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Devious indeed.
“Do remember to save this skill when you begin entrapping your husband.”
“I shall.” She huffed, not at all denying the effort to entrap a husband, as I thought she would. “Though I must confess I have given no thought to such as my biggest worry is for you.”
“Me? In what way?”
“Whether you will be able to let me go.” She lifted her head. “It has always been just you and me. And as I brace myself to share you with someone else, you will need to do the same. But I do not believe you easily capable of such. It might break your heart should I move far away, somewhere not under your protection.”
The words alone broke my heart. She was right, and I did not wish to ever have her not at my side. And that brought to mind my conversation with Aphrodite’s father. I could see he was torn, which eased my frustration or even sadness. Just as balls had to go on, fathers had to part with their daughters.
“And now I shall stop speaking, as your match has arrived.” She giggled, stepping away from me.
Immediately, I turned to the door to watch Aphrodite as I always watched her, like the divine. How was it possible that every color was meant only for her? That anything that looked ridiculous on another became magnificent on her. She was the crown jewel of the ton—the most perfect of all jewels. It was her face that, in public, never frowned nor smiled but remained in a constant state of serenity. It was her walk that looked fit for the clouds of heaven. Every time she entered a room, all eyes turned to her because she looked as though she did not belong in this world.
When her beautiful brown eyes met mine, I smiled, knowing how different her outward expressions were from her inner thoughts and desired behavior.
On the outside, Aphrodite was innocent, docile, and soft-spoken, but on the inside, she was persistent, curious to a fault, and sometimes unforgiving, unless she was forced to forgive. She was a wonder of things, but the world saw only a fraction of it.
And the greediest part of me wished to keep it as such, so only I could see the real her. However, I suspected once she gained the wisdom she desired there would be a new dawn of her. I desired to be in that twilight. So, before her family had even fully settled, I found myself walking toward her, and I was not the only one. Tristian. However, I was before her first, and her eyes were on me alone.
“May I have your first dance, my lady?” I asked, offering my hand.
“Yes,” she replied, placing her hand in mine. As I led her to the floor, the looks from all in attendance were far more intense than even I would have imagined.
“The talk will be severe,” I stated.
“Just as Mama planned.” She moved before me as we waited for the music to begin and others took their places.
“How so?”
“She believes the talk will push Papa to…” She did not finish her statement. The music began, and so did our dance.
“Push your papa to do what?” I inquired as I walked around her back.
“Agree to whatever it is that brought you to our door this morning,” she muttered as she moved in the other direction.
“And had you been sitting at the window?”
“I always sit at the window,” she answered, her face before mine, lifting her hand.
I lifted my hand as well. “So finely dressed?”
“Yes.”
“How fortunate are those who receive such a sight.”
“Yes, I believe so, which is why I stay at the window.”
I could not contain my grin, which only caused talk around us to continue further. “I shall be cognizant of that fact when we are married, and order thicker draperies.”
She nearly missed her footing. “I have not yet been proposed to, but if I was, I think I might reject an offer from any man who would drape windows during the day to trap me in darkness.”
“Draperies? Did I say draperies?” I stared in horror. “Never. Heaven forbid, for I would build you the largest window to be admired from.”
“If I was married to you,” she corrected. “But I am not.”
“When you are, you may demand anything of me,” I pressed, turning behind her again.
