A Royal Internship | Complete

Chapter Sixty-Four

Unlike the last ball I was at, I stayed through the entirety of this one, dancing every chance I got with various people who asked, and making sure to ask the men serving food to give me more than one of the tiny sandwiches.

"You're learning," Clarence whispered into my ear from behind as I stuffed a sandwich in my mouth with only the uniformed man as my witness.

I chewed and swallowed before turning around where anyone could see me. "Yes." I smiled up at him. "I'm getting very good at eating food in corners and dancing with any man who will ask me."

He laughed, his eyes lighting up. "Would you do me the honour of one more dance before we officially close this ball?" He offered me his hand and I took it without hesitation.

I put my plate down on the table and followed him onto the floor, the golden sash he wore glistened as soon as the bright lights hit us.

The orchestra struck up a slower song I recognized from somewhere, but couldn't quite place. I curtseyed and took my dress in my free hand. The music continued to fill the room as we swirled around it, my skirt flying behind us like a cape.

"Do you recognise the music?" Clarence asked when he looked at me.

"I think so, but I can't remember where it's from."

He smiled. "I'm sure you'll figure it out," he said, leaning his head towards mine. "I hope you're not too tired after your long day, because Madeline is planning quite the event for this evening."

"Might as well join her." I smiled at the photographers and guests as Clarence spun me around to face them while we danced. "I don't have any other plans tomorrow so who needs sleep?"

I could feel his shoulders fall into me a little bit, causing me to stumble as we danced. "I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'd love to go."

"Good." he smiled, resuming his strong frame and guiding me around the dance floor.

It was only when the closing notes rang through the assembly that I realized where I knew the song.

"How did you get them to play an orchestral version of that song?" I asked him as we stepped off to the side to wait for our last official dance.

"I didn't." He smirked and pointed across the room at a bouncing Princess Madeline. "She did."

I shook my head. "What a girl!" Madeline waved at me and I waved back, mouthing 'that's awesome' to her across the room.

"Wait!" I turned to face Clarence and saw his smirk growing across his face. "How did she know about that night at the club?"

"I may have told her." He wrapped his arm around my lower back and pulled me close to him.

"I was engaged!" I whispered in his ear.

"And I wasn't asking you to marry me, just dance."

"Well, if I recall, you didn't do either."

"And if I recall, you didn't want me to."

We stared at each other, smiling. I watched his eyes twinkle in the light as a man dressed all in gold came in to stand in the center of the floor and announce that the ball had ended.

"And tonight?" he asked me, stepping onto the dance floor and holding out his hand.

"Tonight, I will dance with you." I followed him to the middle of the floor and picked up my skirt to curtsey, flying into his arms and gliding across the floor. The moment of the night I was the most watched that also felt the most intimate.