thousandcandles,youreyessparklelikepreciousemeralds."Sheswallowednervouslyandheldhisgazewithherown.Hisvoicewassoveryrichanddeep,almostcaressing,andsuddenlyshefeltquiteshy,afeelingMissNatalieHaislettofSherbornehadneverbeforeexperiencedinthepresenceofanyone."Thankyou,"shewhispered,loweringhereyestostareattheivorybuttonsofhisshirt.Hecontinuedtosmilebutsaidnothingmoreasheexpertlytwirledheraroundthedancefloorintimetothewaltz.Shecouldn'tunderstandwhyshefeltsoanxious,forthiswas,afterall,herfather'smaskedball,andhewasonlyaninvitedguestwhohadgraciouslyaskedhertodance.She'dseenhimbeforeonseveraloccasions,althoughthey'dneverspokentoeachother.Butthistimeheseemedtotakeparticular noticeofher,watchingherclosely,almosttooclosely,andtheattentionfromsuchanattractivemanmadeherbreathless."I'dliketoseeyouwithoutyourmask."Hissmooth,huskywordsstartledherintoraisinghereyestohisonceagain.Hewasunbearablyhandsome,withthick,almostblackhair,atall,hardbodyandthemostmesmerizinggray-blueeyes.Shestaredathimforseveralseconds,thenquietlyreplied,"I'dliketoseeyouwithoutyours."After lookingaroundcautiouslysheleaneduptomurmurboldly,"Meetmeoutsideintheflowergarden,under thesouthbalcony,infifteenminutes."Hecockedhisheadfractionally,eyesnarrowingbehindblacksatin."Areyouserious,Natalie?"Hissuddenuseofhergivennamewithoutpermissionremindedher,inthepurestsense,ofherdelicate position."I-Ijustthoughtitwouldbeaprivateplacetotalk.""Isee."Hecontinuedtostaredownatherpartiallyconcealedfaceforamoment,andjustasshebegantofeelatrifleembarrassedbyherverybrazenbehavior,heleanedovertowhisper,"I'mlookingforwardtoour …talk."Sheshiveredfromhiswarmbreathonhercheek,thentooquicklythewaltzwasover.Hestoodupright,hiseyespiercinghersashebrushedhislipsagainstthebackofherhand.Thenheturnedandwalkedaway.Nataliewatchedhimforamomentashedisappearedintothecrowdoflaughing,minglingpeople,tryingtoshakeherselfofthestrangesensationsthemanevokedinher.Sheshouldn'thaveaskedhimtomeetherinthegardenunchaperoned,sheknewthat,butsomethinginsideofhercompelledhertodoso.Shewouldmeethim.Shewasdrawntohim.Slowlyshemadeherwaytowardthebackoftheballroom,stoppingeverysooftentochatnonchalantlywithvariousmembersofthegentry.Ittookheralmostfifteenminutesjusttoreachthebalcony,then,slippingawayunnoticed,shefairlyraceddownthestairsandintothegarden.Thechillnightairbrushedherskin,butthemoon'sfullglowandherownanxiousthoughtswarmedher inside.
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