AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Alaric, having decided to take Flint’s advice to present a visit to the theater as his fourth gift of apology to Grace, had chosen this particular play because it was similar in content to those she’d seen on previous occasions.
Alaric’s satisfaction when he observed Grace entering the theater a short time ago had been immense. She hadn’t seen him, of course, because Alaric had deliberately stood a distance away from the staircase he had known she would need to ascend to reach her box. By doing so, he had remained hidden amongst the crowd of fashionable people milling about in the foyer wishing to be seen before the lengthy performance began.
Alaric had brushed off the attempts of any of those members of Society to engage him in conversation. No doubt they were as surprised as he was to see him attending this particular play. He had made no secret in the past of his apathy where Shakespeare was concerned.
The moment Grace entered the theater and began to ascend the staircase, she drew the attention of many of those same people as they seemed unable to stop themselves from staring at the beautiful woman in the cream silk-and-lace gown. The unusual style of the off-one-shoulder gown appeared to be Grecian, as did the way her hair was plaited into half a dozen braids that were styled around a thin cream ribbon. Her only jewelry was again that gold locket about her throat.
Neither the gown nor the hairstyle fitted with today’s fashion, but Alaric believed, from the buzz of interest being shown by the ladies present, that by tomorrow, many of them would be asking their seamstress for the same style of gown and their maid for a similar hairstyle.
The fact the Duke of Melborne was now seated alone with the lady in the Grecian gown in the privacy of this theater box would no doubt add fuel to the fire Grace’s appearance and his own unexpected presence here this evening had already ignited.
Alaric had no interest in what Society thought of him. Only Grace’s opinion was important.
“Your Grace—”
“Are you mine, Grace?” he queried throatily.
She sighed her irritation. “You know very well I was referring to you by your title and not making a statement.”
“Alaric.” He turned to look at her when he received no answer. “I wish for you to call me Alaric.”
Her cheeks were flushed. “What you wish for is not what is acceptable.”
“In whose opinion?”
Her expression became exasperated. “My own.”
He shrugged. “You may call me what you wish, but I fully intend to call you Grace whenever we are alone together in future.”
The wordsarrogant, high-handed,andoverbearingall rushed into Grace’s thoughts as being applicable terms she might use toward Alaric Montrose.
He was all of those things, and more.
He was also still seated far too close to her, his thigh hot against her own. His proximity also meant that with every breath Grace took, she inhaled the cologne he wore. It was a pleasant mixture of citrus and the pine trees in the woods near her Devonshire home.
A stark contrast to some of the unpleasant odors Grace had been aware of when she’d had to walk through the crowded foyer when she’d arrived earlier. Something else she had learned since moving to London—bathing daily was not a common practice, among the rich as much as the poor. Many of Society chose to try to hide that omission with too much perfume or cologne. Thankfully, Melborne was not one of them.
“In that case, I will ensure we are not alone together in future,” she answered him firmly. “Now if you will excuse me, I should like to watch the rest of the play.” She deliberately lifted her fan as a barrier between them.
Melborne’s unconcerned smile was far from reassuring. “By all means, let us watch the play.”
Grace continued to eye him warily over the top of her fan for several seconds, but Melborne’s attention now seemed to be directed toward the stage beneath them.
Ordinarily, Grace would have thoroughly enjoyed having an unexpected evening at the theatre. But she was unable to give her full attention to the play with Alaric Montrose seated beside her.
He was just so…so much of a presence, even when he gave the impression of being relaxed. A presence it was impossible for Grace to ignore as the evening progressed, let alone find pleasure in the play.
Melborne seemed determined to behave the epitome of the attentive companion this evening.
First, he offered her a blanket to place over her knees if the large auditorium was too cool for her liking.
Half an hour later, he asked if she would care for refreshment and then produced a bottle of wine and two glasses she had not previously noticed.
Another hour later, he queried if her chair was comfortable enough or if she would rather have the one he was sitting on.
Grace was not in need of any of those things.
Now if Melborne were to offer toleave…
