“Duty calls,” Ewan murmured to Samantha, his breath warm against her ear. “Will you be quite all right?”
The question seemed to carry more weight than mere politeness, and she found herself swaying between emotions, unsure of what to feel about this man. How he could say one thing and then act in the exact opposite manner. How he kept on making her forget that this… all of this… was merely performative.
But in the end, she settled for civility even as her heart thudded inside her chest like an orchestra playing an encore.
“Of course. I shall find someone to converse with.” She said finally, hoping that she looked way more composed than she truly felt in that moment.
He hesitated for a moment, his green eyes searching her face. “If you need anything …”
“I’ll be perfectly fine,” she assured him, though her pulse jumped at the concern in his voice.
He is merely playing the part of a husband,she told herself.Do not get carried away.
She watched him disappear toward the library with Lord Tenwick and her Uncle William, leaving her somewhat adrift in the sea of silk and jewels. The conversations around her seemed to flow like water, touching on the usual topics of weather, fashion, and the latest on-dits.
“Your Grace! How absolutely divine you look this evening.”
Samantha turned to find herself facing Lady Cromwell, flanked by Lady Helen and Lady Pennington—three women whose reputations for gossip preceded them into every drawing room in London.
“Lady Cromwell,” Samantha replied carefully, inclining her head with polite reserve. “How kind of you to say so.”
“We simply had to congratulate you on your recent nuptials,” Lady Helen gushed, her smile sharp as a blade. “Such a romantic whirlwind, wasn’t it? Though I suppose when the Duke of Valemont finally sets aside his… roguish ways and sets his sights on a lady, resistance is quite futile.”
“His Grace is indeed persuasive,” Samantha replied, deciding to choose her words carefully.
She could see, from a mile away, that these women were merely sharks sniffing after blood, and she would only get tongues wagging tonight should she say anything remotely wrong.
“Oh, my dear, you’re positively glowing,” Lady Pennington added with false sweetness. “Though I must say, it takes tremendous strength of character to attend social events after… well, after certain unfortunate circumstances.”
Samantha’s smile felt frozen on her face. “I’m afraid I don’t follow your meaning.”
“Oh, nothing too terrible,” Lady Cromwell said with mock sympathy, “but seeing Lord Comerford again after his rather… sudden departure from your life must be somewhat trying. Particularly with his new wife on his arm.”
The words felt like cold water doused right over her head, though she fought to keep her expression serene.
Lord Comerford?Adam? He was here… at this party? With his…wife?
Truthfully, Samantha wanted to turn around right in that instant and run away, but she also knew that showing any kind of reaction to these women in this moment would only add more fuel to the still smoldering embers of the scandal that birthed her wedding to Ewan.
And not only that but betraying any reaction now would only give the eager gossip mill of thetonthe excuse they needed to vomit all over Ewan’s already questionable reputation as a rake.
So, she favored them with a serene smile and said, “Lord Comerford’s presence hardly concerns me. That was a very long time ago.”
“Of course, dear,” Lady Helen agreed readily. “Though one does wonder what might have been, doesn’t one? If he hadn’t decided to marry another so precipitously after returning from his military service. Still, his loss was certainly His Grace’s gain.”
“Indeed,” Lady Pennington added with a knowing look, “though I’m sure it must have been quite the blow to your pride at the time. Being abandoned so publicly, only to see him wed another within months of his return.”
Samantha felt her composure beginning to crack, the familiar shame and humiliation of Adam’s betrayal washing over her despite the years that had passed. She knew they were deliberately digging in her wound, sniffing after a reaction from her, but she held back with great restraint, so much so that her hands trembled slightly as she reached for her fan, desperate for something to occupy them.
“Ladies,” a familiar voice said smoothly behind her, and suddenly Ewan’s arm was sliding around her waist with possessive warmth. “I trust you’re not monopolizing my wife’s attention too severely.”
The relief that flooded through Samantha at his presence was almost overwhelming. She leaned into his solid warmth without thinking, feeling his arm tighten around her. She was so relieved that she forgot her turbulent emotions where he was concerned.
At least, for this moment.
“Your Grace,” Lady Cromwell simpered, “we were just congratulating Her Grace on your marriage.”
“How thoughtful,” Ewan replied, his voice carrying just enough chill to make the women shift uncomfortably. “Though I hardlythink congratulations are necessary. I’m quite obviously the fortunate one in this arrangement.”
