To tame an Earl (four hoydens #2)

Chapter 8

"What's wrong, Alice?" Sarah asked her as she sat in her seat.

"Nothing," Alice tried to smile at her, but she feared that it may have looked like a grimace.

"You followed Ralph out and you ran back in without him," Vanessa narrowed her eyes.

"I had to relieve myself, you know I have a tiny bladder," she replied, knowing neither of them were going to believe her.

She certainly couldn't tell them that Ralph had kissed her, that she'd let him, that she'd more than participated in it and that she'd enjoyed it even. She couldn't tell them that she felt strange and flustered, that no kiss had ever made her feel that way.

But most of all, she could never explain to them or to herself why her chest had hurt when Ralph had continued on his way to meet Vitoria Ludovica seconds after their kiss. Alice had peeped out of the door when she'd reached the box. She'd seen him go down those stairs. To Vitoria.

Mercifully, Sarah and Vanessa stopped hounding her after a while.

Ralph had managed to almost convince her of his innocence, she'd been close to trusting him again. But not anymore. He won't been able to fool her this time.

And this time, she was going to expose him. To Rosalyn, if not to the ton. She had to do it to protect Rosa.

To protect herself.

Ralph had earned the title of a gentleman. No one would believe her words unless she had proof.

So she decided she would follow him. Surely he would make a mistake somewhere. And she would do so while giving him a taste of his own medicine.

He didn't want her talking to Sir Bates, did he?

Ralph returned in time for the next scene.

Only to find Alice giggling with that bastard Bates.

What the hell?

He knew Alice could feel his gaze on her but she refused to meet his eye. Bates didn't look at him either. He was looking at Alice with unveiled lust. How could she talk to that toad?

"You're so funny, Sir Bates," she laughed throatily, angering Ralph more.

"You must call me George," the toad smiled.

Ralph turned, unable to watch what was happening.

Sarah and Vanessa were looking at him sympathetically. He ignored them.

Why did Alice have to defy him at every turn? Had that kiss meant nothing to her? He knew it had affected him, changed him in some elemental way. But he didn't want to dwell on that just now. He needed his wits about him until this case was solved and if he thought about that kiss, he wouldn't get anything done.

"We have a few unoccupied seats here, would you like to join us in our box, George?" Alice asked bastard Bates.

"I'd be honoured, provided Lord Orford doesn't mind," he said and looked at Ralph, his eyes gleaming.

"Why would Ralph mind?" Alice said airily, turning and finally looking at him.

"Yes, why would I mind?" Ralph replied, his voice dangerously low. Bates had the gall to smirk, the wretch.

When they took their seats, Alice decided to choose the seat in the row in front of them. And so she was alone with Bates in that row leaving Ralph with Sarah and Vanessa.

He tried to act like it wasn't bothering him.

"You'll burn a hole through his head if you keep staring at him that way," Sarah said, throwing him an amused sideways glance.

Was he that obvious?

Ralph tried his best to focus on the Opera after that. Tried, but failed. He was a spy and it was his job to keep an eye on a suspect, he justified to himself as he went back to staring at Bates' balding head.

He realised something then. Alice was enjoying this no more than he was. Her shoulders were stiff and her laugh was fake. She was only doing this to annoy him.

Unbeknownst to him, the corners of his mouth lifted a little. He was positive that he was expressionless this time. But then that cheeky toad had to bend closer to Alice and whisper something in her ear.

That was it. Ralph's thinly leashed control snapped then. He stood up and made his way to the front row, not bothering about blocking the view of the few people behind him.

Alice's eyes widened when he went to sit on the seat next to her. She was looking at him as he was mad. He turned to look at twin expressions of shock on Sarah and Vanessa's faces. He merely offered them a shrug and a, "I couldn't see a thing from there. Terrible seats."

Vanessa snorted and Sarah grinned.

Alice was not amused and neither was Bates. The man's face was as red as a tomato. It did nothing to improve his below average features, Ralph thought distastefully.

"What is wrong with you?" Alice whispered furiously.

"Why my lady? Are you upset that I interrupted your tête-à-tête with Bates?" he asked in a tone harsher than he'd intended.

He knew he was baiting her. But he was tired of her childish behaviour. Tired and angry.

She turned away from him and leaned a little to her right. Towards Bates. He threw Ralph a victorious look over Alice's head.

Really?

After a few minutes, they were all silent. Every single person in the audience entranced by the singer's voice. Everyone except Ralph.

He was thinking about how his life would've been much more easy if  not for Lady Alice Woodbury.

And then she shifted a little. Just so that her skirts brushed against his leg. Ralph fancied that he could feel the shape of her calf as it rested against his leg. It lasted only a few seconds because she shifted again. She had never been good at keeping still. And she was a fidgeter. Alice was not as poised and elegant as she would've liked the ton to believe.

She squirmed again, moving her bottom this way and that on the seat. Good God, she'd make a terrible spy, he thought amused even as his body was reacting as though she was squirming on his lap and not the seat.

A particularly comical scene had the audience laughing, even Ralph chuckled.
He turned to look at Alice who was laughing in a very unladylike manner, her mouth open, her eyes squeezed closed as she forgot about how she was seated between two unpleasant men and just enjoyed the moment with unbridled joy.

It occurred to him then that while Alice did indeed make his life hard, he wouldn't have it any other way. All her hateful barbs were worth it because then he got to see this side of her as well. The part of her that was so passionate and expressive. He'd give his right arm to see her laugh that way for him.

Thankfully, the play ended after what felt like forever and Ralph could finally take Alice away from Bates.

She didn't realise what a dangerous game she was playing. And Ralph could do nothing to protect her from Bates. From herself. Why did the woman have to be so stubborn?!

As Alice bid him a stiff goodnight, Ralph was surprised to discover that he'd actually enjoyed this Opera. Enjoyed Alice Woodbury.