“I look forward to it.” Her smile remained and she made sure he could see it. This had his stomach twisting still, a warmth now joining it which spread through his limbs and to his face.
For a moment, the two simply looked at one another. She was still standing back from him, but not in fear or reservation as before. Rather, it felt as if she was nervous. A curious smile on her lips, those big eyes looking at him from top to tail, Hudson felt a sudden desire to stand taller as if wanting to impress her.
More than that, he did not want this night to end. Never before had he enjoyed the company of another as he did with her, and the thought of this evening ending so suddenly...well, it upset him. This feeling, however, confused him to no end, which had him then wishing for it to end so he could get better control of himself.
“Goodnight,” he said quickly, not certain why he was feeling so flushed, but sensing well enough it had to do with Florentia.
“Yes, goodnight...” She hesitated a moment, looked him over again, and then turned to leave the room, only to pause, consider something, and turn back. “There is one more thing I would like to ask.”
“Oh?” His heart began to race as he suddenly realized where he was...wheretheywere.Surely, she is not going to ask that of me again? Not now? Not after a single night? Would she be so foolish as to do such a thing?
“Forgive me,” she began, which had the duke swallowing. “And please, tell me if I have overstepped...” He felt his hackles rise, not wishing to argue but knowing that he would if need be. “...but after you left, I could not help but read the letter that your stepmother sent you.”
“Oh...” he breathed a sigh of relief. “That is all.”
“You are not angry?”
He blinked as he tried to remember what the letter pertained to. He had been so angry that he’d forgotten it entirely. “I...I confess, I do not remember what she was saying. Nothing good, is my guess.”
“That depends on how you look at it,” she said. “She was reminding you of the Turncott ball next week, asking if you and I would be attending...”
He scoffed. “I bet she was.”
It took him a moment to understand what she was suggesting. The way she looked at him. The hope in her eyes. Not pushing the matter. Not being persistent. Simply opening herself to the idea, while making sure he understood where her mind was at. Really, it was rather well done.
“Oh!” His eyes went wide. “You wish to...you and I...if we might?—”
“We do not have to,” she said quickly. “I just thought it might be...fun.” She chuckled softly. “You have heard of the notion, have you not?”
He looked at her flatly. “I am aware of the concept, yes. But a ball...” He grimaced. “They are not exactly my thing.”
“Nor was marriage, until it suddenly was.”
“Very apt of you.” He said dryly.
She shrugged. “Unless I am getting ahead of myself, concerning the ball. I do that sometimes.”
Ordinarily, Hudson would dismiss the notion out of hand and without thought. He hated balls. He hated socializing. He hated large crowds in which he always found himself the center because, as a duke, eyes tended to follow him wherever he went. No, he did not wish to go, and that was the end of the matter.
However, before he had a chance to say any of this, he found himself studying his wife again. Her eyes, big and blue and innocent. Her lips, soft and supple and wearing a gorgeous smile. Her presence, one which he felt comfortable in like he rarely did with anyone. To say no to her would undoubtedly upset her, and where he knew he should not care...for some reason, he did.
“I will tell you what,” he began carefully. “Let us discuss it on the morrow. We have all week to decide, and if we can somehow get through it without wishing to see the other one dead, then who knows.”
“Was that another joke, Your Grace?”
“No joke,” he said. “Well, the seeing one another dead part was, obviously. What I meant was?—”
“I know it,” she laughed. “I am just teasing you.”
“Oh...” He found himself smiling. “Yes, I probably should have guessed that.”
“Tomorrow then,” she said. “I will see you in the morning.”
“That you shall.”
She held her smile on him for a moment; it reached her eyes and pierced through Hudson’s chest. Then she turned and swayed from the room, making sure to close the door softly behind her.
Once he was alone, Hudson let out a deep breath, his heart racing, his body running hot, his limbs tingling. In the past he had equated such feelings with anger and venomous rage. But in this instance, he felt none of that. Happiness, it was. A sense of joy that was alien to him.
