Chapter 9
Again, he hated balls. Would avoid them if he could manage it.
But this was not just any ball. While Lady Saxbury was no true friend to his family and had likely invited him for the prestige it would bring to have the Duke of Irvin in attendance, it was of the utmost importance that he attended. All because of the lady on his arm.
She was unused to attention. The moment they stepped into the ballroom, the moment nearly all eyes fell on them and whispers went up in their wake, she stiffened.
It was subtle enough that Joseph would not have noticed it had he not seen how at ease she was around her family.
Catriona was far from at ease right now.
She held herself tightly, as if she was overthinking every step she took before she made them.
“Relax,” he bent at her ear to murmur which only made her stiffen further. “You look just about ready to bolt from the room.”
Catriona shot him a fiery look but made a visible effort to relax her shoulders. Joseph nearly smirked at the sight. Clearly, she couldn’t see that it was only causing the opposite effect.
“You can hardly blame my nerves seeing that every person in attendance is talking about me.”
“About us,” he corrected, and the look she returned to him was incredulous.
“Yes, about us though they are likely wondering what a wallflower like myself is doing on the arm of a handsome and wealthy duke.” Joseph raised his brow at that, and she seemed to catch herself.
“Objectively speaking of course. I would be quite unfair not to admit that you have an appealing appearance.”
“As do you, Catriona,” he assured her. “You are the furthest thing from a wallflower.”
Her sigh was silent, but he saw it in the descent of her shoulders. “Likely because of my dress.”
“But mostly because of your apparent beauty.”
Surprise had her looking at him with a frown, studying him as if she could not quite figure out if she should believe him.
Joseph didn’t know why he was going out of his way to make her feel beautiful.
It was certainly true, and it was unfortunate that she did not think the same about herself, but what did it matter to him?
Catriona said nothing in return, but her gaze fell on his cravat once more before she looked away.
Joseph still couldn’t tell how she felt about it.
He’d done it as a show of good faith, of obvious union.
One could easily tell that they were just more than a speculated courtship when they saw that they wore matching hints of tartan.
He thought it would be rather easy to show the world that they were betrothed without having to subject himself to too many questions about the matter.
But when Catriona had walked into the drawing room of Heaton Manor, when she’d finally noticed the cravat around his neck, Joseph couldn’t remember all the sensible reasons for having the cravat made. He only wanted her to like it.
He still couldn’t tell if she did. And hell if he was going to ask her about it.
They stood in silence, watching the buzzing ballroom before them.
Ava and Maisie had left their side nearly immediately upon arriving, and judging by the way Ava waggled her eyebrows at Joseph, he could only assume that it was intentional.
He shifted on his feet, wanting to break the quiet, wanting to see where her mind was at.
“When will we be married?”
Joseph choked on the sip of wine he’d just taken, quickly fishing out his handkerchief to dab at his lips. Catriona innocently sipped her lemonade.
“I beg your pardon?” he rasped in between coughs.
“Why are you so surprised? Is that not an acceptable question for a bride to ask?”
“Acceptable in private, certainly. I did not think you would want to have such a conversation in a place such as this.”
“There isn’t anyone close enough to overhear,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “I do not think we should waste any more time on the matter. In fact, I am quite surprised that you have not already broached the topic. You were the one so desperate to be married.”
“I was not desperate,” he argued.
She was unperturbed by his quick disagreement. “Eager then,” she clarified. “Either way, you were the one who wished to be married.”
“Yes, while you seemed to have convinced yourself that you were destined for a life of spinsterhood. How could I have forgotten?”
His droll tone made her scowl. “I wasn’t trying to argue with you.”
“Interesting, since your words would suggest otherwise.”
Frustration blazed in her eyes, matching his own. Even so, he couldn’t help but notice how adorable she looked when she furrowed her brows like that. He wondered if she knew that her bottom lip jutted out a little further than usual when she was trying to hold in her scowl.
Catriona sighed. “Won’t you just answer the question?”
“What was the question?” he asked, surprising himself by how natural it was for him to want to annoy her. That bottom lip of hers grew even more pouty.
“The wedding, Joseph. Surely you do not intend for us to remain betrothed forever?”
Joseph drained his glass. He hadn’t wanted to have this conversation here, had wanted this night to pass at the very least, but… “I have already received a special license. We could have the wedding tomorrow if you wish.”
Her head swiveled around to him. “Tomorrow?” she squeaked in horror.
The sight was enough to send amusement ricocheting through his bones.
Interesting, he thought. It had been years since he’d last felt the urge to laugh, and now, he was constantly on the verge of it after meeting Catriona and her family.
The look on her face right now would have sent anyone into a fit of laughter.
“It doesn’t have to be,” he assured her. “But we could if you wish it. Though I imagine that you must wish to plan the wedding along with your sisters.”
Catriona wrinkled her nose in obvious thought before shaking her head. “Ava and Maisie may wish to, but that does not matter to me. Especially since it will not be a display of any love between us.”
Fair enough. But there’s no reason to constantly make mention of it. Joseph suddenly wished he had more wine.
“The day after tomorrow then,” she spoke again.
“Pardon me?”
“Let us get married the day after tomorrow. We may do it at Heaton Manor or at your residence if you wish.”
“Don’t you want to think about it first?”
“What more is there to think about?” she asked, sounding genuinely curious.
Joseph didn’t have an answer to that. But what should he have expected? Catriona had already shown him that she was not like any other lady. The kind of lady who would size him up as if he was some sort of predator in front of his daughter would not care about needing time to prepare for a wedding.
“Very well then. If you wish it, then it shall be. I shall make the preparations.”
“Lovely.”
“But there is a condition.”
He just barely caught the heavy sigh she let out. She tightened her grip on her lemonade, and he could almost believe that it was done in an effort to keep her eyes from rolling into the back of her head in frustration.
“Allow me to guess. You wish to reiterate that I do not cross any boundaries regarding ideas of love or questioning your parenthood.”
Joseph allowed the side of his lips to quirk upwards. Catriona’s attention remained trained ahead of her though there was no hiding the irritation set into her features. “While that is always good to remember, I only want a dance.”
Her irritation dissolved into surprise then morphed into wariness. “Why?”
“Because you’re my wife. And I wish to dance with my wife.”
“I am not as yet,” she pointed out.
“Will I have to wait until tomorrow to dance with you then? Because I don’t think there is a ball being hosted tomorrow.”
She didn’t say anything, staring blankly at him as he took her hand in his.
And then, to his complete surprise, Catriona let out a laugh.
The sound chased away that heavy dark cloud that constantly followed him, just like it had yesterday during their lesson.
He hadn’t known what it was at the time, but now he understood.
Her laughter was a rare occurrence as mesmerizing and breathtaking as the sight of shooting stars.
And when he heard it, he forgot the heavy weight of his sadness.
She allowed him to lead her into the center of the room, under the watchful and curious eyes of the other guests.
Catriona’s laughter faded and her eyes shifted about the room, realizing that they were drawing more attention themselves.
But when he pulled her against his chest, her eyes snapped back to his.
He didn’t say the words, but he willed her to focus on him, to forget that anyone else existed. At least for this dance.
God knew he planned on doing just that.
“Where are you going?”
Catriona turned to face Joseph, both surprised and confused at the question. “I wish for a bit of fresh air,” she told him.
Joseph scowled. “When will you return?”
She blinked. They’d been by each other’s side from the moment they set foot in the ballroom. Hours in, she didn’t think he would mind if she stepped away to be alone. They’d been standing in silence for the past twenty minutes after all, so she’d doubted that he even remembered that she was there.
Ava and Maisie came and went constantly, either on purpose or whisked away by admiring gentlemen.
Catriona would have reveled in the fact that her sisters were clearly receiving the appropriate amount of attention for the season, but she was too distracted by Joseph’s constant presence by her side.
Not to mention the fact that the ball was now too hot, too full, and too loud for her to deal with for a moment longer.
She contemplated ignoring his question, since she didn’t think that being his fiancée meant she had to brief him on her comings and goings. But curiosity got the best of her, so instead, she asked, “Why does it matter to you?”