Chapter 5

I could still feel Lord Alexander’s burning gaze on me while his mother made small talk before sitting in her chair.

I stayed even though I felt a bit out of place when they didn't dismiss me right away. The conversation they were having made me feel uneasy.

“Could you please reason with that man, Mother?” Said Alexander.

The young lord was resting on the edge of his seat. He hunched over with both his elbows lying on his muscular thighs. His demeanour was severe but almost desperate, and I noticed Alexander still kept eyeing in my direction. Maybe he didn’t like that I was forced to stay and listen to their conversation.

I made an “ahum” sound in my throat and hoped that his mother heard me, but she continued her conversation regardless that I was in the room.

“You know I cannot change his mind, my love. He’s a stubborn man, your father, and he only wants you to find someone and settle down. You’re the heir to High Hill; you should have been married a long time ago,” she replied; her face was severe as well, but I thought I detected irritation and exasperation.

This subject must be something that was discussed regularly.

“You know very well, Mother, that I cannot do that. You know what I need.”

Lady Lucia sighed. Her back fell against the back of her chair.

“I know,” she answered. “But as I have told you countless times, your father would not understand,” she pleaded. “I cannot tell him without you suffering for my indiscretion.” She was playing with her fingers. “I proposed he sends invitations throughout the neighbouring cities hoping to help you find that special someone,” she pressed on. “I thought that maybe by seeing multiple ladies, you’d be able to sniff her out.”

A slight pout formed on my lady’s thin pink lips.

Alexander passed his hand on his face, then quickly ran it through his hair. His black hair was getting messy because of his erratic movements.

I felt the urge to go to him, to make him feel better. I wanted to take away all the sadness and desperation I saw in his gaze and turn it into want and passion, and my fingers itched to tangle themselves in his hair and tell him that all would be alright.

His head snapped up, and I flinched, breaking my daydream. Why was I thinking that?

“You. Ida. Could you please leave us?” He growled at me.

At the sudden burst of temper from her son, his mother turned her head toward me. I saw she had forgotten I was in the room and apologetically gestured for me to take my leave.

I quirked my mouth slightly upward in response and disappeared through the nearest door, leaving them to their heated argument.

I resumed my work in the adjacent room. Busy buzzing around any objects that I thought needed my immediate attention.

I needed to distract myself from overthinking what I had heard.

I understood Alexander was talking about all the mingles he had been having on his floor. It didn’t look like it was his idea, after all. His father was trying to find him a match, an unwelcome one at that.

There must have been hundreds of ladies who graced his floor, hoping to snatch him. I didn’t know if “mingles” was the right word to describe those desperate ladies swooning around him. I knew because I had greeted some of them during several meetings while working the main floor.

I felt relieved that he wasn’t some serial dater, but I was also surprised that none of them suited him.

“He must be a difficult man if he can’t select one girl from the hundreds who flocked to woo him,” I mumbled while dusting one of the fireplace mantles. I had carefully removed some objects placed on it.

“He is,” replied a low, gravelly voice behind me.

I jumped out of surprise, letting a small yelp fly from my lips. The small ceramic egg I was holding flew into the air. The young lord quickly caught it and handed it back to me.

I bit the interior of my cheek and peered at Alexander through my lashes. I extended my hand to take it, and when I brushed his fingers with mine, tiny tingles heated my skin that was touching him.

I promptly drew back with the egg and carefully placed it back in its holder on the mantle.

I didn’t understand what had happened. My skin was on fire.

“Thank you for saving the egg,” I simply said. I was too nervous to say anything else. Lord Alexander had heard me complain about his inability to settle on a wife. On top of that, I was puzzled by how my body reacted to him.

“It’s fine. It was my fault for startling you.”

I waited for him to leave, but he simply stood there, watching me. To be frank, it made me uneasy. I rocked myself forward and backward, trying to figure out if I needed to do something for him.

I decided to enquire.

“Do you need anything from me, milord?”

“Enough with the formalities; you may call me Xander.”

I was confused. This was not protocol, and I did not intend to break it. I had my fill of lashes for a couple of months, even maybe a year; I didn’t need extras.

I stayed silent, not wanting to give in to his request, and I waited for him to give me whatever demands he needed from me.

I didn’t have to wait long.

“I’m actually happy to see you again. Following our serendipitous meeting, I asked the head maid multiple times to call for you. Still, she kept insisting you were… indisposed.” He seemed aggravated by this statement and roughly placed his hands in his front pockets.

“I require your services on my floor for an indeterminate amount of time. I find the lack of company very boring, and I should like someone to take care of my quarters for me while I attend various work engagements and events.”