The Ideal Countess by Katherine Flanagan

Author:Katherine Flanagan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Indie Author Project
Published: 2019-12-18T21:06:23+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Hugh couldn’t quite believe the words had left his lips. It was one thing to admit his admiration for Alice to his mother; he certainly hadn’t meant to confess his love to his cold, angry fiancée.

But he couldn’t let her believe such a wild conspiracy as the one she espoused. He couldn’t let her think he’d do anything other than wish for her happiness.

After a sleepless night, Hugh had decided it was worth risking her scorn to treat her the way he wanted to treat her: steal her away for private moments, shower her with presents, send her flowers every day. And he’d selected Sunday as the perfect day to start. His intention had been to renew their friendship with simple conversation, then ease her into his attentions.

Except Alice was determined to be unhappy. The carriage ride had chilled him thoroughly; only sheer perseverance had steered him forward. He’d wanted to find civility. He’d uncovered conspiracy.

And somehow ended up throwing his very heart at her feet.

Now their little glade was silent. Not even a bird chirped, though perhaps that was because his heart beat so loudly in his ears he couldn’t hear anything else. Alice stared at him with her wide green eyes. Hugh couldn’t have said anything more shocking, and probably nothing less welcome.

He may as well carry through with his plan for the afternoon. Too bad if it made her uncomfortable. He couldn’t possibly get more pathetic than what he already claimed to be, a sappy fool in love with a woman who hated him.

Hugh withdrew the jewelry box from his pocket and placed it in her hand. “An engagement gift.”

Alice’s mouth still hung open in shock as she opened the box. It wasn’t anything too flashy – Hugh at least had enough sense not to ask her to wear an oversized gemstone to celebrate a marriage she loathed – just a simple peridot in a gold setting. The pale green stone had sat in one of his grandmother’s necklaces. It reminded him of Alice’s eyes, so he’d commissioned a new ring for it.

She stared down at the jewelry box. “Thank you,” she said dully.

Of course, she hated it. Hugh should have expected nothing less. It was clear she hated everything about the engagement, including him.

He knew it would be best to move on, get the walk behind them. Time would ease everything. He’d get used to her not caring for him, and she’d get used to being his wife.

But he surprised himself with a perverse demand. “Why don’t you put it on?”

Alice blinked up at him.

He learned he loved lashing his heart over and over again, for he took the ring from its box, clasped her hand – so small and soft in his palm – and slid the ring onto her gloved finger. It fit loosely. She curled her hand into a fist.

“It matches your eyes,” Hugh said. What he would give to know what was racing through her head.

“Thank you,” she said again. Then she drew back.

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