“Ah,” Michael said. “Here comes Gregory. Do you know him, Susan? The Baron of Islington.”
“I don’t believe we’ve been introduced.” Susan managed a smile for the red-haired man walking up to join them. A part of her longed to wander off on her own and allow herself to brood over everything that was worrying her, but that wasn’t the best idea, and she knew it. Here was a distraction that might help her settle her nerves. She was grateful for the Baron’s presence.
“Good evening,” he said. He was a jolly sort and beamed at her. “I don’t believewehave been introduced. Who is your charming friend, Michael?”
“Susan has just married my cousin,” Michael explained. “You’re addressing the Duchess of Heathmare.”
“Forgive me, Your Grace,” the Baron corrected himself, inclining his head. He didn’t seem particularly remorseful, and Susan found that she liked that. She didn’t want to see him humble himself. It was enough that he had corrected the mistake.
In fact, it was more than enough. “You can call me Susan,” she told him with a smile, imagining what her father would say if heknew she was granting that permission. “Any friend of Michael’s is a friend of mine.”
He beamed at her. “It seems your cousin has made a fine choice,” he told Michael. “She is the epitome of charisma and grace—and beauty, if I may say so.”
“I would be cautious about what you say,” Michael said mildly. “You wouldn’t want Norman to overhear you being flirtatious.”
“Oh, you know I don’t mean anything by it,” the Baron said with a laugh. “Besides, she’s just being friendly, and so am I.”
“It’s true,” Susan told Michael. The truth was that it was a tremendous relief to talk to someone with whom there were no real stakes. The Baron seemed to like her, and that pleased Susan, but she didn’t have toworryabout whether he liked her. She didn’t need to worry about howmuchhe liked her.
And she didn’t have to lie to him, either.
The realization hit her like atonof bricks. She had enjoyed making up stories with Norman. It had bonded them. It was a connection in a world where everything was changing. But now it occurred to her what a relief it was to be able to stop doing that. She was tired of lying all the time, tired of the constant worry over whether her lies were being believed. To just stand here with the Baron and fully be herself was a relief. She didn’t even feel the need to convince him that she was in love with her husband.
She finished the rest of her wine and searched for a place to set the glass down.
“I can take that for you,” Michael suggested, noticing her trouble.
“I wouldn’t want to put you out,” she said.
“No, it’s not a problem at all. I was just going to search for that butler to get a drink of my own.” He plucked the glass from her hands. “I’ll return this to him while I’m doing that. That’s if you wouldn’t mind my friend here keeping you company for a few minutes? He is a chore, of course, but I’m sure you can manage him.”
“I’m sure I can,” Susan laughed.
Michael walked off, leaving Susan on her own with the Baron.
He looked out at the dancing couples. “You must forgive me,” he said. “I’m being very rude.”
“Are you? I hadn’t noticed any rudeness,” she said honestly. “I’m having a fine time.”
“Well, it’s just that a gentleman standing next to a beautiful lady ought to do her the courtesy of asking her to dance,” he said. “Goodness knows you deserve to be asked, and I haven’t done so.”
She laughed. “Oh, that’s all right,” she assured him. “I just got off the dance floor. I’m happy to stand here and talk.” It was true—but it was also true that the idea of dancing with anyone other than Norman would feel like a shadow of what she had just experienced with him. It was impossible to imagine caring as much about a dance with anyone else, and that wasn’t an idea she wanted to consider in too much detail right now.
The Baron nodded sharply at her. “In that case,” he said, “you and I will simply stand here and talk, and I’ll consider myself lucky…”
He trailed off, frowning.
Susan followed his gaze, and her heart sank.
Norman was walking right toward them, with an unmistakable glower on his face.
CHAPTER 25
Norman’s emotions were in utter turmoil as he walked away from Susan on the dance floor.
It was agony. And over something so foolish, too! She had offered him the perfect excuse for the fact that he had noticed her drink preferences. She had guessed that it had something to do with his desire to show the public that he was in love with her.
I should have just accepted that explanation. I don’t know why I felt the need to protest.
