Page 19 of The Marquess' Disguised Heiress
“And who will be my Prince Charming? You?”
“I am afraid I am not dressed in white, but I did come here on a horse. I can be your knight in shining armour, My Lady.”
Eliza chuckled.
“I am no lady. Perhaps you can find one inside the masquerade and propose to be her knight in shining armour.”
“I believe you are more of a lady than you are willing to accept or believe or reveal.”
For a second, Eliza felt her heart stop beating at his words as if somehow he could see inside her soul and listen to all her secrets. As if he could see her heart beating and read everything that went through her mind. She suddenly felt exposed and much too vulnerable in front of his masked existence, yet she still did not feel scared.
“You must leave now, My Lord,” Eliza said, feeling an urge to escape from his dark eyes, which were steadily trained on her face. “I am sure someone inside the ballroom must belooking for you. And someone behind the ballroom must be looking for me. Have a good evening.”
Eliza curtsied briefly, turning around when he blocked her path with quick steps. She stopped, not wanting to run into him.
“May I know your name before you leave?”
“My name is of no importance to you.”
“I still wish to find out.”
“You did not tell me your name; thus, I cannot tell you mine. These are rules of a masquerade, after all. Maintain your air of mystery and let others maintain theirs.”
“But you are not even wearing a mask, My Lady.”
“Yet I hide more secrets in my heart than you could ever imagine even knowing, much less hiding.” Eliza smiled, the lightfrom the house falling on her. She knew he could see her. “Please let me go now.”
“I already know your name.”
Eliza looked up at him sharply, unsure of what he was trying to say or do to her. Something about him just felt wrong, yet another part of her kept whispering that everything was alright.
“Truly?”
“Truly.” He smiled, his lips still visible despite the mask.
“What might it be then?”
“Meet me again inside the house, and I will tell you. Good evening, My Lady.”
Without another word, he turned around and made his way towards the house, leaving Eliza dumbfounded behind him.She did not know what that interaction meant at all or who the man was, but he left her intrigued. She did indeed wish to see him again.
Who was he?
Chapter 5
Alexander breathed in deeply, standing just at the top of the stairs of the ballroom, ready to go inside. Despite the energy and fervour of the place around him, with the London nobility behind masks and ready to do whatever they wished, the place was in an uproar.
He could hear loud laughter springing from everywhere as people moved around with abandon.
Every single one of these people would have never behaved in this manner if the masks had not been in place. Although with a mask on and their identities concealed, everyone simply lost their minds completely.
“Do you wish me to announce you, My Lord?” the butler standing at the top of the staircase questioned, but Alexander shook his head.
He had no desire for his identity to be revealed.
As he stood at the top of the staircase, several people looked up to stare at him, but Alexander ignored every single one of them.
He knew it was not exactly his looks but his air of regality and nobility that always set him apart from the rest, and living in France all those years had set apart his fashion sense from the uncultured lords of England.
