Chapter Nineteen #3
‘I think every eye in this place is on us,’ Amelie said, suddenly a little uncomfortable. ‘So much for being discreet.’
The music began and Will whisked her round, guiding her with the gentlest of touches. Amelie felt safe in his arms. He was an accomplished dancer, stepping without needing to think, always in exactly the right place at the right time.
Amelie closed her eyes and let the music flow over her.
It felt surreal to be here at a ball, dancing with Will.
In public they worked hard at not touching, aware even the slightest brush of their hands against one another could give them away.
They were often unsuccessful, but the slips normally happened when they were walking along the banks of the river Cam, where there was hardly anyone to notice.
Here, all eyes were on them. If Will held his hand a little too low on her back, or she leaned in a just a fraction too closely, everyone would comment and everyone would have an opinion.
Despite the pressure Amelie felt not to make a mistake, she was enjoying the dance.
Often at the assembly rooms there’d been many more young ladies than gentlemen.
It had meant that her dance card hadn’t always been full, and this was actually the first time she had ever danced a waltz outside the safety of her childhood drawing room.
She felt elegant, as if she were flying over the courtyard, tethered only by Will’s confident grip on her.
Too soon, the dance came to an end. Will bowed formally in front of her and then stepped in closer.
‘I do not think it is wise for us to stay too long. We are drawing too much curiosity.’
Amelie looked around and saw he was correct. The other couples were engaged in talking to one another after the dance, but those standing round the periphery were all watching Will and her.
‘You are a popular man.’
‘I think you are drawing as many stares as I. You look ravishing tonight, Amelie, and everyone is eager to know who you are.’
‘They think I am a contender for your affection.’
‘You are a contender for my affection.’
She gave him a withering stare. ‘You know what I mean. They think I might be someone respectable who you might consider marrying. Do people not know of your arrangement with Lady Elizabeth Dreadon?’
‘No. There was never any need to make the details public. Besides, it is not a formal arrangement. If Lady Elizabeth chose another, there would be nothing to stop her from marrying them instead.’
‘Apart from the handshakes your fathers exchanged some years ago.’
‘Apart from that.’
Amelie glanced around again. Despite her reservations about coming here tonight, she was thoroughly enjoying herself.
She felt safe behind the mask, her identity truly hidden, and she enjoyed seeing Will in this environment.
Added to that there was the thrill of dancing.
This was one of the best evenings of her life.
It also helped that Will was here with her, guiding her through, that perfect mix of concern and humour.
‘Perhaps we could have one more dance, and then we could slip away.’
‘How can I refuse such an offer from the most beautiful woman here tonight?’
They waited for the musicians to start playing again, taking their place in a long line of dancers for a quick-paced cotillion.
Soon Amelie was laughing as she danced, feeling her heart beat faster with the exertion as they stepped in and out to the beat of the music.
All too soon the dance came to an end, however, and Amelie executed a pretty curtsey in front of Will.
‘We should make our escape before any of these gentlemen start to vie for your attention and ask you to dance,’ Will said, before lowering his voice further and leaning in to whisper in her ear. ‘I do not want to share you.’
There was possessiveness to his voice that sent a shiver of anticipation through her.
She liked the thought of her being desirable to other people made him jealous.
Even though he was the one who had put a time limit on their affair, she could tell he didn’t like the thought of her falling in love with someone else one day.
Before anyone could catch them, they hurried across the main courtyard, retracing their steps to the entrance. Their carriage was waiting a little way down the road and Will quickly helped her inside. Once they were settled, he thumped on the roof and they took off towards Grantchester.
‘I know that was probably very ill-advised,’ Amelie said as they left the city behind them. ‘But it was one of the most wonderful nights of my life. When this is all over, I will treasure the memory of tonight, so thank you, Will.’
‘It was my pleasure,’ he said, lifting her hand to his lips and kissing it.
‘Do you know, I must have attended hundreds of these events, and normally I always feel ill at ease, but tonight…’ He let the sentence hang, unfinished.
He seemed distracted, not quite himself, so Amelie moved to sit next to him, allowing her body to sink into his, hoping in some small way she could give him comfort.