“I know what you said,” Theo uttered sharply. “I was just marveling at a gentleman’s ability to insult and embarrass his daughter, not only in front of so many people, but in her own home. Are you aware of the insult you have just given?”
“Insult?” James actually laughed. “No, no, no. There is no insult meant, Your Grace.” He was pink-cheeked and with horror, Margaret realized he must have already had some wine this evening before he had come. “She is a woman, Your Grace.”
“Father…”
“Is that enough to insult her?” Theo said between gritted teeth.
“She is young and foolish, too. If she is hurt by things, you mustn’t take it seriously. Maybe someday women will learn to have thick skin like men.”
Margaret reached behind her toward the punch table. To her surprise, Yates stood there, brandishing forth a punch glass. Rather impressed at his capacity to read minds, she mouthedthank youand took the full punch glass he proffered toward her, taking a quick gulp.
“You will not speak again in this way,” Theo snapped. The tone was so harsh that people nearby even turned to look at them.
James fell still, the smile on his face dropping with the falling of his cheeks.
“I will not have you insult my wife in her home, nor will I have you treat her in this way in public. You owe your daughter an apology.” Theo motioned a hand toward Margaret. “Now.”
James quaked. The way he fidgeted, adjusting his cravat and the lapels of his tailcoat, Margaret suspected he was craving another glass of his usual wine or brandy.
“I owe my daughter no apology,” James insisted. “She knows I only jest.”
“Does she?” Theo hissed.
“Besides, why talk of things when there are other things we could speak of?” James was back to trying to laugh off the matter, gesturing to the grand ballroom. “Tell me, how much did this cost, Your Grace?”
A small sound escaped Margaret, the embarrassment overwhelming. She took a quick sip of her punch as Theo stepped forward.
“You have done enough damage for one evening.” Theo towered over James whose smile quickly vanished as he returned to fidgeting constantly. “I have no wish to talk to you anymore this evening, just as I suspect your daughter has no wish to speak to you either.”
“But I –”
“Leave us.” Theo gestured further into the room. “Now.”
James hesitated, not yet moving away.
“Would you prefer I demand you leave the ballroom entirely and take your leave?” Theo hissed.
James stepped back. He offered a quick incline of his head in some semblance of a bow, then he scurried off further into the ballroom. He made his way towards Evelina and Gabriel. Evelina was eating as James appeared beside them, trying to draw them into conversation.
“Theo,” Margaret whispered, “it does not matter.”
The rage was practically wafting off him. She had seen him angry before, seen him annoyed, many times, but this was something entirely different. His whole body was tense as his eyes, narrowed to slits, glared at James across the room.
If looks could kill indeed.
“It does matter,” Theo muttered sharply. “To treat you like that. In front of others! Here, in your home!”
“Theo, please.” She laid a hand on his arm, trying to calm him. He instantly laid a hand over hers too, his palm startling warm against her fingers. “Do not let him ruin our night.”
“And can you so easily brush off his insult to you?”
“Of course not,” she acknowledged, shaking her head. “Yet if I took him to task on every insult he delivered, I would never be able to hold my head high.”
Theo looked stunned, his jaw slack.
“This is not to be borne,” he muttered. “Enough of this. Come.” He turned his hand, taking her palm in his own.
“Where are we going?”
