Page 57 of The Duke and the Hellion Bride

Diana found herself beyond relieved that Magnus had agreed to join her this evening, for she could not imagine having to go through this herself. The whispers, the snarky comments that would have followed, the rumors that would have swelled.

Rather, the feeling of being watched in this current context was not only elating but powerful. There was a sense of command that came with it. She was a duchess, on the arm of a duke, the two most important people in this room by far, and she couldfeelit. Those that watched weren’t doing so in judgement, but in jealousy and awe. The whispers she heard were encouraging. The eyes that followed buoyed her. A magnanimous smile on her lips, she held her husband closer, and the two seemed to float as the crowd parted for them.

“I think she likes it,” Magnus whispered out the corner of his lips.

“Just playing my role,” she shot back. “And try not to slouch. People are watching.”

He shook his head but continued to smile as they waded further through the busy Ball Room. Colorful frocks everywhere they looked. Servants carrying trays of drinks. Music playing softly, ringing from above. Dancing. Laughter. Movement in all directions. It was like so many balls and galas she had been to before, but it was also so very different.

“I should warn you,” Magnus said as they continued to walk to nowhere in particular. “To brace yourself.”

“What for?”

The answer came seconds later.

Once the initial shock of seeing Diana and Magnus together settled among the crowd, like birds chasing seed, the lords and ladies who surrounded them flocked in close and attached themselves in a bid to be the first to greet them.

“Your Grace! Your Grace!” they cried out. “Lovely to see you.”

“You look dashing, Your Grace!”

“What a stunning dress!”

“I see married life suits you!”

“Find me later, we must talk!”

“Not so fast, five minutes of your time, Your Grace.”

“Your hair, Your Grace! You simply must give me your secrets!”

They came from everywhere. Quick and attacking. Mostly, Diana couldn’t tell who was speaking, and she simply smiled and nodded and tried to keep up. Magnus stayed by her, of course, his sturdy and strong presence acting as protection. And it was he who weathered most of the assault.

How long it went on for, she could not say. Finally, after too many minutes, the throng of interlopers began to thin, and she found herself and Magnus speaking to an uppity lord whom she did not know or care to. But over his shoulder, not so far away, she caught sight of perhaps the only person her she wished to see. Evelyn.

“Magnus...” She unlinked her arm. “I’ll be right back?”

“Hmm?” Magnus checked to see what she meant, caught sight of Evelyn, and nodded. “I’ll come find you.”

She was quick to duck around the uppity lord when she made eye contact with Evelyn who saw her coming but didn’t look in the least bit excited to see her. This caused a moment of confusion and Diana almost stopped her approach, and then she saw the reason.

When she did, she wished she had stopped.

“Your Grace,” Lord Herrod smiled in greeting as he stepped around Evelyn. His hand had been on her waist, but he dropped it so that he could reach for Diana’s hand. “Positively splendid to see you again.”

“Lord Herrod...” Diana balked, caught in two minds. One was to turn and run, the other was to say something snarky. But the sight of him so suddenly caught her by complete surprise, which was why she did nothing to stop him giving the back of her hand a wet kiss.

“Oh, do not look so surprised,” Lord Herrod chuckled. “Evelyn tells me that she was good enough to inform you of our courtship.” He stepped back to Evelyn, his hand again finding her waist. “And that you gave us your blessing.”

“She did?” Diana looked at Evelyn for answers, but Evelyn feigned sheepishness, casting her gaze elsewhere.

“Not that we needed it,” Lord Herrod continued. “Married to His Grace, as you are. You have certainly come up in the world, have you not?”

He was just as Diana remembered him. Charming? Perhaps. Cheerful? A little too much. There was a fakeness around the way he behaved, a clear effort to his saccharine temperament that suggested behind closed doors he was nothing like the man she was seeing.

“Yes, well...” She looked past Lord Herrod, trying to catch Evelyn’s eye. “Evelyn, you look lovely tonight.”

“Doesn’t she,” Lord Herrod picked up, not giving Evelyn a chance to speak. “A pearl beyond price and somehow I was lucky enough to capture her.”

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