The Debutante (Season Series #2)

Chapter 23: The First Dance

Propelled forward by Xavier's push, I only sank into my curtsey when I reached the edge of the dance floor, stumbling forward while the nobles around me sank into reverences. Belatedly, I realized that Ashley and Adelaide had already positioned themselves the closest to the thrones, directly in Andrew's path as he descended the steps with Thomas and Anne in tow. I twitched with impatience, my eyes on my prince's descent until the rest of the nobles began to rise. I jumped to my feet as soon as it was proper, fighting my way through the crowd milling around the edge of the dance floor. I was halfway to where Ashley and Adelaide lay in wait when I was waylaid once more as another fanfare blew.

I let out a groan as all the guests turned towards the stairs leading to the entrance hall. Standing at the top of the staircase like an overly decorated porcelain doll was Dulciana, a tiara glittering among her dark curls. The ballroom sank into reverences once again, bowing and curtseying to the foreign princess, resplendent in her scarlet and gold gown. She glittered in the light from the chandeliers as she descended the stairs, a veritable fortune of jewels strewn about her person. I tore my eyes away from her to seek out Andrew, panic mounting within me. If he didn't see me, would he try to search me out or simply ask one of the others for his first dance?

The pair of princes had stopped halfway through the dance floor, Thomas leaning over to whisper something to Andrew with a smirk. I watched as Andrew fought from grinning himself, his eyes roving over the bowing ballroom until they landed on me. He smiled in earnest then, only for the rest of the ballroom to rise, a wall of nobles separating us once again. Relief flickered in my chest, but it did nothing to quell the urgency I felt now that Dulciana had almost reached the dance floor.

The press was even thicker now that they'd cleared a path for the foreign princess, but I was undeterred, maneuvering my way towards my prince in the middle of the floor. I caught glimpses of Andrew's red formal jacket through the crowd, annoyed that it was taking me so long to reach him. I was just about to stomp on a tittering older lady's foot to get her to move when her husband pulled her aside and I found Andrew in front of me.

Our eyes met, his crinkling with a grin while I felt that little sun burst to life inside my chest. He bowed while I curtseyed, only for a red and gold blur to sidle up beside me.

"Good evening, your Highness," Dulciana trilled in her accented English, making as if to step between me and Andrew. Deciding I'd had quite enough of her, especially after the opera intermission, I rose and took a step towards Andrew, holding my ground. I held my chin high as she glared at me, her pretty face on fire as I refused to acknowledge her.

Before us, Andrew's eyes were dancing with laughter again, but he held my gaze as he fought his smile.

"A very lovely evening it is, princess," he said, nodding briefly to her before extending a hand to me, "A dance, Lady Marks-Whelan?"

I focused on the warm feel of Andrew's fingers around my gloved hand, ignoring the hiss of scandalized whispers that raced through the crowd around us. Andrew pulled me away from a quivering Dulciana, who had muttered something in rapid Ardalonian that I judged to be some sort of insult. But I didn't care, because Andrew's hand was on my waist as he drew me to the center of the floor. I knew the entire ballroom was staring at the pair of us and the jilted princess in our wake, but Andrew was looking at me in a way that shoved every worry to the back of my mind. The world had narrowed to the two of us and I wouldn't have it any other way.

"You're looking lovely tonight," he said, looking me over as the music started up for a waltz, "Though a tad more bedecked than usual."

"That's your mother's doing. Apparently she gets to choose what I wear now," I sighed, "It seems that favourites of the crown prince are supposed to wear their weight in gold and precious stones."