Jameson silently routed for his friend as he leaned against a pillar. His mind inevitably wandered back to the friend she had been referring to. Was the hazel-eyed beauty from before the named Charlotte, or had she been referring to someone else entirely?
He searched the room of bustling people in an attempt to find the woman, but disappointment befell him quickly when he realized that she was nowhere to be seen.
Perhaps she had slipped away with her male companion for more private conversations. He recalled the way her mouth had moved sensually as the man had spun her lithe frame across the room. The delicate curve of her neck and slender arms had left him intrigued by her appearance. It was almost as if she were a gentle breath of fresh on a hot summer’s eve.
His attention was quickly drawn back to the present as he overheard his sister approaching with Henrietta in tow.
“No, I don’t think he has slipped away with another woman, Henrietta; he must have been teasing you when he said he couldn’t spare another dance. I’m his sister; I would know if there were somebody else,” Elizabeth tried her best to console her friend.
“You promised me that you would ensure our time together tonight, Elizabeth; quite frankly, I am beginning to think that you do not want me to be with your brother.” Henrietta’s voice grated on his ears in a very uncomfortable manner.
Seeing his chance, Jameson quickly slipped through the throng of people that stood between him and the welcome glass doors that led to the gardens. He would take his chances with whatever lay out there in the darkness rather than suffer another dance with his sister’s friend.
Bursting into the freedom of the cool evening air, Jameson took a deep breath and composed himself, using his hand to slick back the strands of blond hair that had fallen onto his forehead.
A sudden tune caught his attention as he looked in confusion in the direction of the roses. Someone was humming a soft tune that beckoned him in.
Glancing back at the irate figure of Henrietta, who was bawling against his sister’s shoulder, he quickly shook his head and headed towards the sweetest melody he had ever heard in his life.
Chapter 5
The cool evening air kissed the naked skin of her neck and shoulders as Charlotte stepped into the green maze of bushes. While Lord Frederick had been amiable and polite, she felt exasperated by the plethora of questions he had asked. His presence was overbearing even for the space of just one dance.
Pushing her mental fatigue aside, she picked a random path into the gardens in the hopes of finding a peaceful moment. The cobbled path she had chosen opened onto a tranquil fountain nestled quite comfortably between a few blooming bushes of white roses. A sweet-scented perfume filled the air, drawing her in deeper as she chose a seat beside the bubbling fountain that housed a few golden fish.
She wished at that moment that she could have stayed there beside the fountain instead of returning to the ball. Running her fingers through the cool water, she began to hum a soft melody that her mother had taught her as a child. The song brought back many memories of her parents, making her sad as she reflected on the night they had died.
“That’s a lovely tune.” A deep voice suddenly interrupted her reverie as she jumped back, sending a few drops of water flying onto her dress.
Charlotte’s heart pounded a fierce rhythm in her chest as she backed up against a large topiary.
“I beg your pardon. I didn’t mean to startle you like that.” The man whom Isabella had referred to as Jameson Sinclair held his hand out in a calming gesture.
Charlotte wasn’t sure how long he had been standing there, but it had been long enough to hear her humming. The intensity of his deep blue eyes instantly drew her attention; she had noticed them from afar in the ballroom but hadn’t realized just how piercing they were. They reminded her of the ocean on a clear summer’s day when the sun danced across the waves.
“How long have you been standing there?” She lifted a hand to her chest in an attempt to still the pounding of her heart. The way his gaze swept over her body from head to toe made her stomach flutter with a strange sensation.
“I wasn’t spying on you like some kind of creep,” Jameson attempted to reassure her but only succeeded in making her even more nervous as she took another step back.
Panic began to build in her chest as Charlotte looked around the tiny alcove she had used as a hideout. They were far enough away from the rest of the guests to create a scandal, should anyone happen upon them by chance. Many a young woman had met her ruin without a proper chaperone.
“I’m afraid I must leave; my chaperone will be looking for me soon.” Her eyes darted towards the exit behind him as she lifted her skirts, readying herself to leave. Grace and Isabella would come looking for her soon if she didn’t go back inside.
“Please wait. I didn’t mean to startle you like that; it’s just that I haven’t heard a melody quite like that before. I pride myself in being familiar with all the great composers, but that tune was just …” his voice trailed off as a dreamy look clouded his eyes.
Feeling as if she had recognized something within him, Charlotte lowered the hems of her skirts, straightening her spine and looking at him. There was something oddly familiar about the man; it was almost as if she had met him before in another life. Yet she was entirely certain that she’d never laid eyes on him until that night.
“That may have come across as a bit conceited. I only meant that your song intrigued me. It isn’t often that one happens upon original composition, especially not at a ball where the majority of guests are more concerned with dresses and gossip than anything else.” His eyes suddenly widened as he looked at her, realizing that he may have offended her.
“How do you know it’s an original composition and not a song written by a composer that you may not be acquainted with?”
She cocked her head to the side and lifted her chin in a challenge. Although she would never have admitted it to anyone else, Charlotte felt intrigued by the man with his deep blue eyes and handsome features. An air of mystery about him drew her in like the haunting melodies of Bach.
Jameson’s lips suddenly curled into a cheeky smile as he looked at her. “There is this strange thing that I noticed when listening to different pieces of music. No matter how hard a composer may try and diversify his talents, a telltale hint of themselves always gets left behind.”
Charlotte’s breath caught in her chest; something strange had happened in the pit of her stomach when his lips had curled into a smile. Her heart had skipped a beat in a curious fashion that had left her spellbound by the things he was saying.
“You see, with all of the great composers, they generally leave a piece of their life’s struggles in their compositions. Something was inherently sad about the tune you were humming, but there was also strength and softness. It’s a fascinating combination that only someone with a great amount of heart and life experience could have written. Please tell me who the composer is if not you. I must listen to more of their music.”
