Chapter Thirty-Three
“Is that a new dress?” Nathaniel made an effort to smile when Rebecca came down the stairs the following afternoon.
“A present from you,” she informed him.
“I have excellent taste.”
“You do.” She smiled. “You bought Frances’ as well.”
His breath caught at the sight of her behind Rebecca. They’d clearly spent time curling her hair and playing with rouge, so the result was staggering. His chest hurt when he looked at the vision that was his wife.
“My lords.” Frances bowed when she reached the bottom.
“Family doesn’t count,” James assured her, stepping forward to help her outside. “The earl must parade the available one, so you can do me the honor of warding off potentials, if you’d be so kind.”
Frances laughed and Becca swatted her fan at James, but for a moment, Nathaniel felt like the odd man out, which usually only happened when he had to be head of the family and make the tough decisions.
“Well, the available one would take the earl over the coward any day,” Becca teased, taking the arm Nathaniel had forgotten to hold out for her.
“Words hurt, love.”
“Not if they’re accurate. I’m being paraded in front of suitors while you hide behind your sister-in-law.”
“Three marriages in one year would be too much change for poor Grace. And our family can only be in the papers so many times.”
“We’re actually in them less now Nate’s happily married,” Becca argued.
The banter continued as they made their way to the carriage and during the ride, until Nathaniel and James got out with their respective dates for the evening.
It was only when Nathaniel saw more eyes on him than usual that he realized this was the first time most of the ton would have seen them in public since the wedding. It was Frances’ true London introduction as Lady Lark.
“Perhaps we should…”
“She’s all yours,” Becca told him before finding James so Nathaniel could accompany his wife.
“You don’t have to—” Frances started. Things were still awkward between them, but he was doing his best to make her as happy and comfortable as possible.
“I want to,” he argued, the one thing he knew would stop her. “And believe me, we have to.”
For her benefit more than his, as the gossip wouldn’t hurt him, but he would not let them speak of Frances as they had Lady Coventry when she came alone to every ball the season she got married while Lord Coventry stayed in the country with his children’s governess.
Lizzie had been appalled, and while Nathaniel didn’t normally listen to such gossip, there had been betting at the club over who would be with child first, and who the true father of Lady Coventry’s baby would be.
“The Earl and the Countess of Lark,” the caller announced them, and the hush around the room was the same as when Frances had walked down the stairs at their engagement ball. Then, it had been guests they’d personally invited, but now, it was the entire ton watching them.
Frances was smiling, but it was the kind his sisters gave him to pretend they were fine, and was usually followed by tears.
“May I have this dance?” Nathaniel asked her.
“It’s uncommon to dance with one’s wife, isn’t it?”
“Newlyweds get a pass. And other than you, James, and Becca, there is no one here I care to speak with.”
She agreed, but didn’t look the least bit thrilled about it. Thankfully, she relaxed in his arms and it wasn’t long before he could breathe easier as well.
“Why did you never dance before?” he asked suddenly, given how happy it seemed to make her, even as the stares continued.
“I wasn’t aware you noticed.”
He hadn’t. He’d had no reason to, but he suddenly hated himself for it, and the way her shoulders dropped when she understood that.
“Daisy made a comment. She was happy you would finally be able to dance,” he explained. He could feel her hand resisting the urge to pull away from his.
“My mother didn’t want me to make a bad impression. Dancing brings you close and makes you vulnerable. Secrets can be revealed, flaws uncovered…there’s a lot of pressure.”
“Then I must conclude that your mother never saw you dance.”
“You’re too kind.” She looked up at him, then quickly down and away, as if to hide her blush from him.
“You made me promise to be honest,” he reminded her.
“Most people don’t keep their promises.” The words were matter-of-fact, but they were also covering sadness. Because, unfortunately, he did.
When the song ended, they found James and Becca so Nathaniel could stare down anyone unsavory who dare approach his cousin.
Unfortunately, none of his friends were the least bit concerned by his warning looks, so he was grateful when Dorset arrived, securing a smile from Rebecca the instant she spotted him.
“How is it possible you grow more beautiful every time I see you?” Dorset asked, placing a kiss on Becca’s gloved hand before acknowledging Nathaniel with a nod.
“Dimmer lighting, perhaps?”
Rebecca was blushing in a way that made Nathaniel’s heart swell with joy for her. And a curious urge to find his wife.
“I can’t argue that the candlelight gives you a soft glow that is most endearing, but even the brightest sunlight would fail to find you a flaw.”
“Flattery gets you nowhere, Lord Dorset,” she warned.
“But you are? Flattered?” He smiled, but unlike the cocky way some of his friends might deliver such a line, Dorset kept his eyes on Becca, completely forgetting Nathaniel’s presence, until he was forced to clear his throat.
“Ah yes, Lord Lark, I was hoping I may promenade around the room with your delightful cousin? Perhaps a dance, if she has room.”
“You may ask her yourself,” he allowed, then scanned the ballroom for Frances. “I’ll be with Lady Lark, if you need me,” he told Rebecca.
He found his wife distracting a group of women who’d clearly approached in the hopes of securing a dance with his brother, but didn’t seem to mind whatever she was telling them.
Nathaniel tried to listen, but she was in that state where her face lit up and she came alive, so all he could do was watch her.
He wasn’t exactly jealous when he had to wait through the next sets Frances had already been reserved for, but it only took a moment of watching her smile as she danced to feel nothing but happiness for her joy. And an eagerness to be the next one to draw that smile from her.