Page 58 of Denying the Duke (Lords and Ladies in Love 3)

She waved behind her. “Back there. I prefer to leave right away.”

Mr. Templeton scanned the crowd, but extended his arm for her to take. She was grateful for his strength since she needed to hold onto something. Shivers racked her body, and she almost felt as though she were getting sick. They made their way to the entrance hall of the townhouse, when Alex’s deep voice cut through Mr. Templeton’s request for his carriage to be brought around.

“I will tend to my wife, Templeton.” Alex nodded at the footman at the door. “Please have my carriage readied.” He took her shawl from the butler and draped it over her shoulders. She stood stiffly, not wanting to even acknowledge his presence. Mr. Templeton gave her a slight bow. “Good night, Your Grace.” He cast a concerned look at Alex and left them.

The only reason she took Alex’s arm was to prevent falling on the slippery pathway. It would be hard to maintain her dignity and righteous anger sitting on her arse with her skirts up around her knees.

Alex helped her into the carriage, climbed in, and settled across from her. She turned her head and stared out the window. The lights of the townhouse faded as they moved down the street, the sound of the horses and the turning of the carriage wheels the only sound.

After a night of tossing and turning, with Alex sleeping in his bedchamber and she in hers, Patience arose with a headache and a feeling of despondency. Since their night at the inn, they’d shared a bed every night and had made love at least once a day. Oftentimes spontaneously, whenever she saw that look in Alex’s eyes right before he locked the door to whatever room they were in at the time. She sometimes wondered what the staff thought of that.

Aside from the sex, it seemed all her hopes for a successful marriage were slowly fading. He had become a domineering tyrant.

She had spent enough years with her father to know how difficult life could be for a woman married to such a man. With a heavy heart, she summoned Polly. “Once we have had breakfast, I would like to take a trip to Bond Street and do a bit of shopping.”

“Will the dowager be accompanying us?”

“No. It will be only you and me. Furthermore, I will instruct the footmen to leave us in peace. I do not want to be trailed.”

“Your Grace, I don’t think His Grace wants you to leave the house without the footmen. He was adamant about it, if you remember.”

She tried to keep the anger from her voice as she waved her maid’s objection away. “Leave it to me. I will make sure we have a day of shopping without men following us about like puppies.”

Alex was absent from breakfast, which was just as well, since she did not want to share her day’s plans with him. She was not very good at lying, so any conversation between them would turn into another argument.

Polly joined her as they made their way into the carriage. She tolerated the ever-present footmen, when they’d been adamant about attending her, per His Grace’s instructions, but assured her maid they would have their freedom once they arrived at Bond Street. Her spirits rising with the idea of independence, Patience planned on which shops she wanted to visit. No sticking pins into her body today. Perhaps they would view the items for sale in Grafton House, and then onto Twinings for tea, and maybe a stop at Wedgewood’s to see about a new set of china.

They would top off their expedition with tea and sandwiches at Gunter’s. With the balmy breeze and sunshine, it was a perfect day for such a trip. They alighted the carriage and entered a small milliner’s shop, one of her favorite’s. Once inside, with the two footmen standing on the pavement in front of the shop, Patience looked to her heart’s content, then took Polly’s hand, and placing her finger over her mouth, tugged her toward the side door that led to the alley between the milliner and Twinings Tea Shop.

Laughing gaily at the trick they had pulled on the footmen, Patience and Polly rounded the back wall of Twinings and walked in the opposite direction of the footmen. Taking in a deep breath of free air, Patience said, “Now onto Gunter’s.”

They had barely sat at the table when a gentleman approached them. He was older, very distinguished looking, his eyes darting from side to side as he moved to their table. “Excuse my impertinence, but are you not Her Grace, The Duchess of Bedford?”

A bit suspicious of a stranger approaching them, she said, “Yes. That is so.”

He gave them a deep bow. “It is a pleasure to meet you, and I apologize for my forwardness, but I did want to give you my regards.”

Patience smiled at the man, but grew a little more concerned when he wiped his forehead and continued to glance around, as if expecting someone.

“I am a longtime friend of your husband.” He smiled, revealing teeth that reminded her of a drawing she’d seen in a children’s book.

She immediately relaxed. “Indeed? And your name, so I can convey your regards?”

“Lord Loverly at your service, Your Grace.”

…

Alex flattened his hands on the desk and came eye-to-eye with the commander. “What the hell is taking so long to catch Loverly?”

The much overworked commander shook his head. “The man is invisible, I swear. No one has seen him—except you—and I have every available man on the streets looking for him.”

Alex collapsed in the seat in front of the commander’s desk. “I have someone watching my wife every minute of the day. I’m sure he’s going to try to use her to get the money he asked for. Except for her, he knows I have absolutely no reason to give it to him.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t know how much longer I can keep her wrapped up like this. I don’t mind telling you this is causing problems between us.”

He hated admitting such a thing, even to himself, but there it was. Their rift last night was a serious one. Most times they slept together in his bed, but last night she had entered her room with a curt “good night” and closed the door. Firmly. Leaving him on the other side, staring at the polished wooden surface.

Shortly after leaving his meeting at the War Department, Alex departed for home, having sent notes around to Hawk, Cam, and Templeton to meet him there. They had to come up with some sort of strategy to end this. He had a great deal of work to do regarding his estates, his position in Parliament, and his marriage.

His marriage.