Back In time

Twenty-Three

Two months have passed since the start of my tutoring. From communication to dressing, I was by now, well-versed in the etiquettes of the current society. I guess you could say that I was becoming more 'ladylike'. But, to those that I took comfort in, I remained as the same lass with the same temperament when I first walked into this place.

"Are you ready, Abbey?" Nicholas called out from behind the door. I hastened to do a final check on my appearance, making sure that there were no conspicuous flaws before opening the door.

"Yes." I replied, opening the door to see Nicholas standing confidently before me. Ever since the event that took place in the dining hall, he has been making an effort of escorting me to and from his classes. In fact, ever since that day, I took heed of what Camille said and observed the difference in how he treated me. She was right. He has indeed been increasingly gentle and patient with me.

When I came to face and accept the feelings I had for Nicholas, the time that we spent together were like fuel; gradually building an inextinguishable fire. But one thing remains...

"You look exceptionally pretty today."

"Tha-"

"Pretty ugly."

He is still the same cocky but handsome fellow from the day I met him. Strangely enough, I have come to adore all his banter. It has become a part of me. I guess love is not only blind, but deaf too.

"Well, for what's worth, you're no better too." I took the hand that he had extended and followed him to a huge empty room which I have now come to know for its purpose. Dancing.

"For today's lesson, I will be teaching you on how to waltz."

"Great."

"But first, you will need a partner before you can dance. So, the first basic rule for a lady is that unless she has prior acceptance towards another gentleman, she cannot refuse the invitation to dance. If not, she may be subject to incivility that could potentially stir up trouble."

"What a load of-"

"I did not make up the rules. But if you are unwilling to dance with other men, I could always make myself available and exclusive to you." He smirked, inching closer to me.

"Shut up." That was all I could say as I stepped farther backwards. This earned a chuckle from Nicholas that reverberated through the hall.

"Enough with the chatter, let us move on to practical." He proceeded to encircle my waist, pulling me to him. Then, he gently grasped my free hand in his, overwhelming my palms with his warmth.

"Follow my lead." And there it was, leading me across the lengths of the dance floor, his strides firm and strong. I cannot help but feel how safe and secure I was in his arms. It was comfortable. I inhaled the scent in which he emitted, feeling the sudden urge to lean against his chest.

"Sir Nicholas." Christian entered the halls and made his way to us with a letter in his hand, "From the Vanderbilt's."

By now, the both of us have stopped dancing. As reluctant as I was, it took every ounce of strength I had to step away. Nicholas tore the seal and read it in silence, leaving Christian and I to wait in silence.

"Interesting, it seems that you might have an opportunity to showcase your hidden talent."

"What?"

"See for yourself," Nicholas handed the letter to me. I read the scribbly handwritten paper and came to realization as to what it was about.

"A ball? But it's tomorrow. Isn't it too soon?"

"Not at all. Everyone knows that the Vanderbilt's hold an annual ball during this period. But no one really knows when until an invitation is received," Nicholas explained, "I guess today is a good day to teach waltz."

"But I only started learning the basics. How am I going to perfect it before tomorrow?" I argued. I wasn't going to make a myself a laughingstock. If I would go as far as skipping this ball to save myself from the embarrassment, I would.

"Whatever are you worried of? You have me by your side. All you have to do is to lean on me."

Both Nicholas and I took the rest of the day to perfect my dancing abilities. I was left with nothing but extreme exhaustion and two aching feet. Nicholas, who seemed aware of the physical toll from practice, ended the lesson and instructed Christian to prepare our dinner.

"Remove your shoes."

"What for?"

"Just do as I say." I complied to Nicholas' request and freed my feet from the torture device that humanity has created for woman. The moment my feet hit the ground; it was an instant relief that placed me on cloud nine.

"Hop on." Nicholas bent down with his back facing me.

"Huh?" I was surprised by his actions, unsure if that was what he wanted me to do.

"Do not make me repeat myself." Gingerly, I leaned my body into his back and draped my arms over his shoulder. I could feel his heartbeat and depth of his breathing. The scent of him was overwhelming, tempting me to lean further into him.

"Hold on." Nicholas picked up the shoes on the floor and made his way to the dining hall, where the food was already laid out on the table. He settled me into my chair before going over to his. Both of us ate in silence, probably too famished from the all the dancing.

"You did well today." Nicholas remarked as he took a sip of the wine.

"Well, I had a good teacher." I smiled. Nicholas simply gave me a smirk before taking another sip, looking satisfied by the answer I gave.

"The teacher is only as good as the student. All of these are based on your effort. I am but a guide to sharpening your character."

"Do I hear Nicholas Alexander Clayton, the proud and lofty gentleman, devalue himself before his student?" I stared inquisitively to his sudden use of words.

"Only because it is you." His sudden response left me in shock. Yet, I didn't fully understand what he meant. Was it because I was merely his student that he has grown comfortable with, or something even closer?

"What do you mean?" Nicholas simply shrugged his shoulders and stood up from his seat, ignoring my question.

"Hey! What do you mean?" Nicholas carried me in his arms and trudged up the stairs.

"Save your energy for the ball," he gently placed me on my bed before getting ahold of my foot, massaging it in a circular manner.

"What are you doing?" I attempted to yank my foot back, but his grip around it tightened. Heat crawled to my cheeks, not because of how intimate his gesture was, but of how embarrassing I would be at how my feet would smell. After all, it was pretty obvious that it wasn't going to smell like roses after a day of exercise.

"Stay still. I am trying to relax your muscles so that it would not be unbearable for the ball." He responded while continuing the massage on my foot. This man was full of surprises, there was always a new side to him that I would discover every single day. I wanted to know more, his likes and dislikes, his childhood, everything.

This continued in silence until he was satisfied that both my feet got the respite it needed. "I will inform Camille to have you ready for bed." Nicholas stood up, ready to walk out the door.

"Nicholas," I called out, stopping him in his tracks, "Thank you."

"You are welcome." He looked back once more before leaving the premises. Was it just my imagination or did I really detect sorrow in his eyes? There was so much more to him than meets the eye. I wonder how long it would take for me to break through the walls that he fortified.