Chapter 33 #2
Matthew’s cool tones, which she had only heard once before in Hyde Park, made Johanna jump. She had not realized her husband was nearby, but she was not at all sad to find him suddenly beside her, winding her arm through his.
“Ah, well then, perhaps Miss Belle.” He might be quiet, but Lord Boyd clearly had more mettle than Johanna would have credited him with.
Rose’s glare did nothing to deter him from continuing to hold his hand out to her.
If anything, his smile widened and grew more sincere than it had been for Johanna.
Rose shot Johanna an exasperated look before nodding and taking his hand.
“Thank you, my lord,” she said, sounding anything but thankful. If that bothered Boyd, it did not show. He merely chuckled and turned, her gloved hand in his, and led her to the dance floor.
Matthew seemed to relax as Boyd turned away, though he kept Johanna close to him on their way to the dance floor.
She relaxed as she recognized the first notes of the music, and she and Matthew got into position.
This was one of the dances she’d practiced and one that did not require the switching of dance partners.
Though it did mean that she was faced with her husband.
The guilt simmering in her stomach welled up as she looked into his handsome face.
It was so difficult as she wanted to cling to him, yet felt horrible about keeping such a monumental secret from him.
“Are you enjoying yourself?” he asked.
Johanna hesitated because although she knew she should say yes, she did not want to lie to him any more than she already was.
“Being with Lady Astrid is very enlightening,” she responded after a long moment. “Are you enjoying yourself?”
He hesitated before answering as well.
“I am now.”
A smile curved her lips as she looked up at him.
“I was not certain we would dance together tonight.”
“It is not the done thing, normally,” he agreed. “But I wanted to. Sebastian encouraged me.”
It took Johanna a moment to realize what was odd about that statement.
“Sebastian encouraged you? You did not use your coin to decide?”
A shadow moved over his face, and he glanced away before returning his gaze to her. He was practiced enough in the steps that he did not stumble at all, which she envied because she was as focused on her feet and hands as she was on their conversation.
“I lost my coin,” he said softly, in such a manner that her heart went out to him. He sounded so very lost.
“Where?”
“At home.” He sighed. “Hopefully, the footmen will be able to move the armoire and find it for me while we’re here. If not, I am taking an axe to the damn thing when we return home.”
Though he said it as a jest, there was a grimness to her voice that made Johanna think he would likely do just that. She squeezed the hand she was holding.
“Do you want to go home now?” she asked.
“I do not think we can. Can we?” Uncertainty flickered across his expression. “I do not want to scupper your first evening out in the ton.”
Johanna considered that for a moment. He knew the vagaries of the ton more than she did. Even if he did not like making decisions without his coin.
“How much longer do we need to stay to prevent that?”
Another hesitation, but then he shrugged.
“Likely we could leave now without drawing any ire.” He glanced around. “Well, other than Grandmama’s.” Johanna giggled, and he winked at her, seeming to relax.
“Then,” she said, feeling quite daring. “Perhaps we should do what we want? In lieu of having the coin to direct you.”
“That is what Sebastian said,” he admitted. “To do what I want and deal with the consequences after. Like most people do.”
The music drew to a close, and Matthew took Johanna’s hand on his arm and began to move them through the crowd. Out of the corner of her eye, Johanna saw Rose’s burgundy gown and knew that her cousin was directing her suitor to follow them. Good then. Perhaps they could all leave a little early.
Matthew took her over to where Lady Stark was seated with her friends, including the Duke of Clarence’s mother, whom Lady Johanna had already met.
She beamed at Johanna in a very friendly manner, which helped relieve some of her nerves about approaching such a formidable group of ladies.
The Dowager Duchess of Clarence was a breath of fresh air among the gimlet-eyed dragons of the ton and a much-needed tonic for courage.
“Grandmama, Johanna and I have had enough. We are going home,” Matthew said, very firmly.
Johanna’s eyes widened. When her husband decided to take charge, he decided to take charge.
Lady Stark tilted her head at him, considering.
Her eyes glanced to the side as Rose came up, still on the arm of Lord Boyd, who was now grinning widely.
Rose appeared as calmly collected as ever—what her emotions were, Johanna could not tell.
On the other hand, she did not seem displeased, so maybe she’d enjoyed herself.
“Very well,” Lady Stark said with a wave of her hand, glancing at Lady Cowper, who was seated beside her.
“I suppose one cannot expect newlyweds to stay for the entirety of their first event, after all.” The other women laughed lightly, and Lady Stark returned her attention to Matthew, Johanna, and Rose.
“Rose will stay here with me, as my companion.”
“Oh…” Johanna started to say but wilted under Lady Stark’s raised eyebrow. She could not think of a good reason for Rose to come with them.
Rose sent her a reassuring glance.
“I am happy to stay with Lady Stark,” she told Johanna, stepping away from Lord Boyd’s arm, to his obvious disappointment. “It will be good to sit for a bit.”
“Oh, no,” Lady Stark said, getting to her feet and taking Rose’s arm, the one opposite Lord Boyd. “I want to take a walkabout. Come, Rose, there are some gentlemen I want to introduce you to.”
Lord Boyd’s face fell, as did Rose’s.
Sorry, Johanna mouthed at her as Lady Stark began to move away, taking a slightly panicked-looking Rose with her.
Matthew was already tugging on Johanna’s arm to take her in the opposite direction, clearly willing to sacrifice Rose to distract his grandmother. Johanna did not have much of a choice, either. She wondered if Rose would ever willingly accompany them to a ball again after this.
“Come,” Matthew whispered in Johanna’s ear. “Before Grandmama changes her mind.”
She would have to find a way to make it up to Rose later.