He gave her a look.
“You cannot prevent others from hurt just because you wish it. I have been given the cut direct before and do not doubt my status as your wife, given my circumstances, will not result in the same unkindness shown me by Society.”
He passed a searching gaze over her face and appeared as though he wished to say more, but then glanced over at Chloe who stood at the entrance of the duke’s townhouse. Gabriel proffered his arm and Jane slid her fingertips onto his sleeve.
A tall, frowning butler admitted them. Servants rushed forward to help them from their cloaks and then they were escorted through the lavish townhouse done in white Italian marble to the swell of noise from within the ballroom. From the top of the stairs, Jane surveyed the crush of bodies.
“You will do splendidly,” Gabriel whispered against her ear. His breath stirred her ear and shivers of warmth ran along her spine.
The butler cleared his throat and announced them before the collection of guests. “The Marquess and Marchioness of Waverly and Lady Chloe Edgerton.”
All conversation came to a stop. All eyes within the ballroom turned to them. Jane’s heart fell into her stomach. Grateful for at least her boldly confident husband’s presence at her side, she allowed Gabriel to guide them down the stairs to their host and hostess.
The chestnut haired, towering gentleman exhibited an austere power that marked him a duke before even introductions were made. The woman at his side, a wide-smiling, plump young lady, however, melted some of her tension. Jane dropped a curtsy as Gabriel performed the necessary introductions.
Jane greeted the powerful couple with the same deferential courtesy instilled in her from early on. “Your Graces.”
“It is a pleasure,” the duchess murmured and something in her kind eyes indicated that she did, in fact, believe it to be a pleasure, which was, of course, madness. Every other person present now eyed her like the sludge dragged in on the bottoms of their slippers.
Then the introduction was concluded and Lord Alex and Imogen rushed forward to greet them. The Edgertons set themselves up as a kind of sentry beside her. An unfamiliar gentleman stopped before their small collection of family. Tall, blonde, and lean there was nothing immediately remarkable about the man.
“Primly,” Lord Alex exclaimed and slapped the gentleman on the back. “A pleasure as always. May I introduce you to my sister-in-law, Lady Waverly? Jane, the Earl of Primly.”
She stiffened and tipped her chin up, braced for his rejection.
Then the earl smiled at Jane and someone who’d been unordinary a moment ago became someone quite remarkable. A friend. She dropped a curtsy. “My lord.”
“A-a pleasure, m-my lady,” he stammered and she relinquished her guard in identifying a kindred spirit. He motioned to her dance card. “Will you do me the honor of a s-set?”
She dimly registered the hard stare Gabriel leveled on her and the other man, the narrowing of his eyes as Lord Primly reached for her card and scratched his name. If she did not know better, she’d believe he was…jealous. Which was, of course, also madness. Gabriel would have to care in order to be jealous. “I must warn you, I am quite a dreadful dancer.”
Chloe nodded. “It is true,” she interjected. “Quite dreadful.”
Lord Primly captured Jane’s hand and raised it to his lips. “I-I b-believe it is worth r-risking my t-toes for the pleasure of your company,” he said in a low tone that elicited another scowl from her husband.
“If you’ll excuse me,” Gabriel snapped. “I was going to claim the following set with my wife.”
Lord Primly released her immediately. The small smattering of friends and family went silent at his snarling response. “E-er, yes. Very w-well then.” He sketched a bow and with a hasty goodbye to the remainder of the Edgertons, took himself off.
Before Jane could reprimand her husband for his rudeness to the one, polite gentleman she’d met in the course of her life—with the exception of her now loutish husband—he dragged her toward the dance floor where the dancers were assembling for the first waltz. “What was that about?” she bit out as she placed her hand upon his shoulder.