Chapter 132

Ava was sipping on the wine as the ladies were talking with each other and she was one of them as well. The Duchess of Belikov, Becca was smiling as her best friend, Emily, the marchioness of Kain were talking with each other.
“I cannot believe that Danial’s cousin is finally married. And here we are trying to figure out the man myself but here we are talking to his wife right now. How do you not know that your husband’s cousin was in town, Caroline?” the ladies asked my best friend before she shrugged.
“Hey, I am not in this family for so long and I am not his personal maid. Danial did not know that he was getting married until we have the invitation,” Caroline said as she was sipping on the wine. I smiled.
“At least, we will not be playing with the queen’s matchmaking anymore. It was hard when she wanted our husbands to find a bride and to think that she had a say in anything,” Jessie said as she was shaking her head. I pondered on that.
“Yeah, Niklaus and I met when I was at a ball and I don’t even know him at the time. Maybe the queen is playing with our ignorance as well,”
Becca said as she was sipping on the wine before the ladies were giggling. Then, they were all focusing at one point in one direction. I turned to look at it before I sucked on a breath when Marsh was walking with his friends.
They were the highlights of everyone’s attention when the powerful lords of the Higher court were walking toward their wives. Ava felt giddy somehow as she was staring at her husband. Why am I being like this? Must be the wine, she mused before the lords were asking their wives to dance on the dance floor. Marsh cleared his throat before he was focusing on Ava.
“Shall I have this dance, my lady?” he said that made Ava’s nerves all over the place. She spent so much time in martial arts training rather than etiquette classes but she was passable for a simple dance.
Just don’t put her in anything that has too much spinning and turning, Ava would lose it.
“Sure, it will be my great pleasure, my lord,” Ava said before she was slipping her hands into his as Marsh was carrying her to the dance floor. She was looking around before she took a deep breath as the musicians started to play and the dance was in full swing.
“I think I never say this but you’re a great dancer,” Marsh said as they were turning around, leaving Ava breathless before she was in his arms. Her husband snuggled against her back as Ava was swaying to the music. It was slow dancing and the music was leading them to become sensual with one another.
“And you, my lord. I never thought you’re such a graceful dancer,” Ava said before she turned to look at her husband again as his eyes were looking into hers. His grey orbs were shining under the gas lights and it took everything in Ava not to kiss him there.
They have shared a kiss after saying their vows and the carriage ride a few weeks ago before they each other’s identities. This time, everything was at stake as Ava doesn’t know what to do about the fact that they were married and will be expecting to get intimate.
Will she be able to pull it off? That’s the real question.
Sensing as if she was battling with herself, Marsh was turning her slowly before they were spinning around the dance floor. It was something that Ava can forget about the ongoing battle inside her before the music ended.
So did their dance.
“Thank you for the wonderful dance, my lady. I wish you would be willing to dance again with me later in the future,” Marsh said as he bent down to kiss her knuckles. They locked their eyes as Ava was biting her lower lips.
A groan escaped his mouth.
“Well, I’m sure love to do it but I have to make sure that my husband was not looking for he might have a fit if I was to be dallying with someone that he did not approve,” Ava joked before she curtsied to Marsh before ran off to meet with the ladies as they returned to their table earlier.
Ava smiled before she wondered that maybe, just maybe, she can put the past behind them and move on with Marsh for who he really was.
*****
Marsh was watching his wife go away from him as his friends were patting his shoulders. They were watching their wives in respect as well before Ian sighed.
“Well, the mighty have fallen, I’m afraid,” he said that made everyone looked at Ian. Marsh arched an eyebrow at the marquis.
“What? I tell you the truth. Before, we don’t even know that Marsh would be coming home, and right now, he was eyeing his wife like he wanted to devour her right here, right now,” Ian said before the duke was shaking his head.
“You have to be gentle with her. She did not know our secret, Marsh. It is up to you to tell her or maybe ease her to understand what we are,” Niklaus said before Danial chuckled.
“Or you get her jealous. My wife hates it when it happened that one time,” his cousin said as Marsh remembered that one time after the meeting of the Higher Court that Caroline was coming to see her husband but she slapped him instead after that display of kissing in public.
“Well, I would love to do that but I don’t think Ava looked like she was a fragile woman,” Marsh said as he was remembering what his in-laws said about Ava’s talent in the martial arts department. He was not ready to meet with his wife’s fists just yet.
“Maybe woo her and then you can tell her all the secrets about being a Vampyre,” Tom said before Marsh was shaking his head.
“Nope, I will take this matter to my own. I just hope that everyone will just calm down and I handle this in my own way. I got it covered,” Marsh said as the ladies were laughing as he saw that Ava was smiling between them.
She was right where he wanted her even though she might not be opening to him yet.
“so, good luck to you, mate, but I have to get going. Emily might need to lie down after such a long day,” Ian said before Niklaus was shaking his head.
“You’re worried about her like a mother hen,” the duke said before Ian was glaring at him.
“I am not,”
“Actually, you are,” Tom backed up before Dan was smirking.
“Cluck, cluck, cluck,” his cousin said as Ian was pushing his hand to Dan. They chuckled before Marsh was looking at Ava and they locked eyes. He smiled before his wife shied away. Tonight shall be interesting indeed.
*****
Ava was looking at herself when she was easing out of her wedding gown. She was in the dressing room of the master bedchambers where she will be sleeping with Marsh for the first time. She took a deep breath before the maid was taking off her corset and set her to bathe alone.
“I will leave you to it, my lady,” the maid said before Ava was nodding at her. Then, she went away as Ava was pulling her chemise over her head and eased into the copper bathtub. She sighed as the aching muscles were calming down and she was leaning back against the tub. Then, she remembered the conversation that they have at the table earlier.
“I think Felix will be very demanding tonight. He might want you to kiss him forever and maybe just snuggle against him in the bed.” Jessie said as she was smirking at Ava. She furrowed her eyebrows.
“Why would he be doing that? He might want to consummate our marriage,” she retorted before Caroline was holding her hand.
“Well, these lords were different and you will understand later after you talk to him. I see the way you’re staring at him. There was this unspoken tension that was going on between you two. Maybe talk about it first and then we see where that leads, okay?” Caroline said as she squeezed Ava’s hand. She nodded before she was noticing something around the ladies that she was having a conversation with.
They all have black chokers.
“Why did you guys wear that? I thought chokers were not in style anymore,” Ava asked before the 4 ladies were looking at each other. They shared a secret smile that Ava knows she was not a part of it.
“You will understand later, but for now, we celebrate you,” they said as they were cheering for her and her wedding. Ava was smiling but deep down, she was curious to know about the chokers. And maybe she will later, after she faces Marsh, hopefully.
Ava opened her eyes and she saw that Marsh was leaning against the doorframe that was separating the dressing room from the bedchamber. She splashed some water as Marsh was following her movement. Ava felt giddy before her husband cleared his throat.
“I see that you are not finished yet. Maybe I will come later,” he said and before anything happened, Ava stopped him as she was edging to the side.
“Please stay with me,” she said as she was surprised to hear herself as well. Marsh turned to look at her before he smiled.
“Later, and I want you to enjoy your bath, my dear. I see you later,” Marsh said as he was closing the door, leaving Ava to her thoughts of why Marsh was coming for her.