CHAPTER FIFTEEN
"If I hear any unnecessary comments from either of you directed at my wife in the future, I can assure you I won’t hesitate to make sure you regret it."
Alice screamed into her pillow as she recalled Victor's parting words to her parents. She had been on her way to apologize for leaving as she had when she overheard him, and her heart had warmed when she heard his attempt to protect her from suffering the sure backlash from the disastrous dinner. Her parents would have no doubt found a way to blame her for beingdramatic.
She had hidden in a corridor when she heard him approach and only emerged after her parents had gone up to their chambers before returning to hers.
She had spent a better part of the night avoiding him, as she had yet to forgive him for saying their kiss was nothing more than a mistake. But there was no way she could continue being angry athim, not when he had defended her as he had. He had no reason to, yet he had done what no one else had done for her.
She had changed into a nightgown and was brushing her hair, but she knew sleep wouldn’t come if she didn’t thank him. But how could she go to his chambers so late?
"No," she said out loud to herself, willing her body to behave.
A knock on her door pulled her out of her thoughts.
"Enter," she called out.
"Your Grace." Roberts bowed.
"Is anything the matter?" she asked, surprised to see him so late in her chambers.
"Your parents have asked me to inform you that they will be departing, come morning, to their estate."
Oh.
"Very well. I shall try to see them before they do. Is there anything else I should know?"
"Not at the moment, Your Grace," he answered. "Have a good night."
She giggled as soon as the door was closed, flinging herself onto her bed rather undignifiedly. It wasn’t filial of her to find delight in her parents’ discomfort, but she couldn’t deny the pleasure of seeing them on the receiving end of their own medicine.
Turning to her side, she was haunted by the memory of him warning her parents and had lain there, unable to sleep. The scream of frustration into her pillow was the motivation she needed to get out of bed, don a robe, and look for his chamber.
Ignoring a look from the maid she had asked to lead her there, she mentally prepared her speech, but all that was in vain the second she stepped into the room. The sight of him in a less-than-societally presentable state had her wishing she had waited until breakfast to speak to him.
Victor clearing his throat was the thing she needed to remember what she had come for.
"Why did you leave on our wedding night?"
Alice watched emotions flitter quickly across Victor’s face, and she couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps she should have buried the question deep in her thoughts.
She had come only to thank him for defending her against her parents but had only been met with surprises at every turn. The first being his exposed chest through his partially unbuttonedshirt. Even as she looked him over now, she couldn’t help but swallow deeply at the sight of the light brown hair dusting his chest.
He was so visibly male that she felt small standing before him. She had realized, too late, her mistake of being dressed in only her nightgown and robe. Thankfully, it was of a thick material and cut in such a manner as to cover rather than seduce.
Then, she had been surprised by the scars still visible on his chest and wondered about their extent. He had told her how he had gotten them, and she pitied the boy he had been. They shared similar mental scars of not being good enough in their fathers' eyes, and while she had resented hers, she resented the late duke who had wrought so much pain in Victor.
"Why do you ask now?" he asked once he overcame his surprise.
She shrugged, stepping away from the door.
"It seems the perfect time to ask," she answered him. "I have spent many nights wondering."
"We do not have to discuss it," he tried to dismiss her. "It has been two years."
"That is precisely why we must," she answered stubbornly. "We have been married for two years, yet we haven’t consummated our marriage. I used to blame myself but considering you’re notone to lie, I believed you when you told my parents that you were satisfied with me."
"I am satisfied with you."
