Debutante's Daydream

Chapter Seventeen

        Faye, Carolyn's maid, laced her up in an enchanting emerald green dress that hugged her slight feminine curves and falling in layers of skirts at his hips. Her breasts pushed up and strained against the lowcut bodice, hair curled to perfection, framed a face free of any cosmetics. 

        Nerves welled within Carolyn and with delicate fingers, Faye slid the mask upon her mistress's face and stepped back to admire her work. 

        "You look lovely, lady." She smiled and clasped her hands in front of her.

        Carolyn smiled as she caught herself in her reflection and smoothed her hands over the volume of her gown, her chest squeezed in anticipation. 

        "If I do say so, miss, the Duke of Draven will surely propose after tonight." 

        She burst, unable to keep hearing about the Duke of Draven. "Oh hush it, Faye. My affections have never been with the Duke and frankly being my maid I thought you would figure out I was sneaking out to see the baron's son." Carolyn huffed and crossed her arms. 

        The maid smirked at the young Marchioness. "Lady, I am not daft in the slightest. I knew you were seeing the baron's son. I have simply been waiting for you to confide this in me. If I am frank, miss, I thought we were a bit closer than just lady and maid." 

        Carolyn sighed and hung her head. "Of course we are, Faye. I was just so worried, you seemed quite against John." 

        Faye shrugged and sat on a chaise across from where Carolyn plopped in her chair. "Not against, I just know what your mother would want. I thought it might help if I nudged you towards the Duke to make life a bit easier on yourself, however if your heart lies with the Listworth boy, you have my upmost support." 

        To hear that at least someone wasn't against her and John warmed her and she smiled at her maid. She had greatly underestimated her.  "We are meeting tonight." She confided, twisting a curl around her finger. 

        Faye smiled and stood. "Well you won't be meeting him sitting here. Get going!" 

        With a few finishing touches to her ensemble she was ushered into a carriage and carried off to the ball. 

~

        The lighting was dim and below her dresses flared out like night flowers the music guiding the people of the ton into each dance. Every face was covered in a mask, some wearing one split vertical and others wearing the traditional mask, obscuring the top half of the face. 

        John hadn't told her what he would be wearing and the thrill of being swept up by him secretly sent goosebumps crawling over her skin. She was excited and as she descended the stairs she was immediately swept into arms that were not John's but the Duke of Draven's. She had momentarily forgotten he would be there.

        The Duke was stiff in her arms and silent, unlike his usual casual and cheery countenance she had gotten to know at luncheons. For a moment she was distracted in her pursuit of John and focused on the man who had become her friend. 

        "What is it, Cass?" She asked quietly. 

        The party was in full swing and the attendees were too caught up in their own celebration that none of the guests paid them any heed, well all except the mamas who she assumed had back off of him due to his status with her. 

        A muscled ticked in his jaw and his steps became even more mechanical. "It's nothing to concern yourself with," he used his words like a gun and shot the words straight through her. 

        "I thought we were friends. I will concern myself over your obvious displeasure," she said in hoped he would hear the sincerity in her voice. 

        He sighed. "My maid, Bella, she has left me and has found a new job." 

        Her stomach hollowed out. Bella was the whole reason he started this ruse and whenever they spoke he seemed quite fond of her. One could even say he loved her. "Cass..." 

        He interrupted her. "No need, Carolyn. Our deal will hold." 

        "I'm not worried about the deal, I worry for you. You loved her." 

        Cassian scoffed. "Love is a silly concept that will only come back to bite one in the arse." 

        She knew he didn't mean that, from the death grip he had on her hand to his clenched jaw, silver even lined his eyes. He didn't want to be here. Perhaps down in the cups is where he would have liked to be.

        When the song ended he abruptly left her but before he could get far, she reached out and took his arm. "You will find another woman, Cass. Love is a beautiful thing if you let it in. It can hurt, yes. But if she left then it was not meant to be." 

        Before he could spew whatever jaded and hurtful things he could think of, she left. 

        Carolyn winded through the ballroom and finally a man in the deepest of blue velvet coat, looked at her. Well, she looked at him for his eyes had already been upon her. Chocolate brown eyes, lush mouth, and hair that for once looked styled. 

        The man approached her and her heart beat violently against her ribcage as her cleavage heaved in anticipation. He stopped right in front of her and ran a hand down her bare arm to take her fingers. "You look exquisite, angel." The familiar accent caressed her ears and her heart exploded in her chest. 

        John smiled and brought her close, his hand skimmed the across her hip and to her lower back, holding her far more closely than propriety deemed appropriate. His other hand found hers and he swept her up onto the dance floor and guided her perfectly into a waltz. 

        His body was pressed flush against hers and they lost themselves in the twirling gowns and the romantic music. John didn't say another word and simply held her, his fingers teased the bare skin at the top of her dress and her skin burned wherever he touched her. Their lips were just breaths apart and she could see each individual line in his soft upper lip and she found herself craving to close the distance between them. 

        The skin at the back of her neck tingled and her hair stood up on end, skin hyperaware of his fingertips on her body. Her breathing hitched and her cleavage strained against her bodice, the swells of her breasts ached with arousal and heat pooled between her legs. John's breath fanned across her chest, caressing her skin. 

        "How did you know it was me?" She asked, the only coherent thing she could say with their proximity. 

        He smiled and twirled her in time with the other couples. The first time they had been able to be together in public since her coming out ball. John pulled her back into his warmth and his arm held her tight, his fingers caressed her hand, teasing the skin of her wrist over her pulse point. "I would know you anywhere. Even if your whole face was covered. There is no one who looks like you." 

        She blushed and hid her smile, at a loss for words. "Indeed?" 

        John's face became serious beneath his mask and he gently cradled the side of her face and tilted her face slightly up toward his. "You're like the sun given human form, Care," he murmured and swept his thumb over her cheek, and slid along the outline of her lower lip. 

        Her pulse beat erratically beneath his palm. The song ended and his eyes darted around the room behind her before he took her hand. "Dance, after the third song, meet me out in the garden." 

        She nodded eagerly and his lips brushed along her jawline, lighting her skin aflame with desire aand muddying her thoughts. He left her standing in the room until she was swept up by someone else and throughout the next three dances her thoughts strayed to John who waited outside for her. 

        After the dances she found herself walking outside and she left her shoes at the door to move quietly and she sneaked to see her prince.