“On the contrary,” she sighed. “He enjoys auctions. It is his way of making cheap purchases without looking as though he has. It can then be considered a skill of his, rather than a lack of money.”
He grimaced.
“We do not need to go,” she suggested.
“We are going. I will not let him stop us from enjoying ourselves. Besides, should he see us, he will have to be polite, and he will then see just how happy we are. I hope it makes him miserable.”
There was something in the way he always protected her that made Anna feel as though she had always misjudged him. He was a good man, and a good husband, and he would continue tobe so. It was, as her friends said, she had to trust in that if she wanted any affection in return.
She dressed for the afternoon, selecting a deep blue gown for herself. The darker hue was a deliberate choice, one that showed maturity, which is precisely what she had promised to convey. If it was a sensible duchess that thetonwanted, then that was what they would have.
The approval that Spencer gave when he saw her meant everything to her. She was surprised by the way her face flushed, and how she could not help but smile at him nodding at her, for she had never wanted anyone’s acceptance before, but she appreciated it all the same. She valued his opinion of her more than she dared to admit, and knowing that she had done something right was the validation that she so needed.
“Do we have an amount to spend?” she asked in the carriage.
“Of course not. Should you see something you want, it is yours. I will, however, tell you what I think each item is worth, and you can decide whether or not you agree with me.”
She nodded in acceptance. She had never been one to spend money. The one exception had been when she first sensed that he was not returning, when she completely changed the household and drowned her sorrows in brand new gowns. Other than that, she did not live too expensively. She never much cared for fashionable clothing, and she already had everything she wanted. There was no need for anything more than that.
And yet, she delighted in the knowledge that, if she wanted to, she could do as she pleased that day.
When they arrived, they saw the Scarlet Duke nearby. She would have recognized him anywhere, partly because of his imposing figure and partly because there always seemed to be a group of ladies that followed him wherever he went.
“Good afternoon,” he greeted. “I do hope that I am not intruding.”
“Not at all,” Anna promised. “Are you here for the auction?”
“I am here for the drinks,” he explained, flashing his smile at her. “I doubt that anything here could hold a candle to what I own.”
“Your modesty will never fail to astound me,” Spencer replied. “Have you brought a lady with you today?”
“Alas, I have no wife to bring.”
“I am in a similar situation, which is why I have brought this lovely young lady with me. We are courting, you see.”
Anna giggled, and Alexander’s eyes lit with comprehension. As she expected from her acquaintance, he was happy for both of them and more than willing to play along.
“Well, you know how to please a lady. Ensure that she leaves with something pretty.”
“That is my aim,” he agreed, and then they were called to take their seats.
As he had explained, the Scarlet Duke disappeared suddenly, having already had his fill of free food and drink and women. Anna sat beside Spencer in a quieter section.
“Your friend is a man of his word, it seems.”
“Indeed. I imagine he would have enjoyed staying, but the whispers often arrive shortly after he does, and I do not blame him for wanting to avoid it.”
“Nor do I, but we will weather it. It will pass.”
The auction began, and Anna silenced herself. They were to make a good showing of themselves, and that was what she would do. She had been to many auctions, thanks to her father, and she knew precisely what to do.
The first item was revealed, a pianoforte, and Spencer leaned down to whisper in her ear.
“Do not go any higher than one hundred pounds.”
She nodded, listening keenly as the numbers were called. They began at fifty, and Anna accepted that. A pianoforte was precisely what the parlor room needed, and she was rather interested by the prospect of learning to play it again.
It was stolen at sixty, and she took it back at seventy, then it was taken at eighty, and she took it at ninety. When that same person took it again at one hundred, she sighed, shrinking into herself. Spencer tapped her arm discreetly, giving her a knowing look.
