Page 63 of Wedded to the Ruthless Duke

Philip put down his punch glass on a nearby table, very aware that the bowl of the glass was somewhat at an angle to the spindle now. He crossed the room himself, making his way fast toward the group.

He caught Eleanor’s eye first. All semblance of laughter and smiles on her face faded. Through her spectacles, she looked at him with narrowed eyes, clear suspicion in her gaze.

As Philip reached the spot where Grace and the Marquess of Morton stood together, he halted, waiting silently for one of them to notice his arrival.

“You look quite beautiful this evening, Your Grace,” the Marquess said smoothly. He took Grace’s hand, about to kiss the back.

Philip’s eyebrows shot up in alarm.

Out of the corner of his eye, he was aware of Violet and Eleanor elbowing one another, both staring at his face though he didn’t care.

“MyGrace.” The words erupted from Philip’s lips.

Violet and Eleanor were both staring at him openmouthed, glasses halfway to their lips at the words.

The Marquess of Morton had spun around fast in alarm, and Grace’s face was at last fully visible to Philip. The smile vanished from her face, and she looked at him with perfect hatred.

“What did you say?” she hissed.

“MyGrace,” he happily said again for her to hear, capturing her hand with ease. He took the champagne glass out and passed it to Eleanor, who took it in a fumble, then he took a firmer hold of Grace’s hand and led her away. As he left, he was sure to glower once at the Marquess of Morton, who now looked to be trembling in his fine court shoes.

“What the hell are you doing?” Grace said angrily as Philip threaded her arm purposefully through his.

“Joining the dancers.”

“Are we? So kind of you to ask first,” she said with full irony. “What did you do that for? You know perfectly well the Marquess of Morton was not flirting with me. He was simply being kind.”

“You forget something, Grace.” Philip halted at the side of the floor, looking her straight in the eye as the last song ended. “Just because I know the man’s inclinations doesn’t mean I have to like seeing him touch you.”

Her lips parted. Before anymore could be said between them, he towed her onto the floor.

They took the places of the dancers leaving, joining with others. In the quiet, they were unable to keep talking. They had to wait for the music to start, when they bowed and curtsied together then he took her hand and led her into the first movements of the dance.

A slow and steady cotillion, the feeling dramatic — it was a strong and purposeful dance. With steady steps, they walked around one another, holding just one hand each.

“I am adding a new rule to our list,” he whispered to her as they released one another and walked the other way. This time, they did not hold hands.

“Another? Aren’t there enough stifling ones already?” she muttered, looking him in the eye with that defiant way he had seen so often in her.

“You must not let another man touch you,” he whispered in her ear as she turned to stand in front of him, facing him.

“I cannot believe you have suggested such a thing.”

“Why not?” He took her hand and turned her under his arm, repeatedly. She kept whipping her head around to look at him again. “You are my wife now, Grace.”

“And what of a casual hand touch? Or if a man was to help me in and out of a carriage? Are all things banned?”

“Completely.”

“You arrogant —”

Yet whatever else was in her list of insults was broken off as they were forced to step away from each other. They circled other dancers, joined hands with groups of four, and completed a whole circle here too. When they came back together, he took both of her hands and turned her around. The locking of their arms brought her face closer to his.

“This is exactly why I thought marriage was a bad idea, why I never wanted it in the first place.”

“What do you mean?” he asked as they walked around one another in a syncopated step, their locked arm position keeping them close.

“I detest being told what I can or can’t do in life. I’m a human being, Philip, not your lapdog.”

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