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Well, now all they could do was embrace their surroundings and enjoy others’ discomfort.
“Now what?” Vane muttered under his breath. He didn’t look perturbed, just curious, perhaps even bored.
Jo looked up at Richard with a pleading gaze. “Can we just go home now?”
Richard took her hand and pressed her knuckles against his lips. “How about a dance instead?”
Jo hesitated.
“I rather like this idea,” Ashbury said and then winked toward Sam. “Would you honor me with this dance?”
Sam giggled and placed her hand in his, and then the couple joined the others on the dance floor.
Lord Vane offered a hand to Isabel and the latter smiled widely. “Absolutely.”
Richard turned toward Jo and raised his brow. “Well? Would you do me the honor?”
Jo hesitated. “We are just making things worse. I never wanted this for you… I never wanted you to sacrifice your standing in society for me.”
Richard took her arm and weaved it with his before moving toward the dance floor. “My hope for us, Jo, is that one day you stop looking at our union as a sacrifice from my side. My hope is that you stop being shocked when I stand beside you, no matter what. And that you stop even contemplating that I’d be better off without you. My hope for us, Jo, is that you know beyond the shadow of a doubt that I will always, always be your fortress.”
He stopped and turned toward her, and they started dancing.
“I know that, but—”
“Do you?” Their gazes held, not noticing anything around them except for each other. “Because I feel that you don’t. I feel your uncertainty and doubt. And I know that I am the one to blame. Even though you married me, I have a feeling that you have not forgiven me for my atrocious behavior at the house party and a few weeks after. Nor should you.”
Jo swallowed, following the steps of the dance, and staring right at him with her vulnerable gaze. “That sting of betrayal and rejection doesn’t fade easily, but neither do the feelings you had. And still, I have forgiven you. And still, I do not want to cause you pain.”
Richard twirled her around, for the first time noticing the thinning crowd on the dance floor. Then he met her gaze again, and he forgot his surroundings. “You are right. I haven’t changed and neither have my feelings. I just finally understand what those feelings mean.”
“What do they mean?”
The music stopped and complete silence followed. No, the dance hasn’t ended yet. But the hostess had probably asked for the orchestra to cease playing. Probably because of Richard and Jo.
Richard didn’t care. He looked deeply into the eyes of his wife, then pulled her close to his chest. “That I love you. And I am not afraid of that love anymore.”
He lowered his head and kissed her gently. The kind of kiss he’d never bestowed on anyone. The kind of kiss that he hoped communicated his worship of her.
Gasps and outraged whispers followed.
Richard raised his head and said loudly, “This function is rather boring, my darling. How about we continue this at home?”
Jo giggled happily, then placed her hand in his, and together they rushed out of the ballroom, leaving the scandalized guests to their outrage.
