Page 56 of Married to a Scandalous Spinster
At that, Henrietta's mother stepped forward, ushering her daughter toward the ballroom. “Thank you for the invitation, Your Graces,” she blustered. “I do hope you have a pleasant night.”
Gemma smiled crookedly as she watched them make their way toward the back of the house. She let out a long breath. “A pleasant night. Indeed.”
Wyatt chuckled, planting a quick kiss on the side of her head. “That went about as well as I had anticipated. Are you all right?”
Gemma flashed him a smile. “Of course.”
Wyatt looked up as Jonah strode through the door, dressed in a blue velvet tailcoat with double-breasted brass buttons. He took off his top hat and handed it to Fielding, who was waiting at the door. Wyatt shook Jonah's hand firmly and clapped him on the shoulder. “Anderson. You've no idea how glad I am to see you, old man.”
Jonah laughed. “Are you now? Is this night of nights not going as smoothly as you had hoped?”
Gemma hid a smile.
“Well,” said Wyatt, “it began with a delightful encounter with Miss Henford and her family.”
Jonah's eyes drifted past him to glance down the passage that led to the ballroom. “Is that so?” After a moment, he turned back to the couple, planting a kiss on Gemma's gloved hand. “Your Grace. You look divine.”
Gemma's cheeks flushed slightly. “Thank you, Lord Anderson. I am glad you could come. It seems my husband is in need of some less critical company.”
Jonah laughed brassily. “That's me, Your Grace. Less critical.”
Wyatt smiled. He realized with a pang of guilt that the last time they had spoken, he had not asked Jonah about his recent escapades. He had been so caught up in his own thoughts of the ball that he had neglected to ask his friend about the affair he claimed to be having with a married woman. He made a mental note to ask his friend about it later when Gemma was not around.
With Gemma on his arm, Wyatt made his way toward the ballroom. His mother, he noticed, had gone on ahead of them with Miss Henford and her family, the lot of them no doubt bemoaning the fact that Henrietta was not Duchess of Larsen. He looked over at Gemma, trying to catch her eye.All right? he tried to ask her wordlessly. And it seemed he had been successful, as she gave him the faintest of nods and a smile. She had her chin lifted and her shoulders pressed back; his fine upstanding Lady Gemma, who would not let petty schemers like Henrietta Henford and her family get to her.
Wyatt felt his heart swell in his chest.I love her. The thought came to him unbidden and caused a sudden intake of breath.
She looked over at him. “Has something happened? Are you all right?”
He pressed his hand against hers and squeezed gently.Everything has happened.Youhave happened.“Yes, I'm perfectly all right.” This new knowledge that he loved her was unmooring, but strangely, it was not frightening. And in a way,perhaps, it was not new at all. Perhaps a part of him had always known it. In the past, he had always shied away from getting close to a woman—indeed, one of the reasons he had agreed to marrying Miss Henford was that he knew he would never have any feelings for her, and his life would go on much the way it had before. He would be safe and secure in the knowledge that he would never have face the vulnerability of caring so deeply for anyone other than himself.
Wyatt had always assumed that marriage would change nothing when it came to his heart. He would still spend each night out on the town, ready to slide into bed with whichever lady happened to catch his eye.
How wrong I was.Never in a million years had he imagined he might fall so hard for his own wife. And never in a million and one years had he imagined that wife might be Lady Gemma Caster.
Well. Maybe that last part was not entirely true. Because from the moment he and Gemma had woken up in bed together at the Henfords' party, she had been firmly entrenched in his mind. He had known there was something special about her from the moment he had opened his eyes and felt his heart quicken at the realization that she was beside him. And all right, yes, from the realization that she was having a fine little exploration of his most private of parts.
He chuckled to himself. His fine, upstanding Gemma. How mortified she must have been!
“What is so amusing?” she asked him, her voice low.
Wyatt flashed her a smile. “Nothing. I will tell you later.” Once they had gotten through this confounded ball; once the two ofthem were safely tucked away in his bedchamber, he planned to tease her mercilessly. Because now that he thought about it, he really had not gotten enough mileage out of that blissful little incident.The moment when she stole my heart.
He fought back a sudden urge to kiss her, knowing it would be highly inappropriate to do so here and now. He had promised Gemma he would never shame her again, and ravishing her in the doorway of their own ballroom was the perfect way to do so.
Then again, maybe that was exactly what thetonneeded to see. Maybe if they saw how much he cared for his wife, and how deep and authentic their marriage was, it would put an end to such outlandish stories as Gemma's fictitious affairs.
In any case, it would certainly show his mother.
He hurriedly pushed the thought away. It was far too tempting a prospect to dwell on.
Gemma caught his eye and laughed slightly. “Whatareyou grinning at? Something has obviously amused you. Tell me now.”
He shook his head. “Later.” All he wanted to do was send the guests home and take his wife upstairs so she could show him her new nightgown. And then they could spend the night in each other's arms, just as he had promised. No more foolish talk about sending her away to Devon. No more pretending this was just about siring an heir. Tonight, he would tell her just how much he loved her. The thought left him feeling slightly breathless. And more than a little vulnerable. But it also felt impossibly right.
He led her into the ballroom. It was already beginning to fill with people, the soft hum of chatter mingling with the tuningup of the string orchestra and the sharp clink of glasses. The housekeeper and her charges had outdone themselves this evening. Large floral arrangements in tasteful pinks and yellows decorated the corners of the ballroom, with smaller bouquets in the middle of each white-clothed table. The buffet was spread with an endless array of hors d'oeuvres and colorful sweetmeats, and champagne glasses arranged in pyramids behind the bottles. Overhead, the large chandeliers glittered with candles, their soft light casting a warm glow over the entire ballroom.
“Oh.” Gemma let out a soft gasp. “It's beautiful. The room has utterly transformed. I must be sure to thank Mrs. Walsh in the morning.” Wyatt saw her lift her chin and inhale deeply. He smiled to himself, knowing the sight of the ballroom had bolstered her confidence a little.
