“Ah. Then, you know that I am a sensible one.”
He looked down at her, then. She had been looking at him all along, her gaze intense. He could think of so many things he should tell her—like that if something happened to her, he’d be left in an empty void. That he would be reduced to nothing. However, he deemed those words too dangerous. So, he kept quiet.
But he did the next most dangerous thing. He bent down to kiss her lips. Her hand reached for his jaw, returning the kiss.
It had become so natural between them, these kisses. For him, it was a language in itself.
“Please be safe. That is all I ask,” he groaned against her lips.
Her smile lit her face, and her eyes sparkled with quiet joy. He lowered himself, pressing a soft kiss to them, tasting the gentle moisture of her tears, and felt something fragile and precious stir between them.
Not all their moments together were quiet, though. They also had to attend social events as if they had nothing to worry about. The Hereford soiree was their next test. As usual, it was an event of color, sound, and scent.
Victoria remembered how her entrances during the past were met with smirks and upturned noses. Those reactions could be for anything: her loud ways, her pushy mother, or the way she did not meet the expectations of society as a whole. When she had her twenty-first birthday without a fiancé in sight, it got worse.
Tonight, people still watched her when she walked by. This time, though, Richard walked beside her. Not only that, she knew that he was truly with her. His hand was always touching her elbow or the small of her back. She wondered if she would again be banished from society if people thought they were inappropriate in public.
She could not help but smirk at that.
Not everyone had a titled and handsome husband as she did. Of course, they would complain about his touches when their husbands were too cold, too distant, and probably hiding a mistress in the countryside while they gossiped about other people’s lives.
Victoria loved how Richard walked as if he did not have a care in the world for anyone there. Yes, they were surrounded by aristocrats, but he was among the few who had truly mastered wearing a mask of indifference while also knowing where and how to scan the crowd.
“They are staring,” she whispered behind her pretty fan, adorned with purple lace flowers. She only lowered it whenever she smiled at the other guests.
“Oh, let them. We know how they are,” Richard drawled. “There are plenty of reasons to stare at you, duchess. One, they may still be gossiping about what should already be old chitchat. Two, and most importantly, you look beautiful. Devastating.”
She blushed at that. She had to control herself from swatting her husband. There was nothing wrong with flirting with her own husband, but she knew that she must project a blameless facade.
When a waltz began, Richard brought her to the center of the ballroom. He was making a statement. It was a dance that only the bold were comfortable participating in so far, but the two of them made it easy. At this point, they knew each other’s bodies and movements well enough. Victoria no longer had to counther steps. By following his lead, the two of them danced fluidly together.
After a moment, she began to be more aware of the whispers.
“The duchess looks radiant,” a dowager said boldly, not caring if anyone heard.
“And the duke had never been this attentive. He looks smitten! Perhaps the rumors about the child being his are pure gossip. I heard the child was his cousin’s …”
“Yes. It does look that way. Can you imagine dancing like that with your spouse if you knew of their infidelity?”
Success. People were now widely accepting their story. Unfortunately, the night was not perfect. It was close to becoming one, but as the night started to fade, they encountered Lord Penwike near the grand staircase. The man did not even hide his displeasure.
“Your Graces,” Penwike drawled.
Victoria could feel the oiliness beneath the polite greeting. It made her skin crawl.
“It’s a remarkable evening, isn’t it?” he continued, as the couple watched him warily. “Another event with the two of you out and about. Does it mean that your little addition does not affect the way you live your life? Then, it looks like everything is justdandy. It is, after all, very generous of the two of you to take care of a child of uncertain origins.”
Victoria felt the heat the dance generated dissipate quickly. Penwike had brought a cold that she could not shake off easily. Everything around her felt suddenly frigid, and Richard had frozen, as well. Then, she felt him step forward.
“Richard,” she warned in a volume only meant for him.
Her hand moving towards his was also meant to be just as stealthy and comforting. “Don’t.”
She wanted to tell him that the marquess before them was nothing more than a small man who was trying to feel big. She believed that he was not worth the effort, even though he could be menacing.
Her husband’s gaze remained fixed on Penwike, but his fists unclenched not long after her touch. Victoria took it as a sign to step forward. This time, she met the marquess’ gaze straight and with her chin tilted.
“Lord Penwike,” she said in a clear voice, not too low and not too loud. “One should concern oneself less with the faults of others and more with one’s own. Good evening to you, my lord.”
