“You can hardly blame my nerves seeing that every person in attendance is talking about me.”
“About us,” he corrected, and the look she returned to him was incredulous.
“Yes, about us though they are likely wondering what a wallflower like myself is doing on the arm of a handsome and wealthy duke.” Joseph raised his brow at that, and she seemed to catch herself. “Objectively speaking of course. I would be quite unfair not to admit that you have an appealing appearance.”
“As do you, Catriona,” he assured her. “You are the furthest thing from a wallflower.”
Her sigh was silent, but he saw it in the descent of her shoulders. “Likely because of my dress.”
“But mostly because of your apparent beauty.”
Surprise had her looking at him with a frown, studying him as if she could not quite figure out if she should believe him. Joseph didn’t know why he was going out of his way to make her feel beautiful. It was certainly true, and it was unfortunate that she did not think the same about herself, but what did it matter to him?
Catriona said nothing in return, but her gaze fell on his cravat once more before she looked away. Joseph still couldn’t tell how she felt about it. He’d done it as a show of good faith, of obvious union. One could easily tell that they were just more than a speculated courtship when they saw that they wore matching hints of tartan. He thought it would be rather easy to show the world that they were betrothed without having to subject himself to too many questions about the matter.
But when Catriona had walked into the drawing room of Heaton Manor, when she’d finally noticed the cravat around his neck, Joseph couldn’t remember all the sensible reasons for having the cravat made. He only wanted her to like it.
He still couldn’t tell if she did. And hell if he was going to ask her about it.
They stood in silence, watching the buzzing ballroom before them. Ava and Maisie had left their side nearly immediately upon arriving, and judging by the way Ava waggled her eyebrows at Joseph, he could only assume that it was intentional. He shifted on his feet, wanting to break the quiet, wanting to see where her mind was at.
“When will we be married?”
Joseph choked on the sip of wine he’d just taken, quickly fishing out his handkerchief to dab at his lips. Catriona innocently sipped her lemonade.
“I beg your pardon?” he rasped in between coughs.
“Why are you so surprised? Is that not an acceptable question for a bride to ask?”
“Acceptable in private, certainly. I did not think you would want to have such a conversation in a place such as this.”
“There isn’t anyone close enough to overhear,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “I do not think we should waste any more time on the matter. In fact, I am quite surprised that you have not already broached the topic. You were the one so desperate to be married.”
“I was not desperate,” he argued.
She was unperturbed by his quick disagreement. “Eager then,” she clarified. “Either way, you were the one who wished to be married.”
“Yes, while you seemed to have convinced yourself that you were destined for a life of spinsterhood. How could I have forgotten?”
His droll tone made her scowl. “I wasn’t trying to argue with you.”
“Interesting, since your words would suggest otherwise.”
Frustration blazed in her eyes, matching his own. Even so, he couldn’t help but notice how adorable she looked when she furrowed her brows like that. He wondered if she knew that herbottom lip jutted out a little further than usual when she was trying to hold in her scowl.
Catriona sighed. “Won’t you just answer the question?”
“What was the question?” he asked, surprising himself by how natural it was for him to want to annoy her. That bottom lip of hers grew even more pouty.
“The wedding, Joseph. Surely you do not intend for us to remain betrothed forever?”
Joseph drained his glass. He hadn’t wanted to have this conversation here, had wanted this night to pass at the very least, but… “I have already received a special license. We could have the wedding tomorrow if you wish.”
Her head swiveled around to him. “Tomorrow?” she squeaked in horror.
The sight was enough to send amusement ricocheting through his bones. Interesting, he thought. It had been years since he’d last felt the urge to laugh, and now, he was constantly on the verge of it after meeting Catriona and her family. The look on her face right now would have sent anyone into a fit of laughter.
“It doesn’t have to be,” he assured her. “But we could if you wish it. Though I imagine that you must wish to plan the wedding along with your sisters.”
