Page 30 of Forbidden Lord
He reached for her arm. “We’re friends only. She knows I’ve missed you.”
She pulled free and stormed through the dining room as she said, “Well, Charles, I have to go.”
Without another word, she left him there.
Matteo waited for her and she slipped her hand in his, taking strength, but then Charles followed her out into the ballroom where the guests all waited.
Her heart beat fast as she made her way through the crowd. Charles went toward Anna as Matteo asked, “Was that Charles with you just now?”
She couldn’t quite meet his gaze. “He followed me when I went to check with the staff.”
Matteo took a step in their guest’s direction. “Do I need to have the staff remove him?”
Her lips parted with surprise. She squeezed his arm and hoped Matteo was reminded of their earlier connection. “No, I think he said whatever he needed to say and it’s done now.”
“What did he want?” Matteo turned his back on all the guests to ask.
This was rude. She pushed on his shoulder to get him to face the people who all had drinks and appetizers as she said, “He said he wanted to marry me.”
“He knows you’re my wife.” His arm tightened around her waist possessively.
Sheena positioned them both in a slight twirl so no one would say that she and Matteo were rude hosts. “Naturally.”
His head butler, Simone, waited by the door, which meant that the meal was about to be served. Matteo said, “I’ll have the staff remove him.”
She trembled and glanced at Charles who was currently speaking to a duke she’d just met and his lovely American wife. “Don’t. There is enough room for me to avoid him, and it’s better for everyone to see how happy we are together.”
Both doors opened to the dining room. Simone lifted his butler’s staff and announced, “Dinner is served.”
Matteo took his position at her side and walked with her into dinner, right after the royal family.
Sheena calmed as she realized that things were going according to plan. The staff had dressed in navy blue Korbel livery colors embellished with gold. Fresh flowers accented the gilded formal room that could double for Versailles’ Hall of Mirrors.
Matteo scanned the room with pride. “Sheena, you’re amazing.”
Good. This had required a lot of planning, especially because it was such short notice. Fiona and Simone were thrilled to participate in her joining of Avce society and bringing people into the house as the Villa was meant to be seen. Every fork was in place. In a quiet voice she said, “I’ve actually never eaten at a table built for two hundred in a hall. At my father’s restaurant, there were small tables to serve, but it was more easily managed without staff having to disappear behind tapestries.”
He guided her toward her seat as hostess that was unfortunately not next to him as he said, “Enjoy your dinner. We’ll talk about Charles later.”
“Matteo?” She took his hand before he walked away.
He stared down his nose and asked, “Yes?”
She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “I am happy to be your wife. Don’t get jealous because nothing’s changed.”
“Good to hear.” He walked around the long table and took his place as the host of the evening, beside the king.
He deserved every second of tonight’s success. They were a team and she’d done this to increase his social standing from illicit parties to polite society as well as introduce herself. She intended for them to take their place with heads high. Charles was nothing compared to her husband.
Chapter 12
Matteo Korbel, Count of Golchin, knew three things in life. One was that men like his father didn’t deserve to be honored. Two was that when you found something good, like Sheena, then you held onto it. And three, men like Charles, who currently was dancing with the woman who’d brought him to the party, were not to be trusted.
In other circumstances, Matteo might have befriended the man out of spite to his father, who had been born into the peerage but had never treated one person in his life nobly.
Sheena had gone with the royal family to ensure their comfort as they looked at the paintings, so she wasn’t in the ballroom that he oversaw as host.
Stefano came behind him and patted him on the back. “Matteo, what’s going on?”
