Charlaine inhaled a deep, contented breath, noting the scent of evergreens in the air. It mingled with the smoky aroma of what had to be more than a thousand candles on walls, in candelabras and placed on tables as well as the delicious and utterly tempting smells of pastries.
“Oh, I almost forgot,” Nathanial suddenly exclaimed. His eyes sought hers, and the hint of a grin came to his face. “You almost made me forget.”
“Forget what?” Charlaine asked, enjoying the way he made her feel, like a precious jewel he still could not believe was his.
Nathanial glanced toward the arched doorway leading out into the hall. “I just saw Miss Glass rushing down the corridor and then up the stairs.”
Charlaine frowned. “I’d wondered where she had gone.”
Employed as a governess, Emma had never even dared to dream to attend a ball one day, at least not openly. However, Charlaine and Caroline had seen her longing looks when they had both chosen new gowns for the Christmas Ball and decided to play fairy godmother.
Without Emma’s knowledge, they had procured a stunning gown in the deepest azure Charlaine had ever seen, along with slippers and the jewelry to match. When they had presented their gifts to Emma, she had been speechless and, for a second, Charlaine had been afraid that the young woman would faint. She had stammered something rather unintelligible, shaken her head no as she had backed away from the beautiful gown. Still, the longing in her eyes had been unmistakable.
And so in the end, despite her objections, Caroline and Charlaine had been able to persuade her to attend. Her eyes had been wide as she had stepped into the ballroom and then…
Charlaine had been so distracted with assisting Caroline and Becca in greeting new arrivals that she had lost track of Emma. What had happened?
“I believe she was missing a shoe,” Nathanial added with a cocked eyebrow.
“A shoe?”
He nodded.
Charlaine frowned. “Why would she be missing a shoe?” Indeed, none of this made any sense. Emma had secretly always wanted to attend a ball. Now that she could, why would she disappear for half the evening? “I’ll speak to her.”
“I believe that would be a good idea,” Nathanial agreed as he spun her in a circle, then suddenly stilled, his gaze directed toward the arched doorway. “Look.”
Oddly enough, it was none other than Lord Ashhaven who stood in the doorway, his face as expressionless as always, his hair immaculate and his attire without even the whisper of a wrinkle. Still, he stood with his eyes slightly narrowed, his gaze sweeping over the guests in attendance as though he were searching for something…or someone.
“Is that a shoe in his hands?” Nathanial asked, and Charlaine’s gaze jerked from the man’s face to his hands, half-hidden behind his back.
Indeed, a tip of what Charlaine knew to be a delicate and rather expensive slipper peeked out of the man’s grip.
“Do you think it’s hers?” Nathanial asked, the hint of a concerned frown sneaking onto his forehead. “Why would he have it?”
Puzzled, Charlaine pulled him to the side. “And you said she was running?”
“Yes, she didn’t even see me.” His arm grew tense under her hand. “What do you think happened there?”
“I don’t know,” Charlaine replied, unable to believe that Lord Ashhaven had harmed Emma in any way. No, the man had decency ingrained in his bones. It was far more likely that something had occurred that had spooked or shocked Emma. From experience, Charlaine knew that it was a feat quite easily accomplished. The young woman, unfortunately, did not possess nerves of steel. Far from it, in fact. “But I’ll find out,” she vowed, ready to rush off and seek out her friend.
Nathanial, however, had other plans for he pulled her back into his arms. “After this dance,” he whispered as the first notes of a waltz began to play. “You’re mine for the next few minutes.”
Smiling up at him, Charlaine met his gaze as her heart once again seemed to skip a beat. It often did when Nathanial looked at her in that overwhelmingly endearing way of his. Never would she tire of it.
Never.
“I’m yours forever,” she whispered as he pulled her closer. “As you are mine.” If only they were alone, so she could kiss him. However, the evening would have to end sometime.
Sometime could not come soon enough.
Care to know how Emma’s slipper ended up with Lord Ashhaven?
Read on in How to Return a Lady’s Slipper!
About Bree
USA Today bestselling author Bree Wolf has always been a language enthusiast (though not a grammarian!) and is rarely found without a book in her hand or her fingers glued to a keyboard. Trying to find her way, she has taught English as a second language, traveled abroad and worked at a translation agency as well as a law firm in Ireland. She also spent loooong years obtaining a BA in English and Education and a MA in Specialized Translation while wishing she could simply be a writer. Although there is nothing simple about being a writer, her dreams have finally come true.
“A big thanks to my fairy godmother!”
Currently, Bree has found her new home in the historical romance genre, writing Regency novels and novellas. Enjoying the mix of fact and fiction, she occasionally feels like a puppet master, forcing her characters into ever-new situations that will put their strengths, their beliefs, their love to the test, hoping that in the end they will triumph and get the happily-ever-after we are all looking for.
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