Chapter 14
Chapter
Fourteen
Feeling illogically as though Theo had heard her complaint, Elowen took his hand without meeting his eyes.
“Do you enjoy dancing?” Theo asked her, as they took up their positions.
“Often,” she told him. She looked carefully up into his face. “It depends on the partner, of course.”
He held her gaze for so long, her heart started to speed up. When he spoke, his words caught her by surprise.
“You look beautiful tonight, Elowen.” Theo’s voice was a deep rumble. “I don’t believe I told you that when I greeted you this evening.”
Or ever. The words were on the tip of her tongue, but she held them in.
“Thank you,” she managed.
She should be elated by his compliment, but her emotions were too tangled. Was he saying it because Flora had basically prompted him? Did he really admire her as the other princess claimed? Or were his own words about sacrifice, however humorously spoken, closer to the truth?
Elowen moved smoothly through the dance, her eyes focused determinedly away from her partner.
She recognized the troupe of musicians. They were one of her family’s favorites for castle events.
They boasted a musician-craftsman among their number, a fiddle player who used the motion of his bow to embellish the performance with sparkling flashes that danced throughout the ballroom periodically, like miniature indoor fireworks.
One burst over the head of a nearby couple, causing the woman to give a cry of delight.
“That’s a pretty trick,” Theo commented.
“Yes.” Elowen watched as a sparkling shower zoomed over their heads and dissipated.
“Is everything all right?” Theo asked her after a prolonged silence.
“Yes, I’m sorry,” she said quickly. “I…was lost in thought.”
Theo pulled her close as the dance required, and her thoughts became even harder to gather as she found herself a mere couple of inches from the firmness of his chest, and felt an unyielding arm circle its way around her waist. What was wrong with her?
How could she both delight secretly in his strength and confidence, and also be irked that he was too confident of her?
“What’s troubling you?” Theo tried again, as he spun her out away from him.
Extremely familiar with the dance, Elowen performed the step with graceful ease.
She drew in a relieved breath as the distance loosened her mind a little, allowing her to cast around for an acceptable answer other than her convoluted thoughts about him.
“I’m concerned about Simeon, after what you told me. Sophia’s concerned too, but I don’t think she’s telling me everything.”
“I see.”
Theo’s distant tone of voice told her at once that her choice of excuse was a mistake.
She suddenly remembered the moment outside the library, and she waited for him to express his displeasure.
But he said nothing, just continued the dance in cool silence.
Elowen was annoyed with herself for her clumsiness, but more annoyed with him. Why didn’t he just talk to her?
“I was also thinking about the fact that you didn’t ask me to dance,” she added crisply.
“What?” Theo seemed confused. “We’re dancing right now.”
“But you didn’t actually ask me,” Elowen said. “You just walked up and…claimed me.”
Theo pulled her back in, his raised eyebrow uncomfortably close now. “I assumed it was settled. Did I misunderstand the etiquette? Were you supposed to open the dancing with someone other than the prince to whom you’re betrothed?”
“No, your etiquette is impeccable,” she said, her tone dampening.
“I don’t understand your meaning,” Theo said, his own voice terse now. “Was I wrong to assume we’re supposed to dance together?”
“It’s not the dancing but the assuming that’s the issue,” Elowen said.
Theo searched her eyes. “Why are you angry with me, Elowen?”
“I’m not,” she protested. “You’re angry with me. But you’re too proper to admit it.” He tried to contradict, but she cut him off. “I know you saw me talking to Simeon earlier, and I know you’re not happy about it. If it bothers you, why don’t you say so?”
Theo’s brow lowered in a frown. “Is that your aim, Elowen? To provoke a reaction from me? Because I’m not interested in childish games.”’
“I absolutely was not trying to provoke a reaction from you,” she said, outraged.
“Is that why you brought it up just now and specifically sought my reaction?” he demanded dryly.
Elowen was struggling to keep a scowl from her face. “I want you to be honest about whatever your reaction is, that doesn’t mean I acted for the purpose of getting a reaction from you. Is it so unreasonable to want to know what you want?”
“I’m a prince of Siqual,” he said dismissively. “I want my kingdom to thrive.”
“An empty answer,” Elowen said contemptuously.
“It’s not empty to me.” Theo’s grip on her was tighter now than the dance required. “It’s everything.”
“No, it’s not, it’s meaningless platitude,” Elowen contradicted.
“I’m royal as well, don’t expect me to be impressed by empty speeches.
I want to know what you want.” Her frustration was rising, stripping away her better sense along with it.
She was sick of being proper and compliant.
“Don’t you care at all? Am I just a stranger to you, joined by a contract and nothing more? ”
“Don’t ask me what I want.” A strange intensity had entered Theo’s voice now. “I’m not allowed to want anything.”
His grip was even stronger, and when the dance required him to pull her in, he tugged her more flush against him than necessary.
His eyes burned into hers in a way that made it hard to breathe properly.
She’d seen it in the tournament, but for the first time she felt the strength hidden beneath his stiff exterior, a strength that was barely contained as he fought visibly for control.
What had come over him? She’d never seen him show such emotion, and it was intoxicating.
“What does that mean, you’re not allowed to want anything?” Elowen asked, breathless.
Theo ignored her question, his mind on a track of its own.
“You ask what I want?” His eyes flicked down her face before he wrenched them back up. “I want to know why our wedding date isn’t set. What’s the delay no one will tell me about?”
Thrown, Elowen felt her face heat. She hadn’t expected an attack in that direction, and she would have stumbled in her steps if Theo’s hands hadn’t held her so steady. Still in the grip of his strange new intensity, she found herself blurting out the truth before she could think it through.
“Me,” she said. “I’m the delay.”
“What does that mean?” Theo demanded.
“I promised my parents I would cooperate with the alliance,” she said. “And I meant it. But they made me a promise as well—that it would be for me to set the date of the wedding, and they wouldn’t push me to do it before I’m ready.”
“Why?” Theo demanded. “If you’re committed to the marriage, what’s the point of that promise?”
“The fact that you don’t understand is exactly the point,” Elowen said with spirit. “You’re too sure of me, Theo. Usually a man has to try at least a little to secure himself a wife.”
“Am I not trying hard enough for you?” he demanded, jaw clenched. “Competing in your hollow tournament, dealing with open disrespect and derision from your court, keeping quiet about your clandestine habits with servants.”
Anger and mortification mingled freely in Elowen as she drew in a sharp breath. Some part of her was glad that Theo was at least showing emotion, but it was all so difficult in such a public place.
“Evidently you truly were upset from the start that the tournament isn’t real,” he went on. “You felt the need to create your own competition.”
“It’s not like that,” Elowen protested, but the song was ending, and the dropping music required them to stop the conversation abruptly.
“Thank you for the dance.” Theo bowed stiffly and retreated before she could get a word in, the musicians not even finished winding down.
Elowen watched him go, her fists balled into her skirts.
Stubborn, infuriating icicle, with his unwavering stride and his closed-off heart.
She had too much dignity to run after him, but her feelings demanded release.
Feeling reckless, she used the cover of the few couples still completing the dance to execute one graceful, solitary spin.
Her full skirts fanned around her, providing plenty of movement to work with.
She snatched up the magic, shaping it even as she walked with apparent unconcern toward the punch table.
Without any further movement, she threw the sloppy enchantment in Theo’s direction, causing the decorative carpet he was passing over to pull up slightly under his feet.
The stately prince stumbled, and Elowen felt a stab of triumph. Not so perfect and impenetrable after all. Theo slowed his pace, glancing around. His eyes narrowed in suspicion as he found her watching him defiantly, and she didn’t try to hide her silent challenge.
Her moment of satisfaction was short-lived, however. The sight of the storm raging on his face stripped away any sense of victory. She’d been glad he was showing emotion, but she hadn’t meant to inflict on him the turmoil she saw there. If only he would open up to her.
Distracted, Elowen failed to see Bertrand’s approach until it was too late to refuse him the next dance without open rudeness.
Inside, she was festering with frustration as she followed him onto the dance floor, her thoughts on Theo on the far side of the room, with very little attention to spare for her partner.
Maybe Bertrand sensed it, because his manner as he led her into position was more aggressive than usual.
No doubt he was annoyed about having been supplanted, given he was used to being the highest-ranking unmarried man in the room, and unchallenged in his right to open the dancing with the princess.