“It doesn’t,” Sadie laughed. “The weather is much worse back home. You are just in a miserable mood.”
“I still don’t see why we have to attend this gathering.” He glared at his mother. “I’m already married, why do I need to socialize with these people?”
Madeleine remained unruffled. “To show off your wife.”
Nicholas finally relaxed against the back of the bench. “She is impressive.”
Sadie waved her hand through the air in a motion she had gotten much better at mimicking after months living in the same household as Madeleine. “I’m a mere curiosity.”
“There is nothing mere about you, Wife.”
“Exactly.” Madeleine nodded once, confident that her opinion was fact.
Sadie didn’t bother to argue, a wise choice as the carriage was already rolling to a stop. “We’re here already? Why did we take the carriage for such a short distance?”
“Because walking not only would have been miserable in this weather,” Madeleine informed her, “but Nicky would have had too many opportunities to make a run for it.”
Nicholas grumbled something both women pretended they couldn’t hear, and got out of the carriage. He offered a hand to his mother to help her down, then took Sadie by the waist and lifted her out of the conveyance. She yelped and grabbed his shoulders, though he settled her on the ground safely an instant later.
“Nick! That’s not how you help a lady out of a carriage,” she scolded, trying not to notice how many people had watched that display.
“I may be here against my will, but I’m not going to behave differently just to quiet the gossips.”
If we scandalize enough people, he added mentally,the invitations might dry up and Mother won’t be able to force us to any more of these events before we go home.
Sadie stifled a laugh.An interesting strategy. I don’t think it will work, but I’m willing to play along.
Good, because kissing you every chance I get might be the only way I survive the evening.Despite his thoughts, he didn’t lean in for a kiss then, though, instead hustling her inside the home that was their destination. Madeleine was several steps ahead of them.
“How did you make it through social events previously?” Sadie asked softly as they made their way to one of the parlors where most people had gathered.
Nicholas grimaced. “Card rooms—though the men are seldom better than the debutantes—brandy, and going home early after promising to send the carriage back for Mother.”
“I can claim I have a headache.”
Nicholas kissed her cheek, an innocent peck that garnered far too much attention. “Don’t cut your evening short on my behalf. If you are enjoying yourself, then I’ll be happy enough.”
“I want to find Beatrice, Jane, and Helen. Apart from talking to them, I’m not sure I want to be here either.” Even after months of practice and with her sapphire to aid her focus, such a large crowd was not the most comfortable for Sadie. And it would only get worse as the night wore on and more alcohol had been drunk.
“There’s Beatrice.” Nicholas pointed his chin toward a corner of the room. Then, instead of offering Sadie his arm, he slipped his around her waist as they made their way over.
“Lord and Lady Marstede,” Beatrice greeted them with a slight nod.
“Sadie and Nicholas, please, Beatrice.” Sadie insisted. “How have you been? Madeleine mentioned you are engaged? Is your fiancé here?”
“No, he is too busy with his work to socialize most days, thank the spirits. I’m only here tonight because Madeleine insisted.”
“So, he’ll work and you’ll be left to your books?” Nicholas asked.
“Exactly so. His work also keeps him in the city most of the year, and I plan to stay at the country estate as much as possible. All in all, it is a good match.”
It sounded rather lonely to Sadie, but Beatrice sounded genuinely content with the situation. And who knew? Maybe she’d discover she had more in common with her workaholic husband than she expected.
“Your arrival caused quite the stir,” Beatrice informed them. “I didn’t see it, but I heard no less than three reports of your behavior before you even entered the parlor.”
Nicholas pulled Sadie closer. “Only three? I was hoping we’d outrage a few more than that.”
“If you are planning to scandalize the hostesses of Linzen, your scheme will fail. If Sadie were an actress or some such, maybe your invitations would dry up, but since she is your wife, you are providing the exact right amount of scandal to make the event talked about.”
