"Are you expecting someone?" Mother's voice rang out all of a sudden in the quiet library.

Alexander jumped back from the window she was leaning against and faced her mother. "No! Of course not... Who would I be waiting on?"

Mother's grin told Alexander that she saw straight through her, but she left the library without another word. Alexander's cheeks burned, and turned back to the window. She wondered if Mitchel truly wanted a friend like herself. She must have imagined the blossoming friendship between the two unlikely dukes.

She had given up hope until she spotted a carriage coming up the road. Her heart pounded in her chest; she couldn't hide her smile. It was until she realized that the color of the carriage was wrong. It wasn't black like she had seen Mitch use before. Her shoulders slumped down, and she stepped back from the window. Alexander grabbed the book she was reading before and slid back into her chair.

A few minutes later, the footman opened the library door and bowed. "Master Alexander, I present Duke Mitchel Sunce."

Alexander flew from her chair, the book sliding across the floor, stopping once it hit Mitchel's boots across the room. "Oh," was all she could muster.

"Excited to see me, Alex?" He asked, with a grin, picking up the book. "I apologize for showing up unannounced." He walked over to her and handed the book back, noting the title. "Enjoying your book?"

Alexander took the book, not meeting his eyes, even though she desperately wanted to see the green-speckled emeralds he held. "No, I was not excited... Just surprised, is all. I didn't think I would be seeing you again." She nodded at the book. "It's one of my favorites." She shrugged. "Adventure... Sailing the seas. I guess you could figure out why that would intrigue me."

"The seas are brilliant." He smiled, his eyes never leaving her. "You should go to see them sometime, Alex. They are not too far from here." He chuckled. "As to my visit, I have misplaced my jacket and wondered if it happened to stay here with you last night?"

"You did, and it has. I gave it to the scullery maid to have it washed. It should be finished after dinner." She looked up at him. "You are... staying for dinner, correct?"

"Only if you are asking," he winked and chuckled, looking around the library. Mitch could see how it would be a favorite place for Alex.

Alexander was suddenly embarrassed by how close he stood to her; she stepped back and walked over to the shelf to put the book back up where it came from. "Anyways, it's a nice day out. I need to get out of this stuffy room. Let's walk before my mother spots you and asks too many questions."

"After you," Mitchel gestured, stepping to the side so he could follow her. His grin never left his face.

Alexander walked past him and rolled her eyes. "Your face will stay like that, you know..." She walked out of the estate entrance and turned right where the garden was. She enjoyed seeing the pond where ducks would fly every once in a while.

"Will it?" Mitchel chuckled. "Better this than a frown, no?" His eyes widened as he took in the gardens. The pond sparkled with the light of the afternoon sun. He glanced at Alex, enjoying how the sun glowed on her pale face. Looking away before he got caught gawking, he started down the dirt path. "This is a beautiful estate." He nodded.

Alexander swallowed hard as she took in the pond as well. The flowers were in full bloom; all the colors were vibrant. He was right; it was a beautiful day with even more beautiful company. "Indeed... My Father took his reading outside as much as possible. He would lean against that tree next to the pond and sometimes stay until it was dark outside. Drove my mother mad..." She chuckled. "On the other hand, I enjoyed listening to the story."

"I see why. Your father was a smart man. If I could spend the rest of my life sitting in a spot like that, I would." Mitch closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. The flowers filled the air with their sweet scents. The wind blew just right, carrying with it the hints of autumn. "What story was it? I would like to hear it if you wish to indulge me."

Alexander laughed and faced Mitch. "You wish for me to read to you? Does that usually work for the other lads?"

He chuckled. "I suppose not, seeing I just learned yesterday that they don't read." His eyes disappeared behind his smile. "I was thinking more of an adlib reciting." He laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. Alex made him nervous and excited simultaneously; he was having trouble following the emotions as they mixed in his stomach.

"Ah..." Alexander nodded, not trying to hide the smile anymore. "You put a lot of faith in my memory, friend." She sucked in her cheek and straightened her back. "I am glad you are here; we need to discuss something."

"Oh?" He looked over at her and nodded. "From your tone, I am guessing it is not your shotty memory?" He chuckled. "What would you like to discuss, Alex?" Mitchel wanted her to know that he took her seriously, and his smile dropped slightly.

Alexander folded her hands behind her back, but it didn't help to loosen her stiff posture. The burn in her cheeks came back tenfold. "I'm going to be straightforward with you as I always have been, and I hope... you can respect that instead of taking a more defensive manner." She nodded and let out a sigh. "You are made clear about my detrimental position... A lot goes into that title, and I must protect more than just myself." She closed her eyes and shook her head, frustrated she couldn't seem to spit out what she was trying to say. "I'm informing you now... that... I cannot... fancy you." She cursed at herself for making it ridiculous to even her ears. She refused to meet his eyes, afraid of what she would see.

Mitchel chuckled, his face burning. "Do you fancy me, Alex? I thought we were just friends?" He shook his head. "Do not worry. I will try not to be less irresistible." He ran a hand through his hair and hummed. Mitchel's smile fell, and he nodded. "In all seriousness, I understand. We are friends, first and foremost, Alex. I will not pursue anything more than that."

Alexander scowled and turned slightly away from Mitchel. "Good. That will help any... unfavorable thoughts of kindling any courtship. I appreciate that you will keep your distance." She rolled her shoulders. "Besides, I am in short supply of friends." She smirked. "Garrett doesn't seem to like my company."

"People would talk if two dukes started courting." He laughed. "Garrett is a fool. He hardly has more than two thoughts running through his head. I would not want him to have more than that anyways. He would simply explode." Mitchel widened his eyes as he mimicked Garrett exploding. He paused and thought for a moment. His face lit up as if he had come to a new realization. "It is not unheard of for dukes to go after the ladies together. I do not see why our being together would turn heads as long as we were careful."

Alexander wanted to join in on the laughter, but all she could manage was a smile. She wanted to keep her distance from the beautiful boy but ended up hurting herself. He seemed fine, and maybe she was wrong about the tension she had experienced before. "He more than likely would... And true... I guess I've gotten too nervous about appearances." Alexander sighed and changed the subject, "Did you receive the invitation for the hunt on the Jacobs estate? It came in the mail today."

"I did not. Though I was a little preoccupied earlier, I might have missed it." He nodded.

Alexander raised her eyebrow with a smirk. She noticed the agitation in his voice. "It must not have been a pleasant distraction by the tone of your voice."

"No, it was not pleasant in the slightest." He shivered. "A baggy scarecrow demanded my hand in marriage." Mitch sneered. "Lady Evana does not take 'no' well." He raised his eyebrows. "Watch yourself, Alex. Now that you are courting age, she might come after you next. The spindly old hag had no life in her eyes." His eyes shone with humor though the rest of him was still stiff. "It would be like marrying a mummy. I would not recommend it."

Alexander laughed, holding her belly. "Lady Evana? Good God, man. She's old enough to be our grandmother, is she not?"

"That is very true! She was like a hundred years old, if not more. I was surprised she was still walking!" He laughed.

"Oh, you're so very rude," Alexander could barely stand from laughing so hard. "I hope you let the old coop down easy." She tried to compose herself and shrugged a shoulder. "I'm sure she isn't the first to offer marriage."

"You would be surprised, Alex. I do not turn as many heads as you might think." He chuckled and pulled at his coat. "I know I am deviously handsome, but most don't like my skin." He held his hands, showing off the white and brown patches that swayed and turned. They flowed with their rhythm. "Many of our statures don't like the... 'mud-splatters'." He shrugged.

"There is nothing wrong with your skin, Mitch. I quite like the contrast of colors," Alexander reached out in pure instinct and traced a pattern on his hand. She jerked her hand back once the realization hit, and her eyes grew wide. The contact of skin to skin was like electricity sparking through her hand. "I apologize."

"Apologize for what, Alex?" He chuckled, trying to play off the crack in his voice. "I... also like my skin. I find it- how do you say... mesmerizing." He said. "I do not mind the tracing." He took in a deep breath. "The kids in my village used to do it all the time," Mitchel added quickly.

She slowly reached out again, looking up at him for permission. When he nodded, she lightly traced the patterns that covered his hands. Alex swallowed up the warm and soft skin she was generously offered with a trembling hand. She made the gentle movement of tracing up to his wrist, stopped only by the restrictions of his jacket. Alex's burning moved from her cheeks to encompass her entire face and reached down to her neck. Her heart raced; she feared that Mitch could hear the pounding in her chest."The people here... must not like beautiful paintings, I suppose." Her voice was as breathless as his.

"Beautiful paintings..." He repeated, his cheeks burning at the compliment. "Thank you, Alex. Truly. Only my mother has ever said nice things about it." He smiled and nodded. "People like the mundane because they are used to it. It does not scare them. When something comes along that is different. It causes worry. They do not understand it or how it works. Instead of trying to learn, they cast it aside." He gave a humorless chuckle. "They even go as far as saying it was demons crawling under my skin." He laughed and sucked in more air than he needed. "I had fun with that one, though."

She dropped her hand, instantly missing the warmth of his skin under hers. She laughed and looked up at him. "You must think of me as mundane then... I am surrounded by those people and their tightly wrapped ideas of normal."

"Mundane? You? Not at all, Alex." He smiled. "You are not all status quo. You think for yourself. I like that about you. You are strong-willed and kind. Mundane would not be a word that would cross my mind if asked to describe you. Especially because you bedded Ms. Marilla." He wiggled his eyebrows at Alex.

"Ah... yes, Marilla." Alexander stiffened. "I guess the cat's out of the bag on that little incident."

"It wasn't hard to figure out," Mitchel said, "after last night, anyways." He added quickly. "Marilla is a sweet girl. I hope she doesn't have to be in that line of work one of these days. She does seem to enjoy it." Mitchel shrugged.

"Again, don't mind my brass tongue, but you seem to like quite a few women in Patu but haven't courted any of them. It's an odd observation, I've noticed." Alexander looked up at Mitchel with quizzical eyes.

"There is nothing queer going on," Mitchel said a little too quickly. He held up his hands and gave a nervous chuckle. "I just... have my reservations. The last time a girl came onto me, and I didn't hold back... well, it didn't end well, to say the least."

Alexander narrowed her eyes. "This girl... The same girl you had problems with back from your homeland?" Alexander snapped her fingers together once the memory popped up fully. "Something about her father not approving you?"

Mitchel looked back over the lake and nodded. "Yes." He sighed. "It was something like that."

"Ah... I'm sorry to hear that." Alexander said to fill the silence but not wanting to pry deeper into the conversation. "However, there's been plenty of other girls in Patu that you could move forward with. There's... Violet. The other gentlemen would be devastated once she's off the market."

"That is true, but Violet is, how do you say... a brat?" Mitchel furrowed his brows, deep in thought. He finally nodded a few times. "Yes, I think that sums it up. I can smell crazy a mile away, Alex. Violet is not a nice kind of girl."

Alexander burst out in a fit of laughter. "A nice girl is what you're after, then? No, friend... You need someone to give you just as much snark and banter as you dish out. Someone that isn't afraid to get into trouble. You need someone like–" Alexander stopped once her mind went straight to a dangerous thought. You need a girl like me.

"Don't hold back on me, Alex." Mitchel chuckled. "According to my father, love is a luxury I do not have, and you are off the table for me."

Alexander jerked back at Mitchel's last comment. "What's that supposed to mean? 'You are off the table for me'?"

Mitchel raised his hands and took a step back. "I just mean, you are the only one I enjoy bantering with. You aren't afraid to fire right back. From your own words, I need someone just as snarky." He shrugged. "I do not think anyone would approve of two Dukes marrying."

Alexander took in every word he said and savored it like her favorite candy. She wanted to smile and nod, to say thank you for the kind words. Her thoughts plagued her; however, she knew something was very wrong with how she felt. Her stomach filled with fluttering, and her heart palpitated. Mitchel was dangerous to her. It was becoming more and more transparent.

She stepped back and whispered, "I don't think this will work." She looked at his carriage with a sudden need to escape the situation. "I don't think it'd be wise for either of us if you stayed for dinner." She peered at his eyes to let it sink in the desperation in her words. She wasn't sure she was strong enough to send him away alone.

Mitchel's smile faded. He nodded after a moment. "If that is what you wish, Alex. I can... have Ritz pick up my jacket tomorrow." He turned to walk away. "I will miss your company, Alex. If you change your mind, you know where I will be." He headed back up the path. Mitchel wanted to argue, his mind yelled at him to turn back, but he needed to respect her wishes. There was more danger for her to be his friend than the other way around.

"Duke Mitchel, what a welcomed surprise," Mother turned the corner out of the estate's entrance and bowed. "I do hope you can join us for dinner. I had ordered lamb for tonight."

"Lady Izar," Mitchel bowed deeply. "I would love to join. Unfortunately, I was only here to grab my jacket and did not let my father know I would be gone for so long."

Mother waved at him dismissively. "Oh, nonsense. I will deal with Lord Matthew if it comes down to it. Please, I insist. You must join us for dinner. I know Alexander gets lonely only having his mother for conversation."

Mitchel chuckled and bowed again. "You are much too hospitable, Lady Izar. If you insist, how can I say no?" He glanced back at Alex apologetically and mouthed 'sorry' to her.