Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“What are you smiling at?” Hudson asked Florentia.
Florentia shrugged. “Am I smiling? I did not notice.”
“You know how difficult I find it to interpret such things,” Hudson sighed. “Now, are you going to tell me or not?”
“I am not making fun of you, if that is your worry.”
“That would be a first.”
She tittered. “I am just pleased, is all. You and me, here right now, on our way to the Turncott ball as if we do not have a care in the world. It is nice. Normal. If that is not a reason to smile, then I do not know what is.”
“Oh...” Slowly, a smile crept up the sides of her husband’s face. Nothing garish or over the top. Quaint, but also genuine. “Yes, it is rather... normal is it not?”
“So very unlike us,” Florentia chuckled.
She was pleased to see her husband smiling, even if by now it wasn’t quite the surreal oddity that it had once been. Still not a common sight to be fair, it was one of those moments that always brought a flutter to her stomach because she knew that when he smiled, he meant it.
Truth be told, Florentia could probably count on her fingers how often he had smiled and laughed this past week.
That wasn’t to say that the week had been a travesty—far from it, in fact.
It was simply a reality of who she was married to and his social peculiarities, to which she was quickly becoming accustomed.
The very fact that they were traveling together to the Turncott ball should have been indication enough that the week itself was one to be celebrated.
“Remember, we can leave as soon as you wish it,” she reminded him. Florentia sat across from him in the back of the carriage, hands on her knees, studying her husband, who looked typically uncomfortable. She knew how little he was looking forward to this evening. “All you need do is let me know.”
“I know it,” he said. “And believe me, we will be leaving the moment I desire it.” He scoffed and shook his head, likely at the thought of staying at the ball for longer than he wished.
But then he seemed to realize something, looking back at Florentia with a curt smile.
“And thank you. That is very much appreciated.”
“You are most welcome,” she beamed,
It wasn’t at all easy. And more than once, Florentia had to remind herself that he was trying.
So often he would forget the simplest of things that she deemed as normal.
Compliments. A thank you. Considerations of how his words might sound to another.
But he was coming along, and she felt that she had grown to know him so well this past week that she could tell when he was upset with her and when he was not thinking straight.
Tonight would be the ultimate test. Their first night out as a married couple.
Her first chance to see if this marriage had any hope of survival.
The first time that she would see Hudson surrounded by his peers and be able to insert herself into the mix, perhaps showing him that a good time could be had so that he would be more inclined to attend such functions again.
There was a lot riding on tonight, so Florentia made sure to be ready.
This was not Florentia’s first ball. It was, however, her first ball as a duchess, and she noticed the difference immediately.
No sooner had they entered the ballroom than they were being swarmed by well-wishers, social climbers, and those who by the looks of things had already had too much to drink.
“Your Grace!” Lord Bartholemew was the first to see them, as if he had been waiting by the entrance for their arrival.
With him was his wife, Lady Emily Bartholemew, and he dragged her with him as he made for the two without pause.
“We were told you would be attending this evening. I dared not believe it!”
“Good evening,” Hudson said stiffly. “And Lady Bartholemew,” he added with a short bow.
“Your Grace.”
“You know my wife,” Hudson offered, introducing Florentia. “Her Grace, Lady Worthington.”
She did not. Not really, anyway. Growing up in the ton as she had, Florentia knew names and faces and rumors and gossip and all sorts of things about most who flittered through high society.
But she had never been formally introduced.
However, as she was now a duchess, someone worth knowing, that fact was ignored, and overt friendliness and familiarity was pressed.
“Of course, of course! It is a pleasure to—”
“Your Grace!” another voice cried out, coming this time from the right. Florentia started and felt Hudson stiffen as Lord Heatherington and his wife, Lady Diana Heatherington came for them. “Do my eyes deceive me?”
“Lord Heatherington,” Hudson said, his jaw already clenched with annoyance. “It is nice to see you again.’
“And my wife, of course...” Lord Heatherington led his wife forward to greet Hudson. “Lady Diana Heatherington.
“Your Grace,” she said with a small curtsy. “It is an honor to meet you.”
“As it is mine to meet you. My wife...” Hudson then steered Florentia toward Lord Heatherington’s wife.
“Hello,” Florentia began. “It is nice to meet—”
“Say it is not so!” a third voice shouted, soon joined by a body swarming through the crowd, eager to reach Hudson without so much as a second wasted. “Your Grace! I am positively delighted to see you here this evening! Yes, yes, truly taken with joy!”
It was chaos the likes of which made even Florentia uncomfortable. She had known that, as a duke, Hudson would be a prized asset at tonight’s event, as to be seen speaking with him was to be viewed as worthy of attention.
These lords and ladies did not care if Hudson wanted to speak with them. Heck, they did not care if he scowled and sneered and ignored their palaver. All they wished for was to be around him, and they weren’t about to waste any time in doing it.
Florentia could see the frustration rising in Hudson as he was assailed from all sides.
Words called out at him. Hands reaching and slapping him on the back.
She tried to catch his eye to let him know that she was here for him, but he was looking ahead, past the throng, likely trying to remain calm.
Suddenly, Florentia realized what she needed to do.
“Gentlemen!” she cried out above the chatter. “If you will all please give my husband and me some space, that would be wholly appreciated!” She clung to Hudson’s arm and held him close.
“Yes, yes,” Lord Heatherington agreed. “If I might just finish—”
“It will have to be later,” she cut through him.
Lord Bartholemew then attempted to butt in. “She is right, Heatherington. Besides, His Grace and I were just discussing when he might join me for—”
“A discussion that will be best had at another time,” she spoke over Lord Bartholemew.
“My lords, we have only just arrived. We are hardly five feet through the door. We are terribly stiff from the ride over, and thirsty as well. Perhaps, once we have stretched our legs and sated ourselves with wine, we might continue this discussion.”
“Your Grace...” One of them looked to Hudson for agreement.
Hudson was frowning at Florentia, taking a moment to understand what she was doing and why. But then a smile spread across his face, one which warmed her heart because she could read it in how grateful he was.
“My lovely wife is correct,” Hudson said. “Gentlemen, if you would excuse us...” And with that, the two stepped away from the small crowd.
“What a nightmare,” Hudson said the moment they were free.
She laughed. “Yes, I sensed you were not having the best time.”
“You see now why I hate having to come to these things.”
“Oh, they are not so bad...” They walked with their arms linked, and Florentia made sure to rest her hand on top of the duke’s as she side-eyed him. “So long as you are with the right person.”
To this, he smiled. “You make a compelling argument.”
“It is not an argument. It is fact.”
“I will have to start bringing you on my business trips. Something tells me I could use you.”
“Your Grace...” She winked. “Are you suggesting that you are starting to enjoy my company?”
He chuckled softly. “More that I am seeing the benefit of it.”
“I will take that as a compliment.”
“As you should,” he said. “And thank you, also Truly, I could not do this without you.”
“Do not mention it.”
Florentia beamed as she looked ahead, not wishing for Hudson so see just how pleased with herself she was. With the strides the two had made in this past week, dare she say, it was almost starting to feel like a real marriage.
“You are doing very well, might I say,” Mr. Elias Bond, Hudson’s brother congratulated Florentia. “Better than I think anyone could have expected.”
She shrugged. “It is no great thing. Once you understand the nuances of His Grace, he is easy enough to navigate.”
“Ah, but being able to spend the time with him that will allow for you to learn of these nuances in the first place...” He winked. “I wasn’t sure you had it in you.”
“So you were setting me up for failure?”
He chuckled. “It is more that my lovely wife assured me you were up for the challenge.”
“Oh, do not be silly,” Albina slapped her husband’s arm. “Your brother is not nearly as bad as you imply. Personally, I find him rather sweet.”
Elias raised an eyebrow at his wife. “Sweet? Are we talking of the same man?”
“Well...in a fashion,” Albina giggled. “But I hear how you speak of him, and I knew that if anyone could find that side of him, it would be Florentia. Which she has.” She then looked flatly at Florentia. “You are most welcome, by the way.”
Florentia snorted. “I will make sure to thank you in my victory speech.”
The evening was going as well as Florentia might have hoped—better than she would have thought possible, truth be told. Why, so effortless had it become, so easy, that she might have gone so far as to describe it as wonderful. Although I doubt my husband would be quite so ready to say the same.