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“Bodies are one thing, Eloise.” Dorian’s hand near her waist finally made contact, and her breath hitched. “But faces, bodies, and who a lady is become another. And you…”

When he didn’t continue for a moment, she prompted, “Me?”

His mouth tugged at one corner. “How to describe you?” She didn’t interrupt this time. Eloise let him think. “You have a way of making me wish to get closer.”

“Yet you do not,” she vexed.

“No.” The helpless laugh he gave was music to her ears, perhaps more beautiful than the melody playing over the village. “No, I do not.”

“And if you let yourself?” She dared to lean in closer, dropping her voice into a tone she was discovering she quite liked to use. “Would it be so disastrous? If we went home for dinner, as you wish, what would we do? What would we speak of?” Before he could answer, she let her hand trail up his back, only slightly, within polite means. “Would you sit close to me, instead of a whole table apart?”

Dorian’s face was a mask of amusement, as if he held a secret she did not know, but he knew she wanted to. It was the first time she saw true mirth towards her.

He did not answer, and before she could press, the music died down, readying for the next song. Dorian parted, releasing his hold, and Eloise exhaled, utterly set askew. Still, she stayed at his side as he guided her away from the dancers.

She said farewell to Brianna as she took Pickle’s leash back, and smiled at the group of children she had spoken with earlier. Dorian said his goodnights to other villagers, while Eloise sought out the man who had spoken to her upon arriving.

His face was flushed as he bowed deeply to them. “Good night, Your Graces,” he bid.

“Good night, sir,” Eloise said. “And next time, no matter how minor you celebrations may be, His Grace and I would be honored to join. Merely send word.”

Dorian nodded his agreeance, and then he urged her toward the other end of the village to where he had left his carriage.

Chapter Fourteen

“Ithought we were going to have dinner together,” Eloise said, confused, as Dorian guided her up the grand staircase.

Dorian turned to give her a warning flash of his eyes. “Have you no patience?”

“I do not know what I am being patient for,” she argued lightly. “I have not eaten properly in some time.”

Dorian ignored her, instead taking her by the arm to continue up the stairs. He reached her chamber, reaching in front of her to open the door.

Emily had retired for the night, but Dorian kept looking out at the hallway as though anticipating something.

“Am I keeping you from something?” Eloise asked, not testily, as she sat down on the edge of her bed.

It felt entirely too intimate to have her husband in her bedchamber at this hour. His sheer presence seemed to draw all the air from the quiet room, charging the stillness with a low, thrumming heat that made her skin prickle beneath her gown and her heart quicken in expectation.

Her question was disrupted by Pickle bounding up on the bed, and she swore she saw a brief flicker of amusement on Dorian’s face as Pickle wagged his tail at him.

Instead of pressing him further, Eloise finally relaxed.

“Thank you for the dance,” she told him. “I am sorry I protested so much, but it was truly a fun night. I cannot believe we were not invited. Not that I believe we should be, but I wish the villagers did not think it beneath us.”

For a moment, as Eloise petted Pickle, Dorian was silent. Then he answered, “The late duke barely visited the village. He only passed through if he traveled, and that was not enough.”

There was something sharper to his voice, and Eloise wondered if the not enough was because Dorian wished his father had been gone more, or if he had interacted with the villagers more often. She also noticed how he often said late Duke, not my father.

There was distance in his voice, but he cleared his throat and went on.

“I received word this morning of the twin calves, and I was told in passing on my way out of Oldcliff if I agreed to the villagers celebrating. I gave my permission, of course, but there was no expectation for me to attend. I would have, but errands kept me away. I did leave you a message.”

Eloise pouted a little, her heart sinking. “Yes, yes you did.”

“I do not ignore my village.” It sounded almost defensive, as though everything he did was carefully arranged, and anything missed had to be defended just as intricately.

“I know.”