First, she felt tremendous relief. She needed him then as she never had before. She needed him beside her, to protect her, to prove to her that he had not forgotten who she was and how she made him feel. She needed him to show her that their marriage was not over… that he trusted her.
So, she smiled, her shoulders squaring. It was the first time all night that she felt willing to step into the light. What was more, her heart skipped a beat in a way that reminded her of how she truly felt. She had not seen Cassian all week, and seeing him then made her realize just how much she had missed him.
Only as he strode into the room, and all eyes turned to face him, she caught his expression, the glower behind his eyes, and her stomach dropped with warning.
He moved with purpose, with power in each stride. He walked as if he owned the room, as if he expected mountains to move out of his way. There was a hard expression on his face as determination poured from his body; the light in the room flickered as if it was threatened by his very presence. And a hushed whisper trickled from the mouths of the guests.
Isolde’s chest tightened. Her breathing stopped dead. To look at Cassian, she suddenly realized in that moment who he reminded her of. Not the man she had met in her cottage. Not the man whom she had married. But the cold, callous, and wicked duke whom she had once hated and feared in equal measure.
Oh no…
“Your Grace…” Lord Montague approached Cassian at once. “It is so good of you to have come. We were worried.”
Cassian looked pointedly at Lord Montague. “Worried or hopeful?”
“I, ah…” He balked at the sharpness of Cassian’s tone.
“Pray tell, Lord Montague, where is my dear wife this evening? I was told that she was here?”
“She is,” he said quickly as he turned to find her. “Ah, there she is. Hiding away.”
He looked coldly at Lord Montague. “I wonder why.”
With no choice, Isolde took a deep and calming breath and crossed the room to greet Cassian. She searched his eyes as she did, looking for some indication of what he expected. But he remained detached and impossible to read.
“You made it.” She stopped just short of him, offering no more than a simple smile. “I was not sure you would.”
“Of course I was going to, Isolde,” he said to her, his voice low. “There is something…” His brow furrowed. “There are things we need to discuss. I had wondered if we might do it before leaving, but here will have to do.” He looked over the room. “In fact, I think having this conversation here is probably for the best.”
Isolde’s stomach flipped. Had she been right? Was he really going to denounce her in front of everyone? She simply couldn’t believe it. She tried to meet his eyes with her own, to show him that he need not do such a thing.
“Cassian…” Her voice was soft, so it wouldn’t be heard. “Please, whatever you mean to do, can we not talk about it first? There is so much I want to say and I…” She swallowed. “Please, you must give me a chance to explain.”
“Explain?” He appeared confused by the notion. “There is nothing to explain.”
“But there is,” she pressed. “If we can only go somewhere and?—”
“Your Grace!” Mr. Harwood’s voice cut over Isolde’s. She winced and turned just as he stepped away from his friends and started toward them. He wore a triumphant smile, his cheeks were flushed red, and when he looked at Isolde, his beady eyes flashed with sheer delight. “I am so glad you were able to make it.”
“Somehow, I doubt that,” Cassian said.
Mr. Harwood chuckled. “I know you do not think much of me, Your Grace, but in this instance, I think you might wish to hear what I have to say.” He stepped between them and dropped his voice a little. However, with the silence of the room, it made little difference. “It brings me little pleasure to reveal to you the, ah… the revelations that have made their way into tonight’s festivities.” He clicked his tongue as if in disappointment. “I swear I had nothing to do with it. But when I heard them, I could not in good conscience deny their truth.”
“Revelations?” Cassian glanced at Isolde.
“Concerning your wife,” Mr. Harwood pressed. “Somehow, word has spread of her true birth. As you can see…” He gestured to the room, where every single guest watched. “It has caused quite the stir. It pains me, truly. However, as you likely knew, it was always going to come to this.”
Cassian looked over the small crowd. Each to the last watched on with judgment in their eyes, and even anger on some of their faces. And when Isolde looked herself, she winced and cowered back as if she could literally feel their antipathy.
“So, they know?” Cassian asked Mr. Harwood.
“They do,” he said, only to scoff at Isolde. “A secret like that one was always going to come out, sooner or later. Perhaps it is best that it did tonight. A chance for you to…” He chuckled. “To give your side, as it were. No doubt, you are as surprised as the rest of us.” He chuckled again.
“Is that what you think I ought to do?” Cassian asked simply. “Tell me, is there anything I might say to deny these claims? Will I be believed?”
Mr. Harwood looked at him flatly. “You know that is not so. You and your wife made everyone out to be a fool, Your Grace. Surely, you can understand why they are so upset?”
Isolde could hardly breathe.
