The Reverend's Daughter (Book 2 after The Duke's Daughter)

Twenty One Part Three

Alfred slowly danced Terese towards the balcony doors as the music came to an end.

All eyes were upon the Earl and Countess of Trent. All conversation buzzed about the Earl and Countess of Trent. Other than those who were buzzing about the Duchess of Marlborough, that was.

Alfred and Terese used the distraction to stealthily creep through the doors leading outside, smiling conspiratorially at one another, as they made their escape.

Terese started laughing at their silliness, as Alfred took her hand and brought her up short, only to pirouette her in front of him. She came around smiling into his eyes, which caused him to grin at her in return.

She put a hand upon his chest, as he still held the other, and she stepped close so there were only a few inches between them. It was time to let him know he had been chosen to present his suit.

"Sir Alfred, I believe you will turn a girl's head with such romantic actions." She turned her head so she peered at him from beneath her lashes, batting them once or twice for emphasis.

Alfred was utterly enchanted. She was elegant and graceful, fragile and beautiful. Her form was shaped so perfectly, she made his blood boil, and his heart nearly beat out of his chest.

"Do I dare to hope that I could turn your head, beauty?" Alfred felt none of the earlier nervousness he had felt when he had been speaking to the new Marchioness, Arianna. Now that he had decided to shun his mother's wishes, and pursue his own path, he felt he had found the right avenue. He had never felt so confident before.

"Mayhap you could, but then again, where would be the fun if I were that easy of a catch, Sir?" Terese gave him a saucy smirk before she turned and went to stand by the balcony rail. She turned her back to it and still smirked at him.

Alfred watched her glide away from him and followed as a moth to a flame. "I could think of much fun to be had if I knew you would welcome my suit, my beauty." Alfred gave her a jesting lear, then leaned against the railing's post and looked skyward at the stars that shimmered above them.

Terese smiled as she made him wait for her answer, turning and leaning her arms on the railing, to also gaze up at the stars in the sky.

"What do you do, Sir Alfred?" She darted a glance at his profile, but looked to the stars quickly again, as he darted a glance back at her.

She continued looking skyward, smiling, as she knew she had caught him, and he could now be hers if she wanted him to be. She waited patiently for his reply.

Alfred thought of his mistress, an immature, desperate attempt to have a woman at his beck and call, as his mother had said a real man would have. He thought of the gaming hell, and his cronies, a desperate attempt to sow his oats and be accepted into society by the other gentry's sons, as his mother had told him a real man would do. He thought of sleeping past noon in order to recover from the last evening's debauchery, as a real man would do, also.

"Nothing that I would care to do beyond this evening, now that I have found such beauty as to keep my eye from wandering anywhere else." He answered truthfully as he looked fully upon her.

She smiled wider, as she still gazed at the sky, then she turned her head to look at him, "You may call upon me tomorrow at my father's townhouse, if it would please you," Her eyes held no doubt he would be there, just as soon as it was a fashionable hour to come calling. "For now, I must return to my mother, or she will come looking for me soon." Terese placed her hand upon Alfred's upper arm, leaned in and stood on her toes to kiss his cheek. "Thank you for a lovely dance, Sir Alfred." She breathed across his skin.