Everlasting Love
Chapter VII
MarshAngel
watsonma@hotmail.com
For the first time in days Serena's mind wasn't dwelling on the moment Darien had kissed her. She had been upset for
a while after the first time, when he'd kissed and left her standing in her towel. That time wasn't the last time. The
intolerable bastard had had the gall to kiss her again when he'd seen her in the rose gardens and once again they
had argued before he'd pressed his lips to hers and simply walked away.
Today however, was a beautiful day and the sun shone brightly down through the large windows of the drawing room.
The flowers in the garden were more beautiful and more fragrant than ever, the grass greener and the company
couldn't be more exhaustingly boring. Serena sighed inaudibly and remembered to straighten her back.
Why was she stuck in this stuffy mansion, on a beautiful day, learning etiquette, and various other lessons for her
season in London? What she wouldn't give to be out riding her horse over the meadows, astride with the wind in
her hair. She sighed again, this time a little more loudly.
"Young lady, am I boring you?" the tiny gray-haired lady asked in a stern voice.
"No, of course not Madame Saint Andre."
"Bon! Your next lesson I believe is ballroom dancing?"
Serena almost burst out laughing at the thought of dancing with this little old lady. She soon stopped laughing when
moments later she was tripping over her feet trying to keep pace with the surprisingly fleet-footed old lady.
"Please, please madame Saint Andre, can we please stop for a while?"
"Alright then. I can see you need more lessons in this activity."
Serena plopped herself down on the couch. 'These ridiculous lessons are driving me out of my mind!'
Just then her uncle walked in and looking over the situation asked, "Are the lessons going well Madame Saint Andre?"
He glanced over at Serena on the couch and she immediately straightened up trying to appear studious and lady-like.
"Well your Grace, she has done passably on everything else but she is quite clumsy on the ballroom floor."
"Maybe she needs a more skilled partner," a new and familiar voice suggested.
Serena resisted the urge to sink down into the couch. This was too embarrassing.
"A wonderful idea, your Grace," Madame Saint Andre tittered," Addressing Darien as he entered the room."
In long strides Darien walked over to the couch on which Serena sat. He put his hand out for her to take, with a slight
bow and a "milady."
Serena accepted his hand, managing to hide her annoyance but not her embarrassment, as her face flushed bright red.
Darien put a firm hand on her waist and held her and held her other small soft hand in his large one. The unknown
woman at the piano began playing, and he led her over the floor. Amazingly enough she managed not to trip over
anything.
"Was it really necessary to embarrass me in such a manner you Grace?" she whispered just loud enough for him to
hear.
"What manner would that be? My name is Darien."
"Yes your Grace. So it is. And as to the manner, my uncle did not need a demonstration of my lack of talent."
"I meant for you to call me Darien and you're dancing just fine. I can't see what the problem was."
She could find nothing to say to this, as he was quite right. So far she had been dancing beautifully never once tripping
over anything real or imaginary.
"I must remember this moment," he whispered to her.
"Why is that?"
"I believe it is the first time I've ever managed to leave you speechless."
*************
Chapter VII
MarshAngel
watsonma@hotmail.com
For the first time in days Serena's mind wasn't dwelling on the moment Darien had kissed her. She had been upset for
a while after the first time, when he'd kissed and left her standing in her towel. That time wasn't the last time. The
intolerable bastard had had the gall to kiss her again when he'd seen her in the rose gardens and once again they
had argued before he'd pressed his lips to hers and simply walked away.
Today however, was a beautiful day and the sun shone brightly down through the large windows of the drawing room.
The flowers in the garden were more beautiful and more fragrant than ever, the grass greener and the company
couldn't be more exhaustingly boring. Serena sighed inaudibly and remembered to straighten her back.
Why was she stuck in this stuffy mansion, on a beautiful day, learning etiquette, and various other lessons for her
season in London? What she wouldn't give to be out riding her horse over the meadows, astride with the wind in
her hair. She sighed again, this time a little more loudly.
"Young lady, am I boring you?" the tiny gray-haired lady asked in a stern voice.
"No, of course not Madame Saint Andre."
"Bon! Your next lesson I believe is ballroom dancing?"
Serena almost burst out laughing at the thought of dancing with this little old lady. She soon stopped laughing when
moments later she was tripping over her feet trying to keep pace with the surprisingly fleet-footed old lady.
"Please, please madame Saint Andre, can we please stop for a while?"
"Alright then. I can see you need more lessons in this activity."
Serena plopped herself down on the couch. 'These ridiculous lessons are driving me out of my mind!'
Just then her uncle walked in and looking over the situation asked, "Are the lessons going well Madame Saint Andre?"
He glanced over at Serena on the couch and she immediately straightened up trying to appear studious and lady-like.
"Well your Grace, she has done passably on everything else but she is quite clumsy on the ballroom floor."
"Maybe she needs a more skilled partner," a new and familiar voice suggested.
Serena resisted the urge to sink down into the couch. This was too embarrassing.
"A wonderful idea, your Grace," Madame Saint Andre tittered," Addressing Darien as he entered the room."
In long strides Darien walked over to the couch on which Serena sat. He put his hand out for her to take, with a slight
bow and a "milady."
Serena accepted his hand, managing to hide her annoyance but not her embarrassment, as her face flushed bright red.
Darien put a firm hand on her waist and held her and held her other small soft hand in his large one. The unknown
woman at the piano began playing, and he led her over the floor. Amazingly enough she managed not to trip over
anything.
"Was it really necessary to embarrass me in such a manner you Grace?" she whispered just loud enough for him to
hear.
"What manner would that be? My name is Darien."
"Yes your Grace. So it is. And as to the manner, my uncle did not need a demonstration of my lack of talent."
"I meant for you to call me Darien and you're dancing just fine. I can't see what the problem was."
She could find nothing to say to this, as he was quite right. So far she had been dancing beautifully never once tripping
over anything real or imaginary.
"I must remember this moment," he whispered to her.
"Why is that?"
"I believe it is the first time I've ever managed to leave you speechless."
*************