Page 117 of The Fifth Life of Alicia
“I’m coming, I’m coming.” Crikey, that was the most words he’d said to me all day. “I see you’ve decided to talk to me now.”
“Even I have bad days,” he replied cryptically, taking my hand to guide me down the last few stairs. “The necklace was an excellent choice. It suits you well.”
“That sounds more like a compliment for yourself than it does me.”
“Then how about this?” He raised my hand to his mouth and kissed my fingers. “You’re the most beautiful woman in the world tonight, Allie.”
Suck up.
I dipped my head to hide my blush. “Can we just leave?”
“What, no return compliment? How cruel my fiancée is.”
“You’re such a child,” I scolded him, meeting his amused gaze. “Are you going to behave this way all night? You’ll ruin your reputation.”
“As I’ve told you before, I hardly care for such things.” He led me out to the carriage where Sir Hayes was already holding the door open. “But if behaving like this tonight means there’ll be rumours that’ll replace ones where I desire to cut off your toes, then I will gladly play along.”
“That doesn’t sound like someone who doesn’t care about rumours.”
“I don’t care what people think about me. I do care what they say about you.”
“Really? What will you do if the people who fear you suddenly begin thinking of you as a man wrapped around my finger?”
“Then I will enjoy publicly bending to your every whim to prove them right.”
I stared across the carriage at him. “Please don’t do that. That’s ridiculous.”
“Is it?” His lips pulled to one side. “I was planning on behaving so in front of your family tonight. How long do you think it would take for the marchioness to lose her cool?”
“That’ll happen the second she lays eyes on me. I have that effect on her.” I brushed my hair from my face. “Besides, if the cold, cruel Grand Duke Kalon of Stein suddenly starts acting like a teddy bear, people may think I’ve resorted to black magic to get you under my thumb.”
“And I will cut out the tongues of those who speak ill of you.”
“You’ll make a mess in the ballroom.”
“I’ll take them outside first, then.”
I stared at him. “Do you even have a weapon on you right now?”
He patted the sword at his hip.
“Isn’t that a ceremonial sword?”
“Why would I have a weapon I can’t use?” He shrugged. “Besides, it’s not all I have on me.”
I scanned his whole body. “What weapon? Where?”
“Daggers. Two of them.” He patted his chest and his left boot.
What could he possibly need three weapons for during a ball? “What are they for? To throw at your enemies to surprise them?”
“Correct.” He tilted his head to the side. “I think I may have corrupted you over the past few weeks.”
“I think you might be right,” I murmured, looking out of the window.
How was it that I didn’t even bat an eyelid at it? Was Alicia like this in the book? WasIalways like this?
If I was, it explained my colour blindness where questionable fictional heroes were concerned.
