Page 91 of Courting Claudia

“Are you suggesting, dear husband, that we flee from our own ball, so you can toss up my skirts and please yourself?”

He clicked his tongue. “My, what a saucy wench my wife has become. I’ll be tossing those skirts up tonight. You can count on that. But I shall not be the only one getting pleasure.”

She had no doubt he was right. It would not surprise her in the least if she were the most pleasured lady in all of England.

“Shall we?” he asked, then held his arm out for her.

She linked her arm with his. “Yes.”

They were announced amid applause and smiles. Whether or not people saw their union as fodder for the rumor mill, everyone was on his best behavior tonight. The cream of Society had turned out in force because of the simple words, “The dowager Duchess of Shelton requests your presence…”

The next two and a half hours sped past Claudia in a whirlwind. She danced with more men than she could count, and handfuls of others had offered to fetch her drinks or escort her here or there. As it was, right now she waltzed with a pleasant-looking man by the name of Lord Clay-brooke, whom she remembered meeting several Seasons before.

“My dear Miss Prattley, or I suppose it is now Middleton, my apologies, I wish to congratulate you on your marriage.”

“Thank you, Lord Claybrooke.”

“I’m not certain if you recall, but we met before. We danced a few times several years ago.”

“Of course I remember you.”

“Excellent. I made my intentions known I wished to court you.”

“You did?”

“Yes. I came to see your father.”

She could see where this was going. He had declared his intentions to her father, and her father had ignored them. Blinded by his plans to see her wed to Richard. And she could have had a regular courtship by this very nice gentleman. Had there been any others whose requests had fallen on deaf ears?

“I see,” she said. “I regret I never got such a message. You must have thought me most ungrateful. I wish I had known.”

“It matters not now. I can see you and your husband are very happy. But I never got a chance to tell you what a charming woman I thought you were. I wanted to do so tonight.”

“Thank you, Lord Claybrooke. That means more to me than you could know.”

For years she’d made excuses for her father’s harsh treatment of her, refusing to see the truth—he didn’t love her and never had. There was no tenderness when he looked at her and saw a glimpse of her mother, no moments of pride at the woman she’d become. There was nothing that even resembled love, and Derrick was right, it was time she walked away.

She had a new family now. Someday she’d have her own children, and she’d make certain they knew every day that their mother and father loved them.

The dance ended, and Lord Claybrooke escorted her back to Derrick.

“May I say, Mr. Middleton, that you are a lucky man?” Lord Claybrooke asked.

“You may. And I agree. I am quite smitten with my wife.” He hugged her close to him. Once they were alone, he whispered in her ear. “I do wish these people would leave. I’m crazy with want for you.”

She smiled. “And I for you. But we must wait until our guests leave.”

“What do you suppose they would say if I tossed you over my shoulder and hauled you upstairs?”

“That we had a scandalous marriage, and you are a complete cad.”

“True enough.”

“Behave.”

“Lord Claybrooke seemed to be quite taken with you.”

“Yes. As it turns out, he attempted to court me a few years ago, and my father neglected to give me that information.”