Debutante's Daydream

Chapter Three

Amber eyes look up at John from beneath lowered lashes and a small smile tilted Marchioness Reeyhath's lips. Had he not just told his brothers no woman with a subsequent title would look at him? Now, there she was gazing at him like she had been swept off her feet. 

        Her forward questions shocked him, completely knocking him off his axis. 

        No woman in society would be so bold with her words, much less a debutante at her first ball. 

        The music picked up again and John moved the two to the food table. Carolyn picked daintily at the food, seemingly distracted. John held his breath, unsure if he should leave her to her own devices. He felt worried that his answer may have offended her. Had she not wanted a true answer to her question? John has never found himself in this situation, women didn't talk to him. 

        "Lady.." he paused at her small smile as she glanced up at him. 

        "I thought we established we were on a first name basis?" 

        John's cheeks heated and he cleared his throat. "Carolyn, have I offended you?" 

        She raised a brow, picking up a sparkling glass of water, taking a small sip. "Why would you have offended me? Is there an insult I missed?" She smiled, fluttering her lashes at him. Her American accent held the sweetest of twangs that he concluded must have come from deeper in the states than just the common ones, such as New York. 

        He felt flustered and confused. She asked a question, then she acted meek, now she was teasing him. What was she doing? John blew out a breath and sat down in one of the gilded, cushioned chairs. Her brow furrowed and with a quick glance around she sat across from him. 

        "John, you seem troubled," she said, worrying her lower lip with her teeth.

        He shook his head. "Forgive me, La... I mean Carolyn. I have uh..." he stuttered, rubbing the back of his neck. 

        A woman across the room made her way to their table, plastering on a false smile. "Sir," she inclined her head only slightly to acknowledge his insignificant rank. "I must inform you, she is a marchioness and should not be monopolized by a mere baron's son." 

        Carolyn's face went red and she glanced over at John. "Mother, please, I..." 

        Carolyn's mother interrupted her. "Not now. Get out there, the Duke of Bayhound is asking for you." 

        Her face turned a ghostly shade of white and she slinked off, casting one last glance over at John. "I would appreciate it if you never set your eyes on my daughter again. I can smell a fortune hunter a mile away and I will not allow her to be derailed by a man without a significant title." The woman turned on her heel and left, leaving John to his own thoughts.

        Before he could process anything, much less the loss he felt within his stomach, his brothers Benedict and Daneth plop into seats around the table John sat at. "Not now," he said, rubbing his pounding temples. The night just kept on going. 

        "Now brother, you intend to deprive us of the knowledge of what transpired between you and the young debutante?" Daneth nudged Benedict, smiling mischievously.

        "A Marchioness no less." Benedict added. 

        "I heard her mother kept her secluded in fear her virtue would be taken," Daneth continued. 

        They were like two twins, finishing each other's thoughts. John felt his patience waning. "I don't care to hear of the gossip you scrounged  up on a young woman I only danced with once."

        "If you don't sweep her up, someone else will." 

        John stood up, leaving across the dance floor, and he could feel eyes on him, before he left the hall he turned, and his eyes immediately locked onto the amber ones of Carolyn's. Her brows bunched on her pale face and impulsively John shot his eyes towards the garden, hoping she caught his meaning. 

        A pep appeared in Carolyn's step as she danced with the ancient Duke of Bayhound. He rushed out and around the manor to the garden, hands sweating. Although her mother scared him, he couldn't help himself from wanting more words with her. More even, but he knew that in doing so he would cause her ruin and he couldn't live with that guilt. He couldn't give her what she wanted. 

        Just when he was about to dash away, Carolyn rushed into the garden, shoes banished from her slender feet and gown hiked around her knees. 

        The breath left his lungs, heat filling his face as he cast his eyes away from the Lady's indecency. He would like to believe that habit would leave her, a less noble man than he would take advantage of her naivete. Although he was a noble man in practice his fantasy loved to run while and those bare knees. He gritted his teeth and took a deep breath before turning back to her. 

        A bright smile lit her face and set his heart to pounding in his chest. This was a very bad idea, he thought. Why had he invited a young debutante to a clandestine meeting in a garden. Cladstone for christ's sake. 

        Carolyn sat beside him, covering her creamy skin. "My apologies, the Duke went on and on." 

        "I would have saved you, but your mother is quite terrifying." 

        She laughed, propping herself on a hand between them, long hair falling over her bare shoulder. "How gallant of you. Are you an undercover knight?" 

        He laughed, shaking his head. "I am not even gallant in this life." 

        Carolyn's brow furrowed and her eyes bored into his. "Do you truly believe this?" She asked. 

        Embarrassment flooded him and he could barely hold her gaze. "I just accept my place in society." 

        She frowned, reaching between them to brush her hand over his. "You think so little of yourself?" 

        He sighed, looking down at her soft hand touching his. "You're making it sound worse than it is, Lady." 

        "Perhaps it's not too late for you to save me," she said, a mischievous smile twisted her lips, her palm grazing his, her fingertips tracing along the length of his fingers. 

        "What did you have in mind?" He asked, caught up in the moment of the devious little debutante's mind. John curled his fingers around hers gently. 

        Carolyn dug her dainty toes into the gravel, kicking it up, lashes fluttering until her eyes gazed right into his. "I have yet to see the city in its full glory. You have a carriage, don't you?" 

        He breath caught and nervous excitement coursed through him. "I do." 

        She stood, tugging at his hand and she bit her lip cutely. "Then what are we waiting for?" She asked. 

        Despite John's better judgment, he cast a glance into the windows of the ballroom and took her hand, taking her down towards the courtyard. "Let's go." 

        Carolyn's giggle of delight tinkled in the air and caressed his ears as they rushed to his carriage.