Princess Charming

Chapter 10: Charmaine

Charmaine tapped her fingers impatiently against the arm of her chair. The ball had begun an hour ago and neither of her new playthings had made an appearance yet.

Couples swept across the floor, all shooting her nervous glances, wondering what else they could try to please their princess.

She was close to giving up when the double doors at the back of the ballroom opened once more, revealing Lord Lebroski and his children.

Selene had been right: Charmaine did like her outfit choice. Perhaps between them she and Selene could start a trend for doing away with corsets. She could already see a number of the young women in the ball room eyeing the two of them enviously; maybe breathing wasn't as overrated as she'd feared.

Charmaine smoothed down the folds of her own floaty sapphire and ebony gown as she got to her feet. Her eyes met Selene's across the ballroom for a second before Selene's flitted upwards, to her tiara. Charmaine smiled, climbed down from the dais and turned her attention to Helios. Without meeting Selene's gaze again, Charmaine stalked up to the family, the crowd parting for her like a sea. All three fell to the floor in low bows and Charmaine waited impatiently to pick themselves back up again.

"Your highness, please allow me to introduce myself and my family. I am Lord Lebroski. This is my son, Helios, and I believe you are already acquainted with my daughter, Selene."

"And your other son, too, Lord Lebroski," Charmaine replied with a smile. "I am disappointed that Elliot has once again avoided the ballroom. Maybe you can try to conjure him up for me for tomorrow night? In the meantime, I would love to be better acquainted with your son. Perhaps he would do me the honour of asking me to dance?"

There was a pause; none of the trio seemed to know quite what to say. Charmaine resisted the urge to take her focus off of Helios, who had turned as pale as the marble wall behind him. Lord Lebroski regained his composure first.

"Helios would be honoured, Princess." He gave Helios a sharp nudge in the back for good measure and his son stumbled forwards, only remembering at the last second to lift his arms to take Charmaine into hold.

Smiling, Charmaine let him lead her onto the dance floor. As with the previous evening, all eyes turned towards her and her partner. Helios was on the receiving end of more than a few hostile glares, but he was slowing starting to regain his composure. He straightened his posture and the hand he had placed on her back was firm, almost possessive. He made an attempt to lead the dance, but Charmaine put a swift end to his efforts by twirling them across the floor.

While they danced, Charmaine let her focus drift across the room. Last night's mysterious stranger still hadn't made an appearance. The ornate marble clock in the ballroom showed that it was nearly eleven. If he could only stay until twelve, he was running out of time to make an appearance.

"My sister gave me the every strong impression that you weren't interested in becoming better acquainted with me," Helios said at last, breaking the silence that had spread out between them.

"I'm not," Charmaine replied with a dazzling smile, meeting his eyes once more. Shock registered across them, and something that might have been pain. "But your sister needed to be put in her place and this was the most interesting way I could think of to do it."

"So I'm collateral damage?"

"Not entirely. Dancing with me is hardly going to hurt your prospects with the other young women in the room - you've just become the most desirable male partner in this place. You might want to sort out your jacket though. And your hair."

"So you're doing me a favour?" He didn't sound like he believed her. Good. Maybe he would prove to be a faster learner than his sister.

"Yes and I am hoping that you might do me one in return."