"Didn't your duel take place somewhere here?" Alice asked Theodore.

"Yes, the place is not very far," he replied.

"I can't believe I missed your duel and literally everyone else witnessed it," Rosalyn grumbled.

"What if I take you to that spot?" Her husband grinned mischievously.

"Yes, please do," Rosa squealed, already on her feet.

"See? That was more subtle, wasn't it?" Ralph smirked at Alice once they were alone.

"What was?" Her brows wrinkled in confusion.

Ralph signalled to Theodore's retreating back meaningfully.

Alice turned, blinked and then her eyes widened.

"He's trying to marry us off too?!"

"Looks like it," Ralph shrugged.

"It's a good thing we're alone," she said.

"Is it, indeed?" he lowered his voice to a seductive murmur.

"Oh it's about Sir Bates, silly," she swatted his arm.

"What about him?" Ralph sat up straighter, his eyes turning hard. The playful man gone.

"I met him this morning."

"Why?"

"Because he was inside my house, my father does business with him, remember?" She rolled her eyes.

"And?"

"And he mentioned that Bender was missing."

Ralph smiled his satisfaction.

"What did you do, Ralph?"

"Nothing," he murmured, brushing off the nonexistent lint off his coat, not looking at her.

"Ralph..." she said warningly, her eyes narrowed to slits.

"Let it be, will you?" His voice brooked no argument.

"Fine," she huffed, deciding she didn't want to know the sordid details anyway.

"Did he say anything else?"

"No, but I am going on a walk with him tomorrow, I'm sure I'll learn something then."

"You're not going anywhere with that cretin."

"And I should listen to you because?"

"Goddamnit woman! Why can't you heed me for once?" He shouted.

It was a wrong move because her eyes turned to slits again.

When would he learn, Ralph thought to himself.

There was only one way to convince Alice and he was certain that he would more than enjoy it.

He crawled over to her, not stopping until she had no choice but to lie back slightly. She was confused by the sudden shift in his mood.

Good, he thought.

"You drive me mad," he whispered into her ear, forgetting that this was only a way to ensure her acquiescence. She always did this to him.

"What are you doing?" she whispered back, her beautiful green eyes wide with reproach and anticipation.

"I wish to kiss you, Alice. Would you let me?"

She was already on her back now and Ralph was holding himself up on his hands, waiting for her answer.

"It's not right," she said, distressed. And Ralph knew he was half way there to winning her permission.

"Do you or do you not want it?"

"I do," she squeezed her eyes close. The 'I do,' sounding so much like a vow she'd take on their wedding day. A day which would never come. Ralph closed his eyes too, unable to fight the tightness in his chest. He opened his eyes to see her trusting face, her lips parted, waiting for his kiss. He bent his head and gave her what they both wanted.

Her pleasure, her happiness.

Alice's sigh only served to inflame his need.

He fed on her soft lips, drinking in her essence like the greedy scoundrel that he was.

He descended to her neck where her sweet scent tickled his nostrils. It was too much, he couldn't hold himself back...

"Alice, do you like what I'm doing to you?"

She nodded feverishly.

"Do you want me to continue?"

"Oh yes, please!"

"Then promise me you won't meet Bates tomorrow."

"Yes, anything! I promise."

There.

Ralph smiled into her neck. And then he lost himself in the sensation of being so close to her.

After a few minutes, Ralph moved from her, savouring the feeling of his body on hers while it lasted.

She blinked and began righting her appearance, not looking at him. The soft smile on her lips suddenly disappearing.

"Alice..."

"I don't wish to speak with you."

"Why? I thought you enjoyed it."

"Of course, I did. I enjoyed it too much, the way you'd guessed I would. And you used the force of my passion against me, to extract that promise from me," she said frostily.

Ralph swallowed guiltily.

"It's not what you think..."

"It's exactly what I think," she snapped. "I can't believe you of all people did this. I trusted you."

"I did it to ensure your safety, Alice. Bates is dangerous and I don't want you associating with him."

"I am not a child, I don't need anyone to take care of me! I especially don't need men like you," she said, raising her hand to stop him from moving towards her. She needed her wits about her and his increasing proximity wouldn't help that.

"What do you mean? Men like me?"

"Yes. Men who think women are only good enough for bedding and not for marrying."

"It's not like that," he shouted, desperate to make her understand.

"Oh really? Then tell me Ralph, are you willing to marry me?" She sneered.

"No, but..." he started to say but she stopped him.

"That's enough. I don't think I can hear anymore of this." She said, sounding tired.

"Alice..."

She stood up, not looking at his face.

Alice felt a wave of shame. What sort of a woman was she? Had she learnt nothing after Ralston had trampled her heart in a similar way a few years back?

But this wasn't the same.

While her pride had suffered more earlier, she feared that her heart wouldn't escape without more than a considerable amount of pain this time.

He'd all but declared that he didn't want her.

Oh he desired her, that much was obvious. But he didn't want her enough to marry her.

"Why are you speaking such things, Alice? Why do I feel like there's more to this than you let on?" He asked, standing up.

Oh he was as intuitive and observant as ever.

"Why are you two standing?" Rosalyn called, interrupting them, looking rather disheveled. So Alice was saved from Ralph's questions.

"I find that I've lost the taste for this picnic," she said airily.

Rosalyn looked at her and Ralph uneasily. Alice pasted a tight smile on her face, wanting to put her friend at ease.

"If you're not enjoying yourself, we might as well leave," Theodore intoned, putting an arm around his wife, his eyes landing on the mussed blanket.

Alice felt her cheeks turn red with embarrassment. But Ralph stood unfazed, his eyes challenging Theodore to say something.

"Yes, the weather doesn't seem pleasant either. It might rain," Rosalyn said awkwardly.

Ralph, Alice and Theodore looked up at the clear sky ruefully before leaving.