Duchess by Chance(57)

Her words were a venomous hiss, which made Huxley’s eyes widen briefly and then he chuckled. “Don’t tell me you actually care for your husband, my dear. How terribly uncivilized of you.”

Fear for Daniel’s safety had forced her to hand over that ring and she knew that in doing so there was no way to turn back now even if she had wanted to. Daniel would never understand why she had done it and he would see it as a betrayal, especially as he had told her he would protect her from her family.

“Now, in future, Berengaria, you will be a very good girl and do exactly what we tell you.”

She didn’t speak again and was relieved when the music finished. Looking to where Claire stood, she saw that both Simon and Daniel were now at her side. The duke was scowling but not at her; his eyes were directed at Lord Huxley.

“Your Grace, your wife dances like an angel,” Lord Huxley said when they drew near.

Daniel said nothing, instead taking her fingers from Huxley’s arm and replacing them on his.

“I will call for you tomorrow, Berengaria, and we shall take my carriage for a jaunt around the park.”

“I fear there you are to be disappointed, Huxley. My wife drives solely with me.”

“Perhaps we shall go for a walk then, your Grace.” Lord Huxley looked from Daniel to Simon and his smiled slipped.

“Of course - ”

“I think not.” Daniel interrupted his wife, impaling Lord Huxley with his eyes until the other man lowered his.

“Until next time then, Berengaria.”

Eva watched the loathsome man turn to leave.

“In future, Huxley, you will call my wife by her correct title.”

He didn’t stop at Daniel’s words but Eva knew he heard them.

“The man is a pig.” Claire came to stand in front of Eva and ran her eyes over her friend to ensure she was unharmed.

“Did he upset you, Eva?”

“No, Daniel, Lord Huxley was everything he should have been. Please, there is no need to worry.”

“I told you to alert me if he approached you, yet instead you danced with him.”

She knew he was angry and could read the disappointment in his eyes. Yet how could she have done anything differently, her hands had been tied.

“Surely he was no harm to me here in front of so many people?” Eva said.

“We will discuss this no further here. We are leaving.”

Eva didn’t argue with Daniel’s words. She was exhausted, and dancing with Gilbert Huxley had unsettled her. She hugged Claire, then kissed Simon’s cheek and allowed Daniel to lead her from the ballroom.#p#分页标题#e#



Eva was sitting on the rug before the fire when Daniel entered her room later that night. She was staring into the flames with an intensity that told him she was deep in thought. Closing the door loudly enough for her to be aware of his presence, he walked barefoot toward her. Her hair hung like ropes of silk around her shoulders and she wore a pale cream nightdress with a sheer wrap over the top that hinted at the sweet body that lay beneath. He could see the arch of one slender foot crossed over the other, and her hands were wrapped around her knees.

“Did you enjoy your first ball, Eva?” Daniel moved to sit in the chair to her left. He was still angry over her dancing with Huxley therefore he did not follow through with his first impulse - to lay her backwards on the rug and lose himself in her soft curves.

“Yes and no.”

“Care to elaborate?” Daniel enquired, striving for calm when all he wanted to do was ease the ache in his loins. He studied her profile: the sweep of her spine, the sweet curve of her nose, the thrust of her chin. Every inch intrigued him and she belonged to him. No other man would ever have her, he vowed silently. Just thinking about it made his fists clench. He knew after tonight that other men would want her but he’d never allow that to happen. Sometime in the past few weeks she had come to mean something to Daniel. He wasn’t sure what, yet they were now bound together.

“Yes, I enjoyed dressing in that beautiful gown and talking to my new friends and yes, I enjoyed dancing…with some of my partners.”

She still would not look his way and Daniel wanted to see her eyes as she spoke and read the expression in their blue depths.

“No, I did not enjoy being the focus of so many prying eyes.” Eva dropped her chin to her knees. “And no, I did not like the loud whispers I heard behind my back, or the men who leered at me.”

The hiss of flames was the only noise for several seconds. Daniel sighed as she finally looked at him and he saw the confusion.

“With society comes both good and bad, Eva. There are some I count as friends and others who are not and in time you will learn the difference.”