“You and your surprises are becoming a problem, Your Grace. I have a dog at home that whines all day for me. No more animals.”
She had learned to love the dog, truly, and it was incredibly well-behaved. She just could not ask Grace for another favor.
Instead of speaking again, he waited for the carriage to slow on the street, and he opened the door, offering to assist her out. She took his hand, smoothing her dress. It was a blush pink dress with lace and long gloves to match, and she chose to keep it as her outfit for special occasions. If she had known she would be walked around downtown, looking like she was showing off, she would have dressed differently.
They stood in front of the modiste’s a moment later, and she furrowed her brow. “What are we doing here, Your Grace?”
“I am buying you something to wear tonight. I want you looking like royalty.”
“Oh, no. I cannot ask you to do that?—”
“Again, Miss Snow. I am not asking you for anything, I decide how I will treat you. Understood? Now, let us go inside.”
She stared at him in awe as he led her inside with complete control, and her shock didn’t leave her face even as she noticed the other women in the shop gawking at her.
Before she could compose herself, Rowan was at the counter, discussing the modiste’s various available styles, and was completely unfazed by the whispers beginning to swirl in the room.
“Why has he brought her here?” one woman whispered, her blue dress draping over the step she stood on to get it hemmed.
Her mother shared the same squinted look of annoyance at Alice, and she averted her eyes, looking down to the floor.
“Miss Snow, I am so glad to see you again.” The modiste grinned from behind the counter, giving her a knowing look as she pointed to the Duke with her eyes.
Alice could not hold back the smile on her face, suddenly standing a bit taller with him by her side.
I should be confident. He is the one wanting to be seen here with me, after all.
“We need the perfect gown for a show at the theater,” the Duke said. “Something already made. The price is not of importance to me.”
“Your Grace?—”
He shot her a gaze, his slate grey eyes silencing her once more. He turned back to the modiste and expressed his requests, Alice just standing there, completely still.
Rowan finally looked back at her and furrowed his brow. “Are you all right?”
“If I move, I will want to kiss you.”
“So, you are standing like a statue so you do not lunge at me?” He smirked.
“Yes,” she whispered, smiling.
He chuckled quietly, shaking his head in disbelief, just as the modiste returned with a box and a smile on her face.
* * *
Rowan waited patiently for Alice to return in the dress the modiste chose for her, walking around the store and trying not to be the center of attention as all the ladies in the shop flocked around him, asking him questions he did not know the answers to.
“Your Grace, how do you suppose this looks?” a woman asked, pulling her skirt up hardly a centimeter from the ground. “Longer or shorter?”
I can hardly tell the difference, what does she expect me to say?
“I am not the best judge, Miss.” he chuckled awkwardly, running his fingers through his hair.
“Are you courting her, Your Grace?” another girl asked quickly, staring him down through the mirror in front of her. “Because I heard you are marrying her.”
“I beg your pardon, I am simply here to accompany her to get a new dress.”
“It does not surprise me,” one girl mumbled under her breath.
