“Oh no...” Florentia said.
“What is it?” Elias turned around and saw to what she was referring. “Ah. This should be interesting.”
“Can I ask you something?” Florentia began, still watching her husband, who was speaking to his stepmother with his arms crossed and a disgruntled look on his face. She, on the other hand, was animated and lively, looking a little too pleased with herself.
“If it’s about our stepmother, I would not presume to tell you why Hudson and she have such a cantankerous relationship.”
“You do not know?”
“I do,” he said. “But it is not my place. If he wishes for you to know, then he will tell you.”
She nodded her agreement, while also wondering if that day would ever come. As close as she and Hudson were growing, they certainly weren’t at a point in their relationship where they shared history and traumas...or rather, Hudson wasn’t at thatpoint. A closed book was how she read him, and when they did speak it was surface level, and she was careful not to pry.
How will we ever grow closer if he refuses to open to me? Unless it is a conscious effort not to do so?
Nonetheless, Florentia knew a bad situation when she saw one and figured now was a good time to swoop in and rescue her husband before it was too late. However, she never got the chance.
She watched it happen. Hudson, throwing his arms in the air in anger. Florentia, shaking her head and rolling her eyes. Hudson, hands clenched into fists now as he glared at her. And finally, him storming off as if his coat had been set ablaze.
He powered through the crowd, toward the back of the ballroom, heading for the balcony. With such haste did he move that he didn’t waste time dodging the crowd, figuring rightly that they would jump out of the way when they saw him coming.
“That is...not good,” Elias sighed. “I suppose I should go speak with him.”
“No...” Florentia took him by the arm to stop him. “I will.”
“Are you sure?”
No, she was not. But she sensed an opportunity in this, a chance to take what was a solid foundation in their growing relationshipand guide it to the next level. Whether the duke wanted such a thing or not...I suppose I am about to find out.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The cool night wind whipped at Hudson’s face as he reached the balcony, providing a perfect contrast to the flush of his skin and the fiery rage that burned hot inside of him. He powered across the balcony, reaching the railing where he leaned against it as he stared across the estate, trying to regain his composure.
I cannot keep allowing that woman to frustrate me, as she so often does. Worse, she seems to enjoy it. As if proving that she is so capable of getting under my skin confirms in her mind that I am not someone to be respected, but can be manipulated and used at her own discretion.
With a few deep breaths, he felt himself calming down. To think, he had been enjoying himself before he had bumped into his stepmother. The evening hadn’t been nearly as bad as he had feared. And the reason for that was so obvious that even Hudson could not deny it.
Just the thought of her—his wife—had him feeling considerably better. He could not explain why, but he felt comfortable around her in ways that were an anathema to what he thought was normal. Dammit, he might have even gone so far as to say that he enjoyed spending time with her.What have I become?
Feeling slightly better now, he turned to walk back inside but came to a sudden stop when he saw that he was not alone, as he had thought.
“What are you doing out here?” he said in sharper tones than he intended.
“Oh...” Florentia hesitated. “I...I saw what happened just now.” She bit her lower lip, her brow furrowed. “And I wanted to make sure that nothing is the matter.”
“Why would it be?”
“Your stepmother...” She did not approach him, standing back as if she had stumbled upon a tiger in the wild by accident. “She said something to upset you, and I wished to?—”
“I am fine,” he snapped before he could help himself. He was not angry at Florentia for coming to check on him. If anything, a part of him felt warmed by the notion that she would even care. He was angry at himself, that he had given her cause for concern in the first place.I look weak and pitiful, and she can clearly see it.
“Are you sure?”
“I do not need to be checked up on,” he said. “I am not a child.” He grimaced at his response, guilt swarming him because he saw the hurt it caused in his wife’s eyes.
The balcony was dark, but the light from inside created a silhouette behind her. Dressed in dark yellow, her white skin seeming to glow, her beauty was angelic and once again Hudson found himself wondering how someone so pure could want anything to do with him. Why did she waste her time? Why did she care? It made no sense! And Hudson hated not understanding things.
“We’re leaving,” he said, putting his head down to walk past her. “Now.”
