"Hard to imagine you nervous," she replied. "You seem so composed in any crowd."
"Appearances can be deceiving," he said quietly. She felt the urge to ask what he meant, but before she could, Oliver inclined his head toward a group of approaching guests. "It seems we're about to have company."
Alethea followed his gaze and immediately spotted her sisters making their way toward them. Her heart lifted at the sight of them. In the flurry of her sudden marriage, she hadn't seen them very often except for a few brief visits.
"Good evening," Alethea greeted warmly as they neared. She stepped forward out of Oliver's light hold, reaching for Felicity's hands first. Felicity squeezed them, her sharp eyes flitting over Alethea from head to toe as if assessing her condition.
"Alethea. We've been looking forward to seeing you tonight." She leaned in and brushed a sisterly kiss against Alethea's cheek, then added in a lower voice meant only for her, "You look well. I trust youarewell?"
Alethea gave a small nod.
"I'm very well," she whispered back. "Truly."
Felicity's lips quirked as if she wasn't entirely convinced, but she stepped aside to let the others greet her.
Daphne enveloped Alethea in a gentle hug.
"Married life agrees with you, I think," she murmured, smoothing a hand over Alethea's hair. "You're glowing, dear."
She smiled and returned Daphne's embrace. "It's wonderful to see you all."
Joyce came last.
"I missed you," she said simply, eyes soft with emotion. Alethea realized this was their first proper reunion since the wedding day chaos.
"I missed you too," Alethea replied, giving her sister an extra squeeze. "All of you."
"Ladies," Oliver said politely once the ladies had finished their greetings, "a pleasure to see you again."
"Your Grace," Daphne responded, dipping into a perfectly measured curtsy. Felicity and Joyce followed suit.
"Your Grace, I hope married life has been treating you kindly," Felicity said, a smile on her face that nonetheless did not reach her eyes.
"It has indeed, Lady Felicity. I count myself fortunate every day." He glanced at Alethea as he said the words.
"How lovely," Felicity replied. "I confess, it was all quite a surprise… your courtship with our Alethea. Happening so fast, under our very noses."
"Life can surprise us pleasantly at times," he said. "When I met Alethea, I knew straightaway that I must act decisively or risk losing the chance to make her my wife."
Alethea's eyes widened slightly. Was thatflatteryor part of the agreed story? Either way, hearing him speak of her in such terms made her stomach flip.
"Is that so?" Felicity arched a brow. "How decisive of you. And here I thought maybe it was Theodore we had to thank for orchestrating opportunities. Brothers can be so protective and… involved."
Alethea's pulse fastened at her sister's questioning. Felicity was probing the official story of how they wed. On the contrary, Oliver seemed quite at ease with himself.
He is a better actor than me,she thought to herself. And then felt a strange sense of gratitude at the thought.
"Theo meant well," Oliver replied smoothly. "But I take full responsibility. When one's heart is engaged, one might be driven to unconventional methods."
Daphne intervened then with a bright smile, perhaps sensing Felicity's interrogation was growing a bit too intrusive.
"Regardless of how it began, what matters is you both seem to be settling in nicely." She turned to Alethea. "You look happy, dear. I can see it in your eyes."
"I am," she answered. "The duke's family has been very welcoming. And the duke himself…" She trailed off, glancing up at him. She suddenly felt shy voicing such sentiments with him right there. "He has been kind and a better husband than I could have hoped for, truthfully."
It was the first time she had openly praised Oliver in front of her sisters. Felicity's gaze sharpened, and a sly smile curved her lips.
"Oh my," Felicity said, fanning herself theatrically with one hand. "Did I hear that correctly? Our little Alethea sounds positively smitten."
