He’d be expected to dance with her, which even Damon agreed was a poor idea. Alexander had two left feet.
Just as he was about to excuse himself, that troll of a butler appeared at the door.
“My lady,” Powell bowed. “I apologize for the intrusion, but there is a problem with the linens which require your immediate attention.”
A linen emergency. How subtle.
Lady Sophia’s face held the briefest flash of panic at having to be left alone in his company. She seemed to shrink back into the ghastly settee, which had the benefit of…making her bosom move and catch his eye.
If Alexander wasn’t mistaken, Lady Sophia’s breasts were spectacular. Pity he’d never see them.
“Please excuse me for a moment, Your Grace.” Lady Canterbell gave her daughter a warning look. “I’ll return momentarily.” She departed, making sure to leave the drawing room door open to avoid any impropriety. Which was rather ridiculous given the circumstances.
The room went silent except for the clock ticking away every interminable minute.
Abruptly, Lady Sophia reached out and snatched another biscuit off the tray. Those plush lips widened as she bit into the pink icing, crunching loudly and obnoxiously.
“Well,” Alexander started, stretching out his legs beneath the table and crossing them at the ankle. Close enough to Lady Sophia she made a point of pulling her skirts back.
“Well,” she snapped back, chewing on the biscuit like some cow in the field.
The desire for the brandy, sitting so innocently on the sideboard, increased.
“Your tea is getting cold,” she pointed out.
“I’m not in the mood for tea.”
She leaned in, giving him a better glimpse of her bosom. Or at least some of it. “I suppose you aren’t. It doesn’t contain any brandy.”
Alexander was rapidly regretting his decision to stay clear headed. Surely, this girl was more tolerable when he was in his cups. She made his temples ache. Once he left this hellish place, with his temples pounding, he planned to visit his club and spend the remainder of the day, and possibly most of the night, getting completely foxed.
The sound of her teeth grinding together had the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. Every crunch felt like a hammer against his skull. “Can you please stop?” Alexander flicked his wrist at her. “Chewing so loudly?”
“Why, Your Grace? Do you find it offensive?” She deliberately took up another biscuit and gnawed at the edges.
“You resemble a feral squirrel.” He tried not to glance in the direction of the brandy and failed.
Her response was to slurp her tea.
Good lord, I need…something. Even sherry would do.
“Let us speak plainly, Lady Sophia,” he croaked, forcing his gazefrom the sideboard.
“I thought we were, Your Grace. Speaking plainly.” Another biscuit was pressed to her lips. Good god, she’d eat the entire tea tray.
Crunch. Crunch.
“You don’t wish to wed me,” Alexander stated plainly.
“No. I do not. I would say it isn’t personal, except that it is.” She licked a crumb from her entirely sinful top lip. “I would rather be sent to a convent than endure you for a lifetime. Though given your habits, I doubt it won’t take that long.”
I yearn for the annulment and I haven’t even wed her yet. Entirely worth confessing my cock doesn’t work.
“I may have…been at the Perswick ball.” Alexander could no longer make a compelling argument for denying his absence, though that didn’t mean he’d done anything else. “But I did not lead you into the gardens. Nor did I compromise you. Given our mutual dislike, I find it to be an impossibility.” He tossed the word out, expecting her to immediately become defensive. “I was likely only taking in the night air.”
“You are correct on the dislike, Your Grace. However, we conversed at the refreshment table.” There was a flicker of vulnerability in her features before it vanished. “You kissed me, though it was little more than a peck.” The luscious mouth pursed into a rosette. “Certainly not worthy of marriage. My father, and most of London, however, disagree.”
Alexander watched the movement of her lips, which was on the whole, rather enticing. He could…possibly imaginebeing drawn to such a mouth, were he intoxicated.
