Finally, Silence : A Lambrose One Shots

Love At First Sight

A/N: Let's jump a few years shall we?

~~~~~~~

I got a glimpse of her at the side of the ballroom where the refreshments are.

She is gorgeous. With dark raven locks dancing on her back. Her eyes alight with humor while in a conversation with the lady of the house. She's eating what appears to be chocolate bars. His mother's unrecognized invention, and obviously his favorite food in the world.

I'm glad she appears to like them very much.

The two ladies enjoy themselves by stuffing as much as possible during their conversation. The extricable need to be near her making him squirm in his breaches. A longing look passed on his face. Which is not missed by his British Army companion.

"Don't even think about it." Lieutenant Hemingway told him, his closest comrade. His eyes giving him a warning look then darted his gaze from left to right with alarm. "You'll find yourself in big trouble."

With a resilient stance, he tried to follow the Lieutenant's line of sight. Seeming to find no one has their attention to them. Ladies and gentlemen alike seem to gossip about a certain unlady-like lady. How peculiar.

"Lieutenant, are you saying that she is otherwise engaged?"

"No, my Lord, but you see.."

"I do not wish to hear anymore. If you'll excuse me?"

Making his way through the crowd, he stepped in the view of Lady Lillian and cleared his throat.

Both women, who are beside each other stiffling a laugh and glancing at the tall windows where an old Indian gentleman seemed to be angry and cursing, stopped and looked at the man intruding their moment. Finding Lord John Henry Craig, the second most influential Lord in the Empire. Lilly beamed at him and gave an elegant curtsy.

"Lord Craig! How lovely to see your handsome face again." Henry bowed and reached to kiss Lady Lillian's hand in greeting.

Lady Lillian Ambrose, even in her late 30s, remains to be a sight for sore eyes. Beautiful soul living in a mortal's body. Her husband is truly a lucky man. Henry hopes to find someone as fiery and as daringly elegant as Lady Lillian someday.

Is it me or did the temperature at the ball just went extremely down?

Stop being paranoid Henry! Introduce yourself already. His logical mind demands.

"My Lady, may I be so bold and tell you look beautiful this evening?" and with a glance at his object of affection, "and with such gorgeous company. Will you be so kind to introduce her to me?"

The lady's eyes flashed fire and her usual mischievous delight directed to him. This peculiar mix has been Lady Lillian Ambrose's signature look. To her unwilling preys.

"Ah. Certainly My Lord. Darling, this is Lord John Henry Craig. His mother, Lady Hamilton, and I are great friends ever since our family's war with a certain Lord,"

He noticed how he was introduced to her indicating she was of much importance than he. But that did not concern him.

Darling? Why did Lady Lillian address her so casually?

The lady in question made the most graceful curtsy then righted herself. With piercing sea-blue eyes she met his dark midnight ones. No doubt. She is the most beautiful girl he has ever met.

Just realizing something, he stopped with his gawking and became thoughtful. Those eyes. Have I not seen them before?

"It is nice to meet you, your Lordship. My name is Seraphine."

Lord Henry was dumbstruck. Her name. Everyone knew of that name. Her name was unique that no other person in the British Empire has ever had the luxury to use. Because of a certain lady who wishes it to be, her mother. A lady married to a certain powerful Lord.

Damn.

"Seraphine? As in -"

"Yes." A Canadian blizzard is much more welcoming than the blizzard of ice coming from his back.

Henry gulped and turned to face Lord Rikkard Ambrose. The Marquess Ambrose. The master of the house he was attending a ball with. A ball Lord Ambrose threw for his only daughter.

"Ah- uhm- Lord Ambrose.. ehem." stuttering is not good! Unbecoming of a Lord. But anyone, even the King, will be highly intimidated by those piercing sea-blue eyes. That are contrast to the warm same colored irises of his daughter. Yet there is no doubt Seraphine is his child.

Lady Lillian was highly amused of the situation before her. Her jealous iceberg of a husband is sending murderous glares towards his business associate. Rikk did dislike inviting the Lord to Sera's birthday but Lilly promised Henry's mother to let their children meet. In hopes of a maybe, romantic relationship between them.

I doubt it. Sera is not the kind of girl to fall in love on first sight.

She met Rikkard's gaze. She stiffled a budding grin. He knew of her promise to Lady Hamilton. He almost cancelled the ball if it wasn't for her fiery feminine wiles.

Henry is handsome truly. But he is nothing compared to my darling Dick.

"Lord Ambrose, its a pleasure to be your acquaintance."

Rikkard gazed at Henry with a look that says 'Be gone with your presence you insignificant worm'. Henry shuddered internally.

I am infatuated with his daughter!

"Lord Craig, my daughter Seraphine, who is celebrating her 16th birthday today. Rikk, would you be so kind to entertain me - ehem - our guest while I talk with my friends?" Lilly smiled mischievously. Not minding the frosty look of her husband and the amused one from her daughter and the scared one from Lord Henry, she sauntered away from the trio to watch the drama from afar.

Finally some entertainment.