Chapter 86: Accidental Bump
Penelope didn’t dare lift her gaze.
She remained in a courteous curtsy, her posture unyielding as she waited for the sovereign to give the command. The silence stretched for a few, heavy deliberate heartbeats before the Emperor’s voice broke the quiet.
"You may rise."
When he did, she stood straighter alongside Vincent, but kept her gaze fixed firmly on the polished marble ground, well aware of the strict protocols governing imperial encounters.
The Emperor leaned forward on his throne, his sharp eyes taking in the couple. A slow, enigmatic smile touched his lips.
"I must admit, Lord Devereux," the Emperor murmured, his tone rich and commanding. "You went to such great lengths to reject my proposal regarding Lady Catherine, the entire capital whispered of your madness. But looking at your Marchioness tonight, I finally see the gravity of what captured your heart."
He shifted his gaze fully to Penelope, noting her impeccable discipline.
"You may look at me, Marchioness. There is no need for such rigid formality from the woman who tamed the wolf of Vandalia. You are welcomed to the imperial palace."
Penelope smoothly raised her head, keeping her breathing even as she met the sovereign’s distinguished, sharp gaze.
"You honor us with your words, Your Imperial Majesty," Penelope replied, her voice clear and entirely unfaltering.
The Emperor let out a low, appreciative chuckle. "A lady of poise and iron nerves. That is good. The northern court requires a strong hand, Marquis, but enough of that. You two may go on and enjoy the banquet. However, the Marquis must see me after the banquet."
Vincent simply bowed at that, and Penelope copied his movement flawlessly before the two of them stepped away from the imperial presence. Once they were safely out of immediate earshot of the dais, Vincent turned his head slightly toward Penelope, a faint amusement dancing in his gray eyes.
"As expected, the Emperor already seems to favor you. I wonder why I’m not completely surprised that I have a likable wife."
Penelope didn’t want to accept the fact that she was deeply flattered by Vincent’s words. If she were to be honest, she had braced herself to deal with any form of harsh criticism or icy dismissal from the Emperor. Surprisingly, he had appeared entirely calm, and the interaction had gone well.
"I thought you said he was judgy," she whispered, casting a playful, accusing look his way and blaming Vincent for her entirely wrong idea about the sovereign.
"He is," Vincent stood firmly by his word, his voice dropping to a low, knowing murmur. "Trust me."
"What about Elias?" Penelope asked, the thought striking her as she scanned the shifting crowds of the ballroom. "Ever since we arrived at the imperial palace, he hasn’t been present around us, and I’m not sure if I should be worried. Where could he be?"
"Elias will show himself when we need him," Vincent replied smoothly, entirely unbothered by the absence of his most trusted captain. "He’s been wanting to come here ever since I first received the imperial letter. He’s probably still exploring the grounds, but I’m certain he’s fine."
"Does he have a family nearby?" Penelope looked up at Vincent, her curiosity piqued as they walked. "It wouldn’t be surprising if his family lived in the capital. Now that I think about it, you’ve never told me how the two of you even met. I learned he was your personal retainer, and he’s been with you ever since, hasn’t he?"
"Well, yes," Vincent replied, his gaze drifting thoughtfully over the glittering banquet hall. "I chose Elias as my personal retainer because, just like me, he came from a humble background. He understood me better than everyone else I’ve had to work with my entire life, and I suppose he grew on me along the way. I wouldn’t say I treated him the best I could initially, but he knew about my condition and what I was dealing with and still chose to serve me. That kind of loyalty isn’t found anywhere else. Over the years, we seemed to click, but it was rough at the start."
Although Vincent didn’t go into specific details about Elias’s background or past—a quiet testament to his respect for his retainer’s privacy—his words made Penelope realize the depth of their bond. It became clear to her that the two of them had likely found each other at a time when they needed someone the most, and that shared struggle had forged something unbreakable.
Vincent might project a laid-back or detached demeanor to the rest of the world, but he always had his own subtle, fiercely protective way of showing how much he cared for Elias, and everyone else he held dear.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" Vincent asked, arching a single dark eyebrow at the intense, warm look she was giving him.
"I don’t know," she replied softly, a playful smile tucking at the corners of her lips. "I suppose I just love staring at you and listening to you talk."
Vincent didn’t know how to respond to that. The unexpected sweetness of her confession struck him hard, sending a low jolt of heat through his chest. If he had it his way, he’d lift her in his arms right now and take his wife somewhere entirely private, where he could listen to her make all those pretty sounds instead. But unfortunately, they could not leave the banquet—at least, not yet.
He was always at a disadvantage.
Quickly recovering himself, Vincent leaned in close, his lips brushing the shell of her ear as he prepared to murmur a devastating reply, when Laurent suddenly materialized out of the crowd. With entirely too much familiarity, the man threw his arm heavily around Vincent’s shoulder.
"Good evening, lovely people! Told you I’d certainly be seeing you around," Laurent cheered.
Vincent’s jaw tightened instantly, a flash of pure annoyance crossing his features, but that did not bother Laurent one bit. In fact, the man seemed to thoroughly enjoy making the formidable Marquis lose his composure.
"Why are you two just standing idle by yourselves?" Laurent continued, waving a hand toward the swirling crowd. "You know how the court is; interaction is everything around here. Hey, this could be the perfect time to make amends with the people of Caledonia. I heard you’re not on good terms with the kingdom."
With cold precision, Vincent grabbed Laurent’s wrist and pointedly removed his hand from his shoulder.
"The only reason I’m letting you talk to me right now is because you’re marginally more tolerable than everyone else in this room," Vincent drawled, his gray eyes narrowing dangerously as he adjusted the heavy drape of his cloak. "But at this point, you might as well join them."
Laurent exhaled dramatically and patted his chest. "You wound me with your words every time, Vincent. I’m just trying to help unite the two kingdoms together again. As your friendly neighborhood kingdom, it is my duty to ensure there is peace and prosperity between all four kingdoms. That is the least we can do for our Emperor, or don’t you agree?"
"You two should keep talking. I’m thirsty, so I’ll grab myself a drink," Penelope said to the two of them before walking away, leaving poor Vincent entirely at the mercy of the talkative Laurent.
Penelope made her way back to the sprawling banquet table, glad for a brief moment of quiet away from Laurent’s high energy. Reaching the crystal carafes, she poured herself a small goblet of refreshing, chilled fruit wine and drank it down, immediately soothing her dry throat. Feeling much better, she poured a fresh glass, intending to bring it back over to Vincent.
Holding the delicate chalice carefully, Penelope turned around and took two steps away from the table.
But the banquet hall was dense with moving bodies, and as she took a sharp turn past a floral arrangement, she didn’t see the figure stepping blindly out of the crowd.
Thud.
Penelope bumped squarely into the person’s shoulder. The sudden impact jarred her hand, and the dark, crimson liquid sloshed violently over the rim of the glass, spilling entirely across the front of both of their outfits.