Alice glanced up in time to see Lord Erlington slide his sky-blue eyes over to her with a nod. “Among other things, Lady Emma.”
I certainly did not like the way he said that. Does he mean courting ladies? Is that another one of his interests? Certainly he doesn’t have his eyes set on Emma?
Alice gripped the utensils in her hand a bit tighter but held her tongue.
Lord Christopher spoke next. “My brother has always been interested in properties, so I’m not surprised that he has taken an interest in your Manor, Your Grace. It is quite majestic. I myself was interested on going for a bit of a tour.”
“Is that so?” The Duke’s voice sounded intrigued. Alice could already feel her father’s eyes on her. She stubbornly ignored it. “I’m sure one of my daughters would be eager to conduct that tour for you, Lord Christopher.”
Father is nothing if not persistent, I suppose.Alice was contemplating whether she should give in to his subtle suggestion but Emma spoke before she could. “I would love to be your guide, Lord Christopher.” Her voice was high, filled with eagerness. “You need only say when you are available.”
“That would be greatly appreciated, Lady Emma,” Lord Christopher said with a soft smile. “Thank you.”
“What say you all go on a walk through the gardens beforehand?” the Duke suggested. Alice’s brief moment of relief disappeared. Once again, her father was trying to find ways to push her into the brothers’ company. “Would that suit you, Lord Erlington? Considering you are an avid surveyor of land, I believe our gardens will suit you just as much as the Manor has.”
“I believe so as well, My Lord,” Lord Erlington responded. Alice couldn’t resist looking at him, even though every thought in her mind told her not to. The moment her eyes came to rest on his devastatingly beautiful features, catching sight of that dimple and his infernal smirk, she regretted her actions. He wasn’t looking at her, but at Emma.
“Will you be conducting this tour of the gardens as well, Lady Emma?” he asked her. Alice narrowed her eyes.
“If you’d like, My Lord, I could certainly do so,” Emma answered. “In fact, I think my love for flowers would make me the best option for showing you and Lord Christopher around. My sister, I am afraid, doesn’t really care for them.”
“They are colorful things growing from the earth,” Alice could not help but say. “I cannot fathom what is so interesting about them.”
Emma only shook her head and looked at the Millington brothers as if to prove her point. Both brothers smiled, but Alice’s attention was focused on the skirt-chaser who was looking at her sister with a glimmer in his eyes.
“That is too bad,” Lord Erlington drawled, shifting his gaze to Alice. Her heart skipped a beat but she ignored the reaction, not looking away from him. “Then I suppose Lady Alice will not be willing to join us on our walk.”
“I’m sure—”
“I never said I would not want to join you,” Alice stated, cutting into her father’s protest. She met the Marquess’ eyes, seeing the challenge there. Though she wasn’t certain what exactly he was trying to challenge her for, she rose to the occasion. “Though I take no interest in flora, I think a walk through the gardens would serve me as well. It would certainly allow me to get to know you and Lord Christopher, My Lord.”
Lord Erlington raised a single brow. Not for a moment did his smile falter, as if everything she said and did amused him. “I’m happy to hear that, Lady Alice. It would not feel right without you there.”
Now what in God’s name does that mean?
Alice could sense her sister and father’s surprise at her acceptance. Without a doubt, her father was most certainly thinking that she might be coming around after their talk earlier. But Alice couldn’t care less about getting to know them. The thought of Lord Erlington setting his sights on Emma was what had spurred her on. The last thing Alice wanted was for her trusting sister to fall for such a heartbreaker.
The very same heartbreaker who made her heart race with every look. Annoyed with herself, Alice fell back into her silence, trying to pull herself back together. She didn’t dare to look back at him and, as if pleased by her acceptance to join them on their walk, the Duke didn’t care to pull her into the conversation that ensued. It went on without her, Emma spurring it on with simple questions that were polite enough to be asked of strangers.
The mealtime seemed to go on forever and for the rest of the time, Alice wished that it could be over. Sitting across from the Marquess of Erlington made her feel quite unlike herself. Though she was quiet, though she contributed very little to what was being said, somehow, it felt as if Lord Erlington had not forgotten her at all.
Soon enough, the time came for them to go on the walk and Emma asked the brothers to give them some time while they fetched their bonnets. Her excitement from earlier had not diminished in the slightest. If anything, she appeared to be even more eager to be in the presence of the brothers, which only made Alice nervous.
Once they were alone, on their way back to their bedchambers, Alice said, “I don’t think I have ever seen you this happy to have guests.”
“Can you blame me?” Emma sighed. “I cannot fathom how you’ve managed to hold your composure so well whenever you speak to Lord Erlington.”
Not as well as I would like. “The Marquess is nothing but a human being like you and me,” Alice told her wisely. “There is no reason to treat him as if he is.”
“I know, I know. There is no need to lecture me. After all, I do not think Lord Erlington has set his eyes on me.”
Alice rolled her eyes. “Oh, Heavens, this again?”
“Yes, I will not stop mentioning it until you see it yourself. He could not take his eyes off you the entire time we ate!”
“You are simply reading into things, Emma.”
“And you are being far too dense,” Emma countered easily. She grasped Alice’s arm as they made it to the hallway where they would have to part ways. “But it doesn’t matter, as you say. I’m only happy you didn’t let your dislike of the Marquess keep you from joining this walk with us. I will feel so much better if you are with us.”
