Page 34

“ A ll of your friends are coming over for dinner? At once?” Alicia asked.

Seth was standing in the drawing room, his back to her, hands clasped behind him as he stared out the window.

Dove was playing on the floor between them, where Alicia had deposited her upon finding him there.

He hides from me for two days, and now he expects me to organize a dinner party?

Alicia narrowed her eyes at his back, willing him to turn around.

“I suppose it will be good to speak to them,” she said stiffly. “I barely had a chance on our wedding day. They were in your study, talking to you for most of it.”

Seth turned around, his handsome face more amused than chagrined by her irritation. “I know I should have spent more time with you on our wedding day. You have my apologies for my conduct.”

Hardly a declaration of love.

“And what shall we serve them?”

“Hm?”

“Your friends. What will they wish to eat?”

Seth’s expression darkened, and he walked over to her.

“A simple fare will do. They have never been complicated men. Perhaps steak for the main course. I know that Lucas loved it.”

“I am sure Miss Baines will be happy to accommodate it. And for dessert?”

Her breath caught in her throat when she saw something lurking at the back of his eyes—something dark and angry.

She had not seen that side of him since before their wedding.

“We will see if we get that far.”

Alicia frowned at him. “What do you mean?”

“I would ask for your faith in me, Alicia.” The sound of her name made his demeanor all the more intense. “I would ask that you follow my lead at tonight’s dinner, and the less you know, the better it will be.”

She smoothed a hand over her skirts, fidgeting in place, confused by his demand.

“Very well,” she said. “I shall go speak with Mrs. Timmons and the cook.”

She made to leave, but at the last second, Seth’s fingers closed around her wrist, pulling her back. “Are you angry with me?”

His brown eyes had softened, the beast within slumbering once more.

“Of course not,” she replied shortly. “I will be the picture of a dutiful wife, just as you asked. After all, that is all I am good for.”

She pulled her wrist free, ignoring the stricken look that crossed his face, and left the room.

The air was heavy as evening approached.

Alicia had decided to dispense with her unusual gowns for the night, knowing that this occasion was important to Seth.

She had expected him to hide in his study for most of the day, but instead, he had never been far from her side.

Even as she discussed the arrangements for the dinner, he hovered in the doorway of the kitchen, strangely watchful.

Alicia was hurt initially, believing he was monitoring her to ensure she did not do something he disapproved of. But as the day dragged on, it seemed more that he did not wish to be away from her. She had walked around the house with a constant shadow.

Seth was on edge, agitated, but when he came to stand beside her, his restlessness would fade away.

Alicia did not know what to make of it, and as Rose put the finishing touches to her dress, she was not sure what to expect from the evening ahead.

Seth’s words had felt like a warning, but she could not fathom why.

She glanced at her gown. It was the most somber in her collection but had felt the most appropriate for reasons she could not explain. Large golden leaves were printed on the dark green fabric, and the sleeves made her waist look narrower than usual.

Rose stood up from where she had been adjusting the gown and smiled reassuringly. “You look very beautiful, Your Grace.”

Alicia smiled back. “I know you did not approve of my strange dresses, Rose. I do not blame you. Tonight, I think I must look as a duchess should.”

“Even when you wear something unusual, you look like a duchess, Your Grace.”

The words were strangely touching, and Alicia squeezed her maid’s hands gratefully before leaving the room.

As she walked out of her room, she almost collided with Seth, who was standing just outside the door. He looked extremely handsome in a dark brown tailcoat, tan breeches, and a tight waistcoat.

Alicia made to walk past him, but he stepped in front of her, keeping her in place. She looked up at him, surprised by his sincere expression.

“You look very beautiful,” he said softly. “No feathers this evening?”

Despite herself, her lips quirked up. “No. I thought your friends should believe me to be an ordinary duchess. I did not think you would thank me for making them question my habits.”

“There is nothing ordinary about you, Duchess. You do as you see fit in all things.” There was a hint of a smile on his face now.

“As do you,” she replied coldly, and his smile faded as quickly as it had come.

“Let us go downstairs,” he said sternly, and the mask fell into place as he walked away.

He did not offer her his arm, nor did he look back to make sure that she was following him.

The dining table was beautifully laid out with the finest china and gleaming silverware. Tall white candles cast a soft glow over the room, and Alicia could smell the aromas wafting from the kitchens.

Seth walked around the table. There were place settings at either end for him and Alicia, two on the right side, and just one on the left. He walked to the place setting on the left, tweaking one of the knives and resting his hand on the back of the chair.

Alicia’s eyes narrowed as she watched his fingers grip the wood, his knuckles stark against his tanned skin.

“Is everything all right?” she asked, just as the butler entered to inform them that the first of their guests had arrived.

Seth turned to her, solemn and still. “Follow my lead.”

Alicia was a wonderful hostess. Seth could not have asked for a more perfect wife, and he could see that his friends felt the same.

It made an ache throb in his chest like nothing he had ever known.

God, please let this night be over and done with so I might apologize for my behavior.

Lucas was chattering away, as lively as ever, and, much to Seth’s irritation, he had made Alicia laugh several times and was currently regaling her with tales of carriage racing.

“I told him that!” he exclaimed. “I insisted that my cousin should not drive the thing. He is the clumsiest fool alive, and I just knew he would break his neck if he ever was so stupid as to climb into the blasted contraption.”

Seth’s hand tightened on his glass as Alicia laughed prettily again.

“And what happened?” she asked. “I do hope he did not sustain an injury.”

“He bet Stone that he could beat him around the pond at his estate. We were all rather drunk, I admit, but I knew it would all come to nothing. Stone is ridiculously gifted at racing, and Morgan was trounced.”

Isaac cleared his throat, catching Alicia’s eye. “It is rather easy to beat a man who is unseated mid-ride and falls into the water.”

“I believe he nearly killed a swan!” Michael piped up, chortling as he rocked back in his chair.

Alicia’s eyes were bright and happy as she laughed with them all.

So far, the dinner had been a great success, and Seth could see that Isaac, Lucas, and Michael were all enjoying being in one another’s company again.

Am I really going to rip this apart because of a suspicion I have not yet proved?

He glanced at Michael and felt his gut clench.

Yes. By God, let it be done.

“We have not raced in a good while, Stone,” Lucas continued. “Far too many balls to occupy us, unfortunately—although they are awfully diverting. I must compliment you, Duchess, on your costume at the masquerade. You were stunning.”

He threw a mischievous look at Seth, who narrowed his eyes at him.

“What happened to the young lady you met at Almack’s that night, Oakley?” Seth asked pointedly.

“Ah, yes,” Lucas said without pausing for breath. “Her name was Lady Cynthia, I believe. Very lively girl, but her mother was terrifying. I will not be permitted within ten yards of her again. I think it’s unfair I have such a reputation.”

“Oh, yes,” Isaac drawled. “Completely unwarranted.”

Lucas shot him a sharp look, and Alicia hid her smile behind her wine glass.

Seth glanced at Michael. “You know, there was someone else at Almack’s that night, whom I have not seen for many years,” he murmured.

All three of them turned to him.

“Oh? And who was that?” Lucas asked.

Seth raised his glass, sipping from it slowly. “Lady Nicole Clarendon.”

Michael went very still in his chair.

Lucas frowned at Seth. “Who is that? I do not believe I am acquainted with her. Clarendon… as in the Marquess of Clarendon? I thought he lived in France.”

“He did. It appears they have returned to England for the end of the Season.”

“How do you know her?”

Lucas’s question was all innocent interest, and it broke Seth’s heart to shatter their happy evening in such a way.

“She was the woman Gordon had a tryst with,” he revealed. “The night he died.”

Once could have heard a feather flutter to the floor after that.

Alicia stared at Seth as Isaac and Lucas exchanged glances.

Michael took another sip of his drink. His hand was trembling.

“My goodness,” Alicia said. “So, she is married now?”

Seth nodded. “Yes. I went to speak to Sheringham about it some days ago. I couldn’t remember why. It was rather overshadowed by other events at the time.”

“Well, quite,” Michael muttered. “Best forgotten, as I believe we all wished it to be.”

“Mm,” Seth conceded. “I would like nothing more than to forget it completely, but as you all know, once I have a puzzle to solve, it is hard for me to throw it aside. And I want to know what happened to my friend.”

Michael looked up at him, and the fear in his eyes was enough to egg him on.

“Who did you say she was married to?” Alicia asked, filling the awkward silence.

“As Lucas said, she is now a marchioness, married to the Marquess of Clarendon.”

Michael scoffed. “He’s thirty years her senior. Utterly odious man.”

Seth carefully put his glass back down. “I thought you said you did not know her.”