Twenty One Part Three

Alfred slowly danced Terese towards the balcony doors as the music came to an end.

All eyes were upon the Earl and Countess of Trent. All conversation buzzed about the Earl and Countess of Trent. Other than those who were buzzing about the Duchess of Marlborough, that was.

Alfred and Terese used the distraction to stealthily creep through the doors leading outside, smiling conspiratorially at one another, as they made their escape.

Terese started laughing at their silliness, as Alfred took her hand and brought her up short, only to pirouette her in front of him. She came around smiling into his eyes, which caused him to grin at her in return.

She put a hand upon his chest, as he still held the other, and she stepped close so there were only a few inches between them. It was time to let him know he had been chosen to present his suit.

"Sir Alfred, I believe you will turn a girl's head with such romantic actions." She turned her head so she peered at him from beneath her lashes, batting them once or twice for emphasis.

Alfred was utterly enchanted. She was elegant and graceful, fragile and beautiful. Her form was shaped so perfectly, she made his blood boil, and his heart nearly beat out of his chest.

"Do I dare to hope that I could turn your head, beauty?" Alfred felt none of the earlier nervousness he had felt when he had been speaking to the new Marchioness, Arianna. Now that he had decided to shun his mother's wishes, and pursue his own path, he felt he had found the right avenue. He had never felt so confident before.

"Mayhap you could, but then again, where would be the fun if I were that easy of a catch, Sir?" Terese gave him a saucy smirk before she turned and went to stand by the balcony rail. She turned her back to it and still smirked at him.

Alfred watched her glide away from him and followed as a moth to a flame. "I could think of much fun to be had if I knew you would welcome my suit, my beauty." Alfred gave her a jesting lear, then leaned against the railing's post and looked skyward at the stars that shimmered above them.

Terese smiled as she made him wait for her answer, turning and leaning her arms on the railing, to also gaze up at the stars in the sky.

"What do you do, Sir Alfred?" She darted a glance at his profile, but looked to the stars quickly again, as he darted a glance back at her.

She continued looking skyward, smiling, as she knew she had caught him, and he could now be hers if she wanted him to be. She waited patiently for his reply.

Alfred thought of his mistress, an immature, desperate attempt to have a woman at his beck and call, as his mother had said a real man would have. He thought of the gaming hell, and his cronies, a desperate attempt to sow his oats and be accepted into society by the other gentry's sons, as his mother had told him a real man would do. He thought of sleeping past noon in order to recover from the last evening's debauchery, as a real man would do, also.

"Nothing that I would care to do beyond this evening, now that I have found such beauty as to keep my eye from wandering anywhere else." He answered truthfully as he looked fully upon her.

She smiled wider, as she still gazed at the sky, then she turned her head to look at him, "You may call upon me tomorrow at my father's townhouse, if it would please you," Her eyes held no doubt he would be there, just as soon as it was a fashionable hour to come calling. "For now, I must return to my mother, or she will come looking for me soon." Terese placed her hand upon Alfred's upper arm, leaned in and stood on her toes to kiss his cheek. "Thank you for a lovely dance, Sir Alfred." She breathed across his skin.

She then whisked away through the doors as Alfred did not even have time, or the function of his brain, to assure her it was his pleasure.

He stood there a few moments, a bit dumbfounded, as he had never felt this way before. He tingled with pleasure, he could feel the smile on his face and he could do nothing to contain it, he wondered if it would be there the rest of the night.

If she remained in his sights it very well might. Alfred looked again to the stars and realized he did not want to give her up for a moment. He would bide his time and try to attain another dance with her before the evening ended.

With that thought in mind he stepped back to the doors and had just come through them when the King himself was announced.

Gasps were heard across the huge room and Alfred watched as Lady Harrison fainted dead away.

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The King made his way down the staircase as absolute silence ruled the room. When he came to the last step, he stopped, there to remain a head and shoulders above the crush.

The King addressed the room, "I have heard we have one of our own returned to us and I would have the Duchess of Marlborough before me." The King's shrewd eyes scanned the room, finding Kathleen, he then smiled kindly at her and waited for her to join him.

The crowd parted for Kathleen as she approached him, William following in her wake. The King stepped down from his landing, as she folded herself into a deep, submissive curtsy before him.

The King extended his hand and the Duchess allowed him to help her to rise. Kathleen smiled stunningly at him, her emerald eyes shining her pleasure. They had just left one another from the room in the back of the manor, but none attending, other than her family, knew this.

The King nodded to her, he knew her apparent joy, came from her daughter Arianna, and Trent being reunited.

The King kept his hold of her hand, squeezing it slightly, as he addressed her in front of the dead silent room.

His respect for her resonated in his deep, clear voice. "I would like to personally and affectionately welcome your return, Your Grace. We have been seriously lacking your beauty and wit these many years, and I for one, have missed both." He smiled at her and bent his own body forward in a very small, subtle bow. "It would be my greatest pleasure to dance with my wayward Duchess, and only then, may His Grace have you back." His eyes found William's over Kathleen's shoulder, and he gave the Duke a respectful nod, even as he smiled his pleasure at stealing the man's wife.

William gave the King his due, "I shall await her return at your pleasure, my King."

William was proud of his wife, of the stunning beauty she emanated, her eyes still sparkled, her cheeks still blushed, 'twas almost as if she had never been gone if one went by her appearance.

William was forever grateful that her spirit and fire had carried her through her ordeal. Trying to escape from the madman Bailey repeatedly, she had kept her focus on trying to get back to them. Even though she had never succeeded, she had tried over and over just the same. Even as he, himself, had been searching for her relentlessly.

It had made their reunion so much sweeter, that she had not been abused, nor traumatized, nor her spirit broken.

He watched her dance with the King as if she were a queen herself. His pride knew no bounds and he realized how very blessed he now was.

William could see their lives ahead filled with the richness of knowing what it was to do without one another. They would never, ever take one another for granted, that much was true.

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Alfred watched the interaction between the King and the Duchess, then he looked around for his beauty, finding her covertly watching him in return. She smiled sweetly at him as she stood next to the woman he assumed to be her mother. They shared the same height and facial features, but her mother was golden haired, where Terese boasted her fiery tresses.

The candlelight from the many sconces cast a glow upon the lighter highlights of her hair, he had realized when they danced her eyes were a most unusual green, with a soft blue mixed in. He had never seen eyes such as hers in his life.

He wanted her, he wanted to court her, and marry her, and spend the rest of his days trying to keep her. He had never in his wildest dreams imagined, that a girl as beautiful as he found her, would even look twice at him, much less invite his suit. He had never attracted women of her beauty before. He had usually made due with a wallflower here or there, just to see if anything was hiding beneath the shy exteriors.

He had usually parted company with them after a dance, and neither he, nor they, had felt anything other than relief from the boredom of standing around, watching others glide across the room.

Alfred bided his time, if he waited until the right moment, he could swoop in and claim her for the supper dance. Then she would be all his for the time it took them to repast.

Meanwhile, Terese was hoping Alfred was was thinking the same, if she were going to encourage his suit, she would like to know him a little better and make sure she was not making a mistake.

Alfred's friends joined him and were full of banter about how Trent's return was very unfortuitous for him, and his prospects of the title.

Alfred nodded and smiled, he cared less now than he had when his cousin had first made his appearance. Some things were just not meant to be.

Now that his interest had been piqued by the titan haired beauty, he had no patience for their ribbing. Ignoring them was best, yet he felt a need to defend himself a small amount. "My cousin has returned to claim what is rightfully his, I can have no complaints, and yet call myself a man." He gave each of them a withering look, "If you gentlemen would excuse me?"

Alfred made his way over to where Drake and Arianna were taking refreshment. Alfred looked at the punch bowl and smiled, finding Terese's eyes across the room quickly. He gave her a quick nod and a smile, as he waited for Drake and Arianna to finish their conversation. Alfred glanced back at the punch bowl, and thought that if he married his beauty, that is where they would tell their children they had met.

Drake glanced to the side and took note of Alfred standing there. "Nimford." He stated, as he nodded Alfred's direction to his wife.

"Trent, it is with my most sincere congratulations I welcome you home. I must admit to thinking your wife a tad insane with her story of pirates, and saving the Duchess, but I am glad to see 'tis truth indeed."

Drake placed a hand at the small of his wife's back, as he felt her stiffen beside him. "My wife may not be sane, cousin, but neither is she a liar. Her words are often far too true." Drake's eyes fell to his wife's piercing stare and the winged brow that was lifted above it.

Drake smiled confidently in reply to his wife's unspoken promise of retribution. "And how does my uncle fair?"

"Marcus was well the last time I saw him. He was headed south, for a fortnight or so, on business matters." Alfred was very glad to be able to answer truthfully. He was glad he had finally seen his mother's hand in his temporary madness. He could never kill Marcus. He could never kill this man. He liked this man. Drake had always been decent to him when they would find themselves at family gatherings together. Close in age, they had thrown knives and shot targets with their fathers. They had played chess at holiday parties, Drake was actually a right, fine man.

Drake nodded, he was glad to hear his uncle was well, Drake held fond remembrances of Marcus trying to soften Damien's demands of perfection. Marcus had always praised he and Alfred, as Damien had criticized, and then instructed how they could have done better.

Gwendolyn was another story altogether, Drake had felt sorry for Marcus, and Alfred, as both of them had suffered under Gwendolyn's viper tongue.

Drake felt he should at least ask after her welfare, though the thought left a bitter taste in his mouth, "And your mother?" Drake barely managed to keep a civil face when he did.

"Just as waspish as always." Alfred admitted, honestly.

"In that case, give your father my best when you see him next." Drake smirked at Alfred, as Alfred grinned back.

"That I shall do," Alfred bowed slightly, "Cousin, My Lady, please accept my most heartfelt congratulations on your marriage."

They both nodded in reply, and Alfred looked for his beauty, even as he found an advantageous post from which to keep her in his view.

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Arianna turned to Drake, "Is he to be trusted? I must admit I did not care for him when he stuttered and spit all over me." Ari made a distasteful face, as Drake looked at her in surprise, and then barked with laughter.

"I forgot he did that when he is nervous or perplexed." Drake's eyes shined with amusement. "'Tis been a long time since I have seen him. I hope the damage was minimal, my love."

"It was, actually, he kept my mind off of my own nerves for a while after such a tall tale. I knew all were enthralled, yet I did not know if I was believed." Arianna giggled at her remembered dramatization. Not that the story had needed any dramatizing, but she had warmed to her subject, with all the attention focused on her and her words.

"I believe you did fine, Angel, all seem quite in awe of you." Very many of the guests still looked their way.

"Of course, once my mother and you arrived, now they believe me." She wrinkled her nose up at him and he pressed a kiss upon it.

"Alfred is a good sort, he has a nagging mother, yet his father is a very good man. I sometimes wished he were my own, as my father was so stern and stiff. It is a relief to have our relationship on the way to a mend. I do love my father, I just never felt good enough to please him." Drake looked to his parents across the room, his mother was stroking his father's cheek, and this brought a brow up on Drake's part. He would have to look into this development more closely later.

"You are more than good enough to please me, My Lord." Arianna rubbed against him, "Whyever do we have to stay here so long? I would like nothing better than to..."

"Please do not say it, my love, 't'will only torture me if you do." Drake begged, as he relished the feel of her against him at the same time.

"Fine." Ari pouted, "It was a good one too." She grinned wickedly at him as she pranced away towards her father.

"I bet it was, Angel, ..........I just bet it was. Note to self, ask later what she was thinking." Drake mumbled this to himself as he followed her skirts across the room.

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"I will be holding a masquerade in honor of your return three months hence. I hope that this will be fine with your Duke." The King informed Kathleen of his plans, as he came up with them.

"I have not been to a masquerade in years, my liege. It would be most pleasing to me, if not to William." She admitted. She smiled ruefully, William will go whether it pleases him or not, if 'tis in her honor. They were both anxious to visit their country seat. But three months was long enough to retire to Marlborough. She had missed it so as it had been their primary residence before she had been taken, so she had begged William to take her very soon.

"Good, I shall say the word then, and have invitations issued." The King smiled, pleased he would have something to look forward to.

They finished the dance in companionable silence, each enjoying this evening which was quite out of the ordinary.

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:)