Alexio and Adelina exchanged a swift glance. Their assessment of how to escape this situation aligned perfectly.
"This way." Seizing his wife's hand, the Duke strode rapidly toward the exit. The audience members still present gaped in astonishment as the elegant couple departed the theater with such evident urgency.
"As I thought—it **is** them!" Excited cries filled the hall.
The man cast a quick glance at the gathering crowd and quickened his pace further. Fortunately, the theater owner was already waiting at the door, his expression a mixture of alarm and professionalism.
"Your Grace, this way!" Following the man's urgent directions, Adelina and Alexio slipped out through the rear entrance. The moment they climbed into the automobile and pulled the doors shut, the commotion became muffled—distant and manageable.
"I believe we should depart immediately." Without awaiting his wife's response, the Duke started the engine and guided the vehicle swiftly out of the narrow alley.
"Oh my **God**..." Stunned by the sudden turn of events, the girl unexpectedly burst into laughter. It was not the reaction Alexio had anticipated.
"Weren't you frightened?"
"Of course I was frightened. But isn't it rather **thrilling**? In the play we just watched, the characters also flee hand in hand at the finale."
"I see. Well, as I mentioned earlier—I wasn't watching the play at all."
"What—" The girl, who had been laughing merrily, instantly flushed crimson. "Did you say that deliberately?"
"Say what? Do you believe I'm teasing you intentionally?"
"**Obviously**." Adelina replied with an air of wounded dignity, as though offended by the entire world.
But in the Duke of Pembroke's eyes, even this petulant expression appeared attractive. Perhaps he had simply lost his mind? Alexio found himself recalling their first meeting. Back then, the girl had resembled an emotionless porcelain doll—capable of producing nothing beyond a carefully practiced smile.
_That face held no interest for me whatsoever._
The same could not be said for **this** face—sparkling with genuine emotion, radiating life, never growing tiresome no matter how long one observed it. The man, who typically concerned himself only with matters that would yield tangible results, now found himself enjoying her mere **presence**.
_This is truly strange._
Despite everything, he felt no desire to resist the feeling.
Alexio turned the steering wheel with deliberate care. Their date was far from over.
---
The automobile traveled for some time until it finally left the capital's boundaries behind. Adelina lowered the window, savoring the pleasant breeze and the peaceful atmosphere surrounding them. She found herself enjoying even the way the wind tangled playfully through her hair.
They drove a little further before seemingly reaching their destination. Alexio exited the vehicle first, circled to the passenger side, opened the door, and extended his hand to Adelina.
The girl stepped out and surveyed her surroundings with curiosity. Judging by the well-maintained road, people frequented this place—yet it was so remarkably quiet that the stillness seemed almost peculiar.
"We're going there." Alexio pointed ahead.
When the Duchess turned her head, a small stone building dominated by an enormous bell tower came into view.
> **Barclay Monastery**
This was inscribed upon the weathered sign at the entrance.
Adelina tilted her head back, gazing up toward the tower's apex. The round stone structure seemed oddly familiar.
"Is that the bell tower visible from the estate?" The girl found herself particularly drawn to the pointed, triangular roof. When she opened her bedroom window, she often heard the distant chiming of bells—a sound that invariably brought her a sense of peace. "From the estate, it appeared so small..."
"It's considerably more impressive at close range." Adelina nodded, her voice filled with admiration. Of course, she had understood intellectually that the bell tower was larger than it appeared from such distance. But its actual scale proved far more striking than she had imagined.
"Let's proceed." Alexio guided the girl toward the entrance. The small iron door was secured with a substantial padlock.
"It appears we cannot ascend."
"Why not?" Hearing his wife's faintly disappointed tone, Alexio chuckled softly and produced a key from his pocket.
"Why do you possess that key?"
"Princess, have you forgotten that I am the Duke of Pembroke? This monastery operates under the patronage of the Pembroke family. Obtaining the key presents no difficulty whatsoever."
The lock opened with a satisfying **click**. Adelina had anticipated a long, winding climb up narrow stairs—but to her surprise, inside awaited an antique elevator operated by a hand winch. Thanks to Alexio's steady effort, they both reached the top in short order.
"Here we are."
Stepping from the elevator and ascending a final flight of steep, narrow stairs, the couple emerged into open air. A fresh breeze greeted them—reminiscent of the wind felt in a swiftly moving automobile. Adelina, feeling the gusts play through her hair, moved slowly forward. Leaning against the low stone railing, she gazed in wonder at the panorama spread before her.
"**Wonderful!** Everything is visible from here. And over there—that's the estate, isn't it?" She pointed excitedly toward a tiny cluster of buildings. The man nodded in confirmation.
"Yes, that's it. If you look in that direction, you can see Pembroke Manor. In the opposite direction lies the outskirts of the capital. And there, in the distance, the port."
"The port?"
"Yes—the very one from which we sailed on our honeymoon."
Adelina, listening intently to Alexio, moved quickly to stand beside him. And indeed, she could discern the sea and harbor in the distance—as miniature as the Pembroke estate itself.
"**Incredible**..." the girl whispered, almost involuntarily. The enormous estate—so imposing when viewed from its own grounds—the endless sea, and the bustling capital—all of it appeared small and serene from this elevated vantage point. The entire world seemed gentler from up here.
"Do you like it?"
"Yes. It's **amazing**." Adelina replied, never removing her gaze from the sweeping landscape.
Leaning against the parapet beside her, Alexio allowed himself a genuine smile.
In truth, visiting the bell tower had never been part of his plan. His original itinerary had been far more conventional: an elegant dinner at a refined restaurant, leisurely tea, a pleasant drive through scenic routes, and a return to the estate. A perfectly standard scenario.
But all his careful arrangements had collapsed the moment he entered the theater with Adelina. Her eyes—sparkling with fresh impressions, alive with wonder—had sparked something unexpected within him. She was like a fledgling bird, openly displaying every emotion in response to new experiences. And Alexio found this quality remarkably **refreshing**.
The Duke of Pembroke's world was saturated with complexity and intrigue. Since childhood, he had never permitted himself to relax completely—to be sincere without strategic reservation. But with Adelina, who neither pretended nor concealed her emotions, he discovered he didn't need to hide his true self either. And this realization was so exhilarating that he found himself wanting to prolong the pleasant sensation indefinitely.
How might this be accomplished? The answer presented itself with elegant simplicity: he needed to continue providing Adelina with new experiences.
Alexio recalled the previous night—how he had watched with equal pleasure as his wife's expression transformed throughout their conversation. He finally understood that beneath his impulsive invitation to spend the day together lay much deeper feelings than he had ever suspected in himself.
Had the Duke ever experienced such a pleasant sensation before?
Certainly, he had taken satisfaction in his achievements—in the tangible fruits of his relentless labor—but that represented an entirely different category of contentment. What Alexio Pembroke felt toward Adelina was something **pure** and **sincere**. And yet, simultaneously, so vivid and captivating that he longed to experience it again and again...
Was that strange?
"What would... you like to do on our next date?"
The unexpected question caught Adelina entirely off guard. She turned to look at the man with evident surprise.
"Will we have another date?"