Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

E lizabeth was mortified. God help her, but she had wanted her husband to kiss her, she realized with a rush of heat that only deepened her humiliation.

And the worst part? He'd teased her—played with her emotions, no doubt aware of the effect he had on her. The nerve of him! She clenched her fists at her sides, the memory of his smug expression flashing vividly in her mind. He had pulled away at the last possible moment, leaving her flustered and vulnerable, all while he seemed to relish her reaction.

But what truly unsettled her was the fact that she had betrayed herself. She had practically handed him her interest, her weakness, on a silver platter. And Alexander, ever perceptive, had exploited it for his own amusement. The way his eyes had gleamed with smug satisfaction—it was infuriating.

Elizabeth shut the door to her study behind her and leaned heavily against it, trying to steady her breath. The moment replayed over and over in her mind, each time deepening her embarrassment. She was slightly miffed, not just at him, but at herself. How had she allowed herself to be so easily swept up in the moment?

One minute, he was cold, distant, treating her like a stranger, and the next, he was teasing her, playing the part of a man enjoying his game. The whiplash of his behavior left her unsettled, unsure of how to respond or how to guard herself against his unpredictable moods.

A sudden knock on the door startled her, causing her to jump. Elizabeth's heart raced again, this time from the fear that Alex had followed her. Was he here to mock her, to see how flustered she still was?

She quickly collected herself, straightening her dress and smoothing her hair before opening the door. Relief washed over her when she saw Mrs. Ryton standing there, not her teasing husband.

"Your Grace, I hope I'm not interrupting," the housekeeper said, her voice polite and measured.

"Not at all," Elizabeth reassured, trying to calm the remaining flutter in her chest.

"I've found a girl to permanently fill the position of your lady's maid," Mrs. Ryton announced. "She's in the drawing room. Perhaps you'd like to assess her now?"

Elizabeth nodded, grateful for the distraction. "Very well," she replied, following the housekeeper out.

Elizabeth welcomed the distraction of something— anything —other than her husband.

"This is Miss Lydia Harper, Your Grace," Mrs. Ryton introduced. "She comes with excellent recommendations from the Merrifield estate in Dorset."

Elizabeth nodded, gesturing for the girl to take a seat. Lydia Harper, though young, held herself with an air of calmness that Elizabeth immediately noted. Her brown frock was neat and modest, and her hands—though clasped tightly—did not tremble.

"Miss Harper," Elizabeth began, "I understand you have experience as a lady's maid. Tell me about your duties at Merrifield."

"Yes, Your Grace," Lydia replied with a slight smile. "I was lady's maid to Miss Merrifield for three years. I attended to her dressing, her correspondence, and her daily needs. I also ensured her wardrobe was properly cared for and managed. I often traveled with her when she visited family in the north."

Elizabeth tilted her head slightly, impressed by the young woman's clarity and poise. "And why did you leave the Merrifield household?"

Lydia's eyes flickered briefly with what Elizabeth assumed was hesitation before she replied. "Miss Merrifield recently married, Your Grace, and her new household already had an established lady's maid. She was kind enough to recommend me for new employment."

"I see," Elizabeth said, nodding thoughtfully. She liked that the girl was straightforward in her answers. "And are you comfortable managing various tasks beyond what you mentioned?"

"Very much so, Your Grace. I am quite organized, and I take pride in keeping a steady schedule for my mistress," Lydia replied with quiet confidence.

Elizabeth glanced at Mrs. Ryton, who gave a small nod of approval. "Miss Harper, I believe you shall do well here."

"Thank you, Your Grace," Lydia said, rising and curtsying. "I will do my utmost to meet your expectations."

"Mrs. Ryton will acquaint you with the routines of the household."

"Yes, Your Grace," Lydia replied, standing with another graceful curtsy.

After Miss Harper had left the room with Mrs. Ryton, Elizabeth took a deep breath, feeling better. It had been a small distraction, but one she had needed. "I shall miss Esther, but she will do well."

"I am glad she is up to your standards, Your Grace," Mrs. Ryton replied, her tone respectful and neutral.

Elizabeth smiled faintly. She certainly wasn't accustomed to demanding much from a maid, and the idea of high expectations felt almost foreign.

"Mrs. Ryton," Elizabeth called out as the housekeeper made to leave.

"Yes, Your Grace?" Mrs. Ryton paused, waiting attentively.

"We shall be hosting the Marquess of Broughton for dinner tomorrow evening," Elizabeth announced, feeling the need to make herself useful, if only in the smallest of ways.

"Very well, Your Grace. I shall have cook draw up a menu for your sampling and assessment," Mrs. Ryton replied smoothly, offering a slight curtsy before she took her leave.

Sleep eluded Elizabeth that night. Her thoughts were tempestuous. She had entered this union out of necessity, and yet... something lingered between her and Alexander that unsettled her in ways she couldn't quite explain.

Finally, unable to endure the silence of her chambers any longer, she rose from her bed, wrapped a dressing dress around her shoulders, and slipped quietly into the dimly lit hallways. The manor was asleep, and she moved toward the library, hoping to find a book to calm her restless mind.

As she pushed open the heavy mahogany doors, she was met with the faint glow of candlelight—and the unexpected sight of Alexander, seated in an armchair by the hearth, a book open on his lap. His dark hair was slightly tousled, his posture was relaxed as he read, and he did not appear to be aware of her presence.

Elizabeth hesitated, unsure whether to retreat or announce herself. But the quiet of the room and the sight of him there, alone, drew her in. She cleared her throat softly, and his gaze lifted from the book, surprise flashing across his face.

"Elizabeth," he said, the quiet of the room emphasizing the rich timbre of his voice. "I did not expect to see you wandering the manor at this hour."

She managed a small smile, stepping further into the room. "Nor did I expect to find you here, Your Grace. I was... unable to sleep."

His brow lifted slightly, a hint of amusement in his expression. "You have come in search of a book to remedy that, I presume?"

She nodded, moving toward the shelves, her fingers lightly trailing over the spines of the books. "I thought perhaps reading might help."

"And what sort of books do you seek?" he asked, setting his own aside and rising from his chair to join her by the shelves. "I admit, I did not take you for one who spent late nights with books for company."

Elizabeth glanced at him, catching the glimmer of amusement still in his eyes. "And I did not take you for a reader, Your Grace," she replied, her tone light, but beneath the teasing, she felt the tension between them stir.

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "You would be surprised at what I read."

Her curiosity was now piqued, and Elizabeth tilted her head. "Is that so? What do you read then, besides estate matters and the endless correspondence from London?"

Alexander chuckled softly. "History, politics... but occasionally, I find myself drawn to the works of adventurers. Tales of distant lands, wild journeys beyond our little world."

Elizabeth's eyes widened. "I enjoy those stories as well. They take me away from... all of this." She gestured vaguely around her. "I've always been fascinated by tales of exploration, of venturing into the unknown."

Alexander raised a brow, his voice softening as he asked, "Do you yearn for adventure, Elizabeth?"

She looked away, her fingers stilling on the spine of a book as she considered his question. A moment passed before she nodded, her voice quiet. "I suppose I do... though I never truly had the chance. My world has always been rather small."

A faint smile touched his lips when she looked up at him, as though her admission amused him in a way she couldn't quite place. He turned to the shelves and retrieved a book, one with a worn leather cover. "Perhaps this will suffice for tonight's adventure," he said, handing it to her.

As their hands met, their fingers brushed—briefly at first, but neither pulled away. His hand lingered on hers, the warmth of his touch spreading through her. Her breath caught as their eyes met, and the room felt smaller, the air heavier, as if the space between them had narrowed to nothing.

Elizabeth quickly glanced down at the book he had given her. Tales of the Far East: Journeys into the Beyond . She smiled, though her heart still raced from the unexpected touch. "Thank you," she whispered.

He regarded. "Are you certain one book will suffice? You seem like the sort who might devour it before morning."

Elizabeth's cheeks warmed, and she quickly tried to compose herself. "I suppose I'll manage with just one, Your Grace. But I thank you for your concern."

"I shall have more ready should you finish before the dawn," he teased, though the air between them still crackled.

Elizabeth smiled. "I shall be sure to pace myself then."

They stood there for a moment longer as the silence between them grew once more. Alexander's gaze lingered on hers, his eyes unreadable, and for a moment, Elizabeth wondered if he, too, felt the pull that had drawn her here, to him, on this quiet night.

Finally, breaking the moment, he took a step back. "Goodnight, Elizabeth."

"Goodnight, Your Grace," she replied.

But neither of them moved. They stood by the door, their eyes still locked. For a brief second, it seemed as if something more might happen, as if the air between them might shift again—but then, as though realizing that she needed to leave, Elizabeth tore her gaze from his, her heart pounding.

Without another word, she turned and hurried from the room, clutching the book to her chest, her thoughts swirling in the wake of their encounter. She could still feel the warmth of his touch lingering on her skin,

"Ah, nothing quite like the sight of a hearty meal," Broughton gushed, his eyes alight with enthusiasm as they settled into their dinner.

Elizabeth forced a smile, though her thoughts were elsewhere. It was the first meal she was sharing with her husband since their marriage, and it had taken inviting his friend just to secure that small liberty. The thought left her with a quiet sense of dejection. How strange , she mused, that she had to orchestrate the presence of another to simply sit with her own husband.

"Have you been starving all this while, Colin?" Alexander teased, his tone light as he glanced at his jovial friend.

"If the Sterlin cook's meals are still as exquisite as I recall, then yes. I have been starved of his culinary magic," the Marquess replied with a grin, his good humor infectious. Elizabeth found herself laughing softly, caught up in the warmth of the moment.

"You have a stingy husband, Elizabeth," Colin turned to her, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "He never bothered to invite me to dinner like this."

"We will have to remedy that, I see," Elizabeth responded with another chuckle, though her laughter faltered slightly when her gaze met Alexander's across the table.

His eyes were on her—steady, burning with an intensity she couldn't quite decipher. The look sent an unexpected warmth coursing through her, unsettling her in the most maddening way. Her fingers instinctively tightened around her fork, the sensation spreading through her entire body. How was it that he could make her feel so acutely aware of him, even in moments like these?

She hated it—this constant, unbearable awareness of him. Even in his absence, her thoughts were plagued by the idea of him, by the memory of his touch, the sound of his voice. It was a torment she couldn't escape, and yet… a part of her reveled in it, delighted in the way he had taken up residence in her mind.

"With meals like this, we are well on our way to doing just that," Colin added heartily, pulling her from her thoughts. "You heard that, Sterlin? Your wife intends to remedy my starvation as your friend," he added with a playful grin toward Alexander.

The dining room rang with laughter, the ease between the men palpable. But as Elizabeth sat there, her own laughter fading, she reminded herself of the second purpose for this dinner. The gentlemen were relaxed, which meant it was time to set her plan in motion. If she could catch Alexander in this mood, perhaps she could finally get him to agree to the Compton assembly.

"Since you are in the country, I presume you will be attending the Compton assembly?" Elizabeth asked Lord Broughton, her tone deliberately casual as she sipped her wine.

She had orchestrated this dinner carefully. It wasn't merely an excuse to share a meal with her husband—something that had become frustratingly rare—but a calculated opportunity to use Colin's influence to her advantage. Her gaze remained steady on Colin, though she could sense Alexander's presence acutely beside her.

"I never miss an opportunity for a good gathering," Colin replied, a broad smile lighting his face.

"As a matter of fact, we shall be attending as well," Elizabeth said smoothly, shifting her gaze to meet Alexander's. She held his eyes with quiet determination, knowing full well what she was doing. "It will be our first public appearance as a married couple, and we are very much looking forward to it."

There. The words were spoken, and with them, the trap was set.

Now, let us see you wriggle out of this, Alexander , she thought, her gaze unwavering. She watched as his eyes narrowed slightly, the flicker of realization crossing his face. He knew. He understood the game she had just played, and his look told her he was well aware of the predicament in which she had placed him.

"Even more reason for me to attend," Colin declared with enthusiasm, oblivious to the tension between husband and wife. "A first appearance as a couple—how splendid it shall be! Especially in the relaxed atmosphere of the country."

"Indeed," Elizabeth replied, her voice light, though inwardly she reveled in her triumph. The remainder of the meal passed without incident, the gentlemen in good spirits, and Elizabeth content in her small victory.

Once Colin had departed, Alexander turned to her, his expression calm but carrying the weight of something unsaid. "Are you quite satisfied now?" he asked, his voice carrying a note of dry amusement. "And do not feign innocence, Elizabeth," he added with a slight smirk.

"Oh, I had no intention of doing so," Elizabeth replied. "And to answer your question, yes, I am quite satisfied."

He chuckled, the sound low and dark, his eyes never leaving hers. "I suspected your invitation to Colin was not entirely without motive."

Elizabeth allowed a small shrug, insolent yet graceful. "One cannot fault a wife for being resourceful."

Their eyes met again, the tension between them thick in the air, but for the first time, Elizabeth felt as though she had won a small but significant battle. She could sense that Alexander knew it too, and she intended to savor this moment for as long as she could.

"That was quite an impressive maneuver you executed, cornering me into attending the assembly like that. Admirable, I must say. I believe you deserve full credit for it," Alexander remarked, his tone carrying both amusement and reluctant admiration.

Elizabeth offered a slow, graceful smile, tilting her chin just so. "How very generous of you, Your Grace," she replied with polite mockery, the sweetness of her tone not concealing the challenge beneath.

He stepped closer, towering over her with an air of quiet authority. His gaze, sharp and intent, seemed to probe for any sign of faltering, but she remained unruffled. Tonight, the victory was hers, and she would not allow him to intimidate her now.

"So, it is all a game to you now, is it, Elizabeth?" His voice was low, a dangerous edge to it, as though daring her to admit the truth.

"Is it not for you as well, Your Grace?" She smirked.