“Of course. I shall also enjoy building on our friendship. I have few true friends and so enjoyed our conversation that day in the woodland glade.”
“I did as well,” she said, and he could swear that he heard a gentle sigh escape from her lips.
His gaze fell on her hazelnut tresses, falling around her face in such a becoming style. Lady Olivia Sherwyn, or his Cendrillon as he thought of her, stood out as an individual character in a sea of sameness.
He planned to get to know her better. He had been truthful in telling her he had few friends, certainly few friends who enjoyed reading. He was not short of friends who enjoyed matching their skills against him in a bout of fencing, but none of them had any interest in discussing literature. Or, for that matter, taking a picnic next to a shady pool in a forest glade.
He knew he did not want this moment to end. Thoughts of Cendrillon had stayed with him a long time after their meeting in the woodland glade. He had tried to find her, to no avail. He smiled to himself at the idea that she thought he was a local farmer. He liked that.
He had enjoyed her company, but he had also been captivated by her smile, her mellow voice and the way she listened so thoughtfully. He also knew that he had wanted to kiss her while they were picking wild strawberries. On that day in the woods, he had been bewitched by Cendrillon and felt very alone when she had raced away so suddenly.
He bowed suddenly. “Lady Olivia Sherwyn, I am instructed by my cousin to invite you to dance with me.”
“I’d be delighted sir,” she responded, slipping easily into the language of theton.
Tonight, on the starlit terrace he had the same compulsion to reach down and place his lips on hers. The orchestra had paused,and the next dance would begin soon. He offered her his arm and they made their way to the dance floor.
Ah, a quadrille,he thought,perfect. I’m in no mood for a reel.
He noticed Colin and Jocelyn were still together and gestured for them to join him and Olivia as the other couple in the square.
He needed to remind Colin that dancing more than two dances with the same young lady could be seen as a commitment by some of the matronly tabbies of theton. However, seeing the look of devotion on his friend's face, he suspected his cousin was well on his way to falling in love.
As they twirled in the square dance, he noticed how his heart seemed to miss a beat when he held Cendrillon’s hand in his. The sensation was disquieting, but he knew he wanted more of it and this time he determined that this lady would not disappear. In fact, he planned to call on her the very next day.
As he guided Olivia back to Lady Leighton, he noticed Lady Cressida and her mother had joined their group. He sensed Lady Cressida was less than happy about his disappearance out to the terrace with Lady Olivia Sherwyn.
He bowed at Lady Cressida. “I don’t believe you have met my friend Lady Olivia Sherwyn. Let me introduce you.” He saw Colin’s eyes widen as he called Olivia ‘his friend’.
“An honor to meet you Lady Sherwyn” said Lady Cressida, before turning to Marcus.
“Your lordship has forgotten that we are engaged for the next dance,” she purred.
Marcus knew this was not the case but nodded anyway. His mother had befriended Lady Cressida and no doubt this had given rise to expectations of romance. He needed to be kind, as he had no intention of proposing.
He reluctantly offered his arm to Lady Cressida and left Olivia and the group and joined the dance floor for a cotillion. His partner did her best to draw him into conversation, gazing up at him with her beautiful gray eyes and her rouged lips. She was very beautiful, but he didn’t feel his heart skip a beat when he anticipated their hands touching in the dance.
I shall be polite, but I do wish you would stop flirting with me,he thought.He remained solicitous, but aloof, as he talked with her when the steps of the dance allowed.I’ve never given you any encouragement in the past and there is no connection, no spark between us.
Every so often he caught a glimpse of Olivia dancing with another partner, green gauze floating around her, ribbons bobbing in the air. This morning, he had no idea that tonight he would be dancing with the mystery lady he had met, in theautumn, in a woodland glade. His heart felt glad that Cendrillon was back in his life.
***
Her face stared back at her from the mirror, eyes glowing dark in the candlelight.
He should have proposed by now. If I have to spend much more time with his insipid mother, then I swear I shall collapse with boredom. I have no interest in tapestry or delivering baskets to elderly villagers.
She peered at her reflection, liking what she saw.
I have no scars. My face is perfect. I am the belle dame. She is nothing.
Fury coursed through her veins at the memory of Olivia Sherwyn, dancing in the arms of Lord Hatfield.
How can he be so captivated by a young woman with such a disfigured face? I will not tolerate this.
The cold, blue sapphires in her platinum blonde hair sparkled in the candlelight. She felt no emotion, only cold, hard determination.
Olivia Sherwyn is my rival now. I swear that she will not land Lord Hatfield as a catch. He is mine.
