“I have to say that I am quite curious about what will happen tonight…”
He nodded his head to acknowledge her words but still did not look at her directly. “What is there to be curious about? It will be like any ball. Drab, lengthy, but it is important that we make an appearance.”
She folded her hands in her lap. “That last bit is exactly what I am referring to. This would be… our first appearance as a husband and wife.”
“Oh…” Realization suddenly washed over his features. Had he somehow forgotten that they were married? “You are right. I did not consider the optics of it.”
“I know how curious members of the ton are going to be, as most of them did not get invited to the wedding. I expect to be flooded with questions, as will you,” Frances admitted, a tinge of nervousness in her voice.
It was something that she had thought about a great deal since this morning.
“Right, then. How bad could it possibly be?” He shrugged his shoulders, leaning back in his seat. “It is not as though it is an anomaly for the ton to be nosey.”
Frances bit her lip, growing impatient. “Christopher, I do not think you fully understand what I am trying to convey to you…”
“What?” He finally looked at her.
“Do you not think that…” Frances fumbled for the right words. “Well… that we might be at risk of being discovered?”
Christopher raised an eyebrow, looking thoroughly confused now. “Discovered? Frances, our marriage is not a secret. In fact, I would go so far as to say it is the most talked-about marriage this Season.”
Frances breathed out a sigh of frustration. He did not understand what she was trying to say at all.
“What I mean is”—she gestured between the two of them—“this… this thing between us. I am worried that someone will discover that our marriage is not real.”
Christopher’s expression changed, from worry to amusement. “Frances, is that what you are worried about?” he demanded, looking at her closely.
“Yes. I am afraid that I do not think of myself as the best liar, and some of the women will definitely press me for details.”
He leaned over and touched her shoulder gently. They both started at the contact.
“I think you are thinking too much.” His voice was lower than before.
“Do you really believe so?” she pressed.
“I do. Besides, if anyone is too suspicious, then we can just put up a show for them.”
His eyes lit up as he said the words, and she gulped loudly, not bothering to question him about what the ‘show’ entailed.
“I just wanted to let you know,” she clarified, “lest there is a problem that we will have to deal with later.”
“There will be no problem,” he assured her confidently. “You should have more faith in us.”
She hung onto his words for the remainder of the carriage ride, which thankfully was not too long.
Faith in us? What is that supposed to mean, exactly?
She did not have much time to ponder over it, as they had arrived at the venue.
As soon as they entered, it felt like the room fell silent for a fleeting moment. Frances could feel the stares she was getting, particularly from the gentlemen in the room.
She was not accustomed to such attention, and she hid behind Christopher, feeling the weight of the stares and whispers. In this new dress, she felt every bit the Duchess she had become. But nervousness still churned inside her now that it was her moment to shine.
Even Christopher seemed to have a change of mind, too. He was unusually tense. He placed a protective hand on her lower back as they navigated the crowd.
Again, another thing that was unusual for him.
His usual easy smile was missing, replaced by a tight-lipped expression and a furrowed brow.
