Page 7 of The Beast’s Unwanted Duchess (Icy Dukes #1)

CHAPTER FOUR

Two Years later...

" W hat did the stonemasons say about the foundation, Roberts?" Alice asked, standing just outside the hedge maze, her eyes scanning the half-built structure of the orangery.

Alice winced, startled by the sounds of hammers striking stone and the scraping of shovels against the earth. The construction of the orangery was in full swing, and the crew for the project was double the size of the ones that constructed her new bathroom.

Roberts – standing behind her – glanced at his notes. "They believe it will hold, Your Grace, though they suggested reinforcing the north side due to the slope of the land. It’s nothing too concerning but it may take a little longer."

"Well, time is all I have, so they might as well do it right," Alice said. "Have them proceed with the reinforcement. And ensure the glass shipment arrives on time."

"Of course, Your Grace," Roberts answered. "As for the other matters, the gardener has made adjustments to the rose beds near the entrance, as you requested."

"Did he damage the lavender hedges in the process?" Alice asked, turning to Roberts with a sharp look. "I asked him to be extra careful with them."

Roberts shook his head. "No, Your Grace. The gardener took great care. The hedges remain intact and as fragrant as ever. I oversaw the adjustments myself."

Alice nodded, satisfied. "Good, thank you, Roberts. I would hate to lose those. And the additional flower beds along the east wing, are they being prepared?"

"They are, Your Grace. The soil is being tilled as we speak by another crew, and the new bulbs you ordered should be planted by week's end. Do you want to check on the progress?"

"No, it’s all right. As long as you’re on top of everything, I have nothing to worry about," Alice replied, her voice softening slightly. "Once the orangery is finished, it should tie everything together beautifully."

Roberts gave a firm nod. "Also, the new stone pathways through the gardens are nearing completion. The workers should be done by nightfall."

Alice responded with a nod. She watched the workers for a moment, and a smile formed on her face.

It was just like she had envisioned nearly two years ago when she first arrived on her wedding night.

Time had slipped away so quickly. She had filled her days with renovations, tending to the gardens, and carrying out some of the duties that came with being the Duchess.

The renovations had been no small feat. Alice had figured it would be a great way to make the estate feel more like home, so she invested time in it.

She had restored the once-crumbling west wing, opened the library to bring in more light, and revitalized the long-neglected grounds.

The orangery, now nearing completion, was one of the final touches on her long list of improvements: a place where she could grow citrus trees and exotic plants.

She had a plan, and she could wait for everything to come together.

"Lady Lavinia and Lady Emma will be arriving soon," Alice said to Roberts and turned to leave the orangery. "Do well to ensure their chambers are prepared to the finest detail. They are not to want for anything during their stay."

Roberts bowed slightly, following closely behind her. "Of course, Your Grace. Everything will be seen to."

As Alice made her way to the dressing room, her smile faded.

Deep down, she knew that all the estate improvements, the renovations, and the endless tasks were only a means to distract herself from the emptiness that had defined her life.

It had been two years since she had married Victor.

.. two long years since she had last set eyes on him.

Their final encounter replayed in her mind almost daily. She could still see the fury in his eyes and the tremble in his hands as he pulled her away from the window. He had been so angry, almost frantic, and yet she still could not, for the life of her, understand why he had reacted so violently.

One moment, she had only been sitting by the window, taking in the air. And the next, he was gone, leaving her alone in the grand estate, burdened with responsibilities that had slowly become her only solace.

No amount of restored gardens or freshly built orangeries could fill the hollow space left by his absence, and the realization gnawed at Alice, driving her nearly mad.

She couldn’t understand it. This was a man whose presence she had once loathed, whose gaze had unnerved her, and whose scars had left her petrified.

Yet, despite all that, she felt his absence. ..missed it, even.

It made no sense to her. How could she long for someone who had terrified and confused her so deeply? Was she that lonely? Was her life so miserable that she was willing to accept even the bare minimum?

"Are you all right, Your Grace?" Roberts asked. "You seem rather flushed."

Alice forced a smile. "I’m fine," she answered. "Let Agatha know that I’ll be having dinner in the garden tonight."

But it wasn’t just loneliness that plagued her.

There was also anger simmering beneath the surface.

Alice had been left in a marriage of convenience, bound to a man who had barely spoken to her before disappearing from her life altogether.

She had spent the last two years waiting, wondering why he had even bothered to marry her if he intended to vanish without a word.

The bitterness grew with each passing day. How dare he take her hand in marriage only to abandon her, leaving her to play the role of duchess without ever being a wife in truth?

How dare he?

Alice had long convinced herself that his absence was a form of punishment.

Some twisted mental torture only a man like Victor, with his beastly reputation, could conceive.

What better way to assert his dominance than to leave her alone in the estate, forcing her to bear the weight of their empty marriage in silence?

He was cruel, just as the rumors had painted him. A scarred monster who took pleasure in mentally torturing her. Perhaps this was what he intended all along, to make her feel abandoned, unworthy, and forgotten.

What she couldn’t understand was why.

Why her, of all people?

"You have to do something about this, Alice. It cannot go on."

Alice sat in the drawing room, staring out the window at the thick clouds gathering in the sky.

The edges were darkening, steadily creeping toward the center, a sure sign the downpour would begin soon.

She loved the rain. It washed everything clean, brought the refreshing scent of damp earth, and for a brief moment, it allowed her to forget.

The world always seemed quieter in the rain, offering her a temporary escape from the burden of her thoughts.

But with the orangery still under construction, she worried the downpour might delay its progress. The last thing she wanted was a setback after months of planning.

"Are you listening to us, Alice?" Emma asked.

"I am," Alice answered without thinking, turning to them.

In front of her, Lavinia and Emma sat across from one another, their expressions mirroring the concern Alice tried so hard to ignore.

Their presence, though comforting in its own way, was a reminder that they were here for more than just a casual visit.

They had visited very often in the past two years, and with each visit, Alice knew their concern had grown.

The rumors about Alice and Victor had only grown more vicious with time.

It began with whispers about Victor’s motives for marrying her.

They had said Alice was ruined long before her marriage, that she had been desperate enough to take a man like Victor.

Some even cruelly suggested that she had hidden away at Ravenmoor to bear an illegitimate child, feeding on the idea that her isolation concealed a scandal.

Lavinia shifted uncomfortably. "You know what they’re saying now, don’t you, Alice?"

"No." She shook her head. "What is the latest scandal that has my name at the center?"

"They’ve gone from whispers to outright accusations," Emma said. "It doesn’t help that you have not been out in society for over a year, Alice. People are thinking the worst."

"Do they still think I’m pregnant?" Alice asked with squinted eyes. "Do they think it’s legitimate this time? As if that would even be possible. I’ve not seen my husband in two years. How could I possibly be carrying his child?"

The more time passed, the more the rumors surrounding Alice began to shift, fueled by the many changes at Ravenmoor.

After the gossip that she was with child subsided, fresh whispers surfaced, alleging that Alice was recklessly squandering her husband’s fortune.

Society branded her as extravagant and careless.

Then, less than a year ago, the speculation intensified, with people noting the steady stream of men arriving and departing from the estate.

Although these visitors were merely workers assisting with the renovations, the gossipmongers thrived on exaggeration.

They spun different stories of secret rendezvous and scandalous affairs.

Strangely, the rumors didn’t faze Alice.

She had never been one to concern herself with the gossip of the ton .

If there was anyone to blame, it was Victor.

He was the one with a scandalous reputation, notorious for the whispers that trailed him like a shadow.

Now, by virtue of her marriage to him, Alice found herself trapped in the web of speculation, bearing the weight of his past sins.

"Alice, don’t joke about this," Lavinia said.

"All right." Alice sat up. "What are they saying now?"