Page 40 of Eloping With The Princess
“Yes, good breeding is of upmost importance to Lady Bentley.” Genny linked their arms, and they strolled to an open part of the room, giving Isabel a perfect glimpse of Jason as he stood at the refreshment table.
“And you are doing an excellent job of appearing to love my son. It shines all over your face.”
Isabel felt her face grow warm. Was she that obvious? Had Jason seen it, too?
“I know that my son is a tough nut to crack, as it were, but I also know it will be worth the effort.”
Isabel met Genny’s gaze and found the same blue eyes as Jason’s. And, as if Genny could read her thoughts, she said, “You are precisely the woman to do it. Be patient, and don’t give up on him.”
Isabel clenched her jaw against the tears she felt well in her eyes. She took a steadying breath and nodded. Isabel knew one thing for certain, Jason was never going to see their marriage as real, and therefore never fall in love with her, until she was his wife in every sense of the word.
…
Jason had been congratulated enough tonight for six lifetimes. He was tired of smiling and saying “thank you.” He wasn’t, however, tired of looking at his wife. She was stunning. Everyone noticed, and he’d be a liar if he said that he wasn’t enjoying the fact that the entire crowd was staring at her. He’d left her briefly to go and fetch refreshments, but she was safe from any would-be gossips with Evie and Lilith flanking her. He poured two glasses of lemonade.
“Can you imagine what that must be like? To not know you’re a princess?” a girl’s voice said from behind him.
“I think I’d know if I were royalty,” another replied.
“Well, if someone showed up tomorrow and told me I was a long-lost princess, I would buy everything in this town. People everywhere would quickly lose interest in Victoria, because I would be far more entertaining.”
“You are ridiculous,” the other girl said.
“Tell me you would not want all new clothes and such.”
Jason rolled his eyes and bit his tongue so he would not hand out a nasty response. Isabel was most assuredly not like the other women in this town. He suspected that these two were not the only ones who would have spent every penny he had upon discovering they were royalty. But Isabel had been uncomfortable with such gifts and shows of wealth. She was one of a kind.
He brought her the lemonade but had to hand the glass quickly to a footman as the final waltz began. “This is our dance, my dear.” He bowed to her, then swept her into his arms and onto the dance floor.
Isabel felt stiff in his arms as they moved around the room. Her eyes had a glazed look, as if being the center of everyone’s attention was making her slightly panicked.
“Isabel,” he murmured in a low voice. When she didn’t meet his gaze, he gave her waist a light squeeze to get her attention. “You might want to breathe now and again.”
Finally, her eyes met his. “I’m sorry.” But then her lips curved in gentle amusement. “Was I not breathing?”
“No.”
“It’s just that I didn’t expect everyone to be watching us.”
“You might be less nervous if we make conversation instead of concentrating on dancing.”
“Yes, I suppose that might work, and you are much more accomplished at that when there are others around,” she said.
“I beg your pardon?”
“I meant only that you ignore me much of the time, but then when we have an audience, you dutifully play the doting husband.” She patted his shoulder. “It is understandable. That is the relationship we have, but it does make me wonder which of the Jasons I’ve seen is the real one.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You are wickedly charming when you want to be, were exceedingly giving and friendly before we wed. And then, since I became your wife, you all but ignore me unless someone else is in the room,” she said.
“We are not having this conversation now.”
“Yes, we are, because were there not all these people here, you would have already walked away. Besides, you are the one who said we should talk while we danced.”
He wanted to argue, but he knew she was right, and she was right about his behavior. It was no wonder that she was confused. He’d behaved as if he were at least three different men.
“It’s complicated,” he said.
