Page 15 of The Beast’s Unwanted Duchess (Icy Dukes #1)

After a quick change into a simple linen dress, Alice joined Emma and Lavinia outside to sit by the lake. There were particular places in the estate that Alice loved. Places where she always spent most of her time. The library, her bathroom – soon the Orangery – and the lake.

Perhaps it was how green it was or how still the water looked—so still that she could see her own reflection in it. This place was also a refuge for her. It made time stand still. The air was fresher, and here, she could breathe, sit with her thoughts, and sometimes fall asleep for hours.

On the hottest days, Alice would wade into the lake, letting the cool water refresh her as she swam quietly along its surface.

She’d spend time moving at a measured pace, gliding from one end to the other, finding relief from the warmth of the sun.

She would float, pause to take in the tranquil surroundings, the soft rustling of leaves, and the coolness of the water around her.

The constructions had taken up so much of her time that Alice had barely had the opportunity to enjoy the peaceful moments by the lake that she cherished. She shut the book in her hand and sat up.

"Should we take a swim?" Alice asked Lavinia and Emma.

They turned from their books and stared at her, puzzled.

"A swim?" Lavinia echoed, raising an eyebrow.

"In the lake?" Emma added. "Here? Now?"

"Why not?" Alice grinned, her excitement evident. "The sun is shining, and the water looks inviting. It’ll be fun. I do it all the time."

Emma exchanged a hesitant glance with Lavinia, clearly weighing the idea. "But what about our clothes?" she asked, glancing down at her dress. "We aren’t dressed for it."

Alice rose to her feet. "We can always dry off afterward. It’s just a bit of fun, and besides, who will see us here? We can swim, and then run up to the dressing room to change."

Lavinia shook her head with a chuckle. "Alice, I would prefer our quiet time by the lake, thank you very much. But you should definitely go have fun."

"Yes, really," Emma added. "Have fun, but just know that we will eat all the pastries before you return."

"Eat them," Alice said and kicked off her shoes, feeling the soft grass beneath her feet.

Without hesitation, she dashed into the water, fully clothed, splashing as she went. The coolness enveloped her, and a smile instinctively formed on her face. She squeaked loudly, making her way to the middle of the lake.

Alice let herself float in the water, her body supported by the gentle waves.

She gazed up at the sky, letting the sunlight dance across her face.

In that moment, watching the blue sky, she missed her family.

It was odd, and she found it absurd, seeing as she had been relieved to leave home two years ago, but now she missed her old room.

The garden she always spent time reading, the drawing room. ..

"Are you having fun, Alice?" Emma yelled.

"Yes!" she yelled back and giggled. "Are you sure you don’t want to come in?"

"We’re all right!" Lavinia answered.

Alice shut her eyes as she continued to float through the water. But then, a sudden shout pierced the serene atmosphere.

"Alice!"

Victor’s voice echoed across the lake. It was so sharp and urgent that Alice gasped audibly.

The sound startled her, causing her to lose her balance momentarily as she struggled to steady herself in the water.

She kicked her legs, attempting to regain her position, but the shock of his arrival threw her off.

"Are you mad?" Victor called out, his brows furrowing in disbelief as he rushed closer. "Get out of there! Right now!"

Victor stood at a good distance from the lake, angry. Alice’s heart raced, not just from the surprise of his presence but also from the effect his tone had on her. She wanted to protest, but instead, she quietly swam to shore, exiting from the water.

"May I ask why, Your Grace?" she questioned, approaching him in drenched clothes. "I was just having a swim."

There it was again. The anger in his eyes that looked a lot like fear, the trembling of his hands, as if he were trying to contain a storm within himself. It was a juxtaposition that confused her; the fierce exterior he presented clashed with the vulnerability that flickered behind his gaze.

But then, the anger in his eyes was unmistakable, burning with an intensity that made her stomach twist. He stood rigid, his jaw clenched tight, and the muscle in his cheek twitched slightly, that Alice figured she was probably just imagining the vulnerability she had seen.

Victor’s eyes narrowed as he stepped forward. "You are never to step foot in this lake again," he said firmly.

Alice blinked repeatedly in surprise. "And why not?" she asked. "I like swimming in the lake."

"You are not to step foot in that lake ever again," he repeated, louder this time. "I do not know what you were thinking, but I will not have this madness in my home. Occupy yourself with other things, but never do that again. Am I understood?"

Victor didn’t wait for her to respond before storming off with Roberts following behind him.

"Madness?" she muttered, her arms crossed tightly against her chest as she watched him walk away.

As he disappeared from view, she felt the rush that had enveloped her before fading, replaced by a simmering frustration. This was the second time Victor had reacted to her like this...acting without any reasonable justification.

It upset and confused Alice, and she had no idea what to make of it.

The atmosphere in the dining room was tense.

Alice sat at the long, elegantly set table, her gaze fixed on the beautiful patterns on the China.

She absentmindedly traced the rim of her cup with her fingers.

The silence in the room felt heavy, interrupted only by the occasional clink of silverware and the distant chirping of birds outside the window.

Victor's expression remained unreadable.

It was like he was wearing a mask of detachment, but it barely concealed the simmering anger that had built up since the incident at the lake.

Beneath his composed facade, it was clear that he was frustrated and still angry.

His jaw was clenched slightly as he ate, downing huge portions of food at a time.

As much as Alice just wanted to live in peace, she had stayed up all night thinking about Victor’s anger and the way he had reacted at the lake.

She needed answers to the questions that swirled in her mind, questions that clung to her like a moth to a flame.

It left her feeling restless, and she couldn’t take it anymore.

"I would like to know why I am not allowed to swim in the lake, Your Grace," she questioned and put down her fork. "I believe I should be able to swim if I want to."

"Eat, Alice," Victor said sharply, his gaze fixed firmly on his plate as if avoiding her question entirely.

"Why can’t I swim in the lake?" she pressed. "I should be able to swim if I want to swim. I do not appreciate you yelling at me for doing something that I like. You tend to do that, and I don’t like it. I have expressed this before and I would appreciate some understanding."

"You are not a child, Alice," he said sternly. "The lake is not a playground. You are a duchess, with responsibilities. Surely, you have better things to do."

"What does swimming in the lake have to do with my responsibilities as duchess?" she questioned.

"Just eat your breakfast, Alice," he said. "I don’t want to discuss this further."

"Well, I want to discuss it," she insisted. "I want to know why you got so angry that I went into the lake, why you got so angry that I sat by a window, and why you married me in the first place. Surely, it’s not because you need an heir, because it’s been two years, so you don’t seem like you are in a rush.

Did you just marry me so I can idle around doing nothing, collecting dust like some porcelain on a shelf? "

"Why is that so bad?" he shot back. "Why can’t you sit still and do nothing? Everything you need is provided for you. What more could you possibly want?"

"A human being!" she blurted and rose to her feet.

"I want to talk to someone. Why do you think Lavinia and Emma come here all the time? We sit and we have breakfast and lunch together in silence. You question everything I do, and you make demands. I talk to myself more than I talk to anyone else and that is not normal. Would it kill you to ask questions about me if you’re going to force me to sit here and eat with you every single day? "

Victor sat back and stared at her, exasperated. He lowered his head and swallowed, sitting silent for a moment before lifting his head.

"Sit down, Alice," he said quietly.

"I don’t want to," she responded. "I want to go upstairs and rest."

"You haven’t touched your food," he pointed out.

"Why should I listen to you, when you won’t answer any of my questions?" she asked.

"Because I’d rather not talk about myself," he answered. "But this is important. Trying to get along is important so we look cordial when we step out together. Deep down, you know how important it is to stop these rumors from spreading."

"I am not disputing that," she said. "But you’re not answering any of?—"

"I’m sorry I raised my voice at you," he said, cutting her off. "I shouldn’t have done that. I was... upset. It won’t happen again."

Alice took a deep breath as the tension in the air settled slightly.

She lowered herself back into her seat, her gaze flickering to the untouched breakfast in front of her.

Now that he had apologized – something she had never in a million years expected him to do – she didn’t know what to say anymore.

"Well, I am sorry for my reaction," she said.

"You don’t have to apologize," he said to her. "But I appreciate it. I still, however, insist that you don’t swim in the lake anymore. They are other things to occupy yourself with, I’m sure."

Alice still wanted to protest, but she was tired of arguing.

So she just ate, feeling hungry all of a sudden.

She figured that for peace to reign, she would oblige Victor’s request when he was around and swim whenever he wasn’t at the estate.

That way, he didn’t get upset, and she still got to do the hobby she liked.

"So, tell me about the orangery," Victor said. "How’s it coming along?"

Alice expected the question. It was the only one he ever asked during breakfast. "Well..."

"Better yet, tell me why you want an orangery," he said and met her eyes.

A smile crept up on her lips, but she quickly forced it down, unwilling to acknowledge the warmth that simmered within her. She hated how easily impressed she was by Victor’s smallest gestures.

Yet, as she spoke with newfound enthusiasm about her plans for the orangery, it felt different this time. She felt his gaze on her, unwavering and intense. He was actually listening.

At that moment, she was torn between her resolve to keep her emotions in check and the undeniable pull Victor was starting to have over her.