“No, I don’t believe so.”
“Then why do you glare?”
He blinked, trying to smooth his brow. “I don’t.”
“Then you’re not mad? Upset? Annoyed? Dealing with indigestion?” She prodded him teasingly.
By the end, he was hiding most of a smile. “Not at all, but I thank you for your concern.” The song shifted rhythms as he brought her closer. Something about it made his heart lighter as well.
“And you’re certain nothing is wrong?”
“Nothing at all,” he reassured her.
“Good, because I do enjoy a pleasant dance,” she informed him with a wink before being sent off to another circle.
Dominic immediately missed her warm hands in his. He lingered a moment to watch her before turning as well to follow in line with everyone else.
Could it be this? Her? Everything feels more natural before, as though we have always known one another. Like we have always danced together.
He pondered this as they finished the dance set before going off to the side. Taking Verity’s hand in his felt correct. He missed her hand when they were separate. She smiled more, he liked to think, as did he.
As Lady Isabel came around to speak with Dominic, he took his leave to retrieve drinks for them. “Thank you,” Verity called after him.
Finding there were no trays or servants on the outskirts of the ballroom, he moved into the next where there were several tables set up. The drinks were mostly gone now, glasses missing, whilst lined up in the back of the room.
Dominic had only spotted them when Cassian appeared at his side. “Might I have a word with you? In private?”
He didn’t bother to hide his annoyance. Frowning, Dominic tightened his jaw and nodded. Talking in private offered no promises of friendly conversation. Maybe the viscount didn’t know how to do that.
After following him over to a side room, Dominic watched the gentleman begin to pace while rubbing his hands together. But he said nothing and it wore on Dominic’s patient; he knew Verity would wonder about him eventually. “What is it now, Cassian? More secrets?”
“I am not the one at fault with secrets,” the viscount announced.
“I beg your pardon?”
Cassian crossed the room over to him. His eyes were narrowed and sharp upon him. “Live your life as you desire, I don’t care. But we are family and you are married to my sister. How the match came to be doesn’t matter, but I will insist you respect Verity.”
“I was just retrieving her drinks.”
“I saw, Your Grace.”
He raised an eyebrow, still attempting to make sense of Cassian’s blundering ways. “What exactly do you think you saw?”
“I saw you disrespecting my sister out in public. She’s a duchess, and she deserves to be treated delicately. I will not have it said she made a bad match,” the viscount added with a sharp huff.
Annoyance was creeping into something stronger. Restraining the urge to lash out, Dominic demanded, “When would I have disrespected my wife? In public, of all places?”
“I saw you with those young ladies! In the street. I thought about calling you out right there, but I told myself no, I won’t give Verity cause to feel shame. I mean what I said, your Grace. My sister should be valued. You are fortunate to have someone as fair and talented as she. Verity should never be allowed to feel hurt or embarrassment over your actions. I see you smiling at her now, but I will not have you acting behind her back when she isn’t there.”
By the end of his tirade, Cassian was jabbing him in the chest and huffing over the matter.
Hands tightened into fists. Dominic forced a breath. Then he brushed the hand away and stepped back. Even if the viscount was going to be unreasonable, it didn’t mean he had to stoop down there as well.
He moved back to do some pacing on his own; he would not speak out of turn. All the while, Cassian glared.
“Well?”
“Do you intent to call me out?” Dominic asked abruptly.
