CHAPTER15
Callum had arrived far too early for Theo’s gathering.His friend had punished him for it by making him sit in the parlor alone with his thoughts.Well, perhaps that was going too far.Theo had never been on time for anything in his thirty-two years, let alone early, so the fact that Callum had to wait alone was really on himself.He paced the room, staring at the clock on the mantel as he awaited the arrival of the ladies to this party.
Only when he heard sounds from the hallway did he freeze.There was Valaria’s voice, rising above the rest.She laughed.God, that laugh.He so rarely heard it when she was so guarded with him, but it was beautiful.
The door to the parlor opened and the ladies streamed in, all chatting at once.Valaria noticed him first and came to a sudden halt two steps inside the room.She stared at him, eyes widening, lips parting like she had drawn in a sharp breath.
She wore a black gown, of course, a stark reminder of her mourning that made his stomach clench.Her hair was done simply in a chignon at the base of her utterly kissable neck, but she was still the most beautiful woman in that room.In any room in any place on earth.
“Your Grace,” the Duchess of Sidmouth said, crossing the room with a hand outstretched.Her dark green eyes were trained on him.“How nice to see you again.”
“Your Grace,” he returned, taking the offered hand and briefly pressing his lips to her knuckles.“And Your Grace.And…er, Your Grace.”
All of them laughed then, even Valaria, and it snapped some of the tension from between them.
“It’s rather silly, isn’t it?”the Duchess of Sidmouth said.“And so hard to track.But you know, it seems this little group of five is becoming…” She glanced back at Valaria and smiled knowingly.“…fast friends.Perhaps we could forgo all the Your Gracing and simply go by our given names if we are gathered.”
Valaria was blushing and Callum arched a brow.It seemed she had been telling tales.Though he had no idea what that meant for their relationship that she would tell her friends something about it, but he couldn’t believe it was bad.Especially since the other two duchesses were being friendly enough.
“Flora,” the Duchess of Sidmouth said.
“Bernadette,” the Duchess of Tunbridge added with a little blush of her own.
“Though I think our dear Lightmorrow calls youEtta,” Flora teased her gently.
“Andheis the only one,” Bernadette said, a little sharper though her eyes still danced with humor.
Flora motioned to Valaria.“And I think you already know what our lovely friend’s given name is.”
“I do,” he admitted softly as he moved past the other two women to where Valaria still stood just inside the entrance to the parlor.“Valaria.”
He drew out every syllable of her name, tasting each one on his tongue.
“Callum,” she murmured, her pupils dilating.
He leaned over her hand to kiss and let his lips linger a moment too long.As he straightened, he whispered, “I do love hearing you say my name.Moaning is better, though.”
Her mouth dropped open a fraction, but he didn’t allow her to respond.He merely spun back to the rest with a wide smile.“Our dear host is running late, of course, so I will stand in his stead.What might I get you ladies to drink?”
Flora and Bernadette each gave him their request and he poured two sherries and one madeira.He took the wine to Valaria last.“I think this is your favorite, yes?”
She stared.“Y-Yes.How did you know that?”
“I darkened your halls too many times over the years not to know,” he said.“And I remember everything.”
“That sounds almost like a threat,” Flora laughed.“It’s unconscionable for a man to remember everything.”
“Everything good then,” he corrected himself.
“What is good?”came Theo’s voice from behind them.The group turned as he entered the room, a wide smile on his face.
“Youare late to your own party,” Callum said, “and have missed a great deal.We are all going by our given names, but I refuse to share what they are with you because you are so terribly rude.”
Theo snorted out a laugh.“I do like the idea of shedding all the Your Gracing.And I know all the names of these lovely ladies.”He extended a hand.“Flora.”Flora nodded.“Valaria.”Valaria smiled.Then Theo stepped toward Bernadette.“And Etta.The best for last.”
Bernadette ducked her head.“You are being ridiculous,” she said, perhaps a little breathlessly.
Callum watched the exchange.Theo was always flirtatious—it was his nature—but the way he smiled at Bernadette was something different.Perhaps it was only because they’d apparently known each other as children, but Callum marked it regardless.
