“Can it truly have been five entire years since the night we first attended a ball together?” Amelia wondered nostalgically as she put the finishing touches on her appearance. Christopher smiled fondly down at her, smoothing a hand over the fiery red flame of her hair.

“Indeed, time has veritably flown by ever since that night. Although I remember it quite clearly. It is not every ball where a gentleman receives a proposal of marriage from a near stranger!”

“It is most indelicate of you to bring that story up, sir,” laughed Amelia. “Let us only hope that history does not repeat itself tonight!”

“I have not the slightest fear of that happening tonight, for I am confident that our girls will at least behave themselves properly at their coming out ball,” countered Christopher. “All of the balls hereafter, however, I intend to be more on my guard.”

“I am certain that Harriet and Emily will both comport themselves wonderfully, tonight and all other nights,” Amelia said, rising from her dressing table and straightening her husband’s cravat affectionately. “And they are so beautiful and accomplished – I daresay they will have a great overabundance of suitors after tonight.”

“None of whom will be worthy of our girls, I am sure,” Christopher stated with a mock- scowl.

“Oh, naturally! The greatest princes in all the lands are poor matches for our daughters,” Amelia teased. “All I ask is that they find gentlemen to love them even half so truly as my husband loves me. They will be highly fortunate indeed if they can manage that accomplishment.”

Christopher wrapped his arms around Amelia’s waist and pulled her close for a passionate kiss but was interrupted almost immediately by the approaching stomp of small feet, and the door being flung open.

“Mama! Papa!” little four-year-old Alan Lockhart, future Earl of Berkshire, crowed triumphantly at the sight of his parents. His handsome, cherubic face was flushed with the effort of having escaped his nurse, so that in combination with his fiery red hair he gave the impression of a small, cheerful flame having burst into the room.

“I beg your pardons, my lord, my lady,” panted the plump nurse who rushed in after her charge immediately. “He got away from me, the scamp, and made all haste for you both.”

“And who could mind that?” laughed Christopher, picking up the boy and swinging him high into the air. “Besides, who could stay cross with such a fine, dear boy, even when he has been so terribly naughty? I’ve told you before, my fine fellow, that you are not to run away from Nurse, though,” he added, attempting to be stern.

“I want to go to the ball!” Alan declared unrepentantly, nestling his head charmingly into his father’s neck.

“Oh, but darling, if you went to the ball then the ladies would only want to dance with you! Think of how sad all of the other young gentlemen would be then,” Amelia laughed.

“It is true, and I don’t think any lady would be able to resist those dimples of yours, my lad,” agreed Christopher. “You will just have to wait until you are a bit taller and can defend yourself against jealous rivals, I’m afraid.”

“Besides, you had better run back to your nursery quickly,” added Amelia persuasively. “For I heard your sisters saying that they were going to stop there and say goodnight to you before going downstairs for the ball… and I happen to know for a fact that they were planning on bringing a box of sweets as a consolation for you. If you are not there when they reach the nursery, well perhaps they won’t eat up all the sweets without you, but I don’t know as I should risk it, myself.”

Little Alan’s dark eyes widened expressively, and he began at once to attempt to squirm out of his father’s arms so that he could race back down the corridor to his nursery.

“Thank you, my lady,” breathed the nurse with gratitude. “He won’t be getting away from me again this evening, I can promise you, for I’m going to lock the nursery door the minute he and I are within it! I wouldn’t put it past him to spend his evening trying to sneak downstairs otherwise.”

“I believe you are right,” Amelia agreed fondly. “But make sure to unlock the door once he falls asleep, for I want to look in on him before I retire.”

The nurse nodded agreeably before hurrying off after her charge, and Christopher and Amelia made their way down the staircase and to the grand ballroom to ensure that all was ready for their guests. Looking at their daughters arrayed in gorgeous new gowns, Amelia could scarcely hold back bittersweet tears of mingled pride for the fine young ladies which Harriet and Emily had become and mourning for the carefree little girls they had been only a few short years ago.

“Don’t cry, Mama!” Harriet exclaimed, having completed a turn so that her parents might see her gown from all angles. “It isn’t as though we shall be marrying and leaving Berkshire Manor tonight! It may take us any number of Seasons before Emily or I find a suitor which can tempt us away.”

“That is true,” Emily agreed stoutly. “Having had Papa give us such a fine example of what a husband ought to be, I suspect that we shall both be dreadfully hard to please.”

“Be as choosy as you like, my dears,” Amelia said fervently. “Real love, and a love match, is worth waiting a great many years to discover. But I must stop thinking of sentimental things right this instant, for our guests are beginning to arrive!”

She hurriedly dashed away her happy tears but indulged in one last look at her two daughters. Harriet remained taller than Emily and was still more bold and confident in her bearing. Her lively, sparkling good looks were in perfect contrast to Emily’s quieter, more delicate prettiness. Amelia was struck, as she often was even after five years’ time, by how grateful she was that the girls had gained the companionship and sisterhood of each other.

“Only look at my beautiful nieces,” Betsey murmured, coming up beside Amelia. “I may be partial, but I really think that there cannot be two more delightful young ladies to be found. They do you a credit, you know – for they are both so accomplished and kind in addition to being beautiful.”

“That is a lovely thing to hear,” Amelia sighed, turning to smile at her sister-in-law. “And I am so happy that you were able to come tonight and see them in all the glory of their coming out!”

“I would not have missed it for worlds,” Betsey assured her. She did not attend many balls, as a general rule, Amelia knew, even though she was invited to every event that Christopher and Amelia hosted. Once the initial furor at Christopher’s public acknowledgment of his sister had abated, Betsey and her family had found themselves accepted fairly consistently at social occasions, even if they had come from rather a rather lower station in life originally. 

Christopher had finally been able to assist his brother-in-law more openly in business matters, setting him up in the trades quite successfully, and had also insisted on paying for his nephews’ education. For all of that, though, the family tended to keep away from most large social gatherings, for Betsey could not quite shake her habit of always avoiding the notice of the gentry. Her resemblance to her mother was noted by everyone who had known the old Lady Lockhart, and quite a few people wondered that they had never noticed it before.

“Thank goodness you two are here to distract me,” exclaimed Maria, hurrying up towards Amelia and Betsey with a rueful laugh. “Quick, talk to me so that it does not look so obvious that I am planning out what my future grandchildren will look like! Henry told me that I wasn’t to be allowed to attend any more dances if I could not manage to be a bit more  subtle.”

“They do look fine together,” Amelia said, with warmth, turning to see her stepdaughter dancing in a graceful and yet still lively manner with Maria’s son. Although it was perhaps only wishful thinking on the part of their mothers, the romance that had lately seemed to blossom between Henry and Harriet would be a perfect conclusion to the tangled and complicated relationship between the families, a lovely sort of healing of old hurts, if it came to pass. Amelia could not tell whether the pair felt any affection for one another beyond sincere friendship but had already resolved to keep out of the matter as best she could and allow things to develop or not without her interference. “I am afraid I cannot stay and help you, however, for I must dance with my husband now.”

She had caught Christopher’s eyes from across the ballroom, and had watched with pleasure while Maria spoke as he abandoned his conversation and crossed the room purposefully to reach her.

“Lady Lockhart, will you do me the great honor of sharing this dance with me?” he asked, taking her hand and speaking in low, velvety tones that made Amelia’s pulse race.

“I should be delighted, sir,” she murmured, allowing him to lead her onto the dance floor. As they joined the other swirling couples, she thrilled to the warm and familiar touch of her husband’s hands, the delicious scent of him. The way the mere sound of his voice could make her ache with longing.

“Dare I ask what you are thinking about, my love?” Christopher asked, with a sly smile that told Amelia that he had most likely guessed her thoughts already.

“Oh, I was thinking of our conversation earlier,” Amelia replied carelessly, tossing her head flirtatiously. “Where you were reminding me of my shocking proposition at that other ball five years ago.”

“The most intriguing and unexpected proposition that I have ever received, I believe. And certainly, the most fruitful,” said Christopher, smiling down at his wife.

“Perhaps,” Amelia laughed wickedly. “But bend your head down so that I may whisper in your ear, sir, for I have just been thinking of a far more shocking proposition for you tonight.”

She murmured a suggestion which had Christopher inhaling sharply for an instant before he swept her closer into his arms and kissed her deeply before the entire assembly.

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