“Yes, Your Grace.”
The shiny black exterior of his carriage gleamed in the sunlight like a bit of onyx as it waited to make the trip to the train station. The Roxboro coat of arms stared boldly back at Alexander.
His steps paused.
Alexander had stayed roaring drunk since his wedding night, the best way to avoid his new duchess, who he was not averse to.At all.
Oh, he had heard her moving about in the rooms beside his own, the connecting door all that separated Alexander from temptation. Stone, his valet, was instructed to lock that damned door leading to the duchess and pocket the key, which his valet had done without question.
Good man, Stone. If he wasn’t such an excellent valet, Alexander would make him butler, therefore ridding himself of Timmons, who he cared for less and less as time went on.
Alexander had stared at that door, ears cocked as Sophia spoke to her maid last evening, all the while swallowing copious amounts of scotch to alleviate his unwelcome desire. Why he had such…a thirst for his bride, Alexander had no idea. But when Sophia snapped that she would kick him in the cock if he dared touch her again, Alexander had been so aroused, his baser instincts had nearly overridden his common sense and caused him to break the vow he’d made to Damon.
Please don’t let her say anything of the sort today.
Alexander might not be able to exhibit any sort of control in his weakened state. He’d end up fucking her in the carriage.
I cannot. I promised Damon.
Timmons reappeared with his headache powder, and Alexander took the packet in one swallow, washing away the bitter taste with the brandy his butler offered. Taking a deep breath, Alexander approached the carriage. Sophia was waiting inside. The remainder of the day was bound to be unpleasant.
The footman bowed and opened the door to reveal…theemptyinterior.
Alexander took in the black leather seats where Sophia should have been sitting and was not. He looked at the top of the carriage.Every trunk was his. “Timmons,” he demanded. “Where is the duchess?”
Had she left him? Run back to her family?
A terrible, hollow feeling expanded inside Alexander at the sight of those empty leather seats. Of Sophia being gone. As unexpected as the desire he felt for her.
“The duchess has already departed for The Pillory, Your Grace.”
That little shrew. “When?” He turned to his butler.
“Yesterday, Your Grace. I made the arrangements myself.” Timmons cleared his throat. “Lord Damon suggested it might be best if the duchess left before you so that she might become more quickly acquainted with her new home. He suggested as much and the duchess agreed.”
“And no one thought to inform me.” Alexander was furious. He hadn’t even known his uncle had called yesterday. Now the silence coming from Sophia’s rooms today made a great deal more sense. He must have slept through her departure.
“Lord Damon,” the butler stammered. “Said you were under the weather and did not wish to be disturbed, Your Grace.”
“Under the weather,” Alexander repeated.
Intoxicated. Drunk. A feckless sot.
“I assure you, Your Grace, Lord Damon—”
“Is not the Duke of Roxboro. I am,” Alexander ground out. “A reminder, you are in my employ, Timmons. Not that of Damon Viceroy. If you dare circumvent me again, you will be sacked. I don’t care if Lord Damon is carrying a note from Her Majesty.”
The butler shrank back. “Yes, Your Grace.”
His uncle handled a great many things when Alexander was ‘under the weather,’ most of which he didn’t give a fig about. But in thisinstance—how dare Damon send Sophia on ahead without first consulting Alexander. She was his bloody wife. Instead of being pleased that his uncle had solved yet another obstacle by removingSophia from Alexander’s orbit today, he was furious.
I should be pleased Damon intervened.
Alexander climbed inside his lavishly appointed carriage and settled into well-oiled leather seats.
Yet, I am not.
The previous evening, Damon had accompanied Alexander to Binson’s and failed to mention he had sent theDuchess of Bloody Roxboro—Alexander pressed his fingers into the seat, trying to tamp down his temper—to The Pillory without informing her husband.
