These characters do not belong to me , they belong to Meg Cabot and Disney. Neither does Armani. Hope you like it ,it was thought up during a very boring period of mathematics, so a lot of thought went into it. Please R&R. thanks to all my wonderful reviewers!
Clarisse and Joseph re entered the ballroom, discreetly holding hands. He studied the room, carefully scanning it to make sure the Viscount was no where near her. Someone had attracted her attention and she waved to them.
"Joseph, I am going to speak to Elizabeth. Do you want to come?", she asked, smiling at him.
"no, no my darling. I'm going to check on some security and Clarisse…. Please be careful", he said, deadly serious.
"oh, Joseph", she laughed gently ,cupping his cheek. He leaned in, and gently kissed her palm, " I'll be fine, there's no need to worry. He just-what is it Amelia says?- bugs me."
"and you gave me a row for adopting our granddaughters linguistics", he laughed, raising an eyebrow and turning away from her headed towards the security room. All the while keeping an eye on that damn snake Mabry.
Clarisse glided across the ballroom, attracting everyone's attention. She stopped at a woman, the same age as her but older looking. Clarisse and Elizabeth, duchess of Hamilton had went to school together and still throughout the years she had remained a very close and trusted friend of Clarisse's.
"Elizabeth!", smiled Clarisse, pulling the woman into a tight hug.
"oh Clarisse, it's so nice to see you!….. and Joseph!", she teased her friend.
"oh well you know….", Clarisse trailed off, grinning.
"oh I do. Kindly remember that man was your favourite topic of conversation for quite a few years when we spoke on the telephone, or any time we met up or you wrote me a letter or-".
"ok, ok I get the point," Clarisse interrupted, linking her arm and taking a glass of champagne from the passing waiter. They strolled outside, down the terrace and into the rose garden.
"so, you married your knight in shining armour or an Armani jacket, more like?", Elizabeth teased.
"yes, I did. Why?", Clarisse questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"oh, because I'm glad you did. You've waited long enough, right?", she said, with a knowing air.
"yes, I did. You're right, I feel as if I've waited for ever…", she trailed off, her eyes growing glazy and tears threatening to fall. she willed them to go away. She had hurt him so much over the years he had waited so faithfully for her and he still stayed. God! How she loved him for it, for always being there. Elizabeth watched her, understanding what was wrong, she spoke up;
"don't let regret eat away at you, Clarisse. Enjoy every moment and don't ever be sorry for following your heart", Elizabeth, smiled and pulled her into a comforting hug.
"thank you Elizabeth, I know you're right but it doesn't stop me hating the fact I let honour get in the way for so many years.," she said, straightening up and wiping the solitary tear from her otherwise perfect face.
"hey, Clarisse. It was drilled into you. You cannot blame yourself for it. It was what it was- a lesson on how to be unhappy for the rest of your existence, surely you cannot blame yourself for what was forced into you! Come on, I know you'd die if any one walked out and saw you like this, spare maybe Joe,", she laughed and looked at her friend " just be happy Clarisse. No regrets." they had wandered down to the lake arm-in-arm and sat for a while reminiscing about all the times Joe had been the hot-topic. Some of the things being said causing Clarisse to blush furiously while all Elizabeth could do was laugh .
Joe decided to look outside for his wife, his wife! He smiled at the thought of who that was. He couldn't find her anywhere in the ballroom so he wandered onto the terrace and through the rose garden. He was walking through the rows and rows of rose bushes when he came across a very beautiful mauve rose. Clarisse immediately sprung to mind, she loved roses, especially mauve ones. He fished about in his trouser pocket and pulled out his pen-knife. Cutting the rose he wrapped it in his handkerchief and made for the lake.
He stopped at the edge of the lake and was welcomed by a very un-Clarisse sight. The woman on question was sitting on the bench with her friend, head hanging back, laughing and trying to catch breath. Her rich laugh clung to the hot, summer air and it just made him want to take her in his arms and never stop kissing her.
"do you mind if I interrupt, ladies? Or should I go," said Joe, taking hold of his wife's shoulder.
"oh, Joseph. What are you doing here?", she smiled, stood up and placed a light kiss on his cheek.
"I thought that would be quite obvious, my dear", he teased handing her the rose. " I found this on my way down here, thought you might like it. What were you ladies talking about or do I really want to know?", he said raising an eye brow.
"oh nothing", she teased, fingering the petals of the rose, " just that you're my favourite pass-time."
"do I want to know?", he said grimacing and turning to Elizabeth.
"not likely," she replied.
"ahhh, no more," he moaned.
"oh come on Joseph or we'll miss the dancing and apart from you that's the only thing that ever interested me about balls", she grinned, cocking an eyebrow. She grabbed his arm and started to glide up the path, Elizabeth by her side.
"my dear, I find that highly unlikely", he said sarcastically rolling his eyes.
"Jo, there are lots of thing you do not know about me", she teased.
"that is most unlikely, I know quite a lot about you", he played along " but if there is more….", he trailed off.
"you have the rest of eternity to find out", she whispered into his ear.
"that sounds promising", he returned, " now come on. You want to dance, don't you? And who better to dance with that your favourite pass-time?"
Ok, so it was short. Hope you liked it. This was thought up as I said as just a little extra. My next chapter will have a little more substance.
Yours,
M.