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What the hell had he been thinking?

Thinking? Unlikely.

The shame, the humiliation burned up his throat and across his cheeks and temple, until the heat pounded in his ears.

He’d failed her, failed his bride, on their wedding night.

The handle of the door rattled.

If he could, he would’ve growled Go away.

But since he couldn’t—another failure on his part—Alistair just lifted his forehead slightly and dropped it again. One of the papers was stuck to his skin, because of course it was.

It was that kind of day.

“Your Grace,” called Hiro from the other side of the study door. “The door seems to have inadvertently become locked. Since surely you did not intend to lock me out, I shall fetch my lockpicks forthwith, and have a word with the footman who oils this door.”

Sometimes, Alistair really hated that man.

Which meant he should’ve been glad to hear Hiro having a bad day on the other side of the door.

“What are you—? Rocky, no! No, down, boy!”

There was a mighty thump against the oak door, which caused it to rattle in the frame.

“Rocky, stop!” Hiro exploded. “I will unlock the damned thing. You cannot beat a door into submi—”

Another loud thump. Alistair heard Hiro groan.

He lifted his head just in time to see the door burst open, revealing a grinning Rocky.

The butler scowled at the hunk of muscles who was his least favorite footman. Alistair found himself grinning at his friend’s discomfort, despite the ache in his forehead. Rocky was the kind of footman an unmarried man liked to have around; big, quiet, and dumb as a box of hammers.

Alistair had heard his sisters whispering about the man enough, however, to know he was considered quite handsome, and thus a mortal danger in a married man’s household.

Did Olivia find him handsome?

Would it matter?

Now Alistair was back to scowling. It wouldn’t matter if his wife thought the footman was handsome; she was married to him, and she’d remember her vows!

Do ye intend to be true to yer vows?

Well, yes, of course.

Why should she, if she doesnae experience pleasure in the marriage bed?

This again?

With a silent groan, Alistair dropped his head to his hand.

Hiro was still lambasting the footman for damaging the door, but Rocky just rumbled, “I got it open, didn’t I, Mr. Hiro?”

“You did, you tremendously useless ox, but I did not ask for your help. Go away.”

“And do what, Mr. Hiro?”

“Find a carrot to shove up your nose.”