Chapter 23
Twenty-Three
“Ignore the stares and whispers.” Selina pressed her hand over Deena’s.
Dominic nodded solemnly beside her. “If you need us, we will be around,” he added.
“Thank you, Dom. But I am sure that we will be all right.” Austin looked down at Deena reassuringly, but she seemed terrified.
“Best be on our way then,” Deena said shakily and offered a small smile to her brother and sister-in-law.
Dominic and Selina exchanged looks before they all went their separate ways. Austin felt Deena tense beside him the moment they crossed the threshold into the gala and heard the whispers around them.
“The Velvet Duke chose her of all the eligible women?”
“Yes, how very disappointing for many of us. Perhaps we should have been more scandalous to gain his attention.” A group of ladies tattled about them nearby and laughed quietly.
“Perhaps you should have been.” Austin butted in, cutting their laughter short.
The gossiper turned to reveal herself. “Ah, Lady Amelia, it will be good to learn that many men do not appreciate gossip as a virtue for their future wife. It makes one look…cheap.” He winked at her and continued walking, leaving Lady Amelia gaping and hurt.
Well deserved.
Deena’s gloved fingers tightened on his arm and he sensed her fear. The usual murmurs rose but tonight the whispers had stung and left a mark.
Austin’s jaw tightened. He leaned close to Deena and whispered so only she could hear, “Forget them, Dee. They are simply jealous.”
“Thank you.” Deena’s gaze was plastered to the floor; her confidence was slowly vanishing, and Austin cussed himself.
Maybe she is not ready.
But his doubt was quickly replaced by admiration as he glanced at her.
The emerald green dress hugged her curves and brought out the color of her eyes.
Her red curls contrasted perfectly, making her look like fire in a room full of icy stares.
Austin was sure that the ladies envied Deena, and the men lusted for her.
And he was not sure why that made him feel considerably jealous.
“You look too ravishing in that dress,” he said huskily.
Deena frowned at him. “You chose it.”
“Yes, I did. And I’m proud of my decision.” Austin grinned down at her, and she responded with a dramatic roll of her eyes, but he saw the smile at the corner of her distracting lips.
“It does not matter. Drunk or sober, married or unmarried, dress or no dress, I have ruined my reputation either way.” Deena’s gaze dropped as she spoke.
“I do like the idea of no dress,” Austin said playfully, causing her to frown again.
“If someone overhears you—”
“These people are no better, Dee. Half of them have worse secrets. They’re just better at hiding them behind ostrich plumes and false piety.”
Deena’s eyes flicked up to his. “Easy for you to say. You’re used to being the scandal.”
“I’m used to being the one they envy,” he corrected softly. “And tonight, we make sure they remember why.”
She let out a small, unsteady breath of air. “I’m not sure I can help you there.”
“You already are.” He covered her hand with his own. “Just breathe. And let me handle these vipers.”
As he spoke, Austin spotted Lady Ann approaching them from the far end of the hall. She was accompanied by a gentleman whom she did not recognize. Beside him, Deena’s breath caught, and she froze.
“What is wrong, Dee?” He looked down at her concernedly.
“That is… Lord Haverford with Lady Ann,” she whispered.
His fists curled when he turned back to the tall, thin man approaching them with a smirk.
Austin noticed the streaks of grey in his curls and wondered about his age.
Haverford’s beady eyes locked onto Deena, even as Lady Ann chatted away beside him.
Austin drew Deena closer to him. The heat of her body felt right next to his, and the need to protect her intensified.
“What a forgettable man he is,” Austin muttered under his breath.
“And yet a forgettable man made me a memorable woman in Society.” Deena let out a resigned sigh.
Lady Ann and Lord Haverford finally reached them and smiled with the brittle brightness of people who had rehearsed their expressions in the mirror.
“Your Grace,” Lady Ann cooed, dipping a curtsy so shallow it was almost insulting. Her eyes turned sharply to Deena. “How radiant you look, Your Grace. Becoming a duchess agrees with you.”
Austin did not give a damn about Lady Ann’s jibes. He was too fixated on Lord Haverford, whose gaze slid over Deena in a way that made Austin’s blood boil.
“Your wife has made quite the return to Society. One might almost say… courageous.” Haverford addressed Austin mockingly.
Deena’s arm tensed in his.
“Lord Haverford, is it?” His question physically stung the man.
“Y…yes. That is correct.” Haverford stuttered.
Lady Ann pursed her lips beside him; her cheeks betraying her embarrassment.
“I must say, you should be careful around this one.” Haverford nodded towards Deena as he tried to gain some confidence with an insult. “She bites when cornered. But I am sure you can handle her as much as I—”
“You will hold your tongue, Haverford.” Austin cut him off, advancing on the man before he could finish his sentence.
He felt Deena’s arm fall away from his, and he instantly missed her warmth.
Lady Ann let go of Lord Haverford’s arm as Austin towered above him, blocking Deena from his view.
“Lady Ann, you should be careful of this man.” Austin’s eyes never left Haverford’s. “From what I hear, he has something of a record when it comes to placing ladies in…uncomfortable situations.”
“That is not true,” Haverford said nervously to Lady Ann, who was already backing away from him.
Austin tutted, drawing the man’s attention back to him. “I am just curious to know why none of these women were uncomfortable enough to marry you. I mean, I assume that was the plan?”
Lady Ann froze in realization, and Haverford’s color rose. “That’s—”
“An observation,” Austin finished mildly. “Merely an observation.”
“I—I’m going to look for my mama,” Lady Ann stuttered nervously.
Austin’s glare shot towards her. “That’s a good idea, Lady Ann. Your mother has more sense than you.”
She let out a soft huff of breath but did not argue as she turned away and left. Deena looked at Austin, completely surprised, but he could not afford to be distracted by her. His attention snapped back to Haverford, who was scowling.
“You ruined my chances—”
“If you’ll excuse us. My wife and I have some dancing to do.” Austin’s tone left no room for excuses.
He reached for Deena, guiding her with a firm hand on her lower back. Austin felt her body instantly relax against his touch. As they passed Haverford, Austin leaned in just enough for him to hear.
“Watch your step around my wife,” he warned him. “Because the next time you make her or any other lady feel uncomfortable, there will be consequences that you will face, and I will personally see to it.”
Haverford went rigid.
Austin didn’t look back as he walked briskly away with his wife beside him.
Once they were out of Haverford’s sight, Deena let out a shaky breath. “You didn’t have to—”
“I wanted to.” He glanced down at her. “And don’t deny that you enjoyed it.”
She bit her lip, fighting the smile that threatened to appear. “All right, I will admit that I enjoyed that…maybe a little.”
“Good.” Austin chuckled and steered her towards the dance floor. “Men like Haverford do not belong in Society.”
“And yet Society is filled with them,” Deena added sadly.
Austin felt a deep sense of obligation to remove her sadness completely.
Their marriage saved her from more than enough, so the urge to go above and beyond for Deena left him bewildered.
She remained silent beside him as they took their places for the waltz in the heavily decorated ballroom.
The orchestra struck up; Austin drew her close, his hand still firm at the small of her back while the other clasped her warm, slightly trembling fingers.
She looked up at him, wide-eyed. “At least I cannot hear the whispers here.”
Austin regretted bringing her to the Gala, but it was his duty to attend these events. Especially after gaining a new bride. The waltz began, and they moved together on the floor.
“How funny is this, Dee, only—”
“I do not believe this situation is funny, Austin,” Deena cut him off with a sharp whisper.
Austin cleared his throat before he continued, “Only a few weeks ago, your grandmother forced us to dance, and you looked ready to stab me with a hairpin. The same way you look now.” His curious sense of humor was tickled by her expression.
Deena’s lips twitched despite herself. “I still might.”
Austin stroked the inside of her wrist with his thumb, causing her to shiver against him as they danced. “I’ll take what I can get.”
Deena’s expression fell suddenly, and she looked lost in thought.
“Are you thinking about your friend, Penelope?” He asked her gently.
She looked up at him and nodded slowly. “It feels wrong to attend Galas while only God knows where my friend is and how she is holding up.”
“I’m sorry, Dee. But I have a feeling that your friend is all right.” He tried to reassure her, but Deena scoffed.
“Look around, Austin. Look at how many eyes are on us and what they are saying about us. About me. Imagine Penelope’s situation and how much worse it is.” Her voice rose in frustration.
“Did you write to her again?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“There has been no response…”
Austin exhaled. “I know this troubles you, but you tried your best, Dee. For now, let us just concentrate on getting through this day. Once we are back home, you can continue your search for Miss Grande.” Deena simply nodded in response.
Austin flexed his fingers against her spine, just enough pressure to make her arch slightly, and he smirked down at her.
“Stop that,” she whispered, but the words came out breathless, not angry.
He smiled and placed his lips against her temple. “You don’t want me to stop.”