She held out her wrists to show him, and he smiled.
He took her hands, kissing her knuckles.
‘Beautiful,’ he said, but he was looking at her.
She smiled to herself. ‘Not so bad yourself,’ she replied, which was an understatement.
He was always gorgeous, but tonight especially so. Even though they had spent so much time together these past few weeks, every time she saw him again, she was struck by his beauty.
He wore the emerald-green waistcoat, the one she loved best—it made him look like a prince from a fairy tale, the type of story that only had happy endings, no sorrow, no grief. Shewas wearing her birthday dress in a similar but darker shade of green. Her hair was half up, strings of motia hanging with the rest of her hair.
As they walked through the crowd, he trailed behind her. She felt his feather-light touch at the end of her hair. When she turned, catching him, he smiled shyly and her heartbeat quickened.
He offered her his arm and she took it, trying not to fret over being seen with him in public. Even so, she glanced around. Some people were giving them looks, whispering to each other, and whenever she noticed, she felt more and more distressed, yet she could not keep looking. She was used to attracting negative attention, but she didn’t want Xander to be the recipient of such derision.
‘I bet you can’t beat me at the potato toss,’ Xander said, interrupting her thoughts.
It was a game with different baskets worth varying amounts of points, and to win one had to achieve the most points.
‘And what will I win when you inevitably lose?’
‘Win and maybe you’ll see,’ he said, his tone playful.
Her pulse sped up.
She won the first round, then he won the next, and in the last round, she won again.
‘Ha!’ She whooped, jumping up. He smiled, unbothered, and she found she had not noticed or cared about anyone watching; Xander had successfully distracted her. Her heart glowed.
‘And now time for your prize,’ Xander said, steering her to a stall that sold apple slices covered in caramel.
‘Ooh, yummy.’ He paid for a portion and they ate. The caramel apples were so sweet her teeth hurt but she didn’t mind the ache, not one bit.
Bisma’s gaze went to a nearby booth, which was selling cider donuts. She was about to demand they get some when she recognized who was standing there: Eleanora and Frederick.
Xander’s gaze followed hers, and he smiled. ‘Oh, let me introduce you!’
She shook her head quickly. ‘Let’s not disturb them. Besides, I’ve met them before.’
She had been avoiding crossing paths with Eleanora ever since and successfully managed it, despite Xander’s many attempts to the contrary.
‘A brief moment in the greenhouse doesn’t count,’ he said, grabbing her hand. ‘Even if you won’t formally introduce me to your family, I want you to meet mine.’
She tried to resist, but he pulled her along, and her chest tightened with fear.
When they reached Eleanora and Frederick, the pair of siblings were sipping a bubbly drink from goblets, deep in conversation.
‘As I was telling Charlotte this afternoon, Phase One is nearly complete,’ Frederick was saying. ‘After that, the expansion—’ He stopped when he saw Xander approaching with Bisma. A smile broke across his face.
‘Uncle Fred, Mother,’ Xander said, stopping in front of them. He was still holding Bisma’s hand. ‘This is Bisma.’
Eleanora and her brother were as beautiful as the portraits she had seen at the Chapman Estate. Bisma smiled at them, but it might have been more of a grimace as she braced herself for Eleanora’s reaction.
‘So this is the infamous Bisma!’ Eleanora said, her green eyes sparking with interest. Bisma flinched, until Eleanora continued, ‘Xander speaks of you so often I feel I know you. I’m pleased to meet you properly.’
Before Bisma knew what was happening, Eleanora stepped forward, gathering Bisma into her arms in a perfumed hug. Xander wasn’t even ashamed. His cheeks did turn a little pink, but he grinned at Bisma.
‘Oh.’ Bisma blinked, not knowing what to say. ‘He speaks of you often, as well,’ she continued as Eleanora smiled.
