His eyes widened at the sound of his wife’s soft voice. What was she doing here? Had she come to tell him she wished to moveout? Or perhaps to tell him off for how he had behaved? Both were reasonable expectations, and he deserved nothing less.
Hudson was no coward. He was not one to run from his fears. Thus, although he did not relish what was about to happen, he stood himself up tall, took a deep breath, and bade her enter.
“Come in,” he said.
The door creaked open slowly to reveal Florentia standing on the other side. She stood back a ways, careful not to enter the room—frightened, she must have been. Not that she cowered or reared back. In fact, once Hudson caught sight of her, he took note of the look on her face and frowned. Was that...was that concern?
“Yes?” he barked before he could stop himself. “What is it?”
Florentia hesitated, giving Hudson another second to take her in.
She truly was a beauty, and Hudson’s opinion on that had not changed since the first time he had seen her. With her strawberry blonde hair, big blue eyes, and the freckles that dusted her button nose, she was a picture of perfection any way that he looked at it. Taller than average, slender in frame, she was not willowy and nothing about her suggested weakness. There was a confidence in her gait always, a sense that little might unnerve her, and nothing could dissuade her once she had made up her mind.
These were qualities he had seen in her tonight. Putting aside the biting humor. Ignoring the sharp tongue. It was her presence and assurance in oneself that Hudson had found most alluring; a true duchess, if he had ever seen one.
“I wished to make sure that you are feeling well,” she asked, not timidly, but with that same sense of concern he could see on her face.
“I am fine,” he said shortly. “Why would I not be?”
“You left rather abruptly,” she said, not at all put out by his tone. “I thought it best to double check that nothing was the matter. And...” She bit her lower lip. “And that nothing I did was the cause.”
Why is she being so understanding? Why does she care? Is this a trick? Some sort of joke? Or is it exactly how it looks? My wife, worried for me...
Hudson’s first instinct was defense, and he very nearly snapped at her to mind her own business. But he curbed that notion, for once thinking through the situation as he searched for the right response. She was not here to mock him, and she had done nothing wrong. At the very least, she deserved to know it.
“It is fine,” he sighed, feeling the anger leave him. “And what occurred just now…it has nothing to do with you. I promise you that much.”
“Your stepmother,” she said, taking a brave step into the room.
“Yes...” Hudson’s lip curled. “My stepmother. She has the unique ability to upend me. So powerful is this ability of hers that she does not even need to be in the same room as me.”
She chuckled softly. “That is quite the power. I must ask her how she does it.”
“Ignoring everything I say is a good start.”
“She is that bad?”
“She is...” He sighed again, his shoulders slumping. “She is not worth speaking of. Our history is long and ugly and to speak of it will only upset me. What is important to know is that tonight...” Hudson felt his stomach twist itself into knots. “...I thoroughly enjoyed myself, Florentia. And for that, I thank you.”
“As did I,” she beamed and took another step into the room. “Unexpectedly so.”
“Was it so unexpected?”
She snorted. “Not quite as unexpected as how the night ended. But yes, I did not think it would be nearly as pleasant as it was.”
“I deserved that,” he chuckled. Still, his stomach continued to twist with what he assumed must have been nerves. But as towhy he was so nervous...this was very unlike him. “And it is my hope that we might do it again.”
“So long as you promise not to leave so quickly next time.”
His expression flattened. “And how many more times can I expect for you to bring that up?”
She grinned. “At least a couple more, I would think. Assuming that I do not annoy you in doing so.” He could see her relaxing, and he sighed with relief as he realized she was not going to hold tonight against him. “I would very much like to do it again. For example, I shall be breaking my fast tomorrow morning...”
“As will I.”
“And while I do so love my own company, it would not be the worst thing to have another to break it with.”
He could not help but laugh. “Then I will see you there.”
