Page 52 of The Earl’s Inconvenient Nemesis

“Certainly,” said Alice, feeling a flutter of nervous anticipation. Perhaps Sir Marcus wished to speak with her privately and declare his intentions. Had he spoken with Henry and sought his permission to court her already? She was still cross with her brother about his comments about her racing earlier, even if he was right, and had not exchanged a word with him him since, but presumably he would have sought her out to tell her if this were the case. “I shall meet you in a few minutes. I must fix my hair.”

Sir Marcus nodded and lifted her gloved hand to his lips, placing a gentle kiss upon it.

Her body had no reaction. Nothing at all. That will come with time, Alice told herself firmly as she walked over to her aunt to inform her she was going to freshen up. Aunt Jane glanced between her and Sir Marcus, offering a knowing smile. “Good luck, my dear,” she whispered. “You must do whatever will make you happy.”

But she could not simply do what would make her happy, Alice thought as she made her way quickly to her room so she could gather herself together and check her hair in a mirror. Her family’s estate was in a perilous state, and she could not stand by while it was rented out or sold if she had any power to prevent it.

Sir Marcus might not cause the same reactions in her body as Anthony did, but Anthony did not want her and she needed a husband. Sir Marcus seemed kind, they had things in common, and, as mercenary as it sounded to her ears, he was wealthy enough to be able to help her family.

She had never thought she would be the type of woman who married for money, and had always imagined a love match if she had been able to convince someone to ask her to spend her life with him. Silly, foolish girl. Maybe if she had been more aware of what had been going on around her and less focused on spending as much time in the stables as she could, she might have done something to have helped her father before things got so out of control.

She quickly checked her appearance, drew a light cloak around her shoulders over her gown, and headed back downstairs, slipping out through the patio doors. Lanterns had been placed along the paths, casting a soft glow. She could not see Sir Marcus immediately, but assumed he had chosen a discreet yet respectable spot.

Alice stopped. Should she be doing this? Was she putting herself in a potentially perilous situation? No, Sir Marcus might not make her heart flutter, at least at the moment, but he was honorable. She was sure he had arranged for them to meet where they could be seen, just not by the whole crowd of people currently in the ballroom.

The night air was cool and refreshing. Alice pulled her cloak closer and followed the terrace around the house until she reached the bench she remembered. It seemed the most obvious place for him to be to save her any embarrassment of being caught alone and hidden away with a man, though it was more sheltered than she recalled. She sat down, tilting her head to admire the stars valiantly peeking through the cloudy sky while she waited.

“Alice?”

She started. “Anthony! What are you doing out here?”

Lord Tonbridge stepped out from the shadows, tall and striking in his dark evening coat and crisp white cravat.

“I followed you. I needed to speak with you,” he replied, his voice low and rough.

Alice glanced about her in case Sir Marcus was also about to appear. It would never do for him to find her alone in the dark with Anthony!

“I heard you agree to meet Sir Marcus outside. I . . . intercepted him and mentioned I had seen you heading towards the front entrance.”

Alice stood at once, anger and frustration surging through her. She moved to walk past him. She had no idea what Anthony was playing at, but she needed to find Sir Marcus before someone discovered them here.

Anthony caught her arm, his touch sending a jolt through her as she spun around to face him, pulling herself from his grasp. “Why would you do that? You must know he is my best chance of making a match! You have seen the attentions he has been paying me,” she said, hotly.

“You cannot marry him, Alice,” he said, his voice low and urgent.

“He has not asked me to marry him.”

“But he will.”

Alice nodded. “I think so. I hope so.”

“He is completely wrong for you.”

“In what way, exactly?” asked Alice.

“In every way! Look what happened when you wanted to allow your horse to stretch her legs with a gallop this morning!”

“Sir Marcus simply chose not to join in.”

“Do you really want a husband who does not wish to join you in the activities you enjoy?”

“I am not sure that his reluctance to gallop once, at a time when it was hardly proper to do so, should condemn him entirely. My own brother, with whom I have raced hundreds of times, did not join us and reprimanded me afterwards, if you recall.”

“That would not usually stop you from doing something,” said Anthony.

“That is true,” admitted Alice with a small smile. She shook her head. “Sir Marcus is kind and a gentleman. His estate is close by and he has the wealth to be able to help my family.”

“But he does not understand you,” countered Anthony.