“Yes, I am aware. My wife tells me everything.”
Alexander continued as if Spencer didn’t speak. “And she asked me to be her subject for one of her experiments.”
Spencer blinked. “Tell me you did not agree to that?”
Alexander glared at his friend. “Do not sound so surprised.”
“I am only trying to imagine you sitting still long enough for someone to take notes or experiment on you.”
Alexander wished that her experiment was that easy, but he could not tell his friend what they had done. It would ruin her and that was the last thing he wanted to do. Instead, he threw a paperweight at his friend and Spencer dodged it with a laugh.
“Anyway,” Alexander continued, ignoring his previous statement, “I found her intriguing. That is all.”
“Hmm, that is all,” Spencer repeated, highly amused.
Alexander’s jaw tightened. “Fine. That is notall. I cannot seem to get her out of my mind.”
Spencer’s expression shifted from amusement to genuine surprise. “Is that the truth?”
“Yes, nothing but,” Alexander said, irritation creeping into his voice. “Is that so unbelievable?”
“Coming from you? Yes, it is unbelievable,” Spencer admitted. “You and Miss Dowell are… opposites.”
“I am intrigued! Please elaborate?”
Spencer shook his head and chuckled. “Well, there is the obvious one. She is clearly the brain, and you are most definitely the brawn.”
Alexander pointed at him. “I will take that as a compliment.”
They both laughed, but the sound did nothing to ease the tension coiled in Alexander’s chest. He was leaving for Wiltshire tomorrow and he had not heard from Theodora yet.
After leaving her near Dowell House, Alexander had the sudden urge to follow her, but he stayed put. He waited for a sign, any sign, of distress. But none came and he was left sorelydisappointed and confused at the muddled-up feelings he had during his departure.
Alexander looked at his friend who was studying him. “You know, you look and sound exactly like I did when I was falling for Anna.”
Alexander groaned. “Do not start.”
“I am serious,” Spencer said. “You used to mock me for pacing around like a lovesick fool. And now look at you.”
“It is not the same,” Alexander insisted. “Anyway, you were already married to Anna.”
Spencer shook his head. “Yes, we were married but I only knew my wife for a single night before we married. We never courted and we barely spoke or saw each other. Yet I became completely undone by her.”
Alexander stiffened.
Am I completely undone?
He did not like the idea of that. Alexander always had to be in control. If he were not in control then everything would fall apart. Including himself.
Spencer placed his elbows on the oak desk and leaned forward. “You, on the other hand…”
Alexander cut him off. “Theo and I never courted, and we do not plan to get married.”
“Perhaps not yet.”
“No, not at all,” Alexander said firmly. “And she made it clear she does not believe in love. She thinks it is some kind of chemical illusion. A distraction or a fictional story people tell themselves to make life less painful. Hell, she even believes falling in love is a form of hysteria.”
Spencer’s mouth twitched. “And that is exactly why you are intrigued by her.”
