When Nate had seen Emily that night, he knew just why she'd stolen his heart so easily. She wasn't wearing anything fancy nor was she trying to appear beautiful, she just was.
When he'd noticed the ribbon she'd tied, his hopes had risen significantly. It was a tiny gesture, but one that still affected him. He'd been bluffing through his teeth in the shop. The pink ribbon did look pretty on her, but Allie had been far more right than he had. Still, she'd chosen his suggestion and was even wearing it. It was silly, but that was enough for him to begin to become hopeful.
Unfortunately, the moment they'd entered, he was called over by a young gentleman who had taken a small estate from under Somerhall. He had wanted to keep an eye on both Allie and Emily, but it was quite clear that that wasn't going to happen, especially when Emily insisted he go to the man.
"Ah, Your Grace." The man, whose name was Mr. Milton Randall, greeted with a short bow. "How are you on this delightful evening?" Normally, Mr. Randall was amusing enough company but, once he was in a social situation where alcohol was available, a single glass of wine was enough to make him rather more exuberant.
"Quite well, Mr. Randall. How do you do?" Nate inquired politely, but the gentleman was far too intoxicated to respond and instead addressed his next few statements to a nearby chair.
With a sigh, Nate approached the refreshments table for a glass of something that would get him through the night. There were a few ladies standing by the table, each holding a glass of wine as they conversed in hushed tones, most probably discussing the latest county gossip. Although he wasn't interested in the least, Nate couldn't help but hear.
"She has just returned." One woman said. She was, to put it mildly, rotund and certainly past middle aged, yet wore a dress of the brightest pink and enough rouge to supply an entire finishing school. "She travelled alone, is what I heard. No consideration at all for her parents, who are in fact a Marquess and Marchioness. In fact, she left them entirely and even said that she would never marry."
"I heard that she is a very odd girl, indeed." The second added, and Nate quickly realised who they were referring to. The thought of it made his blood boil. He was about to butt into the conversation and defend Emily, but the rational side of him made him stay still and listen a little longer. "Her parents have all but disowned her. They've provided her with her dowryâ which is thirty thousand pounds, mind youâ and allowed her to keep the family name but have refused to see her or assist her further."
"As should be done." The third agreed firmly, with a nod of her head. "If it were my daughter, I wouldn't let her have a single shilling. Her parents are very kind indeed for letting her have so much. The titled certainly work in mysterious ways."
"She's a spinster in the making, to be sure." The fourth lady commented, making her friends laugh loudly and making Nate clear his throat loudly, and their eyes fell curiously upon him.
"Is it Lady Emily Carter to whom you are referring?" He asked clearly and, upon receiving a nervous nod in response from each of them, continued, "I have it on good authority, and by that I mean mine, that she is a most wonderful person whose independent spirit is to be admired, and that she will not be a spinster for much longer at all."
And, leaving them astonished with a new bit of gossip to spread, Nate walked away, regretting his words even as he did. He should have complimented her character and left it at that. Instead, he'd gone ahead and implied that the two of them were soon to be married. That was one of the most foolish, impulsive things he'd ever done. He'd have to tell her.
He made his way across the room, only to find that Emily was alone with Allie nowhere to be seen. When he found out exactly where his sister was, he decided to use it as an opportunity to dance with Emily and to confess to her exactly what he'd ended up doing.
Even as he led her onto the dance floor, amongst the twirling mass of couples, he could feel many eyes on them. Those women had definitely worked even faster than the devil.
"I don't know how to dance like this." Emily confessed as he took her hands in his so that they might dance. "My mother disapproved of my attending public assemblies and so I never learnt."
"Simply follow my lead, then." He informed her with a wide grin. It might have been the heat or the crowd, but a redness bloomed across her cheeks that Nate was all too willing to take full credit for.
Emily was quite the good dancer, so she allowed herself to be led through the dance more easily than a more unpracticed individual. Since this was more a jig than the dances she was used to, she was clearly surprised at all the jumping and lifting involved. However, she enjoyed it thoroughly, as evidenced from the many smiles and laughs that Nate was the subject of. Her eyes twinkled from enjoyment, making Nate smile in return, happier than ever.
"That was wonderful." Emily said, panting from shortness of breath. These dances took quite a lot of energy and effort, but they were rewarding. "Can we dance the next one, too?"
"Of course." Nate chuckled, but awkwardness soon bloomed for the next tune that was played was much slower and much more romantic. He wanted to dance it with her, though, so he asked, "Do you still wish to dance the next dance?"
"I wouldn't mind at all." She confessed and, so, they remained where they were and Nate gathered her into his arms, one hand on her waist and the other clasping her hand. They danced closely, and he could feel every pulse of her heart as it beat erratically. It was probably from the dancing, but he allowed himself to be fooled into thinking it was from proximity to him. In fact, his own heart was beating in much the same way, the feel of her in his arms too much for him to be able to control it. He swallowed strongly, as she smiled and looked up at him through her lashes, entirely unaware of the effect she had.
"This is nice." She admitted, a moment or so later, and her eyes instantly widened. She had not meant to say that, but the fact that it had happened unintentionally was even better to him.
"I agree." He said, and his hand fell an inch lower on her waist, so that it was just below the curve. He tensed, waiting for her to say something, but she didn't. On the other hand, there was a hitch in her breathing that told him she minded just as little as he did.
The number of eyes on them had only grown and, soon enough, Emily noticed too. "Why are they all looking at us?" She asked, her brow furrowing in confusion and Nate cursed at himself inside his head. He'd nearly forgotten about what he'd said to those women, and now it was returning to bite him in the arse. These women at balls were such effective gossipmongers.
"I might have said something I shouldn't have." He confessed, and the entire story came pouring out of him. He winced as he came to the end of it, bracing himself for the angry rebuke he was sure to receive from her.
"You really shouldn't have." Emily said softly, and much more gently than he'd expected. She was still reprimanding him, but she was doing it in more kindly way than he had anticipated from her.
"I know, I shouldn't have said it. Now you'll be subjected to so many rumours. It isn't fair to you. I can set them straight if you'd like and I truly am sorry if I've offended you." Nate said, rushing through his words. Just because she wasn't too angry didn't mean he didn't have to apologise.
"No!" She exclaimed, and he met her gaze, surprised. She lowered her voice as she continued, "No, I didn't mean it like that. I don't mind that you said it, truly. In fact, I am quite thankful for it. I only meant that you shouldn't have defended me. You really didn't need to."
"We are friends, are we not?" He demanded, although the word 'friends' pained him to say. "Why would I not defend my friend from such poisonous, untrue words?"
"Because I am used to it by now." She said with a matter of fact shrug that infuriated him beyond explanation. "It isn't that it doesn't affect me, but that it affects me less and less each time."
"You shouldn't have to be used to it." He told Emily, unwilling to accept her explanation. "You should fight back against those fools who seem to think that they are better than you, that they have a right to judge you."
"If I fought back against every person that criticised me, I wouldn't have the time to do anything else. It is better to let go of such negativity and focus on the good things." She said with a soft smile before allowing him to spin her. When she faced him again, she added, flushing a light pink, "Besides, to know that I have a single friend willing to stand up for me like this is more than enough to keep me happy. I am indeed the luckiest woman in the world to have three such friendsâ Cassandra, you and even Kit."
"You're incredible." Nate said, awed, looking down at her as something bloomed in his chest, right where his heart was. "People have hurt you so much, and yet you're not bitter about it. You don't even hate them for it, which I'm sure is what I would do."
"You're too good a person to be so hateful." Emily assured him, and Nate had to resist the urge to pull her closer and just embrace her for as long as he could. Unfortunately, they were in a room filled with people and she probably wouldn't welcome it at all anyway.
"You have a little too much faith in me." Nate joked, lightening the mood. Emily chuckled, and ran her thumb across his shoulder, brushing past his neck, and sent a shiver right down his spine, chilling him and making the hairs on his arms stand up. It was an odd new feeling that had been occurring far too often lately, mainly when he was in her presence.
"Far too much." Emily chirped with a bright smile, and he pinched her waist, making her squeal a bit too loudly. The couples dancing on either side of them glanced at them, the elderly one on their right disapprovingly, while the young one on their left simply curiously.
The song came to an end a moment later. It felt like mere seconds before she was out of his grasp again, smiling that sweet smile of hers. Before he knew it, she had pulled away from him and was moving towards the other side of the room, where Cassandra was waving to her. Kit was nowhere to be seen.
Nate groaned softly in frustration, drawing odd looks from those around him. Then, as the notes for the next dance began sounding, he came to his senses and left the dance floor, wondering what was going on with him; with his head and with his heart. He felt heavier and lighter at the same time, happier and sadder, more peaceful and more conflicted. He couldn't even begin to understand it, but knew that it was all because of her, because of Emily.
He didn't really mind the feeling, though.