Page 97 of The Duke's Indecent Match
His wife clung to his arm, which he was not unhappy about.
As he did not want thetonspeculating over his emotions, especially when he had barely recognized them himself, the masquerade meant he did not have to pretend indifference or contentment.No one would comment that he and Kalina spent their entire evening together if they so chose.
The only one who might have questions about it was Kalina herself.
Nathanial did not know if he was ready to answer those questions.Neither did he want to quit his wife’s side.Especially when he saw more than one rake eyeing her low-cut decolletage.Masquerades, though they allowed for couples to cleave to each other without comment, also tended toward all sorts of licentious behavior.
Normally, as Kalina had not yet borne him an heir, she would be considered off limits for a flirtation or affair by the vast majority of theton… but not all of them.And if Nathanial wanted to keep his and Kalina’s names out of the gossips’ mouths, punching a man for flirting with his wife at the Camden Masquerade was hardly the way to do it.
As if the thought had summoned the most flirtatious man in the room, Christian shouldered his way through two other gentlemen to reach Kalina’s other side.He was wearing a golden mask set with rubies, emphasizing his golden blond hair.The ruby red of his waistcoat was also patterned with thin gold thread and golden buttons decorated with lions’ heads gleaming from them.The folds of his snowy white cravat were in the Napoleon style, adding an air of deliberate casualness to his sartorial splendor.
Straightening his shoulders, Nathanial ran his free hand over his own waistcoat, which was a dusky rose pink he’d had made to match his wife’s favorite ballroom dresses.It was a hue he rather favored as well.
“Duchess.”Christian smiled down at Kalina.“You looked ravishing.”He lifted her gloved fingers to his lips, and Nathanial had to suppress a growl.
Christian would cease flirting when he ceased breathing, and not a moment before, Nathanial was sure of it.He knew his friend meant nothing by it, but he could not help but remember the moments at the Blackstones’ house party when he’d been worried Christian might have an interest in Kalina.Even if his friend had declared he did not think he would offer for her.
The fact he’d even considered it for a moment was farther along the path to marriage than Christian had ever ventured before.
Not only that, but Nathanial had no true idea about how his wife felt about the Adonis of theton… other than she’d chosen to trap him into marriage rather than Christian.Perhaps he had nothing to worry about on that score.
“Thank you, Your Grace,” Kalina said, smiling, then she slipped her hand away from Christian and put it atop the one that was already curved around Nathanial’s arm.It was all he could do not to visibly preen.He settled for a smug smirk in Christian’s direction, satisfaction settling in as his friend smiled at him and turned to scan the rest of the ballroom.
What he could see of it, at least.Christian was only an inch taller than Nathanial, and Nathanial could not see very much other than glittering masks and jewels, bobbing feathers from the ladies’ hair, and the occasional glimpse of another tall gentleman’s face.He doubted Christian’s view was much improved.
Still.
“If you see Durham, I need to speak with him,” he said to Christian.
Elijah Stuart, Earl of Durham and heir of the Marquess of Camden, was the last person on the long list of nobles Nathanial had repaid but had not been able to confirm the payment.Though the coat of arms on the envelope he’d received had not been Camden’s, Nathanial had no idea what Durham’s sigil would look like or if it could be for a different honorary title.
What he did know was that the bank had contacted him earlier to inform him that everyone, other than Durham, had received their payment.If Nathanial could not find the man tonight to give the earl the money his father had owed, then he would seek him out tomorrow.But since he was here…
He very badly wanted the last of his father’s business done with.
Christian nodded, while Kalina looked up at him curiously.Nathanial smiled at her, finding the expression oddly natural.He’d been holding back so many smiles before or was unable to give in to them while he simmered with resentment, and now was able to let his face do as it wanted.Still, he did not want to worry her over things like debtors, not when there was no reason to do so.
Nor was he eager to remind her of his previous need for her dowry.
Not when things had changed so drastically between them, and he was still trying to find his way through his feelings.
“I think I see Durham,” Christian said suddenly.“This way.”
With Kalina on his arm, Nathanial followed Christian through the crowd to the side of the room.Durham was standing there with a blonde woman Nathanial was fairly certain was his wife.Another couple was beside them speaking with Lady Astrid.
Nathanial greeted them and introduced Kalina, receiving introductions back and confirming that the blonde was the Countess of Durham.She smiled sunnily at them both.The dark-haired woman standing beside her was Durham’s cousin, Mrs.Browne, and the man was her husband, Captain Browne.With Kalina quickly pulled into conversation with the ladies, Nathanial quietly asked Durham for a quick word.
Which left him utterly puzzled at the end of it.Durham had not received payment because he’d refused it—he scowled at the idea of holding Nathanial accountable for his father’s debts.He refused to reconsider his position, no matter that Nathanial protested that he had the money now.They ended up making a gentleman’s agreement that Nathanial would owe Durham a favor for the future, which left him both grateful and satisfied… and perturbed.
Then, who was the note from?All the letters he’d found, all of his father’s vowels that he’d uncovered, had been signed.
Clearly, the sender of the recent note had expected him to know who had sent it.They must have assumed he would recognize the seal.He would have to share it with his friends.Surely one of them would know whose it was if there was an expectation that he would recognize it on sight.
Turning away from Durham, he found himself immediately distracted from the mystery by the sight of the Marquess of Camden’s youngest son clearly flirting with Nathanial’s wife.
The surge of possessiveness that thundered through him had him moving before he could think.
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