Page 60 of When We Touch

“I had to go through with this!” she whispered. “That’s why I left as I did. Don’t you understand? I had never imagined . . . I mean, I would never again . . . Now I am his wife, then I was not. You are his nephew, his trusted confidant!”

“I am neither a husband, nor engaged to be one, and men, naturally, are prone to seek entertainment where it is offered.”

She gasped, longing to strike him. But there was an awful truth to his cold brutality. Men were forgiven for their escapades; they were expected to have them. Yet it hurt beyond definition to force herself to realize that she was nothing more to him.

“I admit, I have seldom been so . . . mesmerized. But, of course, now you are my uncle’s wife. And, Auntie, I shall never, never, forget that you did indeed go through with the ceremony, that you married my Uncle Charles. As arranged.”

As duly paid! he might have said.

“I had to wed your uncle!”

“Actually, no, you didn’t. You chose to,” he said. And he whirled around the floor, returning her to the place where Charles stood, continuing the debate on law and order. “Duchess!” Jamie said, “You’ve not granted me a dance!”

And so, he went off with her, and minutes later, when Maggie looked at the floor again, he was with Lady Marian’s niece, a gorgeous young girl with a perfect complexion, slim figure, and glorious smile for her partner.

The jealousy that swept through Maggie was agonizing. She turned away. She had made her choices. And she would never, ever, allow Sir James Langdon to believe that he had been anything more than a last fling to her.

A mistake. The culmination of a very strange evening, indeed.

She danced with her brother, who now seemed to be in a cloud, as if his thoughts were elsewhere. And she danced with Percy and Roger, and others of his friends. Charles became distracted as well, and she realized that still he hadn’t seen his daughter.

Later, the guests began to leave.

Jamie must have left quietly; Maggie never saw him go.

Just as well. She couldn’t bear the thought of meeting his eyes again. With him, she felt ashamed, and she felt a fever. She dreaded the night to come more deeply with every passing second.

Mireau and Justin stayed until almost the very end.

Mireau embraced her, again, offering as always, his support, his unfailing friendship.

Then Maggie hugged her brother fiercely, and he swore that he’d see her the next day; she and Charles would remain at Moorhaven a few days, then they would honeymoon, beginning at Bath, perhaps moving on to the Continent. They would go, Charles had said, where the slightest whim led them.

A few of the guests still lingered. Charles whispered to Maggie that she looked exhausted; she should escape up the stairs, and he would be with her as soon as possible. She dreaded the moment when they would be alone, but it was coming, and she couldn’t stop it. Best to hurry ahead and gather what resources she could in the time she had left.

As she escaped up the stairs, she heard Charles’s voice boom out below, “Arianna! Where have you been?”

“Father! I am so sorry. I witnessed the ceremony, but departed quickly for a ride.”

“You went riding? On my wedding day?”

“I felt terribly ill and thought that fresh air might help me feel better. I didn’t want to ruin your happiness by moping around, feeling so terribly ill.”

The girl was a liar. A wretched liar, Maggie thought.

She crept back to look down the stairs. Charles had taken his daughter in his arms. He kissed the top of her head. “Are you better?” he asked anxiously.

“Oh, yes, much.”

“I shall put off the honeymoon. Maggie will understand.”

“Father! Don’t you even think such a thing. You and your young bride must go and enjoy yourselves—be wild, be young, be wicked!” she teased. “Get every little thing out of your new wedded bliss that you can!”

“My sweet, sweet, child. Always thinking of my happiness!” Charles said.

Shiite! Maggie thought.

“I shall run up for some sleep, Father. Since you’re not leaving, we’ll have precious time together in the next few days—that is, if I can draw you away from your beautiful wife!”