Chapter 46: Why Do People Keep Throwing Me Off Today?

Even at one's own engagement ball, it's not proper to only dance with one partner the whole time. I danced with Percy (decent), Edmund (fun), the count (horribly awkward), and a couple of random noblemen (also horribly awkward) after my dance with Al ended.

I was afraid of who I might end up with next. I couldn't decide whether the last person I wanted to dance with was Sigmund or Duke Orla. Both options were equally horrendous.

"May I have the honor of dancing with my future sister-in-law?" Franz asked, offering a hand out to me as the next song was starting.

I smiled at him gratefully and accepted. I thought he might want to talk about what had happened earlier in his office but he brought it up in a way I didn't expect.

"Katie…you know that Mariela holds you in very high regard."

"Oh?"

"Whatever she said to you today, she still respects you and values your friendship." Does she? She was awfully upset when she practically threw me out.

He continued with a look of concern on his face.

"You were right before. She has been terribly lonely. I have neglected her by being caught up in my own work and you are the one who made me see that clearly. I will always owe you for that. Even though I am trying to be better about being there for her, she still needs female companionship that I cannot offer. Please make up with her, will you?"

My head spun nearly as quickly as the dancing couples surrounding us. I didn't think he would play the loving husband card.

"Franz, what happened today was a fundamental disagreement of opinion about something that Mariela doesn't fully understand. I can't explain it either so there is no way of resolving the issue."

"Does the issue have to be resolved in order to spend time together?" he pleaded.

I had never seen him like this. His love for Mariela was stronger than I thought. They must have bonded a lot since our little talk in the sitting room.

Did it? I doubted Mariela would want to spend time with me knowing that I planned to run away. What would be the point of getting closer to someone destined to leave?

"I think it does."

Franz sighed. "I feared that might be the case. Please do try to reconsider. She likes you best out of everyone in Annalaias after all."

The last statement was tinged with bitterness. He realized his shortcomings as a husband had cost him her affection.

At least he seemed to be on the right track now. Mariela had been much more content since he started giving her work to do.

"Maybe this is an opportunity for that to change," I suggested. Wasn't that my plan with Al anyway? Slipping away would bring him closer to Marcy. "Without me around, she'll need someone to talk to."

His eyes narrowed. "You are a shrewd, heartless woman Catherine du Pont. I cannot deny that your idea would most likely work but it would cause her pain and that is the last thing I want to do."

I had been called shrewd before but heartless? Was I really so bad for not wanting to be a part of this world that wasn't my own? For trying to set things back to the way they were before I arrived?

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In the novel Mariela and Franz were supposed to be close before Marcy even met them. What had gone wrong? Why were things in this novel so different than they were supposed to be?

I had to fix everything and I hated it!

I was in a bad mood when the dance ended and it got even worse when I was approached by my old nemesis the duke. I amended my earlier statement of confusion—he was definitely the last person I wanted to see.

"Lady Catherine, it has been a while. May I have the pleasure of dancing with you?"

I couldn't exactly say no. "Yes, Your Grace."

"The past few weeks have been quite eventful," he said in his usual flat tone though he appeared to be trying hard to sound conversational. "I do hope you have been adjusting well."

That…was not what I expected from him. Why do people keep throwing me off today?

"I have been adjusting perfectly fine, thank you," I said crisply.

He didn't deserve to know my business. Hadn't I stayed away from him for that exact reason in the beginning?

Too bad that had backfired on me in the worst way possible. The phrase 'out of the frying pan and into the fire' had never been more applicable.

"It is a shame that your talents are going to waste though. The third prince is not nearly as bright as his brothers. A lady such as you should be with someone of their intellectual caliber."

Whoa, back up there. Did he just call Al stupid? I gave him a frosty glare.

"I'm sure I misheard you, Your Grace. Someone of your 'intellectual caliber' wouldn't make the mistake of insulting a member of the royal family in front of another."

"You are not a member of the royal family yet," he said in a way that really creeped me out. What was THAT supposed to mean?

"I'm as good as," I said haughtily, feeling unaccountably annoyed that the guy I mentally berated all the time for being lazy and apathetic was being insulted by someone I didn't like. "I would watch my words if I were you."

"I do apologize, Lady Catherine, I meant no offense."

There was no way those words could not be considered offensive. If I were truly a girl in love, talking down to my fiancé right in front of me would mean a death sentence for the offender.

As it was, I already didn't like this guy. His intent was clear enough.

"I'm sure you didn't," I said sarcastically.

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