“What game are you playing at, Miss Everton?” His voice was low, his tone dripping with suspicion as he narrowed his eyes, as though scrutinizing her every move. The library, with its towering shelves and dim lighting, suddenly felt like a cage.
Cecilia crossed her arms defensively, a wave of annoyance washing over her. “Is it now a crime to be invited into the Holloway library being a guest oneself, Your Grace?” she dragged, her voice firm despite the continuous fluttering in her stomach.
I cannot handle another confrontation with this man, not right now.
Why, oh why, is this happening? How could I be so unlucky?
Alistair stepped closer, his tall frame casting a shadow over her. The soft glow of the candlelight caught the intensity in his stormy blue eyes, and for another brief moment, she was struck by how striking he looked, even in this heated confrontation.
“It’s suspicious, considering the display you just put on earlier,” his harsh, yet steady tone drew her back to the moment. “I’ll tell you this; You’re not fooling anyone.”
“You would stand here and declare you truly believe me some sort of schemer?” she challenged, her heart racing. The way he stood, shoulders squared and posture unyielding, made her acutely aware of the power he wielded, and yet, she couldn’t back down.
“Though it might add an unnecessary grace to your level of intelligence, but yes, yes I do,” he retorted, a slight smirk playing at the corners of his lips, though.
Cecilia could see the tension in his jaw, the way his fists clenched at his sides, as if he were battling with himself. She lifted a brow slightly.
Perhaps he does not wish to argue with me either?
Then, leave, Alistair!
Cecilia took a deep breath, trying to maintain her composure. “You’re twisting this around,” she argued, her voice wavering slightly. “I’m not here playing any games. I am a guest, and above all, Evangeline’s friend. I was invited.”
“Invited or not, it seems you’ve taken quite an interest in my affairs,” he replied, stepping even closer, the space between them charged with an electric tension that made her pulse quicken.
Why won’t he stay away?
Despite the yelling in her head, accompanied by her best efforts, she found herself drawn to his intensity. She shook her head, trying to dispel the thoughts swirling in her mind. “I’m nothing short of absolutely uninterested in anything that concerns you, Your Grace,” she insisted, hoping her tone sounded more convincing to him than it did to her.
“Then why are you even here?” he pressed, his voice low and challenging.
Oh my goodness.
What is this… feeling?
Caught in the whirlwind of their confrontation, Cecilia knew she should back down, but something within her refused to yield.
“Do you find this appropriate, Your Grace?” her voice trembled slightly as she crossed her arms, trying to maintain some semblance of authority. The library now felt claustrophobic, the towering shelves of books a stark reminder of the isolation they shared. “Badgering me here. Two unmarried people alone in a place like this? What are you trying to achieve?”
Alistair’s expression darkened, annoyance flickering across his features. He leaned against the edge of the desk, arms crossed, his posture exuding confidence.
“Badgering you?” He scoffed, eyes wide with offense. “And you think you’re in a position to lecture me? After everything you’vedone?” His voice was low, each word deliberate, as he suddenly stepped closer again, cornering her.
Cecilia’s heart raced, a mixture of anger and embarrassment flooding her. “What do you mean by that?” she shot back.
“Oh, or do you no longer recall how you first threw yourself at me? Must I spell it out for you? Shall we revisit the day in detail?”
Insufferable man.
Cecilia’s cheeks were a bright red and it took everything in her to stop from making a dash for the door.
There was something all too different about the current situation. They were arguing as always, yet, perhaps it was the hour. It felt… dangerous.
“How long shall you continue to believe a false idea of how things happened? I wouldn’t have even been in a foot’s distance to you if it were up to me, Your Grace! You bumped into me!” Cecilia took several steps back at last, growling.
“Oh, spare me,” Alistair scoffed, his annoyance all too evident. “You think I don’t see your little game? Past the day we met, you’ve been trying to trap me into a marriage ever since you first set foot in this house. You want to be a duchess, don’t you?” His voice was laced with accusation, and Cecilia felt her cheeks flush with shock.
“W-what?!” It took everything in her to stop from laughing in his face.
