As the three of them entered the building, Lucien offered Alex his arm and she took it.
“I’m sorry about all this,” she murmured as they followed.
Lucien tilted his head. “Whatever for?”
“It’s more than I expected,” she said honestly. “Certainly more than I outlined in the contract.”
That had been limited to one social outing a week. But this would be the third.
“It’s all right.” Lucien then huffed a laugh. “Though I suppose you’ll need to revise it again.”
“Yes,” she said with a nod. “I will do it tonight.”
“Alex.” He waited for her to meet his eyes. “I was only joking.”
“Right. Sorry.” She turned away just as his gaze softened, as she had no need to see the pity in his eyes.
Poor awkward Alex.
Luckily, they had entered the Great Court, so Alex pulled away and pretended she was simply taken by their surroundings. Though truthfully, she did not have to pretend very hard. She never grew tired of visiting this mansion full of treasures. It might not possess quite the same grandeur and pomp of the newer buildings she had visited in New York, but she preferred this nonetheless.
As she completed a full turn, she caught Lucien staring at her, a faint smile playing on his lips. “What is it?”
“Nothing,” he replied. “I just… I like watching you,” he added hesitantly.
Alex glanced around, but no one was paying attention to them at the moment. Aunt Winifred was haranguing a frazzled-looking docent while Will and Phoebe were poring over a map. She turned back to Lucien and he must have read the confusion on her face. He smiled a little wider this time and took a step toward her. Then another.
“Let us look at the map,” Alex said briskly and hurried away before he could even respond. She didn’t need a map, of course. Alex could probably find her way around the museum blindfolded. But Lucien’s attention unnerved her. She could admit that now, as silly as it was. He paid her attention because of their arrangement. Because he wassupposedto. She would be a fool to look for something deeper.
“I know you are all eager to see the mummies, but I am far more interested in Grecian pottery,” Aunt Winifred pronounced as she joined them. “My late husband dragged me to one of those ghastly unraveling parties once. Macabre practice if you ask me. So why don’t you go ahead and we will meet by Lord Elgin’s marbles in an hour.” Then she arched a brow. “I trust you can all behave yourselves in public?”
Will and Phoebe leaned a little closer to each other and exchanged a look sweet enough to give Alex a toothache. It also made her even more aware of Lucien’s looming presence. Should she look at him too? Or, worse, flutter her eyelashes? Alex didn’t think she could manage that. Lucien was liable to think she was suffering from some sort of apoplexy rather than a poor attempt at coquetry.
But just as Alex had mustered the courage to reach for Lucien’s arm, Aunt Winifred simply strode off toward the Greco-Romanroom. Saved from embarrassment at least for the moment, Alex let out a sigh of relief. She had utterly failed to consider how awkward it would be to pretend to be courting while in the company of the two most lovesick people she knew. She would need to strategize with Lucien about reasonable displays of affection. Alex could allow for walking arm-in-arm if the occasion called for it and perhaps even some brief hand-holding. But she drew the line at saccharine looks and mawkish nicknames. In her opinion, some things should never leave the confines of a bedroom.
Donotthink of him in a bedroom.
Yet despite the admonishment, Alex could feel her entire body start to flush.
“Are you sure you’re feeling well?” Lucien murmured.
Alex startled a bit, as he was much closer than she realized, and noticed the genuine concern in his face. Then she brought a hand to her cheek, though she very well knew the cause. “Oh, yes. I’m perfectly fine. It’s just warm in here. Do you not think so?” She said this all in a great rush and Lucien’s look of concern only deepened.
“Perhaps I should take you home. I can flag down a hackney right now—”
“No.” The verylastplace she should be was alone in a carriage with Lucien Taylor. “That is, I’m quite well,” she added with an enthusiastic smile that probably bordered on derangement. “Please, let’s continue.” Alex then rushed them toward the Anglo-Roman Gallery.
Will gestured for Alex to enter before him, and she was only too glad to walk with her sister for a bit. She needed to sort herself out and it was difficult to do that while worrying about Lucien.
Phoebe flashed her an easy smile and looped their arms together.
“I stopped by the house earlier today and when I told Freddie about our outing she wasn’t exactly pleased,” Phoebe said. “I think we could have made more of an effort to invite her along.”
Alex scoffed. “Did you not see theeffortshe was putting in at the Turners’ last night?”
“I saw her speaking with Lucien for a little while, if that is what you mean. But it looked perfectly innocent to me,” Phoebe said. “And besides, you have nothing to worry about on that front. Lucien seems very attentive towards you.”
Alex held her tongue, though she longed to reveal the truth to her sister. It would be nice to confide in her.
