Page 24 of A Duchess to Unravel (The Devil’s Masquerade #3)

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

“ M ust you goad him so?” Theo asked, falling into the steps of the dance.

Alistair chuckled, leading her with smooth, flawless effort.

“It is not at all so difficult a feat,” he replied.

She sighed and shook her head.

“He just misses me is all. We miss each other. It is natural for a brother to be worried for his sister.”

Theo was surprised to see a hint of sadness suddenly pass through Alistair’s eyes, but by the time she’d twirled and came around to face him again, it was gone.

“No,” he murmured, “I suppose not.”

“Please do try to be nice to him,” Theo implored, glancing through the crowd at her brother. He was watching them dance, and by the look on his face, was most displeased by it.

She looked back at Alistair and found him smirking.

“Come, darling wife,” he said in a teasing tone, “When am I not the epitome of a gentleman?”

Despite herself, Theo giggled and shook her head.

“I can think of a few times,” she murmured, then gasped with pleasure as Alistair ran a hand boldly down her spine and past the backside of her dress. It happened so quickly she was not sure if it actually happened until she looked up and saw the devilish grin on her husband's face.

“I am always a gentleman when it counts,” he told her, sending her into a twirl, “Do not worry about your brother and me. We will find a space of contentment one day. It just may not be soon.”

They danced in silence for another moment, Theo settling into Alistair’s natural lead. Then she looked up at him in quiet wonder.

“Why does my brother distrust you so?” She asked.

Alistair drew his gaze back to Tristan, taking in the displeased look on his face.

The more he learned about the man, the deeper the mystery went.

By all accounts, Tristan was a well-esteemed member of the ton.

He was wanted by many eligible women and was sought after by the gentleman for his calm nature and ability to soothe arguments.

Yet Alistair would venture that the man was far more than those attributes.

He just hadn’t discovered what that was yet.

“I am not sure, nor do I fathom a care for his opinion,” Alistair replied casually.

“But does it not bother you?” Theo asked.

He twirled her again, going into the last steps of the dance.

“It will only bother me if he stops making me money,” he replied, “And since my wealth is now tied to his, I doubt that will be any time soon.”

The song ended, and Theo curtseyed before him.

She moved to leave, but with a grin, Alistair swept her into his arms and bowed her back as the next one began.

The sound of gasps and murmurs filled the air as he brought her body so close to his, and he finished off the act by placing a kiss upon her bared neck.

“What are you doing?” Theo whispered, her eyes going wide as he brought her back up.

Alistair laughed as he led her into the next set of steps.

“Dancing with my wife,” he replied. “What do you think?”

“But it is custom to only take one dance at a time,” Theo argued, her eyes darting suspiciously around.

“People are staring. Talking.”

“So?” Alistair asked, “We are married. We can dance as much as we like.”

Theo still appeared tense for a moment as her eyes shot around the crowd, then she smiled timidly, and relaxed.

“Do it again,” she urged, a twinkle forming in her brilliant blue eyes.

With a satisfied grin Alistair obliged, first twirling her around, sending her out of his arms, then brought her in close to dip her head back. This time Theo laughed. A lovely, lilting tone that equated to unbridled happiness.

“Oh, I have missed dancing,” she said wistfully, her steps growing more confident and whimsical as Alistair led her.

A memory resurfaced in Alistair’s mind, of the first night they’d met. Theo had come to the Masquerade mostly to dance and flirt. She had said that it was the only place she felt free to do so.

“What if I took you dancing somewhere else?” He asked, enjoying the way her body was loosening and trusting him to lead.

“Where?” Theo asked.

Alistair’s lips drew into a smirk as he brought her closer, and he spun her around so that her back came to his chest.

“To the Devil’s Masquerade,” he whispered into her ear. He was rewarded with a shiver down her spine.

He slid his hand down her waist, loving the way her corseted waist flared at her hips, and pushed her away to spin her back around. Theo’s eyes were sparking with excitement as she came back to face him, and it filled him with a deep satisfaction to see her so lively.

“I thought we could not go anymore?” She asked, though her tone was hopeful.

“If you agree to change your mask, follow my orders exactly, perhaps we could go again,” he murmured, swaying her into the next step.

“But you would have to be good,” he purred into her ear. “Very, very good.”

A mischievous smile spread across Theo’s lips as he led her into the last few steps of the dance, and she batted her lashes innocently.

“I could be good,” she said, her tone light and teasing, making Alistair chuckle.

“ If?” He asked, sensing her need for a bargain.

“If you can make me be good,” she whispered.

As she said so the musicians drew their final notes to an end, and the song concluded. Before Alistair could reply or even ready for another dance, Theo was out of his grasp, winking at him as she twirled away, and disappeared into the surrounding crowd.

Theo felt her blood sizzle and hum with excitement as Alistair’s intense gaze followed her through the crowded ballroom. She felt playful, giddy, and she was sure that her new husband had everything to do with that.

“Theo!” Rose greeted excitedly as she came toward her and Ophelia.

“Darlings,” Theo practically sang as she came behind her friends. She put her head on Rose’s shoulder, her hand on Ophelia’s. Using them as a barrier between her and Alistair. As she’d hoped, he’d followed her, and a playful chase had begun.

“I had no idea you danced so well,” Rose praised, “Have you been taking private lessons?”

“In a manner of speaking,” Alistair answered for her, appearing in front of Rose and Ophelia. Theo smiled wickedly as her two friends gawked up at him.

“Have you always been this tall?” Ophelia said, her offending tone blatant and unforgiving as she stared up at him with a frown.

“Ophelia,” Theo whispered through a giggle, “Do be nice to our gentle giant.”

Ophelia grunted, eyeing him up and down.

“Something tells me he is not so gentle,” she grunted, her tone and words, as usual, most unladylike.

“That would be a question for my wife,” Alistair answered wickedly, turning his gaze toward Theo. His dark blue eyes were halfway to black as he looked over, a wicked grin twitching on his face.

“Tell me, love, am I gentle enough for you?” he asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

“Manners,” Rose sang under her breath, her eyes dodging around.

“I believe you have yet to answer your friend’s question, Theo,” Alistair said, “About the dancing? Have you been taking lessons?”

Theo’s cheeks flushed as Alistair danced between the fine line of humor and danger, and she bit her bottom lip before narrowing her eyes at him.

“It is a hidden passion, I suppose,” she replied.

Feeling exhilarated by the game she’d created, Theo kissed both her friends on the cheek and took off again, disappearing into the crowd and resurfacing by her brother’s and Everett’s sides.

“Stop looking so forlorn, brother,” she teased. “It is a party!”

“That is what I keep telling him,” Everett agreed, nudging Tristan in the ribs.

Once again, Alistair appeared close by, his gaze set on Theo.

“It is a grand evening you’ve planned, Everett,” Alistair agreed, nodding to him in acknowledgment.

“Yes, the music is so lively!” Theo added, grinning from ear to ear.

Everett and Tristan both looked at her oddly, but then Everett grinned back at her.

“I am not sure what has changed about you, Theo, but it is a great turnaround,” he praised. “Lovely to see you not looking so somber at an event.”

“Yes,” Tristan mused, shooting his gaze from his sister to Alistair. “There is much change in you indeed. I remember when you used to despise such things.”

She plucked the glass of whiskey from Everett’s hand and to everyone’s surprise, she took a deep swallow. The brown liquor burned her tongue and warmed her stomach, but it made her giddiness grow.

“Much change,” Everett noted as she placed the glass back in his hand, eyeing her up in surprise.

“We are so very thankful you invited us, Everett,” she told him, then turned a mischievous look toward Alistair.

“Are we not, husband?” She goaded.

Alistair’s eyes twinkled with mirth and something much darker as he nodded.

“Oh, yes,” he replied, “It is so good to see my wife having a good time among her peers.”

“An uncharacteristically good time,” Tristan noted, eyeing them both up.

“Well, I see Seraphina. Tata!”

She wiggled her fingers and took off, hearing a rueful chuckle from Alistair as she got away from him yet again.

And so their chase went; Theo hiding behind her friends as Alistair came after her, the readiness in his gaze growing with each time he found her.

When she ran out of people to hide behind, Theo took off toward the hall, further away from the other guests as she tried to outrun her husband.

She’d thought she’d succeeded at one point as she pressed her back against a nearby corner of the hall, but she was so preoccupied by looking toward the direction she’d just come that she did not notice that Alistair had approached from the other side.

She gasped as she felt his hand reach around the corner and cover her mouth and giggled wildly as he dragged her toward him.

“So mischievous, little kitten,” Alistair purred into her ear, pulling her into the nearby room. “Not very obedient of you.”