“Yes, we do. That is where the similarities end, however, although my mother wishes it were otherwise.” Her hand subtly brushed his coat sleeve as she turned to sit down. “Now tell me, where have they been hiding you?”
Mark laughed and began to tell her about his experiences in the army. Lily realized that Amelia had not known Mark as she and her mother had not come to live in Kennebunk with them until after the death of Amelia’s father.
James interrupted the group’s conversation as a bottle of champagne arrived. “I would like to make a toast.” He smiled. “To family and friends and the success of Seacoast Shipping!”
Everyone toasted and Lily looked around wondering what had happened to suddenly make her brother James so happy. She saw Elise scowling and Tom looking confused. What was going on with her family?
***
Two days later, two carriages pulled up to take the Carters to the Winchester Ball. Mark had arrived a half-hour before to travel to the ball with the family. As they stepped outside he turned to Lily.
“You look stunning.” Mark helped Lily into the second carriage and climbed in himself.
The Winchester Ball was one of the largest of the season and a sea of carriages waited to pull up to the mammoth double doors of the impressive Brookline Estate.
As the Carters approached the entrance, Danielle’s family met up with them. Danielle took Tom’s arm and they led the group through the double doors. Danielle’s parents, Douglas and Lucille Handler, followed. Mark offered Lily his arm and the two walked in silence behind them. Lily wondered if she had hurt Mark’s feelings. He was far quieter than normal.
“Mark, is everything all right?” Lily turned toward him, her concern showing clearly on her face.
“Fine,” he said as he looked at her upturned face. “Are you worried about me?”
“Of course. You’ve been quiet and I…” she did not know quite what to say.
“It has been a long time since a lady as pretty as you has worried about me. I have to admit, I like it.” He gave her a devilish smile and for a moment he looked like he had just a few days ago.
“Well, I am happy to oblige, but everyone seems so tense. I cannot figure it out.” Lily gave a small shrug but she noticed Mark’s lips tightened.
She looked at him but he said nothing. She wanted to ask him further but they were about to be announced.
As she entered the ballroom she noticed the stares of many men. She smiled shyly at a few of them and they immediately smiled back.
The group progressed toward the dance floor but the ball was extremely crowded and progress was slow. Finally, they reached some available chairs and sat as they watched the dancers.
“Where did Amelia take off to?” Aunt Clarissa asked as she sat next to Elise.
“I am not sure. Perhaps Mark knows.” But Mark was gone as well. Elise raised her eyebrows, but before she had a chance to speak James approached with a gentleman Lily did not recognize.
The group stood as James and the other man came near. He was very handsome. Lily smiled at him the way Elise had taught her but her smile stalled. His eyes bore into hers, taking in every detail. She resisted the urge to squirm under his gaze.
James took Lily’s hand and drew her forward, “May I present Lieutenant Colonel Andrews. Lieutenant Colonel, my sister, Miss Lillian Carter.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Lily held out her hand to Andrews.
“The pleasure is all mine,” Andrews kissed her hand and the kiss lasted a moment longer than was necessary. “May I have the pleasure of this dance?”
“Of course.” Lily scanned the crowd, making sure she did not see Isabelle. She did not want to antagonize the girl and she had had enough of that woman for the week. Something about Andrews was also not to her liking but she had no good reason for denying him the dance.
As Lily began the first steps of the waltz she noticed Eric Sampson dancing with a pretty brunette. She felt a quick stab of jealousy and wondered if he was escorting the woman.
“Miss Carter, tell me all about yourself.” Andrews smiled a winning grin and Lily relaxed slightly under his gaze. He was a handsome man. Perhaps he was just the ticket to make Eric a little jealous, too.
“There is not much to tell. My family builds ships, as you may know, and it has kept us in Maine these past few years. You must have far more exciting stories being in the army.” Lily smiled coyly and batted her eyelashes.
He chuckled, clearly pleased. “When we are not on the dance floor, I must tell you about how my regiment recently defeated a band of renegade Indians.” He puffed out his chest slightly but Lily tried not to notice.
“How exciting. I can hardly wait.” Lily tried to smile convincingly but she worried it was falling flat.
“Indeed. You may find it of particular interest because we were in your home state. Although I have a most excellent tale involving pirates in the Carolinas. You must remind me to tell it to you.” Andrews winked.
Lily prayed for the dance to be over as Andrews continued his animated discussion about himself. Finally the music stopped, and Andrews escorted her back to her seat.
Two hours later, Lily had danced with a number of men and was enjoying herself thoroughly. Her ribs began paining her and she realized she had not sat and rested since she arrived. The doctor had told her to take it easy but she had felt so well she hadn’t been paying attention. It was time for a break. She sat near Aunt Clarissa as Andrews approached from her right.
“I was hoping for another dance?” He smiled and took her hand.
“As much as I would enjoy that,” Lily said, attempting to return his smile, “I am afraid I am in need of a rest.”
“Perhaps I could sit with you then?”
“That would be lovely.”
Andrews launched into one of his promised stories and Lily tried her best to listen as a man dressed in uniform approached.
“Lieutenant Colonel, you must introduce me to this enchanting creature.” He was a tall man, although not as tall as her brother and Eric and he had steel gray hair and eyes. He was in good shape and would seem attractive to many women but there was a hardness about him that made Lily immediately ill at ease.
“Of course. Colonel Kingsley, this is Miss Lillian Carter.” Lily stood as Andrews made the necessary introductions, although he did not seem particularly pleased.
“How do you do?” Lily held out her hand and the Colonel took it in a very firm hold. She felt a shiver run up her spine but it was not a pleasurable sensation.
“Very well, thank you. Pleased to meet you. I know your brother, of course. We are negotiating a contract for ships. I was hoping to ask you to dance.” The Colonel smiled at her but it did not look natural, like smiling was not something he did often.
“Oh, I am sorry. Lieutenant Colonel Andrews just asked and I was explaining to him that I was hoping to rest a bit.” Lily was glad for the excuse. She couldn’t explain it but she did not want to be alone with this man.
“Well then, why don’t we all sit and chat.” As the Colonel moved toward the chair a third man approached the group. Lily turned to see Eric as he extended his hand to her. Lines of tension marked his face and as his glance met Kingsley’s the other man straightened his shoulders and clenched his fists.
“Miss Carter, how wonderful to see you. I was hoping we would run into each other before now. How are you feeling?” Eric took her hand and gently pulled her toward him and away from the other two men. The softness of his touch was in direct contrast with the tension that exuded from him.
“Much better, thank you, although all of this dancing has worn me out a bit.” She smiled as he took her hand. Although Lily wished he had given her his attention earlier, her current company made her glad for his sudden presence. The Colonel stepped forward, as if to claim her back from Eric.
“Colonel Kingsley, how are you? It has been a long time.” Eric turned toward the other man as he tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and pulled
her closer to him. Lily gladly moved as he wished, feeling much more comfortable by his side than she had a moment before. He continued to keep his other hand on top of hers.
“Mr. Sampson, it has been quite a while. I was sorry to hear about Caitlin.” The Colonel paused. His eyes held no sympathy. “She was such a…vibrant woman.”
Lily could see Eric’s jaw harden but his voice was calm as ever. “Thank you for your condolences. Now if you will excuse us…”
“You are not going to take the beautiful Miss Carter away are you? We were just getting to know one another.” Kingsley stepped forward again and Lily moved closer to Eric.
“Actually, I am. Her brother has asked me to escort her into the card room. You will have to excuse us.” Eric’s hand gripped hers more tightly. The tension between the two men was palpable.
“Perhaps another time then. Miss Carter, it was a pleasure.” He reached for her free hand and she held it out. But she did not move away from Eric and he did not let go of the hand tucked in his arm. The Colonel turned and left.
Andrews shuffled uncomfortably for a moment then turned to Lily and said, “I am sorry we were interrupted. I enjoyed our conversation immensely.”
“As did I. Thank you for keeping me company. I am sure I will see you soon.” She turned to Aunt Clarissa just to let her know where she was going.
“All right, dear. I will be there as soon as I can track down Amelia. She is off somewhere once again.”
Eric maneuvered Lily through the crowd but their progress was slow. Lily could feel her head beginning to ache and she began to feel slightly dizzy.
“I can’t believe James had you escort me,” Lily said, looking at Eric with one eyebrow cocked.
“I tricked him into it and, honestly, he did not look happy.” Eric grimaced, even as he winked at her. It was on the tip of Lily’s tongue to ask him about his past but she couldn’t find the words. As the crowd pressed in, Lily felt her head growing light.
“Do you think we could sit for just a moment?” she asked Eric “I am afraid I may have overdone it this evening.”
“Of course. I know just the place.” He steered her to the right and soon they were out on the veranda that led in to the gardens. As the cool air hit her face Lily took a deep breath, already feeling better.
Eric led her into one of the gardens with a small stone bench to one side. The two sat down and Lily looked up at the stars drinking in the beautiful view.
“It is a beautiful view, isn’t it?” she asked as she gazed up.
“Yes, it is.” Eric gently reached up and touched a stray piece of hair that was dancing in the wind. The touch was gentle and intimate.
Lily closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She would ignore his advances as Elise had suggested.
“Where do you know the Colonel from?” she casually remarked, glancing at Eric.
Eric’s jaw once again hardened. “He was a friend of Caitlin’s before we were married.”
His answer took Lily by surprise. “For some reason I cannot picture the Colonel with many female friends, although I do not know him very well.”
“Why do you say that?” Eric looked at her intently.
She laughed nervously then answered, “You will probably think I am silly but he made me feel uneasy.”
“I don’t think you‘re silly at all. In fact, you would do well to trust your instincts.” Eric’s face relaxed. “And I think you’re right. The Colonel does not have many women he calls strictly friends.”
“Oh.” Realizing he meant the Colonel’s lovers she felt herself blushing all the way to the roots of her hair and, despite the dark, she looked down at her feet to hide her blush.
Eric gently put his finger under her chin and lifted her face back up, “Don’t be embarrassed.” As he said these words, the tips of his fingers, which had been on her chin, slid down her neck and over her collarbone. “You are so beautiful. Try as I might, I can’t seem to stop thinking about you.”
Lily’s entire body tingled as his lips touched the skin of her collarbone. She had never felt anything like this before and it was utterly amazing. Without thinking, her head tilted back as his lips moved up her neck and along her jaw. His hands slid down her arms and then gently grasped her about the waist. Without thinking, her arms moved around his neck as his lips touched hers. He pulled away and then kissed her more deeply. His lips felt so wonderful and Lily could feel herself growing warmer, heat curling in her body. She pressed herself closer to him and his hand ran up her body and gently cupped her breast. She gasped at the sensation but her gasp was quickly lost as he opened her lips with his own and deepened the kiss further. Lily could not think a reasonable thought. She could only feel, and she knew she did not want this to end. As he pulled her into his lap and continued to kiss her a moan escaped her and her hands traveled up into his hair.
Suddenly, Eric broke away. “Did you hear something?”
“Hmm?” She was still in his lap with their bodies pressed together and all she could think was that she wanted him to kiss her again.
He stood up, holding her around the waist and moved them into the shadows of the garden.
The clear voice of the Colonel floated toward them as he walked by the entrance of the garden. “I met a very interesting girl this evening. I've been curious about her for a while and I would like some more information. Find out what you can about her.”
“Girl? That does not sound like your usual tastes,” a second man remarked.
“Well, my usual tastes do not make suitable wives.” Both men laughed and continued walking, the rest of their conversation lost in the breeze.
Lily felt herself shiver as she wondered who the poor girl was. Eric's arms tightened around her and his lips formed a hard line. Did he know who the Colonel was talking about?
He leaned down and gently kissed her lips. He removed her arms from around his neck and again tucked one of her hands into the bend of his arm. “We should get you to your brother before he begins to worry.”
Lily nodded feeling slightly embarrassed by how strongly she had reacted to his kiss. As they walked backed toward the doors to the ballroom she did not know what to say to him.
“Promise me one thing.” Eric stopped walking and turned toward Lily. “Promise me you’ll stay away from Colonel Kingsley.”
She nodded her head, unsure of what to say. He quickly dropped one more kiss on her lips before turning toward the doors.
As they walked inside, it was apparent that the ball had thinned out since they left and they quickly made their way to where some of the guests were playing cards.
Lily easily spotted her brother and Elise as she and Eric moved toward them. Aunt Clarissa had obviously found Amelia and the two were sitting on a nearby settee. Mark, Tom, and Danielle were conversing to one side and all looked up at their approach, Amelia winked at her as she passed but James looked far less amused.
“Where have you been?” James stood, glowering at the couple. The hand of cards was forgotten. “Mr. Sampson went for you ages ago.”
“My apologies, James.” Eric addressed her brother. “I found her shortly after you sent me but it seems she overdid it on the dance floor and was not feeling well. I sat with her for a time until she the crowd thinned out and we could make our way here.”
James continued to glower at this explanation but said nothing else.
“Perhaps we should take you home if you feel you have overdone it.” James’s eyes pierced into her.
“Probably a good idea,” Eric said, turning toward Lily. “It was wonderful to see you again.” He nodded at the rest of the party and then turned and left. Lily felt a stab of disappointment. After what they had just shared, she had expected a different goodbye. It was unrealistic to think he might propose on the spot but she had hoped he would have asked her brother for an audience at least.
James turned to her. “Mr. Sampson is a business associate and I expect you to remain cordial, but he will not be a sui
tor. There are rumors about him and I don’t want you associating with him more than is necessary.”
CHAPTER 6
LILY WOKE THE NEXT MORNING with a knot in her stomach. She wondered if Eric would come to call today. Her brow furrowed. What would James do if he did? If a marriage proposal came from Eric would James accept it despite his reservations?
She stretched and then jumped out of bed eager to start the day. That was the only way these questions would be answered. She dressed and then headed down to breakfast. She was the first to arrive and poured herself some tea and grabbed a biscuit as she sat to wait.
James and Elise joined her shortly after, followed by Tom. The four sat and chatted about the goings on in Kennebunk and Tom’s wedding, now only a few weeks away. Lily found herself drifting from the conversation and thinking of Eric and the ball the night before.
Amelia and Aunt Clarissa entered the breakfast room and sat down.
“Lily, I would like to speak with you this morning,” James called down the table.
“Of course. What about?” Lily was still only half paying attention. She was day dreaming about her first kiss the evening before.
“Your marriage prospects,” James stated matter-of-factly as if that explained the matter.
Lily’s attention focused fully on her brother. “What about them?”
“We should discuss this later,” James said as he stood to go.
Lily felt sharp annoyance prickle along her skin. She stood as well. “We’ve started now.”
James sighed, “I have asked Mark to consider your hand in marriage.”
The table erupted. Amelia gasped and shot to her feet. Aunt Clarissa dropped her tea cup. Elise yelled out “James!” Only Tom and Lily remained silent.
“Why would you do that?” Lily felt her fists clench at her sides.
“We are running out of time. He is a good man. We…” James began but Lily interrupted.
“I thought we agreed that I would have some measure of time to find a spouse of my choosing, like you and Tom did.” Lily’s voice rose with every word.
“We can’t afford to wait any longer, Lily.” James’s face barely moved a muscle.
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