Page 60 of A Duke's Christmas Carol
Quite changed, I should say.The old woman’s words circled in her mind as he walked closer, looking so beautiful, so handsome, so perfect amongst the decorations and merriment that her heart ached. She did not want to admit it for fear of having her hopes crushed, but, in that moment, if he were to ask her to be his, she would have consented in an instant.
He came to a standstill in front of her and dipped his head politely, his hand extending. “Miss Wightman, would you do me the honor of dancing with me?”
Valerie swallowed thickly. She had no chaperone, no father or mother or married sibling to consent on her behalf. From the very beginning, they had not done things in the ‘proper’ fashion, and she had never felt freer. But dancing with him, in front of all these people? That was an intimacy that made her nerves jitter wildly. Not because of the closeness, no, but because she was an abysmal dancer.
“I would love to,” she replied regardless, placing her hand on his.
His smile widened ever-so slightly as, with an air of regality, he led her toward the other end of the room. There, the dancers that had already been enjoying themselves scurried to the periphery, eyes bright with anticipation as their duke and the stranger who had appeared on his doorstep took their positions.
Apparently, this was to be a spectacle rather than a group endeavor.
Heaven help me… I shall embarrass him, and there is nothing I can do.
“A slow country dance,” Adrian said to the musicians, as if he knew.
With a gracious nod, the musicians took a moment to discuss what they should play and then began. Valerie’s eyebrows shot up as she recognized the music: a variation of ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’ that society seemed to favor, though she had heard many versions in her twenty-two years.
At the same moment, Adrian’s brow furrowed, his eyes clouding over in a manner that puzzled her. Was he regretting his decision to ask her to dance? Did he not like the music? Perhaps, it was too festive for him.
He blinked and the expression was gone, though the smile did not return. With a mask of unreadable calm, he took a step toward her, taking it slowly. She mirrored the movement, her palm lifting up to press lightly against his, before she turned away and swept herself around in a circle.
“Please, join us,” Valerie called out, unable to bear the pressure of so many eyes on them and them alone. “It is a party! Everyone, please!”
Perhaps taking pity on her, perhaps eager to be involved in such a momentous occasion, a few more couples filtered back onto the dance floor. Soon enough, the entire town hall was filled with couples dancing, from children to the elderly and everyone in between, laughter spilling out above the melody of the musicians.
It was the most astonishing thing Valerie had ever seen. Indeed, something like this could never have happened in London society, or even at the grand houses closest to Gramfield, where she occasionally received invitations. It did not seem to matter to anyone if they could dance or not, their talent secondary to their exuberance and enjoyment of the moment.
“I had no idea it could be like this,” she rasped, choked up by the heartwarming scene.
“It is all because of you,” Adrian replied, his hands pressing against hers as they stepped side to side together for six beats. “Ihad no idea it could be like this.”
She gazed up into his eyes, wondering what he meant: the party or something else? Her mouth opened to ask, but she closed it again, losing her nerve. Why end a night like this with disappointment, if she did not gain the answer she secretly, desperately sought?
“Have you arranged many gatherings?” he asked, half-clarifying what he had meant. “You must have done, to have created such a successful evening.”
She shook her head. “Honestly, no. I have only ever arranged little parties for my siblings. This is my first.”
“You have a gift for it,” he said, as the dance compelled them to draw apart, both of them linking arms with the next pair and turning a circle, before they came back to each other.
“I am almost tempted to ask you to arrange another for the new year,” he continued, gazing down at her with such fire in his eyes that her heart beat faster in response. “You could invite your siblings to stay.”
“No… no, I could not do that,” she replied in a rush, a cold sweat prickling down the back of her neck.
My father cannot know where I am. He will come and fetch me back.She desperately wanted to tell Adrian, but the words would not come, fear making all speech stick in her throat.
“Whyever not?” he asked solemnly. “Is there something at Gramfield you need to return for, other than them?”
Her eyes were imploring, tears stinging, her mouth parted with all the things she could not say. She did not want to discuss this now. She did not want to discuss this at all, for then it would be real, and the great invisible clock that hung over her head would begin clanging.
“Please…” she managed to rasp.
“Please? Please what?” He stopped abruptly. “What are you not telling me, Valerie?”
As panic began to rise and all eyes turned to them, she could not endure it any longer. This was neither the time nor the place. Could he not see that he was ruining everything she had created? Could he not see that he was ruining the most perfect evening?
“I am sorry,” she murmured, as she turned tail and hurried off.
She made it to the snowy steps of the town hall before Adrian caught up to her, his hand closing about her wrist, pulling her around to face him. Breathing hard, his brow creased with confusion, a curious sort of pain in his eyes, he panted, “Whatare you not telling me? I suspected something last night, butI did not press the matter.” He paused. “Now, Iwillhear it, Valerie. If it is bad enough to make you run away like this, then I will hear it.”
