Dance #2: Lady Belle Rose (@Kristi) ~tbd~
As Belle spoke, Orpheus felt his confident facade falter slightly. Had she been so keen as to discern his current state upon their first exchange? Few often could tell at all as Orpheus had grown quite accustomed to the symptoms of alcohol.
He suddenly became acutely aware of the taste that lingered in his mouth, and finished his final glass of champagne, setting it on a servant’s nearby tray. It took but a moment to readjust his composure as he faced her again.
Of course, he knew Belle well enough to presume she would deny him at first. But as their many interactions prior, he never took her ‘no’s’ at face value.
Orpheus ignored her inquiry about his drinking and reached down, lifting her name card.
[color= #BC0057] “Pray, tell, dearest Belle, where I might find Lord Willoughby? For I have yet to make his acquaintance. Perhaps he is standing off with…Lord Darcy…” [/color] Orpheus trailed off, his eyes lifting from her wrist to meet hers again as he dropped the card. Orpheus’ gaze with riddled with a challenging tease, daring her to continue.
[color= #BC0057] “You are quite clever, my lady, but surely your Lords of fiction would not mind if I cut in one dance.” [/color] Orpheus smirked, holding his hand as steady as he could despite the increasing impact of the alcohol in his system.
Could she smell him?
He thought that would be fine if he were scented of champagne. It had been better than bile, after all.
Orpheus’ stomach still turned with each breath, yet with his focus on Belle, he seemed far calmer than he had been moments prior. She was, indeed, stabilizing.
How strange. How a woman of such contempt could be the one to most calm his nerves. He could not make anymore sense of it than Belle Rose herself could.
Orpheus leaned in slightly closer to her, yet kept enough distance as to not perturb wandering eyes.
[color= #BC0057] “Perhaps…” [/color] Orpheus attempted not to breathe in her direction as he spoke. [color= #BC0057] “One dance will be enough time to answer your inquiries about me and my sensibilities…For, despite my current state, I assure you I am still more capable of maintaining a fluid dance than most men who might disturb your night.” [/color] Orpheus held firm. As he often did. One of them was always bound to give way.
This night, he would ensure it would not be him.
mentioned :
Belle (@Kristi)