Didn't anyone ever tell you that a lady never deserts her partner before the dance is over?"
"It's over!" Elizabeth said in a choked whisper, and they both knew she referred to more than just the dancing. "I'm not nearly the greenhand you must take me for," she warning, frowning darkly at his frilled shirtfront. A ruby winked back at her from the folds of his white neckcloth.
"I give you my word," he said quietly, "not to force myself upon you tomorrow."
Oddly, Elizabeth believed him, but even so she knew she could never keep such an assignation.
"I give you my word as a gentleman," he said again.
"If you were a gentleman, you'd never make me such a proposition," Elizabeth said, trying to ignore the dull ache of disappointment in her chest.
"Now there's an unarguable piece of logic," he replied grimly. "On the other hand, it's the only choice open to us."
"It's no choice at all. We shouldn't even be out here."
"I'll wait for you at the cottage until noon tomorrow."
"I won't be there."
"I'll wait until noon," he insisted.
"It's over!" Elizabeth said in a choked whisper, and they both knew she referred to more than just the dancing. "I'm not nearly the greenhand you must take me for," she warning, frowning darkly at his frilled shirtfront. A ruby winked back at her from the folds of his white neckcloth.
"I give you my word," he said quietly, "not to force myself upon you tomorrow."
Oddly, Elizabeth believed him, but even so she knew she could never keep such an assignation.
"I give you my word as a gentleman," he said again.
"If you were a gentleman, you'd never make me such a proposition," Elizabeth said, trying to ignore the dull ache of disappointment in her chest.
"Now there's an unarguable piece of logic," he replied grimly. "On the other hand, it's the only choice open to us."
"It's no choice at all. We shouldn't even be out here."
"I'll wait for you at the cottage until noon tomorrow."
"I won't be there."
"I'll wait until noon," he insisted.
( Judith McNaught )
[ Almost Heaven ]
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