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Bill kept her busy with a second dance, and when that finished she was grabbed by Ned Fry and swung onto the dance floor again. It continued like that for the next thirty minutes. Prudence thought she'd collapse from the exertion, but she was having so much fun that her body adjusted and she kept on dancing.
She caught sight of Zac stalking the sidelines of the dance floor like a predatory animal. He looked coiled and ready to attack. Her sensible side warned her to join him and soothe the beast within him. But her womanly side, the one that enjoyed seeing a man seethe with jealousy, especially since she had never experienced this sensation before, cajoled her to push further. And she did.
She entertained three more partners, smiling, swirling, and having the time of her life. By the time she walked over to where Zac stood, she was flushed and breathless.
"Oh my," she said, smiling up at him and taking several deep breaths. "I didn't know dancing could be so much fun."
He stood with his hands behind his back and a stern expression on his face. "Enjoying yourself, are you?"
"Very much," she answered honestly. "And I'm very thirsty." She thought he might act the gentleman and get her a glass of cider, but he remained still, not moving an inch.
Prudence looked around, ignoring his obviously bad mood, and spied the cider bowl. She licked her parched lips in anticipation, pressed her hand to his chest, and gazed up into his dark eyes. "I'm going to get myself a drink."
He grabbed her wrist, keeping her hand solid against his chest. "No you're not. I'll get it."
Her stubbornness asserted itself. He was acting quite the heavy-handed husband. And she would have no part of it. "I’ll get the cider myself." She tugged at her hand to free it as she stepped to walk away. She was brought to an abrupt halt when her hand was not released but met with even further resistance.
"I'll get it," he said, sounding as though he were issuing a threat instead of offering his assistance.
Not wanting to cause a scene, she nodded.
"You wait here," he ordered. "And don't dare let me see you on that dance floor again." He dropped her hand and marched off.
Prudence could only stare at his retreating back. He was behaving quite oddly. Why should he care whom she danced with? Or how often she danced? He acted like a jealous husband. And their marriage status really did not warrant it. Perhaps it was for the benefit of those around him, or possibly for the sake of his image. It wouldn't look good for him, an infamous gunslinger, to have a wife who openly disobeyed him.
Prudence shrugged, tired of trying to understand his odd mood, and turned to watch the dancing. She was grabbed instantly by Old Bill.
"Come on, gal. We're gonna kick up our heels in a reel," he said, tugging her along beside him.
She had only a moment to look back and see Zac, glass in hand, looking furiously at her.
Prudence had never laughed so hard or had so much fun in her life. She wasn't familiar with the steps, but Old Bill directed her with such skill that it didn't matter and in minutes she was swinging along with him.
Old Bill deposited her at Zac's side when the dance was over. "Got yourself some gal there. Not only pretty, but a good dancer. You're a lucky man." He slapped Zac on the back and walked off.
Before Prudence could say a word to him, another man came up to her and asked her to dance.
"No!" Zac said menacingly. "She's tired."
"That wasn't pol —"
"Don't bother," he snapped. "I'm not in a polite mood."
Prudence was annoyed by his grumpy attitude. "Then perhaps we should leave, since you seem so displeased with the evening."
He grabbed her hand. "My precise intentions."
Prudence was being hurried past people who called out "Goodnight" and "Glad to have met you" and "Hope to see you again." She answered as best she could, feeling herself blush when she heard the word newlywed followed by giggles.
Zac didn't bother to slow down once outside. He kept up the brisk pace, pulling her right along.
There was a bit of a chill in the air tonight and Prudence felt it through the light cotton of her blouse. It tingled her warm skin, flushed from so many dances.
Zac paid no heed to the briskness of the weather. He just marched straight for the cabin. Once inside, though, he immediately saw to building a small fire in the stone hearth. That task accomplished, he turned in full fury on Prudence, who was shaking the wrinkles from her nightgown.
"I thought your refined upbringing taught you better than to act as you did tonight."
Prudence stood wide-eyed with her mouth agape. She couldn't believe what she had heard.
