Chapter 11 #2
She hadn’t wanted to leave Caspian’s side once this evening, but her plan was failing, and she was forced to admit that no amount of false hope would change that. Caspian was who he was, and it was about time she accepted it.
“As you say,” he said to her. “Just don’t be too long.” Caspian let go of her hand and walked in the other direction, not once looking back.
Thalia sighed with relief to see him leave her. She wanted more out of him. She wanted to like him. But he just made it so difficult!
“Seraphine!” Thalia cried out when she hurried toward Rosaline’s younger sister. “I was hoping to see you tonight!”
Lady Seraphine was just eighteen years old, meaning that this was her debut Season.
She was a spitting image of her older sister, but with rosy cheeks and pink freckles smattered across her forehead.
Pretty, without being breathtaking, she was the type that any man would be happy to find himself with.
“Thalia!” Seraphine beamed and threw her arms around Thalia in a hug. “You made it.”
“Me?” Thalia laughed as she pulled away. “You are the one who I was not so certain about. I worried your father would lock you up after what happened with Rosaline.”
“Have you heard from Rosaline?” Seraphine asked. “She has not sent word since she ran away. I am so worried. Tell me that she as written to you.”
Thalia was about to tell Seraphine what she knew of Rosaline.
Indeed, she wanted to, as she knew it would make Seraphine happy to hear.
However, before she got the chance, she was aware of a shadow growing over her, and the way that Seraphine’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped told her without turning around who was the cause.
“Your Grace, I was wondering if I would see you here.” Lord Donmere’s voice was a low growl, anger resonating in every word spoken.
Thalia stiffened to hear him, and she shuddered to feel him so close. But she straightened up, fixed a smile on her face, and turned around. “Lord Donmere, it is good to see you again.”
“Is it?” he asked her coldly. “Somehow, I doubt that very much.”
“I was speaking generally,” Thalia said pleasantly. “I am glad to see that you allowed Seraphine to attend this evening.”
“And why would I not? She is my daughter, and this is her Season. What sort of father do you take me for?”
“I did not mean it as an offence.”
“Perhaps not, but I do not care how you meant it.” He looked past her to his daughter and cocked an eyebrow. “Seraphine, here.” He pointed to the floor beside him. “Now,” he growled.
Seraphine bowed her head and fell in beside her father.
“You have ruined one of my daughters already,” he sneered at Thalia. His voice was low, but that made little difference, because she could feel the anger rolling off him in waves. “Kindly refrain from ruining another.”
“I did not ruin anything.”
“You did,” he hissed. “I always knew you were a bad seed. A scourge on the ton that we would all be better off without. And were you not married to His Grace, then I would –”
“Would what?” a voice spoke from behind Lord Donmere.
Lord Donmere’s eyes widened and for the first time, Thalia saw fear in them.
“Would what?” Caspian appeared as if from a dream. He did not stride powerfully towards Lord Donmere, who now trembled. He did not stomp or leer. Nor did he appear angry, upset, or even put out. His expression was its usual dispassionate self which, Thalia realized, was what made it so effective.
“Your Grace!” Lord Donmere squawked. “I did not see you there.”
“I know you did not.” Caspian came to a stop short from Lord Donmere. Taller than the viscount, it allowed Caspian to look down his nose at the man. Again, he did not scowl or sneer. But there was no need. “If you had seen me, I am sure you would not have said such things to my wife.”
“I meant nothing by them.”
“Do not shame yourself by lying to me,” Caspian said simply; his gaze was as cold as ice, and his words cut like knives. “Admit what you did, be proud of it, and stand by your words because only cowards sing a new tune when the audience changes.”
“I… I was merely venting my frustration, Your Grace,” Lord Donmere stammered. “Surely, you can understand why I might wish to do so?”
“I understand that this room is suddenly feeling very crowded.” He let those words sit. “Perhaps if you removed yourself, it might not feel quite so much?”
“Yes,” Lord Donmere agreed pathetically. “I… Seraphine, come now. Let us…” He took her hand and pulled her away quickly.
Caspian watched him go. His expression was flat, even bored. And there was no sense to any who did not know him that he was upset. But Thalia watched him closely and, knowing her husband now as she did, she could feel the fury bubbling away inside of him.
“I never liked that man,” Caspian said as he turned around. “And now I know why.”
“Thank you,” Thalia said, meaning it. “I… thank you.”
“There is no need.”
“There is,” she pressed.
“No, there is not.” He made sure to be looking right at her. “Say what you will of me, Thalia, but you are still my wife, and I will not have a man like Donmere thinking that he can speak to you like that. Not now, not ever. Is that understood?”
Thalia leaned back as if the force of his words made her do so. “I… I do.”
“Good,” he said. “Now, shall we…” He offered her his arm and Thalia linked it without thinking.
As they walked back through the ballroom, she found her gaze continuously drifting to watch her husband. He wore a passive expression; he did not smile or gloat or look at all concerned for what had just happened. It was, in many ways, normal fare for a man like him.
But that was what made it so interesting.
Seeing the way that Caspian had stood up to Lord Donmere was affecting Thalia more than she might have thought was possible. She had no doubt that he was angry, but he did not need to show it. Why would he? That wasn’t the type of man that Caspian was.
And quite honestly, Thalia had rather liked it.
I have been wrong this whole time. Instead of trying to turn Caspian into who I want him to be, I should have been learning to accept him for who he is.
Her husband was never going to be the type who laughed at her jokes. He was never going to be the type who took pleasure in small talk and getting to know more about those he cared for. But that did not mean he did not care. Thalia had seen just now how much he did.
Thalia’s heart was still racing from the interaction with Lord Donmere. And her body was still flushed from watching her husband put him in his place.
Not only did she like what she had just seen, but she liked that it was her husband who she saw do it.
Suddenly, this marriage did not look nearly so hopeless as it had done. Suddenly, Thalia saw her path forward.