To tame an Earl (four hoydens #2)

Chapter 5

"Why are you still abed?"

Alice pried her eyes open, squinting against the bright light.

Her friends stood around her bed, staring at her as though she was a new peculiar species.

Oh lord.

"Who let you in? I specifically told Maria that I'd kill her if anyone entered my chamber before noon," Alice said groggily.

"Your mother let us in," Rosalyn smirked.

"And I thought we'd be rid of you after you married," Alice muttered under her breath.

"I heard that," Rosa said.

"You were meant to."

"Seriously though, why is she here?" she turned to look at Sarah.

"Lord Fortescue is a busy man. Rosalyn on the other hand is the opposite of busy," Sarah smiled sweetly.

"Hey," Rosalyn objected. "And here I thought you'd be happy to see me. Besides, Theo had to go to Derbyshire today," she added pertly.

Alice decided to ignore them. It was too early for this anyway.

She didn't generally sleep so late into the morning, but she'd stayed up last night reading.

"Leave that bed this instant."

"Why?" Alice groaned.

"We're going shopping," Vanessa said excitedly.

"Again?"

"Yes. We have to attend the first opera of this season two days from now and none of us have anything appropriate to wear."

That caught Alice's attention. She loved the theatre. But that didn't mean she was willing to leave her soft, perfectly comfortable bed just now...

While the prospect of shopping was indeed tempting, it certainly didn't triumph peaceful slumber.

"I can wear my cranberry silk," she said dismissively.

"You already wore that last year," Vanessa said in a no nonsense tone.

"No one will remember what I wore last year," Alice said, appalled.

"So you think," Rosalyn snorted.

Sarah nodded her agreement.

"Fine," Alice said, giving up.

There was no point arguing with her friends.

Besides, she loved shopping.

Maybe she could wear something Ralph would approve of. He was always commenting on the low cuts of her gowns.

Wait, where did that thought come from? Alice set her jaw. She wasn't going to change her preferences for a man. And she didn't even like him.

She left her bed grumpily, troubled by her traitorous thoughts.

That afternoon.

Ralph was on his way back home from the war office. As it turned out, Bates had some pretty dirty records. But he'd used several people and escaped. His friends in the higher positions had helped him in exchange for the services he provided. Ralph was positive he was involved in the drug trafficking case they'd handled last year.

He needed more proof though.

Ralph was driving his curricle through the busy regent street when saw Alice leaving a shop. Alone.

He recognised the fancy building, it was were Rosalyn would shop since her first season.

Ralph parked his curricle in the side and got down. He'd already lost her by the time he turned.

And then he saw the figure in yellow and quickly made his way to her, deciding to stay a few paces behind her.

He was surprised to see her enter a book store. Ralph followed her in, curious beyond reason.

He entered the store and quickly hid behind one of the bookshelves, pretending to choose a book. Even the shopkeeper ignored Ralph.

"Did you find those books sufficiently informative, my lady?" the middle aged man asked Alice for there was no one other than them there.

"Oh yes, Waldo. Well, except for the one on statistics," Alice called out distractedly from somewhere within.

Statistics?

"No amount of books are enough to quench your thirst for answers, my lady," the man chuckled.

It seemed like they'd known each other for a while now, Ralph thought with some interest.

And then he saw Alice walk toward the counter with a heap of books.

"Let me help you," Waldo said, coming forward.

But it was too late.

Ralph had already rushed forward and banged against her in an altogether fake fashion. Luckily, she was too annoyed to speak.

She bent down to pick up the books and Waldo rushed to her, squatting down next to her.

She looked up at him and he saw her eyes widen with panic. She quickly bent down her head.

"Alice! What are you doing here?" He knelt down and asked, trying to sound surprised. He knew his idiotic question would anger her. Lady Alice Woodbury had little patience for stupidity.

"In a bookstore? Hunting lions, of course," she said in such a dry voice that Ralph couldn't help the snort that escaped him.

He waited while she paid for the books. He'd of course insisted to pay, but she'd put her foot down.

"So Lady Alice is a blue stocking, who would've thought," he grinned as they exited the shop.

"Don't start it," she grunted.

"All this time when I used to see you talking to Lady Greta and Lady Burns, I thought you were merely being nice to them," he commented.

Alice looked at him then. No one had ever noticed her speaking with them. How had Ralph noticed? His keen sense of observation was really quite intimidating.

"Why would I be nice to them?" she finally asked with a sniff.

"Because they are blue stockings..." he said and stopped when she turned to stare at him.

"Intellectuals," he amended and then continued, "and no one wishes to speak with them."

"They're wonderful."

"And you discuss your academic learnings with them," he smiled knowingly.

"You can't tell anyone," she murmured.

"I won't, you have my word. But you've piqued my curiosity, why keep it a secret?"

"Curiosity killed the cat," she smiled but replied anyway, "No one understands. They don't know what it's like for people who are different," she said frustrated.

He nodded, as if he understood. And Alice rather thought he did.

But why?