“Stop right there,” he snarled, grabbing Leah’s hand and wrenching her out of Lord Eaton’s grasp. His wife whirled around to face him, her mouth agape. When she saw it was him, her eyes grew wide as well.
“Dorian!” She cried. “What are you doing?”
“It should be very clear what I am doing: I am stopping you from dancing with Lord Eaton.”
“Your Grace, I don’t see what the problem is,” Lord Eaton said, drawing himself up, a shocked expression on his face.
“You know very well what the problem is,” Dorian said, looking daggers at Lord Eaton. “This is my wife, and she will dance with no one but me tonight.”
“But--” Lord Eaton was flabbergasted. It wasn’t at all uncommon for married women to dance with men they weren’t married to;in fact, it was more unusual for husbands and wives to dance together.
“And even if she were to dance with someone else, itcertainlywouldn’t be you.” His eyes bored into Lord Eaton’s.And you know why.
Lord Eaton flushed. He glanced at Leah, who still looked to be in shock, then back at Dorian.
“Have it your way,Your Grace,” he spat, then turned on his heel and strode away. Dorian watched him go without regret. What did he care if Lord Eaton spread rumors that he was rude and possessive over his wife?Let everyone know that she is mine.
“What was that?” Leah hissed, and he turned back around to see her glaring at him. She didn’t appear to be in shock anymore. “Youare the one who said I am allowed to do what I want, to lead a separate life from you! And now I cannot even dance with a gentleman without you putting a stop to it?”
Dorian didn’t answer. Instead, he took her hand and began to lead her toward the dance floor. She followed, unresisting, and soon, they had joined the other couples who were waltzing around them.
A flicker of a smile passed by Dorian’s lips.The waltz. I taught this to her.She clearly remembered his instructions, because she danced gracefully and effortlessly in his arms, allowing him to lead confidently. Several long minutes passed, during which they said nothing to each other. But slowly, as he led her throughthe steps, the anger on her face dissipated, until it was replaced with wary watchfulness.
“Why are you acting like this?” she asked at last, the words soft and sweet in his ear. “You say you want us to live separate lives, but your actions tell me something else.”
Dorian didn’t know what to say. Everything sounded like a lie. “I’m just doing what any husband would do if a former suitor approached his wife,” he said at last, knowing she wouldn’t believe it for a moment.
She gave him a small, skeptical smile, but answered only , “You almost sound like a real husband.”
Dorian’s heart clenched, and he tightened his grip on her hand and waist, pulling her in closer to him--much too close. He knew he was holding her in a way that was highly improper, but he didn’t care. Her eyes widened, and her cheeks flushed.
“Iamyour real husband,” he muttered, so low that only she could hear it. But he knew she had heard it, because he saw the way her cheeks reddened even more and felt the way her hands began to tremble.
“But--” she began, in a tiny whisper.
“And don’t you forget it,” he interrupted. He was enjoying himself a little now, the power he clearly had over her. She was not immune to his charms. And he was clearly not immune tohers. Something wild and uncontrollable was taking over him. His will was shattering. And along with it, the part of him that could keep her at bay.
The music ended, and they stepped back from one another, bowing and curtsying tentatively. Then he offered her his arm, and she took it.
“Shall we go home?” he murmured, as he led her from the floor. “I think we have caused enough of a scandal tonight already.”
And it was true: all around them, eyes were following them. H is confrontation with Lord Eaton had not gone unnoticed.
Without a word, she nodded . He nodded as well, relieved. Every inch of him was longing to get her out of her--to get her alone.
Cloaks collected, they were just nearing the doors of the ballroom when someone stepped out in front of them, blocking their exit.
Dorian froze, his hand instinctively tightening on his wife’s arm while at the same time, he drew himself up to his full and considerable height.
It was Lord Benedict Dubois.
Leah felt as if her heart had stopped. The last time she had seen Lord Dubois, he had been threatening to marry her against her will, having barged into her family’s house. Now, he was standing right in front of her, a sickly sweet smile on his face.
Next to her, Dorian had gone completely still, and his hand, which had already been resting on her arm, tightened. At the same time, she felt him move closer to her. He loomed a little taller as his spine straightened.
If he hadn’t been beside her, Leah was afraid she might have fainted. But with Dorian there, she knew there was no reason for her to worry, even as her heart beat with fear. Despite the conflicts they had experienced since their wedding, she knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that Dorian would protect her from this man. That he would protect her with his life, if he had to.
“What do you want, Lord Dubois?” Her husband said, taking a step forward and angling himself between her and Dubois.
