She frowned. “I did not mean anything by it. I was simply agreeing with you.”
“No, not that. My stepmother. You have met her? When?”
“Oh...” Florentia blinked. “It was a week before our wedding. She paid me a visit.”
“She...” His jaw was clenched, and she noticed that he was shaking. “She paid you a visit. To what end?” He was glaring at her now, the letter he was holding scrunched into a ball in his hand. “Well?” he barked.
She flinched. “It was nothing. She simply wished to meet me, was all. She was curious who you had chosen to marry and wished to...I do not know.” She smiled nervously, offering up a vain chuckle to try and diffuse the sudden hostility. “To ensure you had made the right decision.”
“Anything else?”
Florentia did not understand what was happening. Why this sudden turn? Why the sudden anger? She did understand, however, that she needed to choose her words carefully. “Just to assure me that... that you were a kind man whom I should not believe the rumors about—that I was lucky to have been chosen by you. She had nothing but kind words to say, I promise you.”
She knew right away that she had said the wrong thing.
Hudson closed his eyes and took several ragged breaths. His body was shaking. His previously mellow disposition had evaporated. He was furious! And Florentia could tell he was doing everything in his power to keep this fury at bay.
“She goes too far,” he spoke through a clenched jaw. “The nerve of her... the presumption! I have half a mind to...” He growled and pushed his chair back, standing suddenly. “That woman is a menace!”
“It was not all bad,” she hurried. “Honestly, she was only trying to help.”
“Sticking her nose in where it does not belong!” the duke barked. “That is what she was doing! And believe me when I tell you, it was not for good reason. No...” He shook his head. “Where my stepmother is concerned, is never is.”
Florentia held her tongue this time, and she was glad that she did. The duke had lost control completely, and she found herself hoping he might leave before doing or saying something he would regret. Which, thankfully, he did.
“I am sorry for the way this evening has ended,” he said, still clearly enraged. “But I am afraid I must excuse myself.” And with that, Hudson turned and stormed from the room.
Florentia watched him go, as perplexed as she was utterly bewildered by what had just happened. The evening had been going so well, the two had been enjoying one another’s company. Dammit, she had been having a good time! All it had taken to ruin it was a single letter.
Speaking of which...
Florentia saw that Hudson had left the crumpled letter behind. Unable to help herself, she snatched it up, unfurled it, and read its contents.
“Huh...” She read them again, wondering now if it was the mention of his stepmother which had upended him or the letter itself. Nothing scandalous or upsetting, at least not for the average person. If anything, for most married couples, it might have caused excitement.
It was an invitation to a ball being hosted next week. One which Florentia had the distinct impression she and Hudson would not be attending.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Well, I might have handled that better...
Hudson paced his bedroom as he worked to calm himself down. Still, he shook with anger, and still his heart raced from the sheer fury which raged through him like a rabid dog.
He did not like feeling this way. Anger. Frustration. Vexation. Any emotion which undid him as had just happened was not one which he wished to give in to, preferring a state of calm and control. Anything less than that was a weakness. Annoyingly, when it came to his stepmother, good sense and reason left the room and it was all he could do not to start breaking things.
What was she thinking? Seeking out my wife after I told her specifically not to. Disobeying my direct orders! And why? Because she simply cannot help herself.
Worse yet was how he had just left things with Florentia. That, as much as anything, was why he was feeling like such a damnedfool. And to think, the evening had been going so well. They had been speaking pleasantly. They had been getting along. Hudson had managed to steer through the social nuances of the night without making a mockery of himself. He might have even gone so far as to say that Florentia was having a good time.
She was, quite possibly. Now, I have no doubt that she is searching for a means to abandon this marriage, this estate, and me. For her own safety, if nothing else.
Perhaps this marriage was a mistake? That was what Hudson chose to focus on as he paced. Yes, from a business point of view, it was a huge success, that much was clear. Now, however, Hudson was forced to consider that there was more to a marriage than the money it might bring him. Dammit, he found himself caring about Florentia and what she thought of him. So concerned was he that he could not imagine having to face her again, for the embarrassment he would feel at the way he had acted might just undo him.
And after tonight, there was little chance she would ever want to lay eyes on him again?—
A soft knock at the door had him starting.
“Your Grace...” a voice spoke from beyond the closed door. “Hudson?”
