He was surprised at the touch of jealousy he felt at watching Charity flirt with the group.
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Aidan idly drank from his ornate wineglass as he watched the ball start to unfold around him. He then saw Charity heading his direction. Aidan gave a resigned sigh.
"Lily Weston. You are to dance with her next. So go over, and ask for her hand." She instructed Aidan sternly but quietly.
Lily watched Halys. She sighed. He was notorious for having the most beautiful paramours, and not caring what the ton thought of him. Which made him all the more attractive.
She had no hopes of him coming to her. Oh, she dreamed it, certainly. But there was no way it was going to happen.
He was walking towards her. He's going to turn now, Lily thought confidently. He's still walking, she thought frantically. Okay, she calmed herself, he's heading to see someone to the back of me. She glanced over her shoulder furtively. That's a wall, she admonished herself.
"Lady Weston, if you are not otherwise engaged, will you do me the honour of dancing with me?" Aidan inquired with an elegant little bow at the waist.
"Your Grace." She squeaked before composing herself properly. "But of course you may have the next dance." She unfurled her new silk fan in what she hoped was a flirtatious manner, and promptly dropped it.
"Oh, dear..." Lily clapped her hands to her mouth. She could feel her face start to flame.
Aidan's mouth twitched as he bent to pick up her fan.
"Madame?" He straightened up and held out her fan. Aidan watched her closely as she grabbed the fan from his outstretched hand.
Lily Weston was blessed with bright blue eyes and rich auburn hair. She also had a classically beautiful face, with high cheek bones, and perfectly sculpted full, red lips. A lithe and lissome figure set her apart, though, as did her stature as an actress. She was a dear friend of both Charity's, and Honour's.
The ton barely accepted her throughout society, and the only time she was given recognition in a good light was when she was on the stage. Other than that, she was almost completely scorned despite her title, and her family's wealth.
The music started playing as Aidan was musing about all this.
"Shall we?" He held out his arm, which she laid her hand on with a small smile.
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Charity drank slowly from her wineglass as she watched the dancers.
"Lady Airianne? Shall we?" Knight appeared at her side.
"Uh, I have... but.... I am otherwise engaged, sir." She stated firmly.
Dimitri looked around quizzically. "Not that I can see. Are you afraid? I would not wish that." He smiled triumphantly, knowing that that would surely not make Charity happy in the slightest. Sure enough, "I am not afraid, sir. I would be happy to dance with you." She ground out from around clenched teeth.
He smiled slightly, as if knowing, as if seeing straight into her. She wondered how he was able to do that.
Knight put his hand on her waist, and they started into the dance.
"I was led to believe, that your elder brother was in Spain at the moment." He said while watching her carefully.
"He has just arrived home. Only a fortnight ago. I believe he is leaving for Ireland in a few days time." She said trying to look anywhere but his eyes. He really did have quite extraordinary eyes. A bright gold surrounded by a ring of the darkest black.
"Oh. He enjoys travelling?"
"You might say that..." Charity averted her eyes.
The truth was that Aidan never stayed in one place for long. He needed to keep his feeding patterns sporadic. If people got paranoid, he would never be able to eat.
"Do you like travelling, Lady Charity?" He asked idly.
"I wouldn't know. I have only travelled in England. My father has always refused to take me out of the country."
"Oh." That went with everything he already knew about Ethan Airianne. He tightened his hold on her waist, and then smiled as she tried to back away.
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"I saw your last performance, Lady Weston. As the ill-fated Juliet." Aidan remarked as they twirled around the floor.
She looked surprised. "I did not know you had any interest in the theatre, Your Grace. Did you find the performance pleasing?"
"Yes, I did. Please, not so formal. It makes me feel beyond my time. Please just call me Halys, as does everyone." He said watching her expression.
"Very well, Your-" She stumbled over the words."I mean, Halys. Please call me Lily."
"Done. What is your next role, I was wondering this..."
"My next role is to be the Faerie queen in Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream". My company is doing many of Shakespeare's plays at the moment."
