Sweet Awakening Read Free Page B

absolutely certain that she felt the same way and at the end of her first Season would announce their betrothal. On the other, he was still protective of her. What if, by some small chance, he were wrong? What if she met someone during this spring? He knew Clare very well: if he spoke to her, if he revealed his feelings too soon, then she would feel under an obligation, both to him and their two families. So he had decided to leave her free for the rest of the spring before declaring himself.
    * * * *
    After what seemed a week, their coach pulled up to the Straiton’s front steps. There was another wait before they were announced. Although, as Giles muttered to Sabrina, he couldn’t see the point of announcing their arrival, since no one could hear anything over all the noise.
    They pushed their way slowly through the crowd toward the ballroom, where Giles began searching for Clare. He hadn’t thought he was being obvious, but Sabrina tugged his sleeve and said, “There she is, Giles, over there. I am so eager to see her. And doesn’t she look delightful?” She took her brother’s arm and let him make a path along the edge of the ballroom until they came to the small group of which Clare was a part.
    Clare looked more than delightful, thought Giles as he greeted her. She was dressed in a pale lavender silk gown with a silver gauze overskirt. A dark purple ribbon was threaded through her blond curls, which made her eyes look violet.
    Giles realized anew how pretty she was. He had never seen her dressed for a ball before. And he had put their summer kiss out of his mind. But he felt desire stir as he gazed down into her eyes. She was fully a woman, he realized, as he glanced down, appreciating the way the silk clung to her under the near transparent overdress. His eyes went to her sweetly rounded breasts which were exposed enough to make her gown fashionable but not immodest. Giles wondered how it would feel to brush his hand against one. When he had resolved to keep his feelings to himself for a while, he had not reckoned on the intensity of his desire, only the strength of his love. It was going to be much more difficult than he thought to delay his proposal.
    He found himself stammering out some ridiculously obvious comment about the crowd while Sabrina moved forward and gave Clare a hug.
    “It is so good to see you again at last,” his sister said, while Giles stood tongue-tied. “How are you liking your come out? I am sure your card has been full from your first evening.”
    Clare smiled. “Not always full, Sabrina, but I haven’t had to hold up the wall for longer than a dance or two on any one evening.”
    “I should hope not,” declared her friend.
    Giles finally found his voice. “I hope you will be able to find one for me tonight?”
    Clare looked over her card carefully. “I am not sure but that I can squeeze you in, why in an hour or two,” she replied. As she saw Giles frown, she immediately reached out her hand to touch his arm in reassurance. “Of course, I am only funning, Giles. In fact, after this next country-dance, I am free for a cotillion if you wish?”
    “Clare, Clare, you must play harder to get,” said a familiar voice. Both Giles and Sabrina looked over in surprise as they realized that Lucy Kirkman was a member of Clare’s group. “I cannot fit you in until the end of the evening, Giles,” she said with a teasing smile.
    “Well, the last dance it will be, Lucy,” he replied, moving over to her side.
    “Whatever are you doing, hanging around with that cat,” Sabrina whispered to Clare.
    “Why, she has been very kind to me. I knew so few people, and she has introduced me around and made me feel comfortable, Sabrina.”
    “I am sure it is only because it makes her look kinder than she is and enables her to feel superior, Clare.” And if she is close to you, it is insurance that she will be close to Giles, thought Sabrina. Lucy had never again shown what Sabrina thought of as