Alexandra

Chapter Three

Allie was astounded by how fast her heart was beating as he led her out towards the dance floor. In fact, her heart was almost in her throat and she felt herself becoming very anxious. Her hand trembled slightly in his, not hard enough for him to notice, and she forced herself to become more firm. The butterflies in her stomach, however, would not settle.

Finally, they came to a stop, and he put his hand on the curve of her waist, lower than was customary but at a spot that most turned a blind eye to. She rested a hand on his shoulder, stiffening upon feeling the muscle beneath her touch. It was odd, for she had never reacted in this way to any of the other men she had danced with, and there had been many of those.

"So, Lady Alexandra," he said suddenly, drawing her attention. His face wore a charming, handsome smile that did not meet his eyes. She wondered if any of his smiles did. "Tell me something about yourself. What do you enjoy doing?"

"Well," She began, unsure of what she could tell him in answer to his somewhat vague question. "I love horses. I would spend hours riding if I could. There's something very freeing about the feel of the wind in your hair and the power of the horse beneath you that makes one think they can do anything."

"I enjoy riding very much as well." He said, with a roguish grin, the sort that meant one was implying something else but Allie didn't think there could be any other meaning behind his words.

"Really?" She asked excitedly, choosing to ignore his supposed implication and focusing on his actual words. "I adore country trails, they're especially gorgeous. The greenery is lush and the air is different. It's breathtaking."

"It is." He agreed, a sense of astonishment to his tone as he looked at her. Alexandra wasn't sure what he was astonished by but he soon diverted her mind from it with his next words, "Have you ever ridden through Derbyshire? The hills of the county are even more stunning when one rides through them."

"I must confess, I haven't." Allie replied, excitement entering her tone. No one she usually danced with ever asked her about her interests and the activities she enjoyed. It made her feel oddly special in a way she hadn't before. "Somerhall is in Wiltshire, which is much too far from Derbyshire. I've visited, of course, but our stay was not long enough for me to properly venture out into the country on horseback. Most of it was spent in carriages or picnics."

"Well, Exeter is also quite a ways away from Derbyshire, as I'm sure you know, but my father has a very dear friend who resides in Derbyshire. That is where I gained firsthand the experience of the beauty of the countryside. If you ever receive the chance, you must take it for, I assure you, you will not regret it." He said earnestly, wearing a smile that actually reached his eyes.

"I will, then." Alexandra assured him, using the time taken to spin her to hide the blush that bloomed across her cheeks. When she'd turned to face him again, there was a change in his expression that she could not quite recognize.

"Well, milady, is there anything else that a lady so lovely as yourself would do to occupy her time?" He asked flirtatiously, and Allie wondered why he was suddenly being so forward. It was odd that someone could change their moods so often. There was a sense of apprehension that was dawning on her that she couldn't ignore.

"At home, there is always something to occupy me. Unfortunately, my calendar in London is usually empty during the day, and it is only my nights that are occupied by some event or the other." She explained almost absentmindedly, not particularly interested in the direction the conversation was taking.

"Well, I am rather sure that I can occupy you at both times, if you'd like." He informed her, smirking. Again, his eyes were void of all emotion, and Allie realised something she should have a long time before, the moment she'd met him.