A softly spoken melody

The evening began with excitement. The folks of the ton milled around the ballroom, talking in high-pitched voices, laughing excessively to make sure the people around them could hear how much of a good time they were having. 

She was standing arm in arm with him about to start the first dance of the ball. The person she was certain she was going to spend the rest of her life with. Their bond signified both their friendship and their trust and she was proud to know that there would be no more doubts. Not after yesterday night, when promises were made, promises that were meant to be held. Amelia looked around at the other ladies and gents standing around them.

Only a week before she had been standing by the flower vase in the same ballroom looking around longingly at the ones mingling with each other. No one was daring enough to approach her despite how much she wanted it to happen. Daring to go out and be the social butterfly had never been an option. It had been too much pressure to try and appease the gents looking to take a wife and she was as uncertain of her qualities as ever. Worrying she did not have enough to offer. Not to mention that she already had the one she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. The one who usually avoided the events altogether and the one who now stood beside her. Just for her. It had come as a surprise. The promise he had made to her. The promise to be there for her and to someday shortly tie the bond between them so that they would never be apart again. She had expected it, but still been surprised when it came and she was convinced it was due to the hope in her that had begun dwindling as the months continued without a sign of him wanting the same as her.

They began dancing in sync with the other pairs. Twirling around the marbled floor, step after step. She gazed up at him. He was only slightly taller than her and his brown hair was slightly messy, but in a way that looked intentional. Amelia expected him to already be looking at her, but rather he was looking rather distracted. As if he was concentrating on a spot behind her instead and before she could look behind to figure out what it was she was swept away from him.

The face that greeted her now instead of Jonathan was that of Duke Ewan Lovell. Another one also searching for a wife this season. He had quite a flock of girls she had seen swarming him begging for just one dance through the many different gestures of flirting that Amelia had never bothered to learn. She had been quite impressed with how insistent some of them were. Now however he was dancing with none other than her and when seeing his face so close she felt old emotions resurfacing. So trying to distract herself from the man in front of her she looked around for Jonathan instead. Somehow afraid he would slip away from her the moment her gaze left him, but then the duke dipped her with only one strong arm keeping her from falling. Now she had no choice but to look into his dark nearly black eyes. It felt as if they swallowed her whole. Unable to look away, unable to blink she could do nothing, but gaze and follow his lead as he swept her up again. ”Don’t look for him.” His voice was so soft it made her stomach flutter. An effect he usually had on her. ”I do not remember agreeing to a dance, your grace.” He laughed in that calm way of his, and a small smile then took over his lips. It looked fond. ”So now I need to ask for a dance from you, was it because of what happened in-” he brought his lips to her ear and then whispered ”-The garden” A shiver went down her spine. Leaving goosebumps underneath her sleeves. ”Do not mention that, it was a mistake all of it” she hissed at him looking around, afraid someone was watching. One rumor, one wrong idea could ruin everything between her and Jonathan.

”Keep your eyes on me” The tone was commanding, but the softness had not left his voice nor had the kindness. She met his eyes again feeling like a marionette dancing to his tune. ”I saw you looking at him. I know love when I see it” Another dip, his mouth so close to hers, so close that she could feel his breath on her lips. ”That was not love” he finished and then they went up again. ”Why are you doing this?” He spun her and then her back was against his chest. She could feel her heartbeat in her ears and her face felt hot. ”Marry me” She turned around again looking at him. Her surprise was very much apparent on her face. He laughed again ” You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.” She glared but felt more flustered than angry. ”Do not joke about such things.” The fond smile was back as he was staring at her. Was that melancholy? ”I was not joking” This time she tried to leave his grip, but he held her in place with the arm around her waist. ”Please” begging in a tone that caused her face to flame up even more. ”The earl is not being faithful to you” This time they both spun around. He was lying, he must be. The storm in her head was growing larger and so was the heat inside of her. She needed to find Jonathan. She just needed to find him. They turned again ”Please do not let him hurt you” There was such a distinct note of pain in his voice this time it made her want to comfort him, but she could not do this. She knew Jonathan would never do something like that. The dance was luckily ending. The earl is not being faithful to you. She made another attempt to get away from him and this time he let her. Before she could catch herself she felt a surge of disappointment that he just let her go, but she forced the feeling away. She just needed to find Jonathan.

Leaving the dance floor with only a turmoil inside she then hurried off. The fear of someone else seeing her flustered state, her face surely red from either the dance or the duke was only a subconscious thing in her mind. She knew Jonathan and she knew he would never do that to her. They may not be in love at least not yet, but she wholeheartedly believed that love could be made. Together they could love each other. That is what he had told her and she trusted him. Why should she not after everything? He would not risk a scandal not when he had promised her. She did not run, but she walked very fast across the ballroom knowing the storm in her head would be calmed the moment she saw his face. She looked around trying not to appear as frantic as she was feeling.

”Well, what do we have here? Are you enjoying the ball, Amelia?” Not being able to mistake the condescending tone since it seemed to follow her everywhere. Lydia Plowman. They had their debutance the same season and yet instead of companionship the only thing Lydia seemed to feel for her was hatred. Despite them both being without a marriage prospect after 2 seasons on the market. She turned on her heel and greeted the woman with a smile ”Lydia! What a pleasure!” She exclaims hiding her emotions as best as she can. She could see the girls following Lydia around also appearing behind her none of them being able to mask their grins quite as well as Lydia. ”Yes, I am enjoying it very much, thank you!” Lydia’s smile widened into the same grin the other girls were trying hard to cover with their fans. Her green eyes. Like a predator who has found their prey.

”Oh I’m sure you are, seeing how you managed to tie the earl down next to you, it must feel like quite a victory” a lump in her throat that was impossible to swallow.

”Whatever do you mean” Lydia huffed slightly with a smirk.

”No need to be coy Amelia after all we’re friends, right? No need to lie about how you basically begged the man to take you. We all know it after all!” They passed her laughing as they were walking away looking back with mocking glances. It nearly made her forget why she was in such a hurry. What Duke Lovell had said and now also Lydia. It did not matter, because they were wrong anyway. She hurried on as the lump in her throat constricted her airway. Jonathan would erase her doubts.

She made it out into the garden and took a few steps and then she heard it. Moaning. Sounds of people kissing. Okay, turn around. Nothing to see. It was none of her business anyway. He is not being unfaithful so it cannot be him. Against her better judgment, she took a few steps forward so that she was able to glance behind the maze. The woman was half dressed with one of the sleeves to her dress completely off her shoulder. The man holding her was mouthing her neck as she was moaning, nearly shouting sounds of pleasure.

The man then lifted his head so that they were kissing again and without meaning to, Amelia gasped. The hedge hopefully covered her figure as she hid behind it realizing she had been too loud. ”Did you hear that?” Jonathan said to the other woman. The gravel crunched. The woman, too absorbed did not answer until he had left her side to go look for where Amelia had stood. ”No, please. Baby. It was probably just a bird or something. Come back. Let us finish this first.” He sighed loudly and then more crunching gravel.

Before Amelia knew it she could feel wet drops running down her cheeks. Then the moaning started again. She could not stay here. She could not bear to hear this, but for some reason, her feet would not budge. Lydia’s words came back to her. I had forced him, but he never wanted to. I had forced him to make that promise. Soundlessly she slid down so that she was sitting hunched and tears kept welling up and then falling. Not allowing herself to sob she made no sound. They were not even being careful. It was as if he wanted to end up in a scandal. Wanting to have an excuse not to marry her. She had been wrong for trusting him, but she had also been wrong for not seeing his unwillingness earlier. Was this her fault? 

A wrist gripped her arm and she looked up at who it was for some reason scared it was Jonathan who would then see her in this pathetic state. It was not though, her vision being blurry from the tears that refused to cease spilling did not stop her from recognizing the Duke. His blonde hair was illuminated by the moon which made it look like a halo framing his face in such a way that despite her obvious state of distress it nearly took her breath away. He gently helped her up and then guided her away from the scene without a word. 

Before she realized it they had already reached another part of the garden. She had stopped crying, but she still felt empty. He sat her down at the fountain surrounded by flowers creating a sheet of white covering the entire area. That combined with the moon was, to say the least entrancing.

The duke crouched down on one knee in front of her and instead of proposing for the second time this evening he gave her his handkerchief which she accepted with a quiet ’thank you’. 

”You must be laughing at me inside right now” His answer to the statement was a pained expression and then his hands grabbed her free one. ”No, I would never laugh at your pain” It was so tender. It made her want to tear up again, but this time she held it in. ”Why? You were right” The sentence was quiet enough that she was worried he had not heard her until he spoke. ”Yes, but to see you like this. I don’t think I will ever be able to forgive him for hurting you.” His eyes looked at her as if she were his world. As if she was someone special to him. It reminded her of their time in the garden. Of his heated look. Of how she never thought she could love someone more and she never had. Then he left. Left without saying goodbye or anything and now this look. It felt like too much at once. Too many emotions. She had moved on. Or had she? She looked at his lips. She wanted to reach out to him but was afraid to do so. Afraid that despite his words and his actions this was just an act. That everything would disappear the moment she yearned. Like it always did for her. 

His hand reached and caressed her cheek then he leaned forward tilting his head as she did the same, but stopping right before they touched. ”I'm sorry.” He mumbled. With her heart plummeting she felt the tears brimming again. She was selfish, wanting this man after everything, but she could not help it. It was too much and if she did not act on it she felt as if she would explode right here. ”I want to, but it would be untoward of me to do that-” ”No” her voice was so steady that it shocked her. ”Kiss me right now or I swear to the god above, I will never forgive you.” Her voice held the same commanding tone as his voice had when they were dancing and moments later she was enveloped in his warmth. The kiss was unlike anything she had felt. It felt like a fire. A fire that was kept alive by the two of them. It was fiery, hot, and over way too soon. They held each other, both of them were standing up at this point. Their foreheads leaned against one another and their breaths intermingled. 

The only warning they got was rustling and before she knew it there was Jonathan. They released each other with only his arm around her waist left as a trace of what they had done. Then they both turned to look at him where he stood unshelved, with red, swollen lips.

”Amelia?!” He said his voice sounding breathless. The moment she saw him. The moment she heard his voice she could only think about what he had done. How he had betrayed her. ”What are you doing? What is this? With the duke. Are you serious?” He was screeching now. Pointing at her with such a betrayed look that she felt flabbergasted. What in the world? He of all people was pointing fingers. After what he had done he was out here trying to come off as betrayed. So she decided to do what could be seen as unbecoming of an unmarried woman. She kissed the duke in front of him. No, not the duke she kissed Ewan right there. Jonathan gasped again and if the situation was not tense she would have probably laughed at the high pitch he managed to reach. She could feel Ewan melting into the kiss and kissing her back more intensely which had not been part of her plan, but she welcomed it anyway. That is until once again Jonathan interrupted. ”I will tell everyone, Amelia, you will not get away with doing something so dishonorable when you are unwed, and after that not even I will be taking you as a wife.” They stopped kissing and she looked at the man in disgust. The fact that she had been so eager to marry him was almost scary at this point. When she glanced at Ewan she could see the glare in his eyes and that he was too close to lashing out at the man. So she did what she had had the desire to do ever since he mentioned it. ”Ask me to marry you” she whispered in Ewans’ ear and they were standing close enough so that she could feel the shiver running down his spine. Then without hesitating, he let her go backed away one step, and sunk to one knee. Jonathan was quiet where he stood either from shock or anger. Ewan reached inside his pocket and took out a box. Making it clear that proposing had been his intention all along. Her breath hitched slightly at the sight. The butterflies in her stomach were filling her up entirely at this point. Opening it revealed a ring with a white gemstone in the middle.

”Amelia Terrell, spending the rest of my life with you would be an honor and virtue and I will love you to the end of my days. Will you marry me?”

”Yes, Ewan, yes I will marry you” she responded without hesitation, her voice breaking slightly when saying the words. He slipped the ring onto her finger and then rose from his position. 

Only to swoop her into his arms and then kiss her with such tenderness, that everything around them was forgotten. 

For the first time, it was just them and their two souls dancing completely in sync.