Maybe an hour had past and the boys where down in the hall, mingling around and making small talk with the others there. William was starting to wonder about Kate and Aurora.
"Hello, William" Kate said from beside him and to the back.
" Kate," Will turned to her, " You look lovely tonight. What took you?"
By this time, Watt, Roland, and Geoff came over to speak with the two of them.
" Well," Kate said. She paused for a moment and let her eyes wonder to the red-carpeted staircase. The boys looked over to them as well, to see what Kate was referring to. Watt's mouth gaped open.
" I never thought she had….the…she's got the..," he stammered as he made claws of his hands in front of his chest. Geoff quickly smacked him upon the back of the head to make him stop his rambling.
William couldn't help himself from staring. He wetted and then started to chew on his bottom lip. Kate heard him say under his breath, very faintly words of wow.
" Go say hello to the lady," Roland said to William, as he gave him a push on the back. He took a step forward and stopped to make sure Jocelyn was still out of the room. She and some of her friends had gone walking in the garden, so he didn't expect her back for some time.
As he made his way over to her, he went through things to say in his mind. Never had he done such a thing with her. He'd always said whatever he wanted to, never wondering if it would sound stupid. But something inside of him was growing in the pit of his stomach like a fire.
" Are you quite alright, Will?"
She had the same voice, the same sideways smirk, but he didn't understand this feeling creeping up on him on the inside. He felt a slight twinge of it when they had gone ridding that day and sat in the river. It came to him again in a bit stronger amount when they'd gone to the gypsy camp and he'd waken up with her back curled up to his side. But, he felt as though he was going to be down to his knees as she slipped her arm through his, as was accustom for a lady to do a gentleman.
" William?" Aurora asked, "You look like you ate something that didn't really like you,"
" I…. I'm quite fine. Just tired," William lied.
The truth of the matter was that he'd never had a feeling tear at him like this. It was like worry, guilt, and fear all balled into one excruciating mass right in his gut. Nothing compared to it. Not the feeling he had when his father had left him to the care of the kind knight, not when he first mounted in the lists, not when he first spoke to Jocelyn or when she came first came to him on that fateful night.
" Perhaps a dance?" William asked.
" I thought you'd never ask," Aurora said.
The music began in a simple, slow song. Aurora positioned herself in front of William and took hold of his hand. His knees began to shake a little, but he soon gained control of it. He let his eyes lock upon her garment clad body. He never stopped to look at the contours of it. Not quite large, but they where there. The muscles that cascaded down her arm would rival any young lord her age.
They turned towards each other, William stumbling and slamming into the young lady. He gasped a bit. Some reason, he thought that she'd seen his thoughts because of this contact with each other. His hand was shaking a bit when he placed it on the small of her back. By God! Why must they be in Jocelyn's father's house? Anywhere else but here.
" Are you sure you're alright?" Aurora asked.
" Yes, I think so," William said.
" You can look me in the face you know," she said with a laugh.
He'd realize he'd dropped his head down and was looking at her, to put it nicely, her womanly area.
" I'm sorry," William said in a snap, " I didn't….. You have to excuse me,". He ran out into the night air. He felt as though he was going to be sick. He knew not why this sense of pure panic had some how taken him over.
" What's the matter with William?" Watt asked.
" I think he's in l-o-v-e. And I do not mean with the lovely Jocelyn,"