Chapter 145 - It made him nervous

Alexandre chatted with old acquaintances, drank wine and repeatedly let his gaze wander across the hall. She had disappeared from his sight far too long for his taste. It made him nervous. He knew that she was bored at such gala evenings, so he let her roam around. He had asked her great cousin to accompany Lily for the evening, since Leticia Panswick was acquainted with London society. But most likely, her cousin was guiding Lily through the museum's exhibitions. Since Leticia herself wasn't an enthusiastic visitor of evening parties either, just like his Lily. At least the daughter of Viscount Panswick knew these rooms very well. After all, Lord Panswick was the curator of this museum and according to the background report his daughter was a very level-headed, calm young lady who, devoted herself to archaeology, just like her father. Alexandre would have described her as a wallflower with a tendency to a bluestocking. But he would never say that in front of Lily. If his wife liked the company of this bluestocking applicant, he could not care less, as he saw no potential danger in her. Besides, there were always two bodyguards near Lily, who would shadow her and intervene as soon as a situation escalated.

Nevertheless, Alexandre pulled his mobile phone out of his pocket and sent a message to Caligula. He had made up his mind. A reply promptly followed with the whereabouts of his wife. Barely a minute later, his bodyguard stood at the entrance of the Greek-Roman section and led Alexandra to Lily's whereabouts. His way led him through a dimly lit corridor with figures made of white marble, up to the hall hung with the Elgin Marbles.

From far away he could already hear their muffled voices. But under the girls' feminine chant was mixed a deep, droning voice. A dark line was drawn between Alexandre's eyebrows as he identified a third person. Steering towards the girls, he noticed the pink cheeks of his wife talking to the stranger. Without him noticing it, his steps had speeded up. His frustration was growing. "You've been away for a long time." He said, putting his arm around her waist, pressing her back against his chest. A shiver of relief came over him as he felt her in his arms. Confused, she looked up at him. "Oh... Um, we were just looking around a bit."

"Salvatore Costonucci." The stranger stretched his hand out, which Alexandre seized without hesitation. Yet the stranger's suddenly frozen gaze did not remain hidden from him.

"Alexandre de Valois. I'm afraid I don't know you yet. An acquaintance of my wife?" Alexandre's voice was quiet as he watched the youngster. Too many men have been swarming around Lily lately behind his back. It was incredibly depressing, he couldn't take his eyes off his wife for even a second without the next admirer kneeling at her feet. Strange that this realization bothered him. Jonathan was right in what he had said, she was just another woman. She was not Danielle. Whatever it was, it didn't feel good at all.

"You are married, Miss de Clermont?" The boy asked. A silent rage rose up in Alexandre. He would have liked to correct him - she was not a miss, she was a married woman! A madam! And she wasn't a de Clermont, she was a de Valois! His wife! He wished he could have thrown those words right in his face. But he only pushed Lily even closer to himself. Surprised, she raised an eyebrow and looked at the man. A gentle smile on her lips. He felt the tension in his expressions. Alexandre wanted to shake her, forbid her to ever smile at him again.

"Yes, we've been married for two years." But her gentle words managed to stem the storm in his chest again in this unexplainable way. Strange that her words had such power over him.

He smiled. "It has been two very happy years during which my wife has given me a splendid heir." He affirmed her words nonchalantly. Lily gasped for breath in surprise. He reached for her hand, crossed his fingers with hers and let their hands rest on her belly.

Her brows rose as he spoke. Her face was now crimson.

But Leticia's big eyes, scarlet cheeks, wide open mouth and her blatant look, which stared at Alexandre with a mixture of shame, amazement and shock, finally drove Lily's curiosity to the top.

She twisted her neck just to catch a glimpse of Alexandre's expression. She could not shake the feeling that his behavior was more than strange. Like he was staking out his territory. She shook her head. These thoughts seemed so absurd to her that she immediately rejected it again. Whatever Alexandre wanted to achieve with this behavior, she could not fathom it from his words.

But at the sight of his friendly and understandable facial expression, she was as perplexed as before.