A Season for Honour

Chapter 26

So far, it had been a perfect evening for Octavia. Since the afternoon, when she had met Alex in the ballroom, she had been looking forward to their dance. As she was standing with Katie and Flora at the side of the ballroom discussing the evening so far, she was brimming with excitement as she waited for Alex to claim her for the supper dance.

'There is no need to ask you who you are going to be waltzing with,' Katie said, with a gleam in her eye. 'I can guess that it is the devastatingly handsome Captain Fallbrook. If I were not a married lady,' she said, her eyes twinkling with mischief, 'I'd be wanting to dance with him myself.'

'He is looking extremely handsome, dressed simply in black and white,' Flora added. 'I have seen several ladies vying for his attention, but he has eyes for none of them.'

'Yes,' Katie replied. 'And now you have permission to waltz, you do not have to worry what the old dragons have to say. Go and enjoy yourself, it is the most romantic of dances, and when you dance it with someone special, it can be perfect.' She then smiled mischievously at Octavia. 'And, if he takes you outside into the gardens,' she said, her eyes sparkling, 'it can only mean one thing. He wants to kiss you.'

Both women looked at Octavia, and she could feel the colour heighten in her cheeks.

'Oh,' Katie said looking across the room, 'he is coming this way to claim his prize.'

Octavia glanced up and saw Alex walking over to them. Flora and Katie were right, he did indeed look "devastatingly handsome" dressed in black and white. His cool grey eyes were looking directly at her, and she felt her knees turn to jelly.

After he led her onto the dance floor, she felt like she had to apologise for her dancing skills. Even though Flora had insisted that she had tuition from Lady Sophia's dancing master, she was by no means accomplished. Only this evening, she had almost tripped up Freddie in the opening set.

However, she did not need to worry. After a few faltering steps at the beginning, she was soon dancing with confidence. He was such a good dancer that any mistakes she made he compensated with ease. This made her more confident, and she was soon twirling around the perimeter of the ballroom locked in Alex's arms. The ballroom and its occupants were soon forgotten, and she was only conscious of him.

She did not realise that he had guided her outside until she felt the cool evening air against her cheeks. Then she remembered what Katie had said to her before the waltz. 'If he takes you outside into the gardens, it can only mean one thing. He wants to kiss you.' She took his arm and lent her head against his shoulder as they walked towards the rose arbour. Her body tingled with anticipation as she walked next to him and she hoped that Katie was right. It had been over eighteen months since they had last kissed, and she had been longing for him to take her in his arms and kiss her once more.

Once they had reached the rose arbour, she put her hands on his shoulders and faced him. She was frightened that he would become apologetic like he had in Hyde Park and withdraw from her. With this in mind, she decided to take the initiative. 'Are you going to kiss me?' she said, and to encourage him, she slipped her arms around his neck and drew him close.

It was a chaste kiss. His lips brushed hers with a featherlight touch that left her wanting more. She tried not to show her disappointment when instead of intensifying the kiss, he rested his cheek against hers and held her close to him. She listened to the strains of the waltz that floated through the air, closed her eyes, and the disappointment faded as she enjoyed the intimacy of the embrace.

'Octavia,' he whispered in her ear, 'I love you.'

She breathed in deeply and smelt the familiar scent of his masculine cologne, and she felt like she had melted into the warmth of his embrace. 'And, I love you too,' she replied softly.