Dating the Duke (The Aristocrat Diaries 2)

I swallowed. I barely knew Millie, yet she understood. “There is,” I said after a moment.

“And I will not force the subject,” she said softly, holding onto my hands. “I know we don’t know one another very well, but I’d like to think we’re friends. Or could be. I know you’re not here for long, but if you need to talk to anyone… I’m here.”

“Thank you.” I pulled her into another warm hug before stepping back. “I should get back before it gets dark. I don’t fancy driving on those roads at night.”

“Good decision.” She tucked her tote bag under her arm and waved as she headed towards her car. “I’ll see you next time?”

“I think so!” I waved and got into my car. It was much quieter now than it had been when I’d gotten here, and that made the drive out of the car park and through Whitborough much more enjoyable.

I did make it back to Bentley Manor before darkness started to fall, and I wasn’t the only one who’d made it back.

Alexander’s car was here.

Knowing how astutely he’d avoided me all day, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’d already gone to bed to ensure we didn’t run into one another.

I wouldn’t blame him if he had. After a couple of hours with Helena, I was more than ready to go to bed myself.

She was exhausting.

I got out of the car and let myself into the house. It was eerily quiet, and I carefully pushed the door closed without making more than the barest of clicks as the latch sealed.

Where was everyone?

All right, so I assumed Olympia was in bed as it was past nine o’clock, but that didn’t explain the absence of everyone else.

Actually, Elizabeth usually retired to her bedroom at this time, as did Boris.

Never mind.

I’d answered my own questions.

I was hungry, so after taking off my shoes and putting them in the closet near the front door, I took my bag into the kitchen with me to get something to eat. I settled on a sandwich and a packet of custard creams—yes, the entire packet, don’t judge me.

I sat at the counter and opened my phone to catch up on Instagram while I ate. It was all the same old, same old bullshit. I congratulated a friend whose boyfriend had proposed on the beach at sunset, watched a quick reel on the best way to clean your toilet, and mindlessly liked a few photos of friends at dinners or parties or in nice new clothes.

See?

Same old bullshit.

Also, everyone knew how to clean a toilet. If you couldn’t pick up a toilet brush, I wanted to know why.

And what did everyone have against sunrise? Propose at sunrise instead, damn it.

After the sandwich, I debated making a cup of tea to dip more custard creams in, but the sound of approaching footsteps made me pause.

Those footsteps belonged to Alexander.

How did I know that?

That was weird.

I shoved a custard cream in my mouth and was just about to bite into a second when he walked into the kitchen and paused.

He glanced down at the packet in front of me and looked back up at my obviously full mouth with his lips twitching to one side.

“Want one?” I asked through the mouthful of biscuit and held out the packet.

“No… You keep those.” He strode into the kitchen and checked the water level in the kettle. “Would you like a side of tea with your custard creams?”

“You know, I was just considering making one.”

“Is that a yes?”

“Yes, please.” I grinned before biting down into another biscuit.

Alex set about making two cups of tea, and I continued my mindless scrolling on my phone until he set a mug on a coaster in front of me. “Here you go.”

“Ooh, thank you.” I grabbed another biscuit and dipped it in the hot tea.

No.

There was not a limit to the number of custard creams one could consume in a single sitting.

You know… In case you were wondering.

“Sure you don’t want one?” I asked, offering him the packet again.

Alex shook his head and rested his forearms on the island. “No, thank you. I’m more of a bourbon or a chocolate digestive kinda guy.”

“Ooh, I love bourbons. Are you why I couldn’t find those in the pantry?”

“Yes. I hide them or everyone else eats them.” He glanced at the half-eaten packet of custard creams.

“It sounds like you’re judging me right now,” I replied slowly, yet my hand still reached out for another biscuit.

He noticed, and his lips tugged into a small smile. “Do you care?”

“Not particularly.” I retrieved the biscuit I was after and dipped it in my tea again. Unfortunately for me, the worst happened.

It broke it two.

Half of my custard cream broke off and sank sadly to the bottom of my mug.

“Nooo!” I stared into the mug and then looked up at Alex. “I’ve been betrayed by a biscuit.”