by Berry, Janet
Half an hour later, Elsa walked down the stairs, heading down to the dining room when she heard a knock at the front door.
She heard the housekeeper answer the door and thank the messenger, the door making a resounding thud as it was closed.
Curious now, Elsa leaned over the railing a bit to see where Rosemary was going. When she went into Owyn’s office, Elsa sighed and headed down the stairs again. She arrived a minute later and found Owyn in the dining room and not in his office like she had thought.
“My Lord, good morning. How did you sleep?” she asked him, drinking in the sight of him.
“I slept well. I hope you did the same?” he asked, casually perusing her from head to toe.
Jade put her hair in a braided bun with the ribbon woven in with the strands of hair.
“I slept very well, thank you. I was upset to say goodbye to Everett, but I guess that cannot be helped.”
Owyn nodded in agreement. “I understand. I was also sad to see him go. I think Oryn was more than I. He looked quite distraught.”
Elsa laughed at the look on Owyn’s face as she was sure that was exactly the face Oryn made when he said goodbye to Everett.
Silence fell between them as they stood in the dining room.
“Did you happen to speak to Rosemary? I saw that she spoke to someone at the door on my way downstairs,” Elsa asked, coming over to the sideboard to get some breakfast.
“I did. We have received an invitation to a ball tonight in honor of Lord James Melbourne’s wife having a new baby boy. A new heir to his small fortune is worth a ball,” he said, chuckling.
Elsa scoffed. “Does he have any other children and are any of them girls? I wonder if he would have done the same for them.”
Owyn laughed loudly.
“Soothe those ruffled feathers of yours. Lord Melbourne has four daughters and had a ball to celebrate each one of their births. He is very proud of his children. He has boasted to me on many occasions that his children are his shining achievement in his life.”
Duly chastised and a little bit embarrassed, Elsa sat down and started to eat.
“I hope to be as proud of my children someday as he is,” Owyn said, making Elsa smile.
“Hopefully, you can be more understanding than my father is,” she replied, bringing his eyes to her.
“He would not have let me even help you had Everett been there. He also would not have let me come here if Everett had not spoken to my father on my behalf. I think he understands that I am not as womanly as he wants me to be, but he will try to make me as long as possible.”
“Maybe he only does that because he is trying to take care of you and keep you safe,” Owyn said.
Elsa rolled her eyes.
“He treats Everett as his equal and even my mother as his equal, but when it comes to me, I am still his little girl. I understand how he feels, but I am capable of taking care of myself. He is the one who taught me to before I got older. When I turned sixteen, it was an abrupt about face. My life had to be about dresses and balls and shoes and hair and things only women do.”
“I believe I have had it easier then. My father was understanding about anything we wanted to do. Even my sisters were free to do what they decided they wanted to do.”
Elsa pursed her lips in frustration. Now that Owyn was thinking about it, she had been more confined than his sisters.
“I apologize for what I said,” he said, smiling at her.
She rolled her eyes, but said, “I accept your apology.”
They ate the rest of the meal in silence, wondering how to proceed.
Owyn looked at her curiously and asked, “Would you like to go to that ball tonight? We could go out and spend the night out instead of staying home. Lord Melbourne’s balls are always fun.”
Elsa looked at him with so much excitement he almost laughed.
“I would love to. I need to check and see if I have anything suitable to wear, but I do want to go.”
“I will send Lord Melbourne our reply. I also will have you go to the finest dressmaker on this island to get something suitable for tonight. You can just tell her to put it on my account with her.”
When she went to object, he interrupted her. “I am not going to invite you to a ball and have you dressed incorrectly. We are going to make sure that you are the belle of the ball.”
Elsa smiled.
“As you wish, My Lord.”
Several hours and multiple dresses later, Elsa was finally ready for the ball.
She was dressed in a soft pink ball gown that had highlights of gold in the threading. Elsa had been surprised by the ability of the seamstress to get the dress done in time for tonight.
She had been so excited to pick out a new dress, she had felt so unlike herself. Elsa was not one to be excited about getting a new dress or going out to a ball, but this time she had someone to impress and to show her off.
Elsa scoffed and rolled her eyes, irritated now that she was sounding like a snobby conceited woman.
She looked in the mirror at that moment and couldn’t help but feel very lovely. Her hair had been put up in a coiffure and had pink jeweled pins put in various places to give her hair some sparkle. At least Jade had thought to bring her nice accessories. She wore only a small diamond necklace around her neck instead of the other gems that Jade had brought.
Excited now, she headed down the stairs to her escort.
Owyn stood at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for Elsa to come down and join him.
He was so impatient to see her because he had never seen her dressed in fancier clothing than every day. Even when she met him at the dock, she wore a normal every day dress, albeit her finer day dress. He had noticed this morning that she had been more dressed up and he had wondered whether or not it was because of him or not.
Owyn had thought of nothing else but their discussion last night. He had no idea where the idea for a courtship had come from, but it had just come to mind and he had thrown the idea out there to see what she would say. When she had said yes, he had been stunned. That was the last thing he had thought she would say.
His thoughts were interrupted when he heard the rustling of fabric and he turned to look up the stairs, his chest tightening at the sight of Elsa. He watched as the pink dress she wore swayed with each step, her hips seductively calling him to her.
“My Lady,” he said, bowing when she reached the bottom of the stairs and taking her hand to help with the last step. “You look beautiful tonight.”
“I believe you say that to all the young ladies,” she replied, his smile her only needed reply.
“I do indeed. If they are beautiful, then I am willing to let them know. If they are not beautiful like you, I tell them they look lovely, and if they are just downright unattractive, I let them know that no matter what people think, we are all beautiful in God’s eyes.”
Elsa rolled her eyes at the sarcastic reply.
“I am certain you would never make a woman feel unattractive,” she said, slipping her hand in the crook of his arm.
“I certainly would not. If I were to offend people, how would that look? The prince going around insulting people? It would be horrific.”
Elsa couldn’t hold back her laughter at his statement.
“Unfortunately, sir, that is too true. My father once told a woman she was not an attractive person inside and out and he was disliked for a whole month. He had to formally apologize in public before they would forgive him. Such is life in an office of power.”
They headed out the door and into the carriage, sitting opposite one another.
“I think tonight will be a nice night,” Elsa said.
Owyn couldn’t help but agree.
They arrived at Lord Melbourne’s house an hour later and joined the throng of people who had been invited to the party. As they waited in line to be announced, Elsa looked around the large hallway that led to the ballroom.
The walls were white marble and so clean she
could see her reflection in them. Large windows on the outside wall looked into the courtyard of Lord Melbourne’s luxurious home. Each wall between the windows had a large portrait of a family member from Lord Melbourne’s family and Elsa had to admit that Melbourne had some attractive people in his family.
“Lord Melbourne’s family is quite pleasant to look at,” she whispered to Owyn.
“They are a well-looking bunch, aren’t they? I have heard many a woman whisper about how good Lord Melbourne looks as well,” he replied, winking at her.
Elsa laughed at his cheekiness.
“The chandeliers are lovely. And very large! I have never seen fixtures so large,” Elsa said.
“He does have a touch of snobbery in the opulence he puts into his home. He is proud of it though, and that I cannot hate him for,” Owyn said, moving closer to the doors as the line moved.
“Opulence is definitely correct,” she said, looking directly up at the chandelier above her head.
The bottom layer of crystal had a large hanging white ball dangling down, crystal draped all over it as if it had a net. The second layer had candles that lit the hall brightly. The stem of the chandelier had many layers of crystal lining it from top to bottom, at the very top a gold leafing pattern covered where it was hooked in the ceiling. Elsa had never seen so much crystal on anything before.
“How long do you suppose those take to clean?” she whispered, making Owyn laugh.
“I think that it takes a few days at least. I shudder to think how long a thorough cleaning would take.”
Elsa fake shuddered.
“I shudder as well.”
Owyn shushed her as they arrived at the entrance to the ballroom. Owyn gave their names and when they were announced, a hush went over the ballroom, surprising Elsa.
“Did we do something wrong?” she whispered to him as he led her down the elegant staircase.
“No, we are royalty. It is surprising to see me at a ball, much less with a princess on my arm,” he replied, stopping when he got to the bottom of the stairs and bowing.
Elsa followed suit with a curtsy and the whole room returned the gesture, the chatter and noise starting up again as soon as they were finished.
Elsa was a little bit surprised as that had never happened before to her family. They were royalty, but when they arrived, they never had the entire room go quiet. The room actually cheered and the whole family was greeted with a warm welcome as they came in.
Elsa sighed, knowing she was no longer in the same societal class as Dewberdeen.
She held tightly to Owyn’s arm as they moved along the side of the room, greeting guests and introducing Elsa to everyone. They were walking among the people when Owyn suddenly pulled Elsa close to him, their bodies pressed together tightly to avoid a rogue couple who had danced too far off the dance floor.
Elsa looked at Owyn and her heart started to beat faster.
Owyn looked at Elsa and his heart started to beat faster.
He was just about to lean down when a cough caught his attention, letting him know that someone was indeed watching them. Owyn cleared his throat and stepped away from Elsa, once again at the appropriate distance from her.
“Owyn, my brother! What are you doing here?” Oryn asked, coming up to hug Owyn and taking Elsa’s hand and bowing over it.
“My Lady Elsa, how are you tonight? You are looking very lovely,” he said, pressing a kiss to her knuckles.
Elsa rolled her eyes and laughed at him.
“I was just about to thank your brother for making sure I was not run over by a rogue dancing couple. I would have been toppled over if he hadn’t pulled me to his side and out of the fray.”
She turned to face Owyn and said, “Thank you so much, My Lord.”
He smiled and she had to keep from blushing when he replied, “The pleasure was all mine.”
The heat in his eyes burned so deep that she almost pulled him from the room and kissed him right then and there. The impulse died when Oryn coughed again.
“Well, I am glad he was here to save you when you needed him. He is most reliable that way,” he said, softly nudging Owyn’s arm.
“Excuse me. I am so sorry, I forgot to introduce my date for the evening,” Oryn said, tugging on the arm of a lady standing near them who was speaking with another couple.
“May I introduce Lady Elizabeth Blackmore? She was finally able to make herself available to me so I took the opportunity to make her come with me.”
Lady Elizabeth Blackmore was a beautiful woman, about the same height as Elsa but with gray eyes and red hair. For a redhead, she was suspiciously devoid of freckles on her face. She was about the same build as Elsa as well, which was not lost to Owyn. He and Oryn always did have the same taste in women.
Lady Elizabeth curtsied and smiled at Owyn and Elsa.
Owyn bowed and Elsa curtsied as she spoke.
“It is so nice to meet you. Oryn has told me all about you and Owyn.”
Her grey eyes sparkled as she spoke to them.
She turned to Oryn. “I have not been too busy. I just refused to go with you.”
She turned to Elsa.
“They enjoy the chase, no matter what they say. Why would a man just want a woman who will throw herself at his feet? What is there to enjoy then?”
“You are right. I don’t think men would like a woman as much if they just gave themselves up to them. Not a challenge and who wants to be bored?”
Elsa and Elizabeth both laughed while Oryn and Owyn rolled their eyes.
The girls talked about horses and men while the men stood there looking around. Owyn looked for anyone suspicious or who might want to get his attention. When he looked around the room a third time and saw no one, his gaze moved back to Elsa just as she looked at him.
The strains of a waltz started and she looked so excited that he had to ask her to dance.
“My Lady, would you like to dance?” he asked.
She curtsied and replied, a smile on her face, “I would love to, sir. Thank you.”
He chuckled as they walked to the dance floor, Oryn and Elizabeth not far behind. Owyn took Elsa into his arms for the waltz and Elsa couldn’t help but be aroused by how close their bodies were to one another.
He took his hand in hers and they started to move naturally, together as one.
“You are a good dancer, My Lord,” Elsa said, looking up into his brown eyes.
“You are as well,” he said, pulling her close to him to avoid a dancing couple who got close to them.
“That is twice now you have had to save me from rogue dancers. I wonder if I don’t have a target on my back,” she said, chuckling as he rolled his eyes.
“I highly doubt that. I think that it is the fact that your skill in dancing outweighs theirs. That or they have had too much to drink,” Owyn replied.
They both fell silent as they danced, content now to move together as one as the music played. When the final notes played, Elsa was sad when he let go, but took his arm as they rejoined his brother and Elizabeth.
“How was your dance?” she asked Elizabeth.
“It was lovely. Oryn was so nice and made sure not to step on my feet.”
Elsa giggled as Oryn’s face turned red.
“I am a wonderful dancer. Both my brother and I are considered to be light on our feet.”
Elizabeth smiled at Oryn.
“I was only jesting and you know it.”
With a sly look at Elsa and Owyn, he bowed to them and walked over to another young lady, asking her to dance with him.
“That wretched man. Determined to make a point. His skill would be unmatched against the twit he is dancing with,” Elizabeth said, turning towards the drink table.
“Elsa, would you like to get a drink with me?” she asked.
“I would be delighted to.” Elsa linked her arm through the one that Elizabeth offered to her and headed towards that table.
They had just gotten their drinks when Elsa was
tapped on the shoulder.
A fair-haired gentlemen smiled at her as she turned and she curtsied when he bowed.
“Might I have this dance, My Lady?” he asked.
Elsa looked at Elizabeth and then back at him.
“Of course, sir.”
She handed Elizabeth her drink and headed onto the dance floor.
Owyn watched as Elsa danced with yet another gentleman, his irritation growing with each dance with another man.
Oryn had come back to their little group with very sore feet, as he had danced with Imogen Lancing, who by all accounts and much experience, could not dance.
“Someone has a little too much pride,” Elizabeth whispered to him as Oryn limped back over.
Owyn laughed.
“That is very true. However, when it comes to you, Oryn does many things because his pride is piqued when you challenge him. Don’t try to say you don’t because you are well aware that you do.”
Elizabeth scowled at Owyn, even though she knew what he said was true.
“What is she aware of?” Oryn asked.
“Don’t worry about it, brother; it isn’t something overly important,” Owyn said, slapping his hand on Oryn’s shoulder.
“Are you all right, Oryn? I don’t think it was exactly wise to dance with Imogen. She is a wonderful girl, but you know she has two left feet.”
Oryn glared at Elizabeth.
“I am perfectly fine. I can survive one dance with Imogen. She was wonderful conversation as she trod upon my toes.”
Everyone laughed at that, knowing full well that Imogen herself would even agree as she was the one who always told men that she could not dance. They would ask her anyway and she would spend the whole dance apologizing as she stepped on their toes, the gentlemen pretending not to notice. Poor Imogen.
Owyn watched as Elsa, who was an excellent dancer, glided away in another man’s arms. He tried to stamp down the bout of jealousy that was rising up, but he was having trouble. In his mind, he knew it was just dancing, but it looked like more.
Get a hold of yourself! It is just a dance. There is no reason to get upset.
The song ended and Elsa headed back towards them, stopped suddenly by the arrival of yet another man in front of her wanting to dance. Owyn was about to go over there when she shook her head at the man, curtsying quickly and walking over to them.
