Page 22 of A Duke for Stealing (The Devil’s Masquerade #4)

CHAPTER TWELVE

“ S he, in fact, saved me from a tremendous mistake,” Everett stated, interrupting the gossip.

Rose’s head whipped toward him, and he felt a savage response in his heart as he saw her cheeks were now as pink as her dress.

He could not take it anymore. The ball he’d taken Rose to had become everything she had feared.

The moment they had stepped into the room, all eyes had fallen on them, and not long after, whispers began to spread like wildfire.

It was not her dress or how beautiful she appeared in it that they were speaking of, however. Instead, those bold enough to approach her with questions had pressed her on their relationship, her mother’s supposed reputation, and many other things their peers had no business knowing.

He had tried to stay away. Tried to prove to himself that he did not need or want to be by her side. Yet it did not take long for Everett to decide that he’d had enough of their laughter and inappropriate questions, and he strode to Rose’s side and took her hand.

“Your Grace,” she murmured, her blush shifting to crimson, as her lashes fanned down her cheeks in a bashful manner, “All is well. You need not-”

“Need not tell them the truth?” He asked, his tone jovial and clear so those around them could hear. “Oh, come now, my love. Why not share the tale of our good fortune?”

He cast an amused grin toward the people around them, and not a single person looked apologetic over their curiosity.

In fact, most of them looked at him expectantly, as if waiting to hear the tale of how he and Rose had fallen in love so deeply that it caused him to walk away from the season’s most precious diamond.

“My dear wife has always watched over her friends,” Everett stated, turning his eyes back to her. “She has been a guardian of many. Including her own Mother. Those who truly know her understand this.”

From Rose’s side, Theo, Seraphina, Amelia, and Ophelia all gave him a startling look. Each of them appeared curious as to where he was going with his speech, and he broadened his grin and cast them a quick wink.

“Rose and I became acquainted through our mutual friends, whom you all now know as the Duke and Duchess of Merrivale,” Everett went on, making a show of taking Rose’s hand and stroking it tenderly. “At first we were quite at odds with one another, were we not darling?”

“Oh, um, yes,” Rose answered, then forced a small laugh, “Yes, it is quite true. We found another quite bothersome.”

Around them, the once judgmental crowd shared a small laugh.

“Yes bothersome indeed, but those feelings of annoyance soon turned into something more tender, and instead of loathing the idea of seeing one another, we both began to look forward to it,” Everett continued, putting on an overly affectionate look toward Rose, “I being the dimwit I am when it comes to emotions, attempted to brush off these feelings. I thought I was a man above such fairytale things. Practical partnership, not love, was the way I, and many of you, see our world. It is a responsibility thrust upon the ranking members of society, and we alone know the heavy burden of that. But my wife- my Rose- she knew better. She knew my heart more than I did. And when she stood up that day, she did so for her as much as she did for me.”

A collective awe came from the crowd of their peers, and Everett watched in satisfaction as Rose’s shoulders slowly lowered away from her ears and her forced smile gradually became more genuine.

Everett gave her one more compassionate smile, and as if he’d been practicing his part for this particular play for weeks, he cast his attention toward the crowd and gave the most pitying look.

“We, of course, do feel dreadful for the discomfort my late realization caused Miss Miller. No person deserves such a public display of humiliation. However, it would seem that she has found her happy ending as well. Is it not true that she has married a high-ranking member of the Italian court? And that she is already anticipating a no-doubt beautiful child with her true love?”

Murmurs of agreement came through the crowd. One lady even spoke up, saying, “Yes, it is true, and how lovely it is that both parties have found their bliss?”

“Lovely indeed,” Everett agreed quickly. “So you see, my wife not only saved me from a mistake. She saved Miss Miller as well. And we are happier for it.”

Another murmur of awe rose from the crowd, and Everett decided it was the perfect time to bring his story to a sweet end and allow their peers to focus elsewhere.

“Now, it is a beautiful day,” Everett went on, sweeping an arm toward the open double doors that led to the sun-filled lawn and garden beyond, “and are we not all to be in the garden? Come, my friends, let us move outside, move on to merrier times, and take part in some games!”

Everett cast a quick glance toward Dominic and Hugo, who stood at the fray, and as if they too were actors in his impromptu play, they both let out cheerful words of agreement as they began to subtly push the group toward the open double doors that led to the lawn.

As if they were lemmings, the crowd moved with one another and began to filter out.

“You did not have to do that,” Rose whispered once more, as they were outside.

“I disagree,” Everett replied, turning his full attention to her, “You appeared to be drowning in a sea of questions. If not about us, then your mother. There was no need for you to face them alone.”

Rose let out an exhausted sigh. Everett could see the weariness in her blue eyes, and again, that strange urge to protect her rippled over him.

“Come now,” he goaded, giving her a charming smile, “You must admit my story satisfied their appetite for gossip.”

Everett’s heart skipped when Rose gave him a small but genuine smile, then let out a soft laugh.

“Even I must admit, you are a good storyteller,” she replied.

“I know I am,” he answered with a smirk.

He was rewarded with another soft laugh from Rose, and she brought her hand up in a rather intimate gesture to squeeze his upper arm.

Her touch thrilled him, even through the fabric of his jacket and shirt, and his smirk turned into a grin.

He placed his hand over her own and moved it to the crook of his arm so he could escort her outside.

Yes, he may have acted poorly the last time they’d seen one another, leaving her alone as he did after such an intimate act- but even so, Rose seemed to have forgiven him at least for now.

“I must agree that you are indeed,” she admitted.

“These will get easier, you know,” he told her, “these gatherings. The questions around our relationship will fade, and now that you are my wife, so will your attachment to your mother; at least through the ton’s eyes.”

Rose gave him a reluctant look, but nodded. Wanting to put her more at ease, Everett put his hand on his arm and gestured toward the doors.

“Let us try to find some enjoyment, hmm? You must be parched. Shall we venture outside with everyone else and find you a lemonade?”

“Yes, that would be lovely,” Rose replied.

With their arms linked, they walked out into the warm sun.

Everett could not help but notice how Rose still threw expectant looks toward their peers, but he was relieved to see that no one seemed interested in approaching them again.

Instead, their focus was on the lawn games, dancing, and good-hearted fun for which the party had been intended.

“That was quite a story you told,” Ophelia stated, joining them at the refreshment table along with Theo, Amelia, and Tristan.

“Yes indeed, quite romantic,” Theo added.

Everett grinned at them as he handed Rose a glass of lemonade.

“You sound surprised,” he retorted wittily, “I thought you would all know by now how charming I am.”

While Ophelia only gave him a deadpan look, the others, including Rose, laughed.

“You are indeed,” Rose admitted, “Though I am surprised to see you use your charm for good.”

Everett gave her a false look of hurt as he pressed a hand to his chest.

“You wound me, wife,” he stated with feigned hurt.

Everett’s heart swelled as Rose’s beautiful face brightened and the exhaustion in her eyes faded.

Her lips parted, and the most beautiful, emphatic laugh rang from her lips.

It echoed in his mind and seeped into his bloodstream, sending a pulse of warmth through his very veins.

The effect it had on him had him dumbfounded for a moment, and for a while, all he could do was look at her utter admiration.

“That is much better,” Tristan stated from his sister’s side. “I have not seen you laugh so in quite a long time. Not since you played that ghastly trick on us before Alistair and Theo’s wedding.”

“A trick you all certainly deserved, brother,” Theo quickly added.

The rest of the small group laughed, but Everett found his usual humor fading as he watched Tristan take another step toward Rose and smile at her.

They had all known each other for quite a while now.

Everett knew that Rose had been friends with Theo and the other ladies for ages.

He also knew that Tristan regarded them all as adopted sisters of sorts.

Yet as he watched his old friend draw a kind, warm look over Rose, he felt something he’d never felt before- jealousy.

“Might I say, Rose, when you smile like that, it certainly makes you glow. Especially when accompanied by such a beautiful dress. This new look becomes you,” Tristan told her.

Everett picked up the utter affection in Tristan’s voice, and before he could stop himself, he was putting his body between his friend and his wife.

“Careful how you speak to a married woman, Tristan,” Everett warned, his voice cold.

Tristan’s brows rose with surprise at the scolding, but Everett paid him no mind as he focused on Rose.

“You truly do look lovely,” he told her, taking her hand. “I hope you no longer hold it against me that I designed this for you?”