Page 15

T he next day, Seth left early for a meeting in town, and Alicia took the opportunity to spend some time with her friends.

As she got ready for the day, her thoughts kept going back to the night before and the intensity of Seth’s gaze throughout the meal. The flickering candles and the hazy light all around them made the memory of that dinner all the more sensual.

His gaze had felt like a caress every time he looked at her.

When they had parted, she yearned for him to kiss her again, the need to beg him for his touch rising inside her. Part of her had wanted to forget all decorum and press against him, the feeling alarming and unexpected.

But the supper had ended with Seth bowing to her formally, as though they were mere acquaintances.

After everything they had shared, it had been a hollow moment and left her feeling all the more alone.

It is infuriating that despite all of that, I still want him. What would my friends say if they knew the truth?

She had arranged to meet Bridget and Katie in the tearooms in the local village, but he was not looking forward to the meeting.

Alicia was sure they would be disappointed in her progress and berate her for not having done enough to repel his advances.

I kissed him! That is hardly what we had intended.

It was not just the meeting that concerned her either. She did not know how she was expected to get to the village.

She was still not accustomed to the wealth her husband possessed.

Her father had owned a grand carriage, as many gentlemen of the ton did, but he had never allowed her and Jane to travel in it alone. They usually walked to wherever they needed to be.

The Duke, by contrast, had an array of carriages at his disposal, including a town coach, which he had taken to London, as well as a barouche, a landau, and a phaeton.

Uncertain which she would be permitted to take, Alicia had elected to simply inform the housekeeper that she was going out and wait to see what would be brought around.

As she left the house, the sun was warm on her face, and she inhaled deeply, glad to be leaving the confines of their little haven and spending some time away from the prying eyes of the servants.

She looked down the drive at the crunch of approaching wheels, expecting to see one of the Duke’s carriages pull up beside her. Instead, something else rolled up the drive.

Coming toward her was the most beautiful carriage she had ever seen. The coachman was wearing the livery of the Radcliffe house, and a footman stood at the rear.

The carriage itself was elegant and streamlined, neat and feminine in its design in a way she had not often seen.

It was undoubtedly for the Duchess of the house and seemed brand new. The folding roof looked more like a bellows and had been left down for her drive into town, the seat plush and polished to a high shine, with fine red leather over the surface.

Although most of the carriage was black, there was a bright stripe of gold around the door. She wondered if the Duke had purchased it before he met her, or if this was a gift.

Alicia attempted to school her features into something other than intense excitement. It was the first time she had ever felt like a duchess. She climbed inside, sitting back in her seat, looking forward to arriving at the tearooms.

Katie and Bridget will be beside themselves.

The journey was smooth and pleasant as they rode through the tall trees on either side. The sunlight filtered through the leaves above and caught in the beads on Alicia’s bodice.

Today, she had chosen a normal gown made of fine silk, with soft stripes down the skirt and white lace around the sleeves. It was a relief not to feel on display for once.

After fifteen minutes, the carriage drew up to the Omingham Tearooms. It was a quaint establishment that appeared small on the outside, but upon entry, it opened into a wide space, tastefully decorated in pale greens and whites.

The owner could not have been more accommodating, and Alicia grinned happily when she saw Bridget and Katie at the back of the room.

They were huddled together, whispering, looking out the window at the carriage, and it took her ten full minutes before they would even contemplate another topic.

“It is so fine !” Katie gushed as the carriage rolled down the street to wait until Alicia was ready to return home.

“I confess I did not know I had my own barouche,” Alicia murmured, keeping her voice low so as not to draw more attention to herself.

Several other ladies were in the tearooms that morning, and macarons and scones had been served on delicate plates.

The china was beautifully mismatched in its design, taken from several sets of different porcelain that gave the establishment a quaint and eclectic feel.

Katie and Bridget settled back in their seats as Alicia poured the tea. They fell into companionable silence until Katie leaned forward and took Alicia’s hand.

“So how are you?” she asked. “How has it been? I hope our plan has been successful, and he has not… that is to say, you can still annul the marriage. We have both been thinking of you every day.”

Alicia looked between her friends, puzzled by the concern on their faces. Then, she remembered that when they had last seen the Duke, they had all believed he was a murderer.

How strange it is to see such fear on their faces. I suppose I should still be scared of him, but I am not.

She shook her head. “Do not worry about me, either of you. The Duke is many things, but he is not the terrible man we feared him to be. But yes, I will still be able to annul the marriage if our plan works.”

“ If it works?” Bridget asked. “Have you tried to do some of the things we suggested?”

Alicia huffed a laugh. “Several! You should have seen my dress last night. It was hideous. I wore a foot-long feather in my hair, and he did not even blink twice.”

Bridget snorted loudly, then clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle the sound.

Katie, who had just taken a sip of tea, tried not to choke on it.

“What do you mean? He did not notice it?” Bridget asked.

Alicia shrugged. “He did, but he was unperturbed by it.”

She picked up her cup, taking a sip of tea before leaning toward Katie.

“I decided that speaking about fashion would irritate him. I went on and on about your gown for the Heartlands’ ball. I myself love speaking about it with you, but I was certain Seth would be bored to tears. Yet, he asked more questions than I did! I cannot seem to bore him, even when I try.”

Bridget and Katie exchanged a look.

“So… Seth is not what we thought him to be? Is he treating you well?”

Alicia felt color rush to her cheeks at the memory of just how well he had treated her in the privacy of his woods.

“Certainly. He is well aware of the rumors circling about him and assured me that he did not have any intention to harm me.”

“Well, that is what he would say,” Bridget muttered. “Is he not a fearsome duke? Why does he not find your behavior vexing?”

“I cannot tell you.”

“I think you should double down on your attempts,” Katie said firmly. “Do everything we suggested. Have you found a puppy? Bring one home and wreak havoc. Paint his bedroom a lurid orange. Anything.”

Alicia chuckled, but instead of glee at Katie’s words, she felt trepidation. Upsetting Seth suddenly felt unnatural; her stomach lurched at the thought.

She liked seeing him laugh, and their time together at dinner the night before had been one of the happiest she had ever spent with anyone.

“I know someone who has cats on her estate,” Bridget said enthusiastically. “They have kittens all the time. I shall have her select one and send it over with her servant.”

Alicia managed a smile, but it did not fool her friends.

“You do not seem certain about this,” Bridget noted warily.

“I am just confused,” Alicia hedged. “Seth is very different from what I expected.”

“But nothing has happened between you?” Bridget probed, putting down her teacup with a quiet clink and giving her a look that seemed to penetrate down to her bones.

“No,” Alicia lied. “Nothing has happened between us. But I agree with you. I shall enact every part of our plan from tomorrow, and soon I am sure he will grow tired of me.”

Even though the thought of his twinkling eyes and rare smile brings me joy I cannot explain.

Seth was already regretting his decision to meet his friends.

He had avoided contacting Lucas, Isaac, and Michael for a reason. As soon as they were in a room together, it felt like Gordon’s absence hovered above them, haunting them all.

Do the others feel this way? Or perhaps it is only me who misses Gordon so acutely.

The conversation had been strained at first, but once they began to speak about their passions and pursuits, including Lucas’s latest waistcoat, the tension eased.

Isaac sat opposite Seth, with Lucas to his left and Michael to his right. Michael was casually leaning back in his chair, a glass of red wine in hand even though it was only midday.

Seth had opted for coffee, and Lucas and Isaac each had a small glass of brandy that they were nursing leisurely.

He felt familiarity and happiness in their presence, but the guilt of Gordon’s absence never really left him. The worm of guilt that always slumbered in his gut was awake and writhing inside him once more.

Michael turned to him, swilling his wine.

“How is married life?” he asked. “I confess, you could have struck me down with a feather when I heard the news. I believed we would all be bachelors until the end of our days.”

Seth put some sugar into his coffee, smiling as Michael’s comment about feathers brought back the memory of Alicia’s ridiculous attire the night before.

“It is not what I anticipated,” he admitted. “My Duchess is more spirited than I had initially thought, but she is settling in well.”

“Must be odd, to have a woman around after all these years,” Isaac remarked, not unkindly. He had a tendency to speak plainly, which Seth appreciated.

“It is a little odd, but she has not made any major changes so far. She mostly keeps to herself, apart from some very strange dressing habits.”

Lucas raised his eyebrows. “Radcliffe, you are hardly qualified to say what is strange. You constantly berate me for wearing colorful waistcoats, and they are the height of fashion. I imagine the lady just wears yellow and you find it odd.”

Seth considered telling his friends about her unusual gowns but then decided not to. It felt private somehow— theirs . He did not want them to weigh in on things with him and Alicia when they felt so strangely fragile.

“But it is going well?” Isaac asked, filling the silence.

Seth bowed his head. “They are. As well as can be expected, when we have been married less than a week.”

“Hah! But the heart wants what it wants,” Michael said evenly. “It always does.”

Seth frowned at him. “Are you saying your heart has found someone special?” he asked.

Michael gave a low chuckle. “Hardly. I have only ever admired one woman, and she did not want me. Thus, the tragedy of my loving heart continues.”

“Poor boy,” Lucas said with mock sadness, and Michael saluted him with his glass.

“Which woman?” Isaac asked. “Is it someone we know? Perhaps we can persuade her of your charms.”

Michael shrugged his shoulders. “Lost to the annals of history, I am afraid. But do not fear, it was long before I knew you all.”

“Well, she was clearly blind,” Lucas said. “You can do better.”

Michael snorted. “You do not know her, but you are a most faithful friend, and I thank you for it. Perhaps I should dally more, as you are wont to do.”

Lucas gave a soft cry of protest, and the two of them began bickering.

Seth was happy to watch them toss insults back and forth as he relaxed in his chair. Lucas’s loyalty was a steady port in a storm, always present and deeply ingrained within him.

His friends would fight for him, no matter what he had done. Whatever he needed, they would be there. It was both a comfort and a curse.

As Lucas and Michael sparred with one another, Seth occasionally caught Isaac’s eye as his friend raised his gaze to the heavens in despair, but it was pleasant to spend time with them all.

Or at least it had been until he climbed into the carriage and set off for home.

Something had been nagging at the back of his mind throughout their meeting. Something that would not let up, dangling just out of reach.

He stared out the window, watching the trees pass by, the worm coiling and turning in his stomach relentlessly, as if it had been roused by a particular topic that needed to be explored.

When was Michael ever in love?

The worm rose, its teeth chomping at his insides as he tugged at his right sleeve, pulling it down over his wrist.

Seth swallowed, a lump forming in his throat as the guilt gave way to suspicion.

He had never allowed himself to consider the possibility that any of his friends might have been involved in Gordon’s death, but the fact remained that it was still a mystery.

What if one of them had known more than they had revealed at the time?

He plucked at the fabric of his sleeve, tugging at it incessantly all the way back to the manor.

He had some investigating to do, or else this restlessness inside him would never give him a moment’s peace.