"I know an apology is not enough to make up for the embarrassment, but you are happily wed now so something good came out of it."
"I really do not want to discuss the past, Lord Pembroke. We should…"
"Alice," she heard Victor call.
Her eyes went wide as she noticed him. How long had he been standing there?
"Yes?"
"We had best take our leave."
She noticed he had blatantly ignored Edward, who was now looking between them in shock. He ended up walking away once he saw his presence wasn’t going to be acknowledged.
"Why? It’s still early," she protested. "It would be too improper if we were to leave now."
He ignored her protest and turned, leaving her to decide if she wanted to follow him or walk home. Anger burned inside her at his rudeness, as he didn’t even give her room to say her goodbyes, and she intended to let him know he had annoyed her by ignoring him.
She stepped into the carriage herself, ignoring the hand he held out to support her and turning away from him when the carriage began to move. She could feel his eyes on her, but she didn’t turn to him. It wasn’t until they entered their home that she finally voiced her thoughts.
"Why would you do something so rude?" she queried. "The party was still in full swing. Do you want new rumors to start up again?"
"I am not the one giving fodder to rumor mongers," he retorted.
"Excuse me?"
"You and Lord Pembroke seem to be on good terms considering he jilted you."
"Is that what this is about?" she asked incredulously. "You have nothing to worry about."
"I am notworried," he replied. "I do have concerns that your continued friendship with your former betrothed would breed talk we do not need."
"There is no friendship between me and Lord Pembroke," she argued. "He came to apologize and I warned him never to speak to me again."
"It didn’t look like it," he murmured.
She scoffed, disbelieving that he would think she would intentionally jeopardize their good standing. She was not one to hold grudges, but that didn’t mean she lacked common sense.
"It has been two years and there were no feelings between him and I," she protested. "It is not fair that you would accuse me of something as foolish as intentionally ruining our reputation, but I do not fault you your thinking."
She turned to return to her chambers in anger, but his hands on hers stopped her.
"Please don’t leave," he begged. "I apologize."
Her eyes went wide at his vulnerable expression, and she stopped wondering what he could possibly say.
"When are you going to introduce me to your wife?" Andrew asked with a wolfish smile.
"Never," he answered, sipping at his punch. "I do not trust you around her."
Andrew wagged his brows suggestively.
"I would never put my hands on my friend’s woman. You know that."
"It is not your hands I fear, my friend," he quipped. "It is your mouth. You do not know how to keep secrets."
"And you think I would spill secrets of your escapades to your loving wife? Never. You wound me with your distrust."
"My apologies then."
