“I do hope you’re enjoying yourself, Lady St Vincent,” Henry murmured, surprised when Josephine’s hand trailed down his arm to push into his all of her own accord.
Surprised and elated.
“It is a lovely evening, Your Grace. The company has been excellent, in no small part due to Lady Fethmire. Dinner was agay affair, and the dancing, though I’ve yet to be able to join in a wholly entertaining sight. I do think it’s aptly displayed which guests to monitor on alcohol consumption the night of the wedding.”
Henry’s eyebrows rose, wondering what she was referring to and having it answered for him before he could do much more than that.
Lord Irvington, a long-time friend of his family, looked to have stumbled, his round rump firmly sat in the middle of the dance floor with one arm still raised as if to save his champagne from spilling despite how much of it already dampened his clothes.
“Someone should help him,” Josephine murmured, stepping forward as if she intended to do just that, but Henry only tightened his hold on her hand.
As they watched, one of his servants rushed forward, quickly and quietly moving through the guests to help Lord Irvington back to his feet, even as others moved to distract from the scene.
“I have an excellent staff,” Henry reassured both women with a small smile. “Would the two of you care for a drink?”
“After that display?” Josephine’s mother laughed. “I think I’ll stick to water.”
“Oh.” Josephine looked slightly disappointed, her eyes darting between her mother and the lord being led out of the room. “I suppose I’ll have a water as well …”
“Oh, Josephine, you’re about to be married.” Lady St Vincent laughed. “It’s high time you make your own decisions without worrying about what I think. You’ll be the lady of this house in less than a week’s time. Besides, you look happier than I think I’ve ever seen you. I worry much less about a person’s drinking when they are happy versus sad.”
Something about Lady St Vincent’s words embedded itself into Henry, his gaze flickering down to Josephine to find her wearing an expression as if it had much the same effect on her.
“Happier than you’ve ever seen me?” she repeated, highlighting those same words dancing around Henry’s skull.
“Yes, dear.” Lady St Vincent smiled, tilting her head slightly as if to question why her daughter suddenly seemed so confused. “Are you not happy?”
“Maybe I wasn’t until now,” Josephine said cryptically, her fingers tightening slightly around Henry’s.
Her mother laughed as if it were a joke, but again, something about the words struck Henry.
He knew that he hadn’t been.
After Martha, the days had become dull and grey. They had stretched before him with endless lists of responsibilities and duties. The monotony of each day had been all that he had to look forward to.
And then Josephine had stumbled into his life, all blunt honesty and witty repertoire. She had brought warmth and light back into it.
And happiness?
Maybe he was only just starting to feel it again himself as well.
“The two of you are a pair.” Lady St Vincent laughed, reaching forward to pat their joined hands fondly. “Someone will need to be near you during social affairs to explain your random trailing off into silence at inopportune times.”
Henry winced, going to offer an apology, but Josephine beat him to it.
“I was just thinking, Mama.”
“You are always just thinking,” Lady St Vincent teased.
“And I’m afraid that might be yet another thing we have in common.” Henry sighed. He hadn’t even realized that Josephine had trailed off as well. Not until her mother had pointed it out.
But his first thought wasn’t to consider that they would need someone with them at all times. Rather, they might do better to abstain from too many public outings. The idea of having Josephine all to himself, again, was more than a little tempting.
“I will leave the two of you to stare at one another in pensive silence then,” Josephine’s mother teased. “Or perhaps dance some more!”
“You ought to convince Father to take you out on the dance floor,” Josephine suggested archly, earning an equally arch look from her mother.
Henry allowed his thumb to rub slowly over Josephine’s knuckles as she walked off, his eyes falling back to the woman at his side in awe.
