The Vampire And His Lady (Silver Hills #2)

Chapter 10- 1862

October 19th 1862- England

The masquerade ball was a whirl of colour and light. Diana's heart seemed to be tied in many knots, painfully throbbing in her chest like a caged bird wildly trying to break free from her rib cage.

It wasn't because of the ball; the Buxley family held it every year a few weeks before Halloween. It wasn't even because she feared that the cut of her deep green gown, with sleeves that looked as if they had slashed open and billowed out white silk as blood, suited her body ill.

No, none of that bothered her. It was only that he was here. That soon, she would certainly be asked to be his bride. And she could finally leave her twisted life behind and begin anew, as Diana Buxley and not Diana Thorpe.

John may've been the younger brother, but he was by far the superior one. Diana would always have to thank her family and their schemes for pushing them together, even if they never expected that her attempted seduction of the elder brother would result in her love of the younger.

"She sparkles like a diamond doesn't she," a voice said from behind Diana. She turned from where she stood on the fray to see William leaning casually against the wall, his eyes on Katherine. "It's a shame that her glow casts the rest of us into the shadows."

Diana stepped back slightly so she was besides Will, their arms nearly touching. If nothing else, she could always trust Will. They weren't the type of siblings that were close, but that only made their relationship stronger. William would protect her because he respected her honour, and Diana respected William because he protected her.

"Maybe I'm not content to live in darkness anymore," she said under her breath, eyes scanning the crowd for John. He promised he'd be here, she thought. He swore.

Will looked over her outfit and nodded. "The dress suits you well, but, as your fussy elder brother, I do have to comment that if the neckline were any lower it would cause gossip to spread like wildfire. And as a stylish young gentleman, I do think the crystal embroidering looks slightly gaudy, but it suits you all the same."

Then he laughed and tugged at one of the stiff curls pouring over her shoulder. "How long did the hair take?"

"Too long considering all our fair sister has to do to achieve a similar style is wake up."

Will grinned, showing off white teeth. His head inclined towards a dark figure in the corner of the room, a figure who was looking intently at Katherine as she fluttered across the ballroom in her pale blue dress like a living, moving gemstone. "Our undead friend over there seems a bit too enraptured by Katherine. Do you think one of us should go over and warn him?"

"Warn him about what? That behind her fair facade, Katherine is more insolent cow than human." Diana scoffed, her hands bunching in the skirts of her dress. "I hope Lord Thornwood falls madly in love with our sister, just so I can watch him fall apart when she inevitably breaks him."

She would've said more, had her attention not been caught by a young man with corn silk hair and chestnut eyes. John.

Her heart danced in her chest now, all uncertainty gone. She looked into his eyes, and from the expression on his face she was sure he was telling her not now. Later.

She pursed her lips but remembered that patience was often rewarded. It shouldn't be too hard to keep company with Will for a while whilst John kept up face.

The hall seemed to drag after that, and the only thing of interest was when Lord Thornwood swept Katherine into a passionate waltz. Diana looked in disgust at how his hands gripped her waist hungrily. Will seemed much amused by it all, not feeling the same protectiveness over that sister.