“We have an illusion to maintain. I do not know how I feel after everything I have heard. But, I will keep up the facade for a while longer as my end of the bargain.”
That was not the forgiveness and acceptance that Seth desired, but he understood that he would get nothing else tonight.
“Very well,” he uttered.
May the Lord grant me the opportunity to get my hands on the throat of the blasted Earl of Tewkesbury.
They took their place, and Seth put a hand to Charlotte’s hip, taking her other hand in his own. He faced her as they waited for the music to begin. The chandeliers overhead caught her eyes, making them shine a bright cobalt. Her skin was pale and delicate—he recalled well how soft and blemishless that skin was. There was an icy barrier in her expression, which made him crave her all the more.
They danced, gliding smoothly and gracefully. Seth lost himself in the feel of her body and the music. They wove in between other couples, spinning and twirling. Seth wasn’t the master of the ballroom; he did not frequent assembly balls often. But it seemed easy when Charlotte was his partner.
She was light and supple, with quick feet. It seemed they were moving in unison, of one mind. The ice began to thaw. He saw color in her cheeks whenever their eyes met now. It enhanced her beauty, reminding him that this perfect alabaster figure was capable of passion and could be moved to exertion.
It gave her a wanton air, knowing what she had already allowed him to do. Her lips parted, and he knew that her bosom was beginning to heave and did not think it was from the effort of the gliding dance. Their bodies drifted closer, and the formal dance frame that all the other couples held to rigidly began to collapse.
Both yearned to be closer than the formality of ballroom dancing would allow them to be. Seth’s hand slipped to the small of Charlotte’s back, drawing her towards him. At once, she smoothly skipped away from him with teasing eyes. He maintained hold of her hand but lost the other’s connection. With a tug of his wrist, he twirled her back toward him, and their bodies almost clashed.
The thought of her delicate femininity crushed against his body aroused him intensely. She glimpsed the desire in his face, and her once-ambivalent expression lightened. There was the faintest sheen of sweat on her forehead as she danced away from him again, only to be whipped back. She was exerting herself far more than the dance required, risking spoiling her pale complexion with the rosiness of exertion. To Seth, it made her all the more desirable.
The pale aesthetic is for women who do not stir from their couches. They might as well be statues. Give me someone withred cheeks and panting breath any day. This is a foretaste of how she will look in my bed.
The first dance concluded, and polite applause rang throughout the room. Seth kissed Charlotte’s hand. At last, the faintest of a subdued smile slipped through, and she immediately tore her hand away, spinning on her heel to hide her face. Seth moved after her like a striking snake and caught her about the waist, whirling her to face him. As she turned, he stepped close and caught her face in both hands, kissing her.
A ripple of murmured astonishment ran through the watching crowd. As the kiss deepened, the murmurs grew louder. Elderly female voices here and there cried out for shame. A male voice came from behind Seth.
“Excuse me, sir, but there are no public displays of affection to be shown. I refer you to the Codes of Conduct for all guests attending the Almack’s Assembly Rooms...”
It felt like she was swooning in Seth’s arms, settling against his body, hands resting on his broad chest. She put her hand to the back of his head, holding him against her.
“I must insist that you both leave at once. Regardless of rank, such indecent behavior is highly inappropriate!” the man declared shrilly.
The kiss finally ended. Seth grinned at Charlotte, who smiled back shyly, the barrier disappeared. For now, at least. He tookher hand and looked over his shoulder at a little red-faced man pumping his chest in pompous indignation.
“I knew there was a reason I did not prefer Assembly Rooms,” Seth muttered with a wry smirk.
“Then please leave at once,” the man demanded, pointing to the door.
“My good man, I am the Duke of Bellmonte. I shall purchase this place and give you the sack if you dare raise your voice in the presence of a lady of the realm again,” he shot back insolently.
The man’s face was growing puce. He turned back to Charlotte.
“We should leave before the fellow bursts a capillary,” he said with a grimace, loud enough for everyone to hear.
He led Charlotte from the room, thoroughly enjoying his notoriety now that he felt Charlotte was on his side.
“That was childish of me. I hope I did not embarrass you,” he said at last when they stepped out onto King Street. It was quiet outside, the night air cool after the heat of the Assembly room. Charlotte was laughing and interrupted Seth long enough to kiss him. The kiss by itself would be enough to draw the curious eyes of passers-by. Charlotte made it last long enough that none who saw it could be anything else but scandalized.
Seth grinned at her eventually, when the kiss broke enough to allow it.
“We do not need an Assembly Room to dance. Not even music. Do you want to experience true freedom?” he started.
Charlotte nodded mutely. Seth took her hand and started off down King Street in the direction of Green Park. As they crossed St James Street, he whirled around, taking Charlotte about the waist and spinning her. They waltzed across the road, earning raucous shouts from carriage drivers and astonished mutterings from other onlookers. Charlotte laughed freely, her dark curly hair whipping about her face.
Seth had never felt so free himself. He was unencumbered by thoughts of reputation or scandal. That had been the case for a long time, but this felt different. With Charlotte in his arms, he felt truly free to take on the world. He thought that he could give up his dukedom and all the wealth that went with it and start again from scratch. With her by his side, nothing felt impossible.
They dashed through James’ Place and to the wall marking the boundary of Green Park. Seth crouched beside it, making a stirrup with his hands. Charlotte stopped, perplexed.
“I don’t understand,” she furrowed her brows.
