Page 33 of A Duchess to Reclaim

CHAPTERNINE

“If you appeared this nervous in the red rooms, no wonder you drew attention to yourself,” Dominic muttered, appearing by Amelia’s side.

His hand slid along her back, and with it came a spark of heat that nearly made her gasp.

It had been several days since he’d left her panting and trembling with need in the sunroom and her body had still yet to recover. Her nights had been plagued by feverish dreams with the darkest of acts; leaving her with no sleep and emphasized her discomfort. But that wasn’t why she was nervous.

“I do not get nervous at theDevil’s Masquerade,Your Grace,” Amelia said quietly under her breath, looking over their sea of guests. “It is where my heart feels most free. This-”

She paused, waving a hand toward the party, “- is myhell.”

Dominic chuckled,chuckledat her, and of all things, leaned down to kiss her temple. A show, no doubt, to their guests that they were a dedicated couple.

“If you would have been more careful we could have avoided this,” he murmured, making lazy strokes with his finger at her lower back. “Perhaps you should remember that in the future.”

Amelia’s eyes began to narrow with despise, but she stopped herself before her full snarl could set upon her face. They had an act to perform tonight, and she would be damned ifshewas the reason it was unbelievable.

As per his request, she had laid out the party to his exact specifications. The rooms were assigned to different party activities. They had a cigar room, a ladies card room, the gathering salon, and the ballroom; all of which had live music. There were also several game being coordinated on the lawn, for those to spend their time in the evening sun.

The vittles and libations were also made to the order. Delicate, delightful little treats that barely needed a single bite to accomplish, and small glasses of fresh lemonade and sparkling white wine.

The London house was even decorated with the season’s acceptable colors; a powder blue, pearl white, and sandy brown. She’d had a new dress made to match. A white satin base with a golden lace overlay on the skirt, and a powder blue bodice. Not a stitch of her favorite color was to be found- only serving to make her more uncomfortable.

Still, she thought Dominic no one was surely more uncomfortable than Dominic. He too had given her orders to have a suit tailored to match hers, and seeing him outside his usual dark colors gave her just the tiniest taste of revenge. He was trying to hide it; trying to pretend he didn’t care. But she’d caught him tugging at his pale blue cravat twice and fisting the edges of his sandy-brown jacket to straighten an imaginary crease. The pale colors did nothing for his dark hair or silver eyes; making him appear almost…normal.

Good,Amelia thought. If she had to suffer, at least he was suffering a little too. She smiled at the idea, and reached up a hand to wave down to one of the guests who was waving up to her- a lady’s name she couldn’t recall, but a face she recognized as one who had once adored gossiping about Amelia’s failed first marriage.

“How long do we have to do this for?” She asked through her smile.

“Until we put any and all rumors of you straying from me to bed,” Dominic replied in the same fashion.

“And how are we to do that?” Amelia asked with a sigh.

“We pretend we are a happy, normal couple, and put any unsavory questions to bed with a smile and rational explanation. And if that does not work, I pull them aside and make them aware that their darkest secrets are mine to do with as I please.”

She glanced at him. He’d spoken so softly, so normally, as if he hadn’t just spoken of vengeance but of the weather.

“You’ve done this before,” she said, realization dawning on her.

“I have done what I needed to win,” Dominic replied, returning her glance. “And Ialwayswin.”

“Now smile dear,” he instructed, taking her hand. “I am about to make our welcome speech.”

He then gestured to the nearby servant, who rang a bell. The crowded foyer came to a silence as all of their guests looked up toward them.Everyonehad come.

“Friends,” Dominic shouted, his tone more cordial than she’d ever heard it, “My beautiful wife and I thank you deeply for attending our little soiree. The Duchess and I welcome you into our home. Today we celebrate many things…”

A round of surprisingly loud applause went through the air after Dominic finished his speech, as if the people below had never once spoken ill words of her behind her back. Before she knew it Amelia and Dominic were walking into the crowd, being parted by the guests that eagerly waited to talk to them.

“I’ve got you,” Rose whispered, pressing herself against Amelia’s side as a group of ladies came toward them.

“As do I,” Theo promised, appearing at her other side.

Amelia gave her friends a smile of appreciation, and though her entire body rebelled against it, she went into the fray, and started conversing.

* * *

“We’re midway through this gaudy ruse. What have you heard?” Dominic asked, shutting his study’s door.

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