Chapter 36

CHAPTER 36

T he carriage ride to the Dowshire residence felt longer than it should have. Alexander's heart pounded with every passing second, his mind racing with uncertainties. What would he say to her? How could he face her after everything that had happened? His hands tightened around his gloves as the carriage came to a halt, and he took a steadying breath before stepping out.

As he entered the drawing room, he was greeted by Lord Dowshire. The older man smiled warmly, though there was a hint of his knowledge of the situation in his gaze.

"Ah, Sterlin! Come in, come in," the Earl said heartily, moving toward a small table in the drawing room to pour two glasses of brandy. "A drink to start the evening, hmm?"

Alexander hesitated, anxiety coursing through him. "I—thank you, but I?—"

"Oh, come now," the Earl insisted with a good-natured laugh. "We might as well start our own party a little earlier, don't you think?"

Reluctantly, Alexander obliged, accepting the glass though his nerves made him wish for anything but liquor right now. The Earl handed him the drink, and they stood in an awkward silence for a moment before Alexander finally spoke.

"I... I did not intend for things to happen as they did," Alexander said, his voice low but sincere. He wasn't sure what compelled him to offer an explanation, but he felt as though he owed it to the man standing before him. After all, he had failed Elizabeth, and by extension, her family as well.

To his surprise, the Earl's expression softened. "Such squabbles between a man and his wife lay the very foundation of a solid and lasting relationship. It is only natural, Your Grace. That is life, after all. We err, we learn, and we grow from our mistakes."

Alexander blinked, taken aback by the older man's easy understanding. "My darling girl is hurt right now, no doubt," the Earl continued, "but it is nothing she won't recover from in time."

Alexander felt both relief and guilt wash over him. He was grateful for the Earl's words, but it did little to ease the deep ache in his chest. "Thank you," he said quietly.

They returned to the front hall to await the ladies, but when Elizabeth descended the stairs, Alexander's breath caught in his throat. She looked as radiant as ever, and seeing her again after all these days filled him with an overwhelming need to hold her, to tell her how much he had missed her.

But instead, he did what duty and propriety required. He offered her his arm. "Shall we?"

She accepted, her fingers brushing against his arm, and though the touch was brief, it sent a wave of longing through him. She didn't say a word, and the silence between them only deepened as they departed for the soirée in the Sterlin carriage, her family following behind in their own.

The tension in the carriage was suffocating. Alexander could feel the weight of his unspoken words pressing down on him, the distance between them more palpable than ever. He glanced at her, taking in the curve of her profile, and before he could stop himself, the words slipped out.

"I missed you," he blurted, the confession sounding raw and unfiltered.

Elizabeth looked up at him in shock, her eyes shining with unshed tears. Her reaction took him aback, and confusion flickered across his face. Why did she look so stricken? What had he said to make her look like that?

She opened her mouth to speak, and Alexander's heart raced, desperate for her to say something—anything. But before she could utter a word, the carriage pulled to a stop. They had arrived at the ball.

Throughout the evening, Elizabeth was pleasant and composed with everyone they greeted, but toward him, she was distant. Cold, even. It was as though the woman he had grown to love had slipped away, leaving behind only a shell of formality and politeness. The sight of it pained him more than he could express.

Does she truly desire to be away from me that much?

The thought gnawed at him as he watched her move gracefully through the crowd, her laughter and smiles reserved for everyone but him. He had never felt so helpless, so lost. And the more he watched, the more he realized that their entire charade—their marriage, their roles in society—was a lie. A facade that had begun to crumble, and the weight of it was becoming unbearable.

He couldn't continue to force her into this. The truth hit him with a painful clarity. He loved her, yes, but keeping her by his side would only cause her more pain. And if he truly cared for her, he couldn't do that. He had to let her go.

The decision settled like a stone in his chest as he approached her on the dance floor. "May I have this dance?" he asked quietly, his heart heavy with what he was about to do.

Elizabeth looked at him, her eyes filled with something he couldn't quite place, but she nodded and took his hand.

As they moved together in the dance, Alexander summoned the courage to speak. "We must stop pretending, Liz," he began, his voice low. "We've been convincing enough for society. But you don't owe our marriage that any longer. We've fulfilled the terms of our arrangement, and I... I think it's time we go back to living our separate lives."

He felt her tense in his arms, her grip on his hand faltering. He continued, though every word felt like a knife twisting in his chest. "I have a property in Lancashire. You could live there, away from all of this... away from me."

Her gaze snapped up to meet his, hurt flashing in her eyes. "Is that what you truly want?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"It's what we agreed upon," he replied, though it felt like a lie even as he said it. Every syllable twisted painfully inside him.

She nodded, her face unreadable, and the moment the dance ended, she turned on her heels and walked away.

Alexander followed her, his heart pounding as he watched her retreat to the empty balcony. He couldn't let her go like this—not without understanding what had just happened. When they were alone, she turned to face him, her eyes brimming with tears.

"I cannot do this any longer, Alex," she whispered, her voice breaking.

"Hence my proposition," he said, his heart shattering as he spoke the words. She truly wanted to leave him.

"You don't understand," she said, shaking her head. "One moment I feel like I have you, and the next, you slip away. I know you cannot ever love me, Alexander, and I am trying to accept that. But I cannot take this torment any longer. You tell me you miss me, and then you tell me to go away. Which is it?"

Her words hit him like a punch to the gut, and for a moment, he could hardly breathe. Did she just say she felt like she had me?

"You yearn for me, Liz?" he asked, his voice hoarse with disbelief.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she looked up at him. "I love you, Alexander. And I know I shouldn't, but?—"

He didn't let her finish. Before she could say another word, he pulled her against him and kissed her, pouring everything he felt into that kiss—the longing, the regret, the love he had been too afraid to admit.

When he pulled away, she looked up at him, her eyes wide and confused. "I don't understand," she whispered.

"It means that I have loved you, too, all this while," he confessed, his voice thick with emotion. "And I am sorry it took me this long to admit it."

Her face crumpled with relief, and she threw her arms around him, holding him tightly. "Oh, Alexander," she whispered, her voice filled with the same love he had been too blind to see before.

Before he could say another word, a familiar voice interrupted them. "I see you two have finally found your missing brains," Percy said, grinning as he stepped onto the terrace.

Alexander kept his arms around Elizabeth, a rare smile tugging at his lips.

"He turned into a madman in your absence, Elizabeth," Percy teased, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

Elizabeth's eyes sparkled with newfound light. "Did he now?" she asked playfully. "You'll have to tell me everything, Percy."

"I'll gladly spill all of it," Percy grinned, bouncing on his feet.

"You say a word, Percy, and you'll regret it," Alexander warned, though he couldn't stop the laughter bubbling out of him.

Elizabeth woke to the soft glow of morning light spilling through the curtains, warmth wrapping around her like a comforting embrace. For a brief, blissful moment, she forgot where she was. Then, she turned and saw Alexander beside her, his features softened in sleep, his breathing steady. The sight filled her with a happiness so profound that she could scarcely believe it. After everything, she had never imagined waking up like this—beside the man she loved, and knowing that he loved her in return.

Her heart swelled, but before she could savor the moment, a commotion echoed from downstairs, disturbing the quiet of the morning. She sat up, exchanging a confused glance with Alexander, who was already alert.

"What is going on?" she murmured as they both quickly dressed and made their way downstairs to investigate.

As they reached the foyer, Elizabeth was startled to see a footman holding her lady's maid, struggling as if she were trying to break free. Percy stood nearby, his expression stern as he questioned her, while the housekeeper and butler looked on, clearly distressed.

"What is the meaning of this?" Elizabeth demanded, her voice sharp with confusion as she stepped forward. "Let her go!"

"I'm afraid I cannot do that," Percy said, his demeanor calm but gaze firm.

Alexander moved to intervene, but before he could speak, Percy held up a hand. "You need to hear this," he said, his eyes serious as they flicked between Elizabeth and Alexander. "The lady's maid, I regret to inform you, has been acting as a spy."

"A spy?" Elizabeth's brow furrowed in disbelief. "What on earth are you talking about?"

Percy sighed, his expression grave. "She's been in Lady Winston's employ since the moment she arrived here. Georgianna has been using her to spy on your household, to feed her information about your marriage."

Elizabeth's stomach churned, her mind reeling with the betrayal. She glanced at the young maid—her maid—who had become a familiar presence in her life. The girl had always seemed so kind, so eager to help. And now to learn she had been an agent for Georgianna all this time... It made her feel sick.

"We caught her trying to leave this morning," Percy continued. "She realized that I had begun to suspect her the night of your argument. I found her eavesdropping then, and it raised my suspicions."

Elizabeth's throat tightened. "You were spying on me?" she asked the maid, her voice barely above a whisper.

The girl looked down, her face pale, and said nothing.

Percy's voice cut through the tense silence. "I decided to investigate further, and what I found was... unsettling. Georgianna has been paying her to report back on everything. She's also the one responsible for spreading all those rumors about your marriage and the supposed affair."

Elizabeth felt as though the ground had been ripped from beneath her. The rumors, the whispers that had nearly destroyed her—it had all been orchestrated by Georgianna? And her own maid had been part of it?

Her heart hardened, the shock quickly giving way to anger. "You are dismissed," she said coldly, her voice trembling with restrained fury. "You will leave this house immediately."

Before the maid could say a word, Alexander's voice rang out, firm and unyielding. "Without a wage," he added. "Consider it your punishment. You'll receive no reference from us, and if you seek help from Lady Winston, you may tell her exactly why you were dismissed. Perhaps she will be more than willing to employ you again as her spy."

The girl's face drained of color, and she gave a slight, terrified nod before the footman released her and escorted her out.

Elizabeth let out a shaky breath, her heart still racing. "Thank you," she said quietly to Percy, her voice thick with emotion. "I don't know what we would have done without you."

Percy offered a faint smile, though there was a glimmer of smugness in his eyes. "What would you two do without me, eh?"

Alexander shot him a look but couldn't suppress a chuckle. Despite the gravity of the situation, they all shared a brief, tense laugh.

"There's somewhere we must go," Alexander said, his demeanor serious and guarded.

Elizabeth blinked with a sense of unease. "Where?"

"You'll see soon enough," he replied, offering no further explanation.

She followed him, apprehension settling in her stomach as their carriage made its way across town. But when they arrived at the familiar gates of the Winston residence, Elizabeth's heart sank. Why on earth were they here?

The butler showed them into the drawing room, where they waited in tense silence. The sound of approaching footsteps drew their attention, and moments later, Georgianna swept into the room, her expression triumphant.

"Oh, Alexander," she purred, a knowing smile on her lips. "I knew it would only be a matter of time before you came to your senses and changed your mind about our relationship."

Elizabeth's heart twisted painfully at the insinuation, but Georgianna's next words were cut off by Alexander's sharp words.

"We discovered your little spy, Lady Winston," he barked, his voice full of restrained fury. "And we know that you concocted and spread all those rumors about us in Town."

Georgianna faltered, her steps slowing as her eyes darted between Elizabeth and Alexander. "I... I don't know what you're talking about," she stammered, but the panic in her voice was unmistakable.

Alexander took a step forward, his gaze hard and unyielding. "Enough with the lies," he growled. "We know everything. You've meddled in our lives for the last time."

Georgianna's face twisted in anger. "Fine," she snapped. "Yes, I did it. I spread the rumors, I paid your maid. But I did it because I know what your marriage truly is—a scam! And you," she sneered, turning her venom on Elizabeth, "have failed miserably to keep your husband's affections."

Alexander's fury flared, and he took another step toward Georgianna, his fists clenched. The Countess, realizing the danger in his posture, instinctively stepped back. Elizabeth, seeing the rage in his eyes, quickly placed a hand on his sleeve, her touch grounding him.

"I could ruin you, Georgianna," Alexander said in a low, threatening voice. "I could have you exiled from society in an instant, and don't think I won't if you so much as whisper my wife's name again."

Georgianna's defiance faltered, and for the first time, Elizabeth saw real fear in her eyes. She had always known Alexander held power, but to witness it so clearly now, she realized just how dangerous he could be when protecting the people he loved.

After a long, tense silence, Alexander turned to Elizabeth, his expression softening instantly, as though the storm inside him had suddenly vanished.

"Shall we leave now, darling?" he asked, gentle and tender, as though nothing had happened.

Elizabeth stared at him, utterly shocked at the abrupt change in his demeanor. One moment, he had been a seething volcano of rage, and the next, he was the tender, loving man she had come to adore.

Good heavens, he's like a man with different personalities, she thought, her heart swelling with affection even as her mind struggled to keep up.

Without another glance at Georgianna, Alexander led Elizabeth out of the house, his hand steady and reassuring on hers. And as they stepped out into the fresh air, Elizabeth couldn't help but marvel at the man beside her—a man full of contradictions, but one whose love for her was now undeniable.