Page 131 of Married to a Frozen Duke
"And I made it clear that insulting the Duchess of Montclaire has consequences," Alexander said firmly. "The matter is closed."
The brothers exchanged glances, and something shifted in their expressions as they looked at him; not approval exactly, but a reassessment perhaps.
"Right," Charles said slowly. "Good. That's... good."
Dinner was announced, saving them from further awkwardness. As they walked to the dining room, Alexander noticed Ophelia had arranged the seating so the brothers were safely away from anything particularly valuable, which showed admirable forethought.
The first course was served, and conversation initially remained stilted. Then Edward mentioned something about a new hunter he'd acquired, and Alexander, despite his best intentions, found himself interested.
"A Thoroughbred cross?" he asked.
"Three-quarters Thoroughbred, one-quarter Cleveland Bay. Gives him the speed but with more bone and better temperament for hunting."
"Interesting combination. How's his jumping?"
"Exceptional. Clears five feet easily, and brave with it. No hesitation at water."
They fell into a discussion of bloodlines and breeding that became increasingly animated. Charles and Ophelia exchanged amused glances as Alexander and Edward debated the merits of various crosses with surprising enthusiasm.
"Your stable here must be impressive," Edward said. "I'd love to see it sometime."
"You're welcome to visit," Alexander said without thinking, then realized what he'd offered. "That is, if you're interested."
"Very interested. I've heard you have a descendant of Eclipse?"
"My prize stallion. Remarkable speed, though his temperament can be challenging."
"The best ones usually are challenging," Edward agreed. "It's the spirit that makes them great."
"Rather like people," Ophelia interjected with a smile.
"Are you suggesting I'm challenging?" Alexander asked.
"I'm suggesting you're spirited. There's a difference."
Charles made a choking sound. "Are you two actually flirting? At dinner? In front of us?"
"We're married," Ophelia said mildly. "We're allowed to flirt."
"It's disconcerting," Charles complained. "Last time we were here, you could barely stand to be in the same room."
"Things change," Alexander said, surprising himself by reaching over to take Ophelia's hand.
"I'll say they have," Edward observed, staring at their joined hands. "You're actually touching. Voluntarily. Without looking like you want to die."
"Your faith in our marriage is overwhelming," Alexander said dryly.
"Can you blame us?" Charles asked. "The last time we saw you together, you had just banished us from the house and were looking at Ophelia like she was a problem you couldn't solve."
"She is a problem I can't solve," Alexander admitted. "But I've decided I rather like unsolvable problems. They're more interesting than the solvable ones."
"Did you just call me interesting?" Ophelia asked.
"Interesting, challenging, occasionally infuriating, and absolutely unsolvable."
"You say the sweetest things."
"This is strange," Charles announced. "Our sister and the Duke of Montclaire are actually happy together. How did this happen?"
