The Betrothed (The Betrothed #1)(37)

Jameson smiled slyly. “Only if she wishes it.”

I took a breath. “Well, if I can’t dance with you.” I kissed his cheek and walked down to meet Silas, standing beside him while the song came to a close.

“I wanted to make good on what I said, that I’d dance with you if you ever invited me to,” he whispered.

I spoke softly. “But I never got that far.”

“I couldn’t wait. Hope you don’t mind.”

I smiled. “Not at all. I’ve been dying to dance, and Jameson has been more interested in watching lately. I’m just so thankful to have someone ask me. None of the other gentlemen at court will now.”

“Ah, I see. Well, for one song, let’s forget about kings and colors and all the rest. Let’s just have a lovely dance, yes?”

“Yes,” I sighed.

The music began, and we lined up across from each other, moving in time with the other couples.

“I don’t know how to thank you for this,” I said. “You and your family saved us tonight.”

He rolled his eyes. “But only after I got us into trouble.”

“Nonsense. I think we all know who the real problem here is.” I swung in, placing my hand in Silas’s. His rough skin held my hand so delicately, and I could see the remnants of a gentleman in the gesture.

“All the same, it was the least we could do.”

“Has the king compensated you yet?”

He shook his head. “We agreed there were no kings for this dance.”

He was right. “Very well.”

We crossed arms and spun in circles. He wasn’t the best partner I’d ever had, but he was steadier than Jameson.

“I’m not sure there would be much occasion after this, but I do hope we can speak more soon,” he said.

“I agree. It’s been nice to have someone to talk to. Another thing I need to thank you for.”

He smiled down at me, the unrestrained admiration in his gaze making me forget that there were other people in the room. “I am here whenever you need me. If anyone is in debt, it’s me. You offered my family a home. You defended my actions publicly. You are quite a remarkable lady, Hollis.” His face grew a little darker when he added, “You will be an unforgettable queen.”

The song ended, and I curtsied to him. I turned to look at Jameson, to see if he was pleased by the dance. He wasn’t even looking.

I flicked my eyes to Silas and nodded that he should follow me from the Great Room.

I went from the room and waited a ways down the hallway. I heard as the next song began, and I saw Silas’s shadow before he arrived where I was standing.

“The dance is over, so now I have to say it again—if the king has not compensated you for your work, I want to make sure that happens.”

Silas looked down, shaking his head. “You needn’t worry about that. They were gifts.”

“I insist! This whole moment tonight wouldn’t have happened without your family, so I am in your debt.”

“You gave us a place to live. We’re in yours.”

I placed my hands on my hips, which was a surprising struggle given the sleeves. He noted it and laughed at me.

“Stop! I’ve been trying so hard!”

“I know,” he said, wiping the smile off his face. “And, wardrobe issues aside, you’ve done a wonderful job.” He gestured toward the Great Room. “They’re not just whispering about how gracefully you’ve behaved tonight, Hollis. They’re saying they’ve known all along what a great queen you’d be.”

The word came out a hopeful whisper. “Really?”

He nodded. “You’ve done beautifully.”

I stared at him, at the glimmering hope in his blue eyes. There really was something extraordinary about that blue. And the way his hair shifted when he dropped his shoulder. And how he smiled, as if he wasn’t holding anything back, saving his worry and care and affection for anyone else.

“I feel so fortunate to have met you,” I confessed. “Since you’ve arrived, I’ve felt . . . different.”

“I feel different, too,” he said, his voice dropping to a whisper. “When you’re near.”

It suddenly became clear to me that we were very much alone. Footsteps in these vast hallways were unmistakable, and there was no such sound.

“I should probably get back,” I breathed.

“Yes.”

But neither of us moved. Until we both did, meeting in the middle of the hallway for a stolen kiss.

Silas cupped my cheeks, holding me with such tenderness that I felt everything inside my body melting. I could feel the calluses on his fingers as they traced the edges of my face, and I couldn’t help but compare the feeling to that of Jameson’s perfectly smooth hands. There was something about the awareness of Silas’s hard work, the labor that earned him those calluses, that made me treasure his touch.

I could have stayed lost in it for ages, but I heard the sound of distant footsteps.

Jerking away, I couldn’t even bring myself to look into his eyes. What had I done?

“Wait five minutes and then go back,” I whispered urgently. “For my sake, please tell no one.”

I was already walking when he simply replied, “If you wish.”