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A lexander Walford was a man of routine. His days were meticulously planned out from the moment he rose in the morning until he went to sleep.

Disturbances were something that he abhorred the most. Anything that would add a wrench to his otherwise carefully scheduled life.

Most disturbances were easy enough to manage, of course. And easy to predict as well.

But he did not know what to make of this doe-eyed, brown- haired disturbance that stared back at him with frightened eyes.

“Why the hold up?” he said, moving a few steps closer to take a better look at this strange woman who had landed in his establishment. “Answer me.”

The woman seemed to have gone mute, which was interesting considering how, just a moment ago, he had heard her lecturing his daughter. His eyes raked across her appearance, taking in the sight of her gown.

In all his days of running the club, he had come across all sorts and shapes of people. But a bride that looked like she had just escaped the very pits of hell was a first, even for him.

“I…” the woman started, looking away from him. He noticed the tremble in her voice. Terrified little thing, he thought to himself. “My name is Penelope Morton.”

“I see. So, why are you terrorizing my establishment at this hour of the day, Miss Morton?” Alexander narrowed his eyes at her.

She moved a piece of her hair away from her face, letting Alexander see her face clearly.

She’s beautiful, he thought to himself. Whatever man she left at the altar must be a sorry lad.

“I did not mean to terrorize anything,” she exhaled, embarrassment coloring her voice. “I was running away in a hurry, and…and this seemed to be the only place I could go into without being noticed and…”

“Miss Morton,” he interrupted her gently, a hint of amusement marking his tone. “If it was safety that you were looking for then I would question your judgment as to why you thought that seeking refuge inside a Gentleman’s club was the best course of action for a young lady like yourself.”

Alexander had been running the club for many years now. Even though it was not a gaming hell, and he tried to keep the place peaceful, he couldn’t control who frequented it.

His eyes darkened at the thought of some sleazy guest of his trying to chat up this young woman. For reasons he could not explain to himself, the thought bothered him greatly.

“It was the best available option to me, and I cannot blame myself though you might see things differently,” Penelope frowned. “But let me clarify to you that I only wish to seek shelter here. Just long enough for me to get my things together.”

It was an innocent request, and the look on her face as she said it was even more so. Alexander briefly considered it, but then shook his head.

“Considering how you ran away, I suspect that there will be people trying to find you,” he stated. “And the last thing I need is an angry father, or a scorned suitor marching down my door and causing trouble. I am running a business here, Miss Morton. Not a charity.”

Perhaps his words had come out harsher than he had intended. At least, that was the impression he got when he saw her frown deepen. Alexander was not one to take back his words, but seeing her reaction, he almost considered it for a moment.

“I urge you please,” she whispered, “to have a heart.”

“Miss Morton,” he stated firmly, straightening himself.

It had been a long time since someone spoke so softly to him, and it was difficult not to be impacted.

Alexander took a couple of steps back from her, if only to put some distance between them.

“I do not know what reasons you had to leave the altar in this manner, which is rather unsuitable for a lady. But I do know that this is no place for you to be. It is in your best interest to return to where you have come from”.

She shook her head furiously and took a few steps closer to him.

“No, you do not understand. I simply cannot return now,” her voice broke as she spoke. “It was not my own wish to marry, rather it was imposed upon me by my father. Surely, you can empathize with me in a situation as desperate as that.”

His mind began to wander, and he found himself pondering why a woman like herself would not wish to marry.

Looking at her, even in this state, Alexander could see that a horde of young men would be interested in proposing to her, based on her looks alone.

She could have her pick of the litter. Why on earth was she forced to do anything?

“It was not my choice,” she reiterated. “But I only went through with it to appease my father, who does not listen to any opinion other than his own. But I could not shake the feeling that I was making a great mistake, and…”

Her voice broke, and Alexander felt a strange need to suddenly comfort her. He did not enjoy seeing something so beautiful in pain like this.

But he restrained himself and simply waited for her to continue with her story. Her pale fingers clutched the fabric of her gown tightly .

“Even till right before the ceremony, my instincts were telling me to run , as though I would be avoiding some sort of terrible fate by doing so,” she explained, her gaze trained firmly to the ground. “But I did not have the courage.”

“Well, you seemed to have mustered up the courage eventually,” Alexander pointed out, raising a brow.

“It was because he…” she stammered again, struggling to get the words out. “It happened the day before the ceremony. He had come for a last visit to my home, and then… he came into my room when no one was there… and he said that I am his, so he was free to do as he wishes.”

Alexander stiffened immediately. This was not the response that he had expected.

She did not explain further, nor did she have to. The implication was clear.

The bastard had tried to take liberties with her. Alexander felt anger surge inside him.

Penelope misread his silence as disbelief.

“I—I didn’t mean to cause a scandal. I thought maybe I could still go through with it, for my sister’s sake. But this morning, I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t marry a man like that. I left as soon as I saw the opportunity to, but my carriage broke down and I..”

“You came here,” he completed.

“I had no other choice,” her voice broke again. “I need to a place to stay for the time being. It would be outright cruel to send me back now.”

She had put him in quite a debacle. He did not wish to be cruel, especially to someone who seemed so delicate. But the prospect of keeping her here brought its own set of challenges.

“An unmarried woman,” he thought out loud, “who has people looking for her. You want me to take you in, and hide you? But what happens when they finally find you?”

Penelope pressed her lips together in a tight line. “I will try not to draw attention to myself.”

Her persistence was almost endearing.

“I would think twice before saying that,” he said, gesturing vaguely at the state of her gown that was enough to draw heads in her direction. “You seem to lack a certain level of self-awareness.”

Her cheeks burned at the comment. “I understand that you have your reservations, but perhaps I can even lend you a helping hand in running your establishment. I could help in the backrooms and…”

“Miss Morton,” he interrupted halfway, “Who is your father?”

Penelope blinked, taken by surprise at his question.

“He is an earl,” she answered finally. There was no warmth in her voice as she spoke of him, which gave Alexander the confirmation that she was not close to him.

“And your mother?”

“My mother is no longer alive,” she announced, keeping her voice steady.

Ah. Well, that complicated things.

“Do you have anyone to look after you at home?” he asked, keeping his questions precise. He did not wish to give her false hope, but he needed more information before he came to any sort of decision.

Penelope mulled over the question , and Alexander wondered if he had struck a sensitive nerve .

Alexander was never one to be too curious about others. If anything, he found them all rather bland and mostly the same. But now his curiosity had been sparked, and he found himself wanting to know more about her.

“Isadora, my sister. At least it used to be until almost a year ago,” Penelope answered, “But she has since been married, and I am largely left to my own faculties at home.”

“Your father is not involved?”

“He only intervenes when he wishes to,” she sighed. “And he only orders. The marriage was his doing, as well. And I am certain that he will make me go through with it once I return.”

Alexander’s jaw tightened. Somehow, the idea of her marrying another man whom she had no desire to marry bothered him more than it ought.

Why were his protective instincts kicking in? She was only a stranger. Albeit, a beautiful stranger.

“And what of your suitors?”

Penelope snorted a laugh at the question and shook her head.

Was something funny? He could not quite understand why it would be. He could not see why she would not have a line of suitors at any given day unless there was something hidden and wrong about this girl.

“There are none,” she said. “If I had been so lucky to find myself a partner, then perhaps I would not have been in this situation to begin with.”

Alexander tilted his head to examine her again. He did not know why a woman like hers – who was quite obviously beautiful and belonged to a titled household – was having any sort of trouble seeking a partner.

“You seem surprised,” she said, noticing the change in his gaze.

Alexander schooled his face back into a neutral expression.

“I am unsure if I believe you, fully.” Frankly, he had no reason to, either.

“Oh,” she let out a drawn- out breath, “If I really did have a secret lover waiting for me, I would not have come here. If anything, that would have made this mess a lot easier. I am not asking much of you – just shelter for a few days, until I can get into contact with my sister. I am certain that she will be able to help me.”