The Duke's Divorce (The Reluctant Grooms Series Volume IV) by Anne Gallagher

is only a particular place where I may address you as
such?”
    Robert leaned back and gazed in her eyes with
a look she could not fathom. “I believe that place would be the
bedroom, Fiona. Robby is far too intimate for you to be addressing
me in public.”
    He settled her back against him and twirled
her without speaking again until the dance ended, all too soon,
much too soon.
    They stood at the edge of the dance floor,
inches apart, not touching. The loss of his arms around her left
her feeling like a ship in the desert. She wanted to say something,
but could not manage a coherent thought.
    “You may now dance with whomever you choose,”
he said. “However, you will reserve the waltz for me, and only me.
If I find you in the arms of another, I will be exceedingly
displeased.” Robert brought her hand to his lips. “Do I make myself
clear, wife?”
    Robert’s intentional use of the word brought
his point home.
    “Yes, husband, as clear as glass.”

Chapter Ten
     
     
    Robert led her back to the corner where his
companions stood, waiting for their wives to return from the
dowager dais. After conferring, it was determined that William
would accompany Robert to the refreshment table in the other room,
while Ellis stood watch over Fiona. He was the more intimidating of
the two cousins and now that Fiona had had her turn about the dance
floor, every fop and dandy would be vying for a chance to turn her
as well. Ellis would make sure Fiona did not get in over her
head.
    As William and Robert made their way to the
outer hall, Robert detoured to the library. There, Robert retrieved
two glasses of brandy from a footman.
    William held out his hand.
    “Forgive me, Will, I’m afraid these are both
mine.” Robert downed the first in one gulp and placed the glass on
the side table. He took a slower sip from the second glass and
looked at his cousin.
    “I must say, Robby, I have never quite seen
you looking thus.” William took his own glass of brandy.
    “It shows?” Robert asked in a sarcastic
tone.
    “Well, yes, if you must know, it does, very
much in fact. I do not know what has brought about such misery, but
surely it cannot be as bad as all that. Have you had another
disagreement with Fiona already?”
    Robert looked at William. He couldn’t
possibly know about the gown incident. “To what do you refer?”
    “Penny told me you had a row with Fiona about
her speaking to the servants. Pen said the poor girl was quite
undone actually, with tears and a heavy heart.”
    “Fiona wept?” Robert asked. Over something, he had said. That was preposterous, the woman snarled like
an angry cat whenever he tried to impose his authority.
    “Yes. Pen wanted to run you to ground over
it, but I told her you two needed to manage that between
yourselves.”
    Robert thought back to that day in the study
with Edwards, who found the staff had been telling Fiona about
Robert and his business affairs. Robert immediately called for her
and banned her from speaking with them other than to issue a
request. Her reply shocked him.
    “Who would you have me talk with then, my
lord? You are never here and when you are, you ignore me. I have
tried to engage you in conversation, but you take any excuse to
leave. Your mother lives her own life and I have not so many
friends to keep me engaged every day. What is it you wish me to do,
sit in my room, by myself, day after day, the way I did in
Scotland?”
    She had fled the library, but he thought
about her reply for a long while. He then told Edwards she could
speak with the staff in any manner she so chose. Edwards had been a
little put out, but he would not disobey his master.
    William gave Robert a questioning look.
    “That has been sorted,” Robert said. “Just a
misunderstanding on Edwards’ part. All has been set to right.”
    “I have had the opportunity to converse with
her,” William said. “And I must say she seems to be a delightful
creature, besides being blazingly beautiful.