CHAPTER NINETEEN
"So, what do you think, Your Grace?"
Jane asked, standing in front of him with the most amazing smile etched upon her face, looking gorgeous in an elegant gown. “This is what I intend to wear to the ball.”
He had been seated in the silence of the drawing room before her footsteps prompted him to turn and face her.
His heart quickened its pace in his chest as he stared at the lovely woman standing before him. Colin was unable to contain the rush of emotions surging through him.
Jane's eyes sparkled as she looked at him, her voice soft and endearing as she spoke.
“Your Grace, you seem captivated,” she said, gently swaying in her dress.
His eyes widened subtly as her words brought him back to the present.
He looked away quickly and cleared his throat.
“So, what do you think?” She smiled, turning around. “Or are you shy?”
Frowning slightly, he forced the compliment out, “You look breathtaking.”
“Breathtaking, you say?” Jane teased, her confidence growing as she moved forward to peek at his face when he turned away. “I'm flattered, truly.”
“I’m rather at a loss for words,” he admitted grudgingly.
She blushed.
“At a loss for words? Hmm. That's a first.” She met his gaze, her expression turning more vulnerable even though her words still teased him.
His wife’s intense blush only added to her allure, her eyes meeting his with a depth of desire that stirred something profound within him.
He had done his best to avoid her after that night, struggling to even hold her gaze. He thought that nothing could take awaythe embarrassment he felt after opening up to her that much. However, it took her nothing to disarm him again.
Colin, consumed by her beauty in her gown, yearned to etch this memory of her into his mind, wanting to savor every detail. His thoughts drifted to the upcoming ball, where he imagined her radiant presence.
The idea of others beholding her stirred a protective instinct within him, feeling that no one there who’d be present deserving of witnessing her magnificence.
The mere thought of them ogling his wife, especially in her solitary state, caused a tumultuous storm of emotions in his stomach.
No man deserves to look at her like this…
"I shall accompany you, wait here," He declared, surprising them both with the impulsive words. Releasing her hand, he swiftly ascended the stairs.
Confusion clouded Jane's expression as she stammered, shocked by this sudden change of plans. "Wait... W-What? Your Grace?"
Despite her bewilderment, he continued his mission, hurrying to his chambers,so his valet could help him dress and he could return to her side without delay.
Jane's incredulous gaze met him as he descended the stairs quickly, her laughter breaking the tension of the moment.
Upon his reaching her, she gestured in amusement, questioning, "What's all this?"
With a smile gracing his lips, Colin gently took her hand, bringing it to his lips in a tender gesture that elicited a blush from her cheeks.
"I am going to the ball with you, it is only right we show up as a couple."
Colin was accustomed to the scrutiny of society, however, he found himself more attuned to the gazes directed at them as they finally arrived and stepped into the grand ballroom.
Despite his usual indifference to such attention, the presence of his wife by his side heightened his protective instincts to ensure no ill intentions lingered in the stares fixed on her radiant form.
