Chapter 9
“What are your intentions toward the lady?” A man, who stood eye to eye with Alexander, didn’t bother to introduce himself over the din of the conversation and clouds of cigar smoke.
“Carlton, fancy seeing you here tonight. Come to make a wager yourself?”
From Hudson’s comment, Alexander knew this was the infamous Duke of Carlton. The man who wanted to make Thea his mistress.
“I would hardly be so indiscreet, St. George,” replied Carlton without shifting his attention away from their staredown. “But your friend here has no problem creating spectacles, it seems.”
Finally, a worthy opponent.
Alexander smiled inwardly. “Asking a lady to dance is creating a spectacle, is it?”
“You know what I mean, Your Highness. What are your intentions?” he asked again.
“Are you the lady’s guardian? Or male relative?” Alexander answered his question with a question.
The duke seemed to grit his teeth. “I am an interested party.”
“Then why don’t you ask her to dance, Your Grace?” Alexander asked with a smile full of teeth. “From what I understand, the lady is not yet spoken for, which means I am not infringing on anyone’s prior claim.”
“You can’t be seriously pursuing her.”
“Are you not seriously pursuing her?” Alexander enjoyed frustrating the duke, who clearly was not used to such treatment. But in Russia, one learned to fence politely with words, as one’s life could easily be at stake.
“My intentions are my own,” the duke said with a wrinkle of annoyance creasing his brow.
“Then I am sure you can respect that my intentions are my own as well. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Your Grace. I hope to see you again.” Alexander gave him a bow, which the duke returned purely out of good breeding.
“Likewise, Your Highness. A pleasure,” the duke said before turning and walking away like the nobleman he was.
“I like him,” Alexander said to Hudson.
“He seemed to want to strangle you.”
“Exactly. And he had the restraint to act like a gentleman. I find that commendable.”
“You are an odd bird, Alex.”
“He’s a worthy adversary and an even more valuable ally.”
“Odd bird,” Hudson repeated. “You gave him nothing. No answers. Just more to ponder over his brandy.”
“What it is about noblemen in your culture that they cannot countenance marrying a woman who isn’t just out of the schoolroom?” Alexander chose an overstuffed chair and pulled out a cigar.
“Probably their mothers, or fathers, holding the purse strings.”
“Fools. To allow such fears to dictate one’s life partner seems shortsighted.”
Hudson laughed. “And it’s so much better in Russia?”
Alexander turned to him with a chuckle. “I can only say such things because I am not in Russia.”
“Your mother has a bride chosen for you?”
“More like the tsar has his own ideas regarding such matters.”
“Can’t say no to him.”
“No, one never says no to the tsar.”
“It would be like the Queen Mother presenting you with a bride her royal self. One would say, Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“Indeed.”
Hudson settled into the chair beside him. “So, you came for an English bride?”
“Not exactly.”
“You never did say how long you were planning to stay.”
Alexander trimmed his cigar and lit a match before holding it to the end and sucking it to light it. Once it was lit, he met Hudson’s gaze.
“I didn’t make any plans. But let’s say indefinitely at present.”
“But you have to go back, right?”
Alex shrugged and puffed his cigar. “We shall see what happens.”
“And the lady?”
He smiled. “We shall see what happens.”