Page 86 of The General's Gift
“Anyway… You’re undoing morale, you know,” he said. “Half the 13th will be useless tomorrow.”
As he guided her through the crowd, heads turned. Fans fluttered. A hush of admiration trailed in her wake.
Nicki stopped before a group of young officers—most her age, some barely older.
They all bowed.
“Lady Cecilia, it’s an honor,” one said, while another murmured, “A vision, I daresay.”
A gentleman bolder than the rest took her hand and kissed it.
She felt… nothing.
No tremble. No dread. No shadow of Papillon’s flutters.
Nicki’s arm stiffened slightly beneath hers. She glanced at him, and something passed between them—unspoken.
A minuet began with the familiar hush of strings.
“Lady Cecilia?” asked one of the officers, bowing. “Might I have the honor?”
Before she could reply, Nicki shook his head. “I’m sorry. She promised this dance to me.”
Celeste stepped forward, one gloved hand in Nicki’s, her skirts whispering around her ankles as they took their places among the other dancers.
He bowed low. She dipped into a perfect curtsy.
They met in the center, hands brushing.
“You’ve come a long way from the girl who tried to escape a picnic by eating à la battle,” Nicki murmured, his grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.
She laughed. “It would’ve been grand if only you had given it a chance.”
They turned, stepped, and then turned again.
“You’ve enchanted them all, you know,” he said, pointing to the officers. “I expect I’ll be dueling half of them by morning. Or handing out brandy and sympathy.”
Celeste’s heart ached. All but one… “That’s the fairy’s flower work.”
She brushed a finger over the wreath of violets woven through her hair. “InA Midsummer Night’s Dream, the juice of a flower makes people fall in love. Drop it on their eyelids, and the next thing they see becomes the object of their desire.”
Nicki gave her a suspicious side glance. “Are you saying you’ve drugged the regiment?”
“Only metaphorically,” she said with a smile. “I’ve been planning this night for weeks. The flowers, the music, the food… I wanted it to feel like anything could happen.”
He spun her once, palm steady at her back. “You’ve succeeded.”
As they returned to the center, Nicki glanced over her ensemble. “Who are you tonight, then? Hermia? Helena?”
Celeste tilted her head, her voice softening. “Titania, of course. Queen of the fairies.”
Nicki’s expression flickered, thoughtful. “And who is Oberon?”
Her eyes drifted toward the edge of the crowd. Where her reluctant king held his court.
Nicki followed her gaze. “You will need more than flowers to convince him.”
She didn’t answer. Tears pricked at her throat. She offered him a wistful smile and let the dance pull her into another turn.
