A Season of Masks and Masquerades

Chapter 18: The most Difficult Choice

The sudden cunning and unexpected response from Esther caused a blanket of silence to cover them both. The sounds of birds chirping and the fast swaying wind that paid no respite to Miss Sherborne's hair were the only things to be heard.

That until a feeble chuckle escaped from Edward's mouth followed by a hearty laugh. He placed his hands on his hip as he laughed to his left with scrunched eyes.

Esther's bewilderment had no limit. For once she wanted this man to look scared and intimidated by her, but he was just as unbothered.

Her burning gaze on him caused his laughter to die soon. "Miss Sherborne, you really do believe that you will walk into that drawing room and tell people that this man" he gestured to himself with arrogant pride, "is not The Duke of Dales, and you expect them to believe you?"

Esther bit her lips so hard in anger that she might have caused a bleeding hole in her mouth.

She gulped down on her anger and managed to reply to his arrogance with a smile half as proud as his, "You're right sir, I cannot expect them to believe me as you've cast a very strong spell on them. I'd certainly require an evidence of my claim," she raised her eyebrows with a tilted head, "like..."

Her hands went to the belt on her waist. Edward's eyes followed her fingers as they fumbled with the folds, but the moment elongated as she never completed her sentence.

Esther's smile slowly dissolved into frowns while Edward's frowns vanished to allow a hint of pride to take its place once again.

Esther's fingers started working faster as she loosened her belt recklessly to look for the said evidence, but it wasn't there. She shook her dress vigorously to make the letter fall from wherever it had got stuck, but it wasn't there. It was nowhere. 

"How is this p-"

"Looking for this, Miss Sherborne?" Edward asked causing her to look up at him where he stood with his hand raised in the air, the folded letter dangling by a corner between his fingers.

Esther gasped in utter disbelief. She looked down at her belt and back at the letter in his hand, trying to figure out how he managed to steal it. The idea of his hand somehow reaching down in her dress without her realizing made her feel extremely violated.

"How did you-"

"Did I forget to mention this?" He spoke bringing the letter down slowly to his other hand. "You were supposed to return it once read. You see, Miss Sherborne, I like to play safe." Saying that he tore the paper into multiple pieces and before Esther could catch hold of any, he let the wind take them away.

"You are an extremely irritating twit!" Esther managed from behind gritted teeth, her breathing was heavy as an angry bull.

"Nevermind, I'll pardon your words," Edward smirked in contentment.

"Do not speak to me with that nasty smirk of yours, I will not succumb to your evil plans." She raged.

"Evil plans? My word, Miss Sherborne, how much more elaborate an explanation will it take for you to understand, it is an arrangement for our mutual benefits." Edward said taking a step towards her in response to which, she took a backward step with a disgusted look on her face.

"I'll give you one day to think it over, give me an answer at the Season Opening Ball tomorrow evening."

"My answer will not change. I will not play along in your facade." Esther grumbled causing Edward to chuckle humorlessly once again.

"Suit yourself then," he said with a shrug, "I have no particular interest in having you specifically, play along. I shall find another debutante from the sea of desperate young ladies to spend the season with. You see tolerating one annoying little girl is still preferable over tolerating hundreds of them."