Stolen Kisses

Stolen Kisses 3

            

It had been two grueling days for Nadine. It had been two days since she last saw James during that time at the river. Since then, the stubborn man had never, not even once had call on her. But the wait is finally over. He could not possibly avoid her during the soiree tonight.

Nadine smiled widely, liking her reflection. She was happy with how her hair was done. Her raven hair curled up in a somewhat loose chignon. The tiny hint of rogue her maid put on her face was just enough to highlight her best features—her deep set, brown colored, almond shaped eyes and the telltale tint of rose color on her succulent lips.

"Mi lady, let me help you dress now." Her maid woke Nadine from her trance as her maid showed her a light blue gown to wear for the ball.

"No, not that one...I want the gold one," Nadine told her maid.

"But mi lady, that gown is reserved for Lady Clemente's ball. You had it ma—"

"I said I'll wear the gold gown tonight." Nadine glared at her maid.

She needed to look her best tonight. She was sure James would attend the soiree tonight. She knew James's father enough to know that he would insist that James attended. If not to boast about his son being acknowledged by the queen as a hero, then it's to insist that his son settled down soon and Nadine needed to make sure that if he settled down, it would be with her.

"Here it is mi lady."

"Doesn't this look lovely?" Nadine asked as she smoothed her palm at the material of the gown.

"Shall I help you get dressed now?"

Nadine just gave a nod as her maid helped her in her gown.

When she was dressed, she looked at her reflection and smiled at how the gown hugged her body and emphasized her assets. She was sure that James would not be able to resist her.

Tonight just has to be perfect.

It has to be.

She swore to have James before the London season started. They wasted three years already. There was no way she would wait more or endure another season being paraded ball after ball for men she did not even want to marry. So tonight, she will make sure that before the soiree was over, she and James would be betrothed.

-----

Nadine nodded politely as she pretended to listen to what Lord AJ was saying. He's a very interesting fellow, though at the moment, Nadine was too busy scanning the room for a certain fellow. The man in question, however, seemed to not be eager to attend the soiree. The soiree had been going on for the past hour and a half and James was still not in sight.

"Excuse me, but I think this set belongs to me," a rather lanky tall fellow interrupted.

"Oh Lord Zon Lee, is it the country dance now?"

"Yes, Lady Nadine and I've been waiting for this dance the whole night," Lord Zon Lee replied while extending his hand for Nadine to take.

"Have a good evening Lord AJ," Nadine politely bid her goodbye before taking Lord Zon Lee's hand.

Unknown to Nadine, James saw the whole exchange. He just got to the party and unconsciously his eyes swept the ballroom for a certain raven-haired girl. Like a magnetic force, he quickly found her having a conversation with Lord AJ and then he saw how Lord Zon Lee came and took Nadine's hand.

"Evening Lord James." He heard a soft and overly pleasant voice call from behind.

James was quickly pulled from his growing anger as he slackened his hold on his cane and loosened his stance, before he turned his back away from Nadine to greet a smiling Mrs. Heart Evangelista.