possible. Do you know how irritating it is, to sit here and watch our food going cold, while you waft about the house? You’ve been at home for hours. There’s no excuse for being late.”
Alex clenched his jaw. “Mother needed me.”
“She isfine.”
“How would you know? You ignore her all day.”
“Boys,” Katherine interrupted sharply, eyes glinting out a warning. “Let’s have a nice family meal together, shall we?”
“Little prospect of that,” Alex muttered, taking pleasure in observing William stiffen like an affronted feline.
He said nothing, however, and for a few moments there was only the gentle sounds of soup-slurping, and the low conversation between Timothy and Katherine.
William was paler and grimmer than ever, and picked at his food, for all his talk of being hungry and not wanting to wait. For his part, Alex’s stomach was still roiling from his hangover that morning. The pea soup didnotlook appealing. Instead, he reached for the decanter of wine, and poured himself a generous measure. He could almostfeelWilliam’s disapproving stare on him, but somehow, that only made the wine taste better.
Go on, have a proper scowl, you simpleton. Ascend upon your high horse as the esteemed Duke of Dunleigh, whilst I remain the drunken prodigal son who cannot even afford the courtesy of departing from home. Take a long, long gaze.”
He took a large mouthful of wine, eyes closed, and felt the familiar buzz of the alcohol warm his blood and ease away his worries.
Oh, yes. I certainly can’t make it through this summer sober, no matter what Katherine says, he thought grimly. He drained the glass, ignoring Timothy’s horrified expression, and reached to pour himself another.
Chapter Four
Two Days Later
“I just thought it was a one-night thing, Aunt,” Abigail murmured. The roll and lurch of the carriage was making her feel ill, or perhaps that was her tightly laced corset.
