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

conversing with several of their friends who congratulated
him on his exquisite choice in wife.
    “Quite the fashion your wife is wearing,”
said Ferring. “Wish my Dotty looked that good.”
    Robert laughed to himself. Ferring’s wife
could never look that good on her best day.
    “Bet you cannot wait to take it off her, eh,
old man?” this from Gredlow.
    “Is she as spirited in the bedroom as she
seems on the dance floor?”
    Robert clenched his fists and glared at
Stockton. The man was a lecher of the first water. How he remained
in their circle, Robert couldn’t hazard a guess.
    “I shall ask you to refrain from those kinds
of comments about my wife,” Robert snarled.
    “All in good fun, Cantin. All in good fun.”
Stockton clapped him on the back.
    He supposed it was. Robert remembered his own
bawdy humor when presented with another’s, similar situation. He
had to get a hold on himself.
    The music ended and Robert turned to watch
Fiona approach on the arm of Greenleigh. Again? How many dances had
she allowed him?
    “Robert, how lovely you could join us,” Fiona
said.
    Was that a hint of sarcasm in her tone?
    “Yes, well, as my mother reminded me, I must
ask Penelope for a dance before the night is over. And as you seem
to have no lack of admirers, I thought you should not mind.”
    Fiona’s smile faded. “No, of course not,” she
said and turned to Gredlow. “I believe this next is ours, is it
not?” And with that, Fiona placed her hand on Gredlow’s arm and
they proceeded to join the lines forming on the dance floor.
    William nudged him in the ribs. “Are you
daft? You should have asked her first before Penny.”
    Yes, he should have. What was wrong with him?
He was married to the most beautiful woman in the room. Yet he
didn’t want to touch her, not unless he absolutely had to. Dancing
the waltz had been torture. She smelled sweet and fresh and felt
delightful in his arms. Holding her thus had given rise to an
almost painful embarrassment, which he had no wish to repeat. He
could not wait for his mother to finally tire of the evening so he
could see them home, go to his club, and seek solace in drink. If
this was going to be his life during the course of the Season, it
was going to be a hard one to maintain.
    *****
    Oh, what was wrong with her that her own
husband would not even take a turn with her? After her dance with
Gredlow, she excused herself from her circle of friends and headed
for the retiring room. Finished, she found a glass of lemonade, and
Fiona stepped onto the terrace from the dining room. The night air
was cold, but refreshing after the press of bodies all night long.
She sipped from her glass and walked to the edge of the low
stonewall. People strolled among the gardens; a few well-placed
lanterns illuminated the paths. She wondered what it would be like
if she and Robert were one of those couples.
    Yes, Robert had done his part in the
ballroom, but barely that. Alas, most husbands did not remain by
their wives throughout the night and went to play cards or seek
their friends counsel. However, as she was newly married it was
expected that he would. Penny had related the three cousins were
thick as thieves and always banded together at these functions. So
if Robert had always been in the company of his cousins, then why
should tonight be any different? Why had he left her alone, to fend
for herself?
    She had looked forward to this evening for
weeks as she and Robert struggled to find an amiable accord at
home. Fiona wanted to find that same accord elsewhere. She realized
she was only fooling herself. It was obvious Robert was keeping to
his side of their bargain.
    “Here you are,” said a voice from behind her.
“I have been looking everywhere for you.”
    Fiona turned and found Lord Stockton. She
hoped the shadowy light from the ballroom hid the grimace behind
her smile.
    “Pray, have I forgotten our dance?” Fiona
asked. “Forgive me, Lord Stockton. In retrieving my