Page 36 of The Marquess' Wicked Wager
“You too?”
“Yes,” Edna sighed then something stirred in her room. “Violet,” she mouthed wordlessly, bobbing her head.
The Marquess looked around to make sure they were alone then pressed his door open. He gestured for Edna to come inside, and she was all at once glued to the spot. It would hardly be proper to accept such an invitation. And for all they had repaired of their trust, his reputation was not without blemish.
He narrowed his eyes at her then whispered as quietly as she thought was possible, “Release me from this conversation one way or another.”
Edna smiled sheepishly and ushered him into his room, trailing after him. She closed the door behind them. The room was the exact twin of her own, except Albert’s room smelled better. It smelled like him.
“A drink?” he said quietly, not wanting to risk rousing their neighbors. When Edna did not answer, he sighed. “I’m hardly propositioning you.”
The word made Edna blush. “Do you always address women with such candor?” she asked absently, not knowing where to sit. She settled for a small striped chair by the door.
Albert sighed and removed his overcoat, pulling a flask from it. “Of course not,” he hummed low. “But I make an exception for my imaginary brides-to-be.”
“Whatever do you say to your imaginary wives?”
Albert walked over to her with a chipped teacup of something dark. “Wouldn’t you like to know. Here, drink this. It will soon put you to sleep.”
Edna looked into the cup, not quite trusting the pungent, sickly-sweet smell emanating from it. “What is it?”
“Rum.” He sat down opposite her on a small, wooden trunk. He rolled his eyes when she hesitated. “Cross my heart—”
“All right,” she sighed and took a sip. It burned her lips and throat. “Oh!” she wailed quietly. “Goodness… No wonder men are so cruel!”
Albert stifled a laugh with the back of his hand then hunched over. “It’s an acquired taste, to be sure.”
Edna grimaced and set the cup on the dresser. She crossed her ankles together, suddenly realizing where she was. She began to panic when things grew quiet. “So,” she drawled, “what is our next step?”
Albert bit the edge of his thumb. “In regard to…this evening?”
“No!” Edna protested a little loudly. She slapped her hand against her mouth. “No. I meant for our agreement. Our ruse.”
“To be quite frank, I had not thought that far ahead when I came up here.”
“Then what had you thought about?”
Albert dropped his gaze and took a swig from his flask. “Winning you back.”
“Oh,” Edna sighed. Edna let out a shaky breath. Things seemed different between them now though she could not figure out why. She wondered if she had hurt him by believing in his affair—whether his hurt was making him quiet. Then she thought back to his pleading, and another wave of worry consumed her entirely.
Her musing must have been written all over her face because Albert suddenly stirred.
“If you are worried about the Duke following us up here, he has no idea where we’ve gone. No one does besides Violet and Uncle.”
“No, I…I wasn’t thinking that at all.” She bit her lip. “Does not a moment go by that you do not think of him?”
“What did you say?”
“I only mean, you seem so…preoccupied with the thought of him always,” Edna muttered, and something glinted in Albert’s eye. That was where the difference in him lay. He was colder with her now, a little reserved, more guarded. Embarrassed. “I apologize. It’s none of my business.”
He softened and came to stand. “It’s a little your business.” He walked over to the dresser and finished her drink for her. As he did, she noticed his hand was shaking. As if by instinct—or as an effect of her liquid courage—Edna seized his hand in hers. She looked up at him, and he appeared almost vexed.He snatched his hand away.
“I’m sorry—”
“Stop apologizing.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” she said again then squeezed her eyes shut and laughed. When she opened her eyes again, Albert was shaking his head, and he sported the most pained expression Edna had ever seen. It ate away at her heart, and suddenly, she was on her feet too.
