The Duke’s Abandoned Bride

Chapter One

“There is no time like the present to cheat on your husband, Your Grace,” Jane cooed rather sadistically, her pretty smile as sly as a fox’s as she peered over the rim of her teacup at her host.

Alexandra Carson, Duchess of Kensington, felt her normally peach-hued cheeks turn crimson as her friend Jane Jameson, Viscountess of Knox, made her rather bold suggestion. Her pale blue eyes widened as she momentarily pictured kissing another man, and she shook her head vehemently.

Whether there was love in her marriage or not, Alexandra had taken a vow when she was eighteen, and even if she had not seen her husband since their wedding day, she would not let another man occupy the bed they were supposed to share.

“You and your outrageous suggestions!” Alexandra sighed dramatically, hoping her tone would hide her shock at her friend’s bold words.

From across the table, Jane narrowed her exotically dark brown eyes, and her red lips tugged further into a wicked grin.

“Oh, you want it,” Jane purred, her sleek, brown brow perking up in challenge as if daring Alexandra to say otherwise. “Do not deny it, Alexandra. It is poor for your constitution.”

“I will deny it because it is not true,” Alexandra laughed, sitting her teacup down with a clink. “If I want anything, it is for my husband to acknowledge this marriage and perhaps return to London. I am sick of everyone’s gossip.”

Jane’s wicked smirk dropped as she rolled her eyes and leaned back into her chair. At thirty and married to a husband who paid no mind to her–sadly, much like Alexandra herself, Jane had chosen to take a less conventional path toward happiness. She was drawn to the hedonist lifestyle; the unseemly and socially unaccepted. Her philosophy in life was to experience and discover, no matter what the rules dictated.

“Perhaps there is a chance that she is right, Ally,” Lady Gemma–Alexandra’s sister-in-law, stated matter-of-factly by Jane’s side, busying herself with stirring her tea.

Alexandra’s soft pink lips dropped into an O as she heard her response, and when Gemma finally did look up to her, she simply shrugged.

“What?” Gemma asked, setting her spoon down with an annoyed flare. “You have waited for my brother five years–five years, Alexandra, and you have done everything properly.”

Gemma’s honey-brown eyes, so much like Dominic’s, darkened as she leaned over the table and took Alexandra’s hand.

“I love my brother, Ally. You know I do. But he has been an absolute arse from the moment you married. Perhaps it is time for you to move on.”

“You have been spending far too much time with Jane,” Alexandra quipped immediately, knowing all too well where Gemma picked up such foul language.

“You and I both have, and you know why? Because Dominic is not here,” Gemma replied matter-of-factly. “He is supposed to be! But the fact of the matter is he is not, and therefore, a replacement of him might be required.”

“In more ways than one…” Jane scoffed, smiling slyly.

“You are a bad influence,” Alexandra accused, pushing playfully at Jane’s arm, “And you, Gemma, are you not supposed to be helping me find understanding and compassion regarding my husband’s absence?”

“It is hard to be compassionate with that stubborn bull of a man when he treats you so poorly,” Gemma retorted, her pretty face scrunching into a frown. “If I ever see him again, I swear, I will–”

“He has not treated me poorly,” Alexandra said softly.

“Worse,” Gemma quipped, “He has not treated you at all. With kindness or harm. He has abandoned you. Perhaps it is time that you abandon him as well.”

“Gemma is right! You truly think he has remained faithful to you?” Jane asked bluntly. “After five years? Come, you will not be doing anything he has not already accomplished. He is no doubt finding his pleasure in the arms of a mistress. It is time you do the same.”

Anger, as fresh as it was the night of her wedding, burned through Alexandra as she heard Jane’s honest, if not slightly cruel, words. Rejection was something Alexandra had thought she would only face as an unmarried woman, but it had not been so. Dominic had accepted their marriage, yes, but even before their wedding night, he had been gone, not even staying long enough to consummate their union.

 They had not known each other when they had been married, but still, Alexandra had been drawn to the duke’s handsome features and quiet but strong disposition. Even in the beginning, when she had first met him at his best, she had sensed a longing in him. One that matched her own. She had thought, with time, they would talk, befriend one another, and discuss what one another longed for. But that never happened.

The first year he had been gone, Alexandra had chosen to believe that her husband was simply busy but otherwise still faithful to her in the ways of marriage. By the second year of his absence, that faith had waned by half as she started to grow lonely in her new London home. By the third year, she had begun surrounding herself with friends constantly, not just to abate the loneliness but to drive out the nagging thoughts of what her husband was doing away from her–who he was doing things with away from her.

I should not care what he does. Or with whom!

Alexandra pressed her lips together as she looked up at the five faces staring back at her. Aside from Gemma, who had renounced the idea of marriage, the other four were married, and as she took in their self-righteous expressions, she realized something–they had all taken Jane’s advice. Either from her persuasion or for reasons of their own–they had taken that bold step to take lovers.

“I hold no judgment,” Alexandra stated calmly, choosing her words carefully, “For anyone. I am upset by Dominic’s absence. And I am lonely. But I–I cannot simply replace him with another. I cannot go back on my vows like that. Or, at least, I want to try to be with him before I… move on.”

An uncomfortable silence settled around the table as Alexandra’s words hung thick in the air. They had all wanted to try, had all at one point attempted to keep their husband’s interest… but had all failed. The other women looked at her with pity–as if her attempt was simply futile and childish.

Over the years, she had tried to lure her husband back to London with rumors of illness and financial frivolity, but no matter what she did, Dominic never came back, not even in anger. He was simply… indifferent.

“Ladies,” Jane announced, breaking the silence with a sharp inhale. “I believe our hostess has grown weary. Perhaps we should retire for the afternoon?”

“Of course,” Lady Lillian Reese stated and was the first to rise from her chair.

“Perhaps it is best we all take a rest. We have a night of fun ahead of us, and it would not do good to meet at Theresa Lonnigan’s soiree tired and out-of-sorts. You will all be there, yes?”

Alexandra opened her mouth to announce that she was thinking of simply going to bed, but Jane quickly replied, “Of course we will. We would not miss it, would we, ladies?”

Alexandra forced a small smile and a nod as she rose to bid her friends adieu. No, she would not be going, but they could find that out later.

A half-hour later, just as she had stripped off her gown and gotten between her covers, Alexandra heard a soft knocking at her door, and as she raised her head from her pillows, Jane and Gemma walked in with sheepish smiles.

“What are you two up to?” She laughed softly, trying to use the sound to cover up her sniffling. “I thought you had left.”

“Oh, darling, we are sorry,” Gemma sighed, rushing to Alexandra’s bed.

“We did not mean to distress you,” Jane added, following Gemma. “It is just awful to see you this upset time after time.”

“My brother is a dolt,” Gemma piped up, “I hate that he has done this to you!”

“I know an affair seems frightening right now,” Jane said calmly, “But you have no idea how much a tryst can lift one’s spirits. It is not the same as being with your husband, I know, but oftentimes, it is even better after you get the gist of the agreement.”

“How would I even know? I have never been with a man. Not even my husband.” Jane pulled out her kerchief from her sleeve, and Alexandra took it to blow her nose and dry her eyes. Again. She was crying. Again. It had been happening a lot lately. Too much, according to her friends, hence the push to take a paramour.

“Look, I know you mean well, Jane, but I cannot,” Alexandra answered emphatically, doing her best to keep up with her falling tears. “Even if he has already done the same, I cannot. Please, I hold no judgment; I swear, I–”

“Oh, darling, calm yourself,” Jane sighed, resting her hand over Alexandra’s. “You are the most kind-hearted, understanding person I have ever met. I have no fear of your judgment. And, believe it or not, I understand. It is not an affair I particularly want for you but the chance to see you happy again.”

She paused, her brows furrowing as a worried look took over her face.

“You need to find yourself again, Alexandra,” Gemma said softly. “Day by day, a little of you goes away, and in its place wells tears and sorrow. It is eating you from the inside, and we cannot bear it.”

Although she had been trying to stop her tears only a moment before, Alexandra suddenly let out a heart-wrenching sob and bowed her head as fresh tears flooded her cheeks. She had been feeling worse than ever this past year, and she had thought she had been hiding it well. She should have known better than to try and hide from her friends, though. They noticed everything.

“I just did not think that this would be my life,” she sobbed openly, letting herself crumble into the arms of her friends. “After my parents died, I was passed around from relative to relative. When the duke married me, I finally thought I would have a family. I wanted love. I wanted a husband. I wanted children!”

“Children?” Jane sneered, but with a glare from Gemma, she said no more.

“Yes, children,” Alexandra hiccupped, wiping the tears from her face, “I have always wanted a big family. Perhaps if Dominic had at least done me the service of giving me one or two, I would not feel so… so empty!”

“There is an idea!” Jane said suddenly, giving Alexandra’s shoulders a tight squeeze. “If you want a child, Alexandra, why not just go ahead and have one?”

Alexandra pulled out of her friend’s embrace, shock riddling her delicate features as she stared at Jane as if she had lost her mind.

“Have you lost your mind, Jane? I just said that I do not wish to take a paramour,” she said with agitation.

But Jane only laughed, further driving Alexandra’s frustration and confusion.

“No, silly, I do not mean actually have one,” her friend laughed. “I mean, let others think you had one!”

“Why on earth would she do that?” Gemma hissed, pulling Alexandra to her side protectively. “A child out of wedlock is worse than an affair in the eyes of the ton by far. Even just a rumor of such a thing could ruin her.”

“Or it could be the driving force the duke needs to come back to London and confront her,” Jane argued, then looked down at Alexandra’s shocked face.

“You do not want a paramour? That is fine, I understand that, but you cannot simply stay in this house–this tomb you are creating and sink further into your misery. A rumor like that would come with repercussions. Yes. But what if it is what brings the duke back to you?”

“Even if such a tale would bring him back, it would only forcefully bring him back in anger,” Alexandra countered. “No, I am done waiting for him to acknowledge my existence or doing anything to get his attention. I can find ways to occupy my time; I do not need him.”

Jane opened her mouth as if she were about to argue Alexandra’s point, but her words never formed, and she pressed her lips into a frown as Alexandra’s fight left her. There were no words or suggestions that would cure her loneliness or longing for a husband who loved her. So, giving up on words, Jane and Gemma both curled up next to Alexandra and held her silently as she sighed. She curled into their embrace, thankful for the comfort of their closeness.

“Thank heavens for you two.” Alexandra’s voice was weak when she spoke again several moments later. “Who needs men when I have such loyal friends? If not for you, I do not… I do not know what I would have done without you.”

“Alexandra…” Gemma breathed, almost moved to tears. But she said nothing more.

“We will be here for you,” Jane whispered, rubbing a gentle hand down Alexandra’s back. “Always.”

Chapter Two

“I heard you did not do as you were ordered, Bernard.” Dominic Carson, Duke of Kensington, growled at his butler.

He ran an impatient hand through his wavy, light brown hair and turned his angry stare toward the window. Out in the gardens, he could still see the gardener, a man with a name Dominic did not care to remember, still toiling away with the plants. He was supposed to be given his notice two days ago, and yet…

“Tell me, Bernard,” Dominic snarled, turning his anger-filled, honey-brown eyes to his butler, “Is it because you would rather take his place? For young boys are turning into men every day who need work.”

“N-No, Your Grace,” Bernard said finally, stuttering as he attempted to protect himself from his own failings, “I certainly do not. I am most thankful for this position!”

“A position you have held for over a decade,” Dominic bit back. “Therefore, you are aware of what happens when my commands are not obeyed. So, tell me, Bernard, if you are ‘most thankful,’ why is that man still on my property?”

The gardener had committed a cardinal sin on the Kensington Estate, of which there were only three rules to live by: Do your work. Obey your commands. And respect the master’s dog. If any of those rules were violated, even once, Dominic made sure that the lackluster staff was banished.

As if knowing he was being discussed, Peritas, Dominic’s rather large Irish Wolfhound, limped into the room. Dominic’s fury rose afresh as he saw his beloved pet attempt to spare his back left paw as he walked toward him, and he glared back at Bernard, silently demanding an answer.

“I-It was an accident, Your Grace,” Bernard stammered, his gaze pinging from his master to Peritas, “The… the gardener has a family to feed, and I–”

“It was no accident,” Dominic replied, his tone threatening as he ran an affectionate hand over Peritas’ head. “He stomped on his paw on purpose for digging up that ridiculous plant. I saw it myself. Now, get rid of him immediately, or I will have two new positions to fill instead of one.”

His butler, realizing that the argument was a moot point, gave up and bowed.

“Very well, Your Grace,” Bernard replied. “I shall speak with him directly once I collect his remaining wages from Mrs. Ridley.”

Dominic was so wrapped up in his anger that, for a moment, he nearly told Bernard to forget the wages and to garnish them as punishment for Peritas’ slight. However, the beloved dog, the only bringer of joy in Dominic’s life, licked his hand and pawed at his leg, as if telling him to let it go.

“Very well,” Dominic murmured, walking away from the window and his view of his beloved dog’s attacker.

He snapped his fingers, and obediently, Peritas walked with him, following Dominic to his massive, dark oak desk. As usual, Peritas curled himself into a spot beside Dominic’s feet as he took his seat. Dominic spared his one kind look of the day down toward the canine, and in return, the beast huffed out a sneeze and whine–as if telling his master that the matter was settled. Dominic nodded and turned back to Bernard.

“Now that we have settled that bit of bad business, what else is there to discuss this morning?” He asked, picking up his first file.

Dominic’s mind began to wander toward his paperwork, and as Bernard went through the list of news, he began to put part of his concentration into his own duties, nodding occasionally as his butler prattled on with the usual “to-dos” of the estate.

“Wait,” Dominic commanded suddenly, lifting his head from his paperwork.

A name had just been spoken. One he had not heard in quite some time. One that he was sure was said by mistake.

“Your Grace?” Bernard asked.

His grip grew stronger on his fountain pen. Dominic looked up at Bernard from under his brows and asked, “What did you just say?”

Dominic watched with annoyance as Bernard’s face cast a look of apprehension his way, and his stutter returned.

“P-pardon, Your G-grace,” Bernard stumbled anxiously, “I-it is only that there is a bit of gossip regarding the Duchess of Kensington and her health.”

“Is she dying?” Dominic snapped as his grip on his pen produced a crack.

“No, Your Grace,” Bernard answered immediately. “But there is word that–”

“Then I do not care to know about it,” Dominic said through gritted teeth.

“But–”

Feeling his anger from the day grow too strong, Dominic growled, “That is enough, Bernard. Go. Now. Before you receive your notice today along with the gardener’s.”

With a low, silent bow, the butler was gone, leaving Dominic with his work, his anger, and the only creature he loved. It was a triad he was not comfortable with, and too soon, he snapped his folder shut and threw down his fountain pen, his mind unable to focus on the task at hand. The moment it hit the folder, the small device cracked and created splotches of thick, black ink on his desk.

“Bloody hell, that’s about right, isn’t it?” Dominic murmured to Peritas, shoving the mess away.

The canine whined as he lifted his head to inspect the mess, then let out a sniff as if he agreed.

“What do you think is wrong with her?” Dominic asked the dog but then changed his mind. “No, I do not care what she does.”

Peritas only put his head back down on his front paws and whined. The pup had never met his mistress, and yet he seemed to look sad anytime his master mentioned her.

“Do not give me that,” Dominic sighed, rubbing his hands over his face as he leaned back in his chair. “Our distance is for her own good. For my own good.”

At least, that was what he had been telling himself since their wedding night five years ago. Alexandra. She was a beautiful woman. Angelic, even, with her brunette hair, clear, oval face, and piercing blue eyes. So soft… so small, at least compared to his own stature, which was like that of an oak tree. Tall. Thick with muscle. Sturdy. It took a lot to chop him down, and when he had met Alexandra, he had known that despite her much smaller size and enchanting looks, it was she who could successfully wield the axe that brought him down.

The wedding had been planned by his uncle and her guardians; an arrangement made to satisfy social standards and perhaps some empty space they both shared. He, a widower but too young to rest in it, needed to remarry. And she… well. He supposed she needed a sturdy place to land after being orphaned by her parents and raised by people who wanted her off their hands.

This was not the marriage she had expected, though. He did not need to converse with her to know that. Like all other wives, she had expected to live with her husband and have children with him. After what had happened with his first wife, though, Dominic could not bear to do so. Instead, he had chosen to leave Alexandra alone in London while he returned to Kensington.

He had disappointed Alexandra greatly when he had done that. He knew he had by the dozens of letters she had sent him in the first year, inquiring with him to come visit her. He had ignored them all, thinking that her desire to be with him would go away, but then, she had persisted.

A whine from Peritas stirred Dominic from his thoughts, and he glanced down at the big brown eyes of his beloved pet. The beast always seemed to know when his master was getting too far into his own head, and he always worked to pull him back out.

“There, now, I am fine,” Dominic sighed, reaching down to pat Peritas’ head.

As if to prove his point, he then opened the top drawer to his desk, where he kept a tin of biscuits at the ready for the massive pup. He lifted it out as to fetch a treat for Peritas, but as he moved the tin and his eyes fell on familiar handwriting, Dominic stilled.

Forgetting the biscuits entirely, Dominic released the tin and reached for the letter. His fingers began to sweat as he picked up the old piece of paper and gently unfolded it, his eyes gravitating to the words he had read an innumerable number of times. A letter written to him by his first wife.

…I beg of you, if not for your love of me but for God’s love toward me as his daughter, annul our marriage and set me free of this torment. Your uncle’s treatments are most cruel, and though he says he is both my doctor and my family, I feel as if he is truly neither. Release me of this pain, I implore you, Your Grace…

Suddenly, the double doors of Dominic’s study were thrown open with great force, causing them to bang into the walls as a gravelly, rage-filled voice asked, “What is that? You sit here reading old love letters at a time like this?”

“Who dares enter my study in such a manner!?” Dominic jerked at the onslaught of sudden noise, his hands making the old letter disappear as Peritas stood, hackles raised and growled warningly as Walter Carson stormed over to the massive desk his nephew sat behind.

“Muzzle your mutt before I do it for you,” Walter growled, staring down at the dog with pure hatred.

Quickly recovering from the shock of the interruption, Dominic rose from his seat and put a calming hand on his pet’s head.

“Peritas, at ease,” he commanded in a low voice, and immediately, the beast ceased his growling and sat back down on its hind quarters.

“That is what you get for not knocking,” Dominic replied coolly as he waved his free hand toward the seat opposite him. “You are lucky he did not attack you the moment you blasted those doors open.”

“It is he who is lucky,” Walter snapped back, flinging a newspaper toward Dominic as he took his seat. “That rag goes for me one time, and I will swiftly put it out of its miserable existence with the end of my pistol.”

With dark eyes still full of hate, he turned his glance toward the dog, and his frown deepened.

“God, but you are an ugly, useless thing,” he stated.

Peritas, as if he could understand the mood of his master, growled in challenge.

“Enough! I see you are in a fitting mood,” Dominic sighed, gathering the newspaper thrown at him. “State your business or get out. I will not be so understanding if you keep this up.”

“Well, it is not just your mutt that is an ugly, useless thing,” Walter snarled, steepling his fingers together. “You seem to have a penchant for collecting them.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Dominic grumbled, turning his attention toward the paper.

Normally, he would not put up with such ill manners from anyone, but Walter was the exception. Dominic’s parents, both affluent members of society, had paid little to no attention to their children. It was Walter who had raised him for the most part. How to be a man, how to take charge when chaos ensued. He owed him much, and for that, he entertained the man’s occasional outbursts.

“Page three, second column, third paragraph down,” Walter grit out. “It is the gossip column, but print is print, and hundreds have already seen it. Rumor or not, this little expose will ruin us.”

Dominic cast a glare toward his uncle before going to the suggested section. As his eyes skimmed the few lines, Alexandra’s name popped as if it were written in red, and suddenly, Dominic was entombed in a variety of intense emotions. He read the lines over and over again, making sure that he understood them correctly. Rage, surprise, and jealousy did nothing to protect his shattering ego at the words …And though the Duke of Kensington has been gone from England going on his fifth year, the Duchess has announced to a small circle of friends that she is with child…

“I told you!” Walter growled as he thumped his hand on the desk as Dominic threw the paper away. “I told you to keep this one close. To keep her on a short leash, but no, you banished her from your side, and look what she has done! Christ damn you, Dominic, do you have any idea what sort of disaster your kindness has brought to this family?”

A deep, throbbing ache started to form in Dominic’s temple as his uncle’s harsh words clashed with the recent news of his estranged wife’s condition. The pain spread, hot and powerful, quickly to his forehead and encapsulated his skull, and Dominic closed his eyes tightly to the discomfort.

No, she would not. Alexandra is not like that. Would she?

The soft words spoken inside his mind came from a depth he was not aware of–because the truth of the matter was, he did not know that. He did not know anything about his wife, and he had made it that way on purpose. To spare her the same sad death Francesca had sought. He was callous. Cruel. Unfeeling, according to many, and such traits had driven his first wife to the unthinkable. He would not do that to another woman.

“It is not true,” he said at last, rubbing uselessly at the pain in his temples. “I have afforded her every luxury she has wished for; she would not chance her title, her lifestyle–”

“You do not know a damned thing about this woman,” Walter growled back.

“You will watch your tone, Uncle,” Dominic warned, holding Walter’s gaze. “Do not forget who funds your medical practice.”

Walter’s glare burned back at him with something akin to hatred, but when he spoke next, he had lost some of his gruff.

“You need to be careful. I can see you think she is innocent, but such things do not always convince a woman to stay faithful. I have told you time and time again, women are like this damned dog you love so much. If they are not led and trained, they will bring nothing but ruin.”

“Says the man who has never married,” Dominic retorted ruthlessly.

Walter’s brows perked up as he stood taller and grasped his hands behind his back.

“That may be true,” he stated matter-of-factly, “But your bitch went into heat in your absence and is now about to welp a bastard. I may be unmarried, nephew, but I know women well. Like your first wife, this one is no good, and if you do not get a handle on her, she will drag our good name through the mud.”

Rage and guilt roared through Dominic as Walter brought up Francesca, but instead of launching another verbal attack on him or worse, Dominic stood suddenly and stormed out the doors. Walter could be insufferable, and the two did not see eye to eye, but the one thing he did accept was that their name and reputation were now in danger.

“Where do you think you are going?” Walter roared behind him as he rose to follow his nephew. “I was talking to you!”

“To London,” Dominic growled over his shoulder, “Apparently, it is time that I have a talk with my wife.”

Chapter Three

“Do not read that,” Jane said matter-of-factly, plucking the paper from Alexandra’s hand.

“Excuse me, I was about to get to the good parts,” Alexandra huffed, reaching for the gossip sheet that had just been taken from her.

“You may read them later,” Gemma insisted, coming in front of her in a pale peach satin and lace gown that accentuated her plump figure. “It is time to get ready for our little party. That is much more exciting than gossip, is it not?”

Alexandra noted the glare Gemma threw in Jane’s direction, as well as the avoidant way Jane looked away from her. Something had been off between them this past week, but whenever she asked, both would quickly dismiss her questions and change the subject. Whatever it was, Alexandra accepted that it would heal itself in its own time.

“I suppose that is true,” Alexandra sighed, stepping into the dress her maid held for her. “I am surprisingly excited for this evening.”

For the last two weeks, ever since she had cried herself to sleep with her friends by her side, Alexandra had shuttered herself away from her usual crowd of friends to focus on charity and visiting the orphanage. It was only when Jane appeared three days ago to announce that her brother-in-law, Oliver, would finally be arriving home from his travels that they should throw him a welcome home party.

So, Alexandra had worked to organize the party and make it a festive one, inviting not just her close friends but those of Oliver’s and making sure that a proper English feast would be prepared for their weary traveler. Her dress, one picked out by Gemma, was a bit too bright to match her spirits, but as it was fitted onto her, she saw a bit of the light from the peach silk catch in her eyes.

At the very least, I should do my best to have a great time.

“Beautiful,” Gemma praised as she and Jane stepped away from the final touches on Alexandra’s appearance.

“Absolutely radiant,” Jane agreed. “It is so lovely to see you out of your boring day frocks for a change. These tones suit you so much better!”

Though she was not one to speak on her own vanity, Alexandra found herself nodding as she smoothed her hands down her small waist and took in her reflection. A bit of cosmetics had hidden the dark rings under her eyes, and the bright color of her gown had given her complexion a warm glow that had otherwise been absent. A bottle of hair tonic from Paris given to her by Gemma had also seemed to bring luster back to her brunette hair, giving it so much extra body and curl that she chose, despite her married status, to allow half of it to drape down the length of her back while the other half was pinned up and back with small combs decorated with glittering jewels.

“I declare, you look like a brand-new woman,” a masculine voice agreed.

Alexandra whirled away from the mirror, her smile growing wider as a man stepped into the room. His handsome face was covered with a well-groomed blonde beard, and his blue eyes sparkled below his ear-length but well-combed hair.

“Oliver Jameson,” Alexandra chastised, her smile wide as she stepped away from the mirror, “You reckless flirt. Whatever are you doing here?”

Oliver smiled widely as he opened his arms and hugged Alexandra tightly.

“Oh, I thought the party was for me. Was I not invited?” he teased.

They squeezed each other affectionately, if not briefly, and as she pulled away, Alexandra batted her hand against his shoulder.

“Of course you were, but I refer to your presence in my private quarters. What will the servants say?” She retorted, trying her best to give him a stern look. She failed and broke into a smile as she watched her other two friends go to hug him. Though he was only a relation to Jane’s husband, she and Gemma loved him dearly, like a brother.

“Ah, yes, well, for that, you will simply have to forgive me,” Oliver replied matter-of-factly, “I was too impatient to wait for your grand entrance, and though I appreciate the company you have invited, they have already exhausted me. I thought I would sneak up here and have some actual conversation before I fell asleep with boredom.”

“Well, I am sorry to disappoint you, my dear friend, but we are just finished and were to head downstairs. Besides, I am not sure that our conversations of cosmetics and fashion are more titillating than what you may have discussed with the other guests.”

“Oh, I would not say that,” Oliver said with a deep chuckle.

Alexandra paused to give him a curious look, but before she could ask him what he meant, Jane approached his side and tucked her arm securely into his.

“He is speaking of the gossip that will come from him barging in on us ladies,” Jane said hastily, throwing Oliver a glare before shifting her features into an innocent smile for Alexandra. “No worries, though; we will simply say that I had demanded that my brother-in-law come to me the moment he arrived. No one will question it.”

There was something about Jane’s manner that was deepening Alexandra’s curiosity, but it was forgotten by the time the small group reached the main hall where she was hosting the party. In no time, her silent questions ceased as she became busy greeting her guests and lending a listening ear to Oliver’s many stories of the Middle East.

“I am telling you,” Oliver laughed after finishing another story, “There are many things such places get wrong, like handling snakes, but I am not sure that having a harem is one of them.”

“Oliver!” Alexandra gasped as Jane, her husband Marcus, and the others all roared with raucous laughter.

“It sounds like a fantasy, yes, but I am sure the reality is quite stressful,” Marcus, Jane’s husband, chuckled. “I can hardly handle having one wife, let alone a dozen. I would much rather handle the snake!”

He had only arrived a few minutes before, and though Alexandra had seen him greet his wife warmly, Jane had seemed almost annoyed at her husband’s attendance.

“Oh, I do not know,” Jane replied presently, lifting her third glass of champagne toward her lips, “I think a harem could be quite riveting and not at all bothersome if approached properly.”

“Is that your way of requesting that I start a harem in our home, darling?” Marcus laughed.

“Quite the contrary,” Jane replied, her smile quite devilish as she looked at her husband. “I am stating that perhaps I should start one. Though instead of women, I shall have a bevy of men to wait on my hand and foot.”

Alexandra stared at her friend in shock as the others around them roared in laughter, save for Oliver. He looked offended by her bold words, and Alexandra could not help but wonder why it was Oliver, not Marcus, who was so indignant.

“You are so wicked when you jest, darling,” Marcus stated, attempting to draw a smile back on his face. “Perhaps we should each start our own harems and see who is more successful.”

“Perhaps we should,” Jane teased back boldly, but Alexandra knew by the look in her friend’s eyes that there was more annoyance than playfulness in her friend’s response.

“Why must you two always ruin my stories?” Oliver asked, his eyes narrowing more toward his brother than Jane.

“Because it is so fun to see you riled,” Jane answered for the both of them.

“Well then, I refuse to be riled by you any further,” Oliver stated matter-of-factly, offering his arm to Alexandra. “Come, Your Grace, let us take your delicate ears from such filth. I have a thirst for conversation far savorer than this.”

Wanting to talk about literally anything else herself, Alexandra happily took his arm and allowed him to lead her toward the refreshment table. She turned back once as they walked, and she found Jane’s eyes on her.

What is going on with everyone lately?

Knowing now was not the time to stay on such pondering, she pushed the question away and looked up at Oliver with a smile as they reached the refreshment table, and both picked up a fresh glass of champagne.

“Tell me another story of your travels,” she implored, then quickly added, “One that does not involve the selling or keeping of human flesh.”

“Well then, I am afraid I have no more stories for you,” Oliver replied with a wicked grin as he wiggled his brow.

Alexandra laughed and pushed at him.

“No, of course, I will regale with the stories of the market sometime,” Oliver said, growing genuine. “It truly is a fascinating experience; you would be positively astounded by the culture of it. However, I am weary of being the storyteller for now. Please, tell me how you are. Jane did not mention you much in her letters, but what she did mention saddened my heart.”

Alexandra felt her smile slip away, and she took a cautious look around the party, wanting to be sure no one could hear them. She was satisfied when she saw that almost everyone was clustered into one circle or another, talking excitedly to one another as their eyes occasionally rose to look over at her.

“Oliver,” she whispered, taking him a few steps away, “I do not know what I am supposed to be doing with my life.”

Her friend’s brow dipped as he looked down at her with obvious pity.

“His Grace still remains estranged? After all this time?”

Alexandra nodded, her discomfort rising once more through the bit of joy the party had brought her.

“What an absolute idiot,” Oliver growled lowly. “He has no idea what treasure he has.” Oliver went on, placing his hand over hers, “You did not have to do such a reckless thing, though. Especially since there are much more enjoyable ways to cure loneliness and spousal abandonment…”

Oliver’s hand was warm, too warm, against her own, and she pulled her pinned hand away from his.

“Oliver,” she said in warning, “I do not know what you speak of.”

“Oh, come,” Oliver sighed, taking a step toward her, “Do not play ignorant; you are not that simple. I am just saying that I am here, Alexandra. For anything you may need.”

An unpleasant shiver, one she had never felt around her friend before, passed through Alexandra’s body. With a forced smile, she took a step back and took a look around the party.

“My guests appear to be growing bored, Mr. Jameson,” she said politely. “Perhaps you could assist me in gathering everyone up to play a game.”

A brief look of disappointment passed through Oliver’s eyes as she used his proper address, but he quickly recovered with a charming smile and gave her a nod.

“As you wish, then,” he replied, turning from her to face the small crowd. “Attention, dear guests,” Oliver announced jovially.

Around them, the murmurs of conversation ceased, and one by one, they all turned their attention toward Alexandra and Oliver.

“I want to thank everyone for coming to celebrate the return of our dear friend, Mr. Jameson,” Alexandra stated, thinking of taking over the speech to announce a game of cards.

“Yes,” Oliver interrupted enthusiastically, his smile growing devilish as he stepped in front of her. “And since it is my party, our lovely hostess has allowed me to choose the evening’s game. Therefore, if everyone would put aside their drinks and refreshments, we shall get started with a play of Blind Man’s Bluff!”

“What, I–”

Alexandra threw him a startled look as Oliver pulled out his kerchief with a flourish and added, “With our dear hostess, the duchess, as our first blind man!”

Laughter and a few applauses went around the room as everyone went about to do as they were told, but Alexandra clutched at Oliver’s arm and whispered, “I am not too sure about this particular game, Mr. Jameson. I was thinking a hand of cards.”

Oliver looked down at her with a smile, a predatory glint in his eye as he brought his kerchief toward her.

“What is the matter, Your Grace? Afraid of what you might find in the dark?”

***

“Say, old chap, you look quite familiar. Have we met before?”

Seething from the scene before him, Dominic grit his teeth and kept his eyes on his wife and the one Mr. Jameson standing far too close to her.

“Another lifetime, perhaps,” was all Dominic murmured as the lights dimmed and Mr. Jameson pulled his kerchief tight over Alexandra’s eyes. The man who questioned him gave him a strange look and said nothing more before moving away.

He had arrived only a few moments before, slipping in unnoticed since it had been half a decade since he had been seen in London society. No one seemed to recognize him, not even his wife. But he had recognized her. Had known her immediately the moment he had spotted her in a beautiful peach gown with her dark hair half tumbling down her back.

She was five-and-twenty now, but it was as if she had somehow aged with elegance, appearing more beautiful and angelic than ever before. Except… her smile. He noticed that next. Her smile was not genuine, and the light in her eyes seemed to dim and flutter every few seconds as if she had to actively work to keep it alight in front of the others.

Presently, those eyes were being covered by another man’s kerchief. Dominic’s focus narrowed in on the way the man’s fingertips stroked unnecessarily over Alexandra’s temples, then over her hair, as he drew the blind tight over her eyes, and a jealousy he never knew existed arose within him.

It is not that I have any claim on her. I should not care what she does. I don’t.

“The only rule of the game is not to let the blind man catch you,” Mr. Jameson announced with a smile that Dominic wanted to scrape off of his face. “At the sound of the bell, we begin!”

As everyone else scurried quietly to a hiding place, Dominic and Mr. Jameson stood stark still. Dominic could tell the game Oliver was playing, and it was not the one everyone thought they were in. He remained close to Alexandra, too close, and Dominic knew it was because he wanted her hands on him first. The hands of his wife.

Is it him? Dominic wondered, his rage and jealousy taking turns fighting for supremacy within him as the room grew quiet. Is he the man she has taken as her lover?

He was sure that many a man who walked into a similar circumstance would already be dragging the other man outside, ready to duel or come to fisticuffs, but Dominic needed to see for himself just how this game was going to play out. So, instead of taking the opportunity to pummel the man, he stayed where he was, his attention not on his wife’s probable paramour but on his actual wife.

A wicked glee traveled through him as a servant rang a small bell, and he saw Alexandra step not toward Mr. Jameson but away from him. That glee then nearly turned into a cynical laugh as Mr. Jameson himself openly frowned at Alexandra’s choice of movement, but Dominic quickly tampered with the sound as she drew closer to him.

For a few brief seconds, Dominic watched as his blindfolded wife stepped timidly and, with her arms out, further into the room and away from Mr. Jameson. A soft laughter rumbled through the room as the others saw her miss her first opportunity, but Dominic did not join them as she seemed to be walking directly toward him.

That’s it, he thought wickedly, arousal beginning to swirl within his anger as he watched her approach, Show them. Show me who you belong to.

“Ahem,” Mr. Jameson coughed loudly as Alexandra’s outstretched hands drew ever closer toward Dominic’s folded arms.

A sense of pleasure roamed under Dominic’s skin as he watched Alexandra tense, then move further away from the sound instead of toward it, bringing her right before him. His dark eyes stayed transfixed on her masked face as she now stood so close that by just swaying forward, he would brush against her. He inhaled softly, unable to help himself, and a sense of yearning skittered through his veins as he caught the scent of lilacs and citrus.

Unable to help himself, he felt his mouth water at the inviting fragrance, and he suddenly flinched as the thought of running his tongue along the line of her neck filled his mind. Would his wife taste as delicious as she smelled? He hated himself for wanting to know.

The sound of his inhale was soft, but it was enough to give his stature away, and he watched, stone-faced, as she reached toward him with a small smile. Dominic’s eyes flicked toward the other man as she did so, and he caught the utter displeasure in his expression as he realized that his plan did not go as expected. A wicked pleasure filled him as he saw the disappointment in the man’s eyes, but then she touched him. Dominic felt Alexandra’s soft, searching fingertips sear through the fabric of his jacket and shirt as if it were pure flame, forcing his heartbeat and groin to pulse with pleasure.

The urge to unwrap his arms and pull her into them suddenly overtook him, and he fantasized briefly, leaning his head forward and releasing his hold on his biceps to capture her and seal his lips possessively over hers.

“I have caught you,” Alexandra’s sweet tone brushed like silk over his ears.

“You have,” he purred, digging his fingertips deeper into his own muscles.

As if recognizing his voice, Alexandra let out a soft gasp, her warm breath feathering over his face as she looked up and reached for her blindfold at the same time. Her cerulean blue eyes–God, were they always that deep, pure blue? –grew wide with shock as she gazed up at his face, and unable to help himself, Dominic’s lips curved into a ruthless smile.

“Disappointed to see me, wife?”