A/N: Happy reading! Sorry for any grammatical errors, tried my best to avoid them.
"Are you going to the ball, Mary?" Theresa asked Mary who was absorbed in her cross stitching.
"Hmmm….Just a moment, my lady." Mary replied vaguely.
"Yes? My lady, I hope you don't mind repeating the question?" Mary asked with a tiny smile. Lately, Mary had sought refuge from her unstable emotions in cross stitching as they helped her concentrate and forget a lot of things that she didn't want to think about. When she tried to read, each word brought Damian to memory and that was not helping. Some would say she was just running away, which she was, but thinking about it didn't help either. Hence the cross stitching. And if she may say so herself, her work was not bad.
"Are you going to the ball?" Theresa repeated. Mary didn't have a choice actually. It was for courtesy's sake that Theresa asked.
"No, I am not, my lady. Are you?" Her mind was made up all right. She had successfully ignored any details concerning the ball in the past week and will continue to do so. She was not going unless somebody tied and forcefully dragged her. She was prepared to fight if it came down to that. She was not planning on embarrassing herself.
"I am not going, Mary. My leg has not fully recovered and my physician will have heart palpitations if he finds out I am going out and about. I have a dress for you that will suit you fine for the ball. Mary, please call Louisa."
"Dress for me? But I am not going, so that does not matter. My lady…"
"Please call Louisa, Mary. Thank you." Theresa gently cut in.
Mary mouthed like a guppy fish. In the end, she went searching for Louisa. Both mother and son had the same stubborn streak. If they wanted something, they charged at it like a bull, ignoring the innocent by standers such as her. So what if they got trampled on the way.
"Louisa, her grace is looking for you." Mary bitted out.
"Mary, are you alright? You are red all over." Louisa, the dowager's lady's maid asked, perplexed. Mary looked very agitated.
"I do not want to go to the ball. They can't make me." Mary said resolutely.
"They? Who? And what ball?"
"The dowager and the duke. They are making my life chaotic. They are ordering me to go to the Greenfield's ball." Mary said dragging Louisa along.
"That ball? Are you out of your mind Mary? Do you know how many of us would like to be in your shoes? There will be many people and god, they have the music, the food, the people, all in first class."
"That is exactly why I don't want to go. You are more than welcomed to be in my shoes, Louisa." Mary silenced herself as they reached the dowager's room.
"There you are, Louisa. Please hand me the white dress which I told you to keep aside." Theresa knew Mary was fuming but that girl needed a firm hand on this.
Mary didn't bother to open her mouth. What was the point? She saved her arguments for later.
"Yes, Louisa. That's the one. It will suit Mary well wouldn't it? A slight alteration near the hem and the waist will do. Mary, look here. Do you like it?"
Mary was awestruck with the dress. The dress was…..beautiful. Yes, that is right, beautiful. The dress, in sheer white looked so soft with its sleeves fashioned in the style of leaves. The neckline of the dress was cut in a diamond shape with sparkling silver stones decorating them to perfection. The dress was fit for a queen.
"Mary, what do you think?" Theresa asked smiling. Mary's eyes were wide with disbelief.
"The dress is beautiful. Is it yours, my lady?"
"Yes, it was mine and now yours. I didn't wear it though as I had it made just before my little accident. It was meant for you."
"I can't wear this dress, my lady. I'm sorry. This dress is too exquisite for me and furthermore, I'm not going to the ball." Mary started lining up her points for the argument ahead.
Theresa sighed with exasperation.
"Mary, can't you just agree without arguing for a change? Fine, you don't want to go, that is up to you. You are not a child for me to threaten. But if you decide to go, the dress is yours. Fair enough?" Theresa asked with a sigh.
Mary narrowed her eyes in suspicion. The dowager giving in easily? Something was not right.
"That is all?" Mary asked with doubt.
"Yes. Do you want me to change my mind?"
"No, I really appreciate the fact that you didn't push me, my lady." Mary replied cautiously. She was not going to argue and turn the tide.
"Are you done with your cross stitching? I am surprised that you are not hounded by a head ache yet. Maybe later. I for one, can never sew decently. My governess told me I had as much concentration as a fly when it comes to any kind of needlework." Theresa talked changing the subject while mentally deciding the accessories Mary needed.
"I find cross stitching a temporary stress reliever. Funny, I never thought it as such before, my lady."
"Well, we can never know what we are going to love or hate next. Look at me, going on and on, keeping you away from your work. I'll be with Louisa for a while. I have been neglecting certain duties of mine since the accident. No, you don't have to come with me Mary because I'll only end up talking to you and not finishing my work." The dowager reached the door and looked at Mary with a sparkle in her eyes. Mary was back to her cross stitching.
"Oh Mary?" Theresa waited until Mary looked up with a frown.
"Yes, my lady?" She asked eager to continue her cross stitching.
"Damian will be back any minute now. The butler informed me during breakfast and I forgot that little detail. Old age is catching up on me, I suppose. See you later, dear." Feeling satisfied at her parting speech, Theresa gave Mary an easy smile and walked away with her usual grace.
Ignoring the pounding of her heart on that little bit of news, Mary forced herself to cross stitch. She was in control of herself, she repeated to herself again and again. She only managed to prick her finger.
"Ouch!" Frustrated, Mary kept her work aside and looked at it with disgust. Cross stitching did not serve to be a great stress reliever after all. Flustered to the core, Mary went to the window to let the cool air to calm her. Of course she wanted to see him, how could she not? But what should she say to him? Would he have changed his mind? Please god, anything but that. That thought plagued her to death. She placed her right hand on her racing heart beat, hoping to soothe them. Her heart, she realized, alive now, belonged to him.
Just like a dream, he appeared on the ground within her view. He was still saddled on his horse. Irrationally, Mary thought of knights and princesses. She shook her head to clear them off and rubbed her eyes to make sure she was not hallucinating. Just then, he looked at her and time seemed to stop. His gaze alone pulled at her sharply. It could have been only the both of them in the entire world for all they cared. He controlled his horse all the while not taking his eyes from her, looking like a warrior about to siege a castle. She stood there paralyzed and the tremors that ran through her rocked her. Many unspoken words passed through them, shaking the both of them.
Mary pushed herself to break their gaze and moved away from the window. She leaned against the wall and took deep breaths. She wanted to run down and give him a welcoming hug but she checked herself. She was not used to showing affection to anyone before, so why try now? She wouldn't be good at it in any case. After a moment, she went back to the window knowing he would not be there.
He was there, waiting for her.
Without giving a thought, Mary ran down for him. He lifted her up the moment she reached him and kissed her greedily. Loose tendrils escaped the confinements of her hair. Her lips were deliciously bruised and her heated face in the cool air was a beautiful contradiction.
"Tell me you missed me." Damian demanded, gripping her shoulders.
"I missed you, Damian. Very much." Mary said with her heart in her eyes. She couldn't stop touching him. Couldn't show affection now did she?
"Aren't you going to ask me if I missed you?" Damian asked unable to take his eyes of her. She came to him. That was all it mattered.
"I know you did although admittedly I was not that sure at first. I was afraid you might change your mind about us."
"I didn't."
"I'm new at this Damian. I don't know what is expected. Are you sure that you want to be with the likes of me? I mean I know…." Mary trailed off.
"Mary, I have a favor to ask you. Be quiet and stop thinking for a while. I'm done explaining." Damian felt his spirits soar high up. He was not going to let her take her words back. He kissed her once again when she looked like she wanted to argue. His Mary could argue to death. Hopefully not his.