A/N I was very surprised and pleased with the number of reviews and comments I had with the previous chapter. I thought that I would get a small response as I was not sure if many readers like historical romances.

I would like to thank Monkeypants87 for helping me to explain the meaning of 'Ton'. For those who do not know the meaning, please look at my reviews, to find out the meaning.

For those that are reading my other fantic 'The Forbidden'. I am currently writing it halfway, so hopefully the next chapter would be out soon.

-

Broken promises

By sushi-genius

-

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He thought that she was an angel

That was the first thought that went through the mind of the Duke of Wolfne when he first laid his eyes on Sakura Kinomoto, only that time, he did not know who she was. If he knew, he surely would not have kissed her in the way he did. It was a thorough mistake on his part.

He had come out with his current lover, the Baroness of Sheilfield, on to the balcony for a moment of privacy. They could not conduct their liaison in the ballroom and the balcony was vacant. Or so he thought amusingly as he recounted how he found an emerald beauty hiding at the counter.

She was beautiful. He lost his breath at the sight of her. Unlike most ladies of the ton, her hair colour was a light shade of brown, almost like honey and when unbound, it fell into curls near her waist. He had marveled at the texture of it, imagined it spilling over pillows in his bed while he made love to her.

He had mistresses and lovers that were more beautiful and sophisticated than her. Yet, there was something about her that made him want to conquer and possess her. The air of innocence around her appealed to him. Unlike many gentlemen of the ton, he preferred his women sophisticated but only she may be an exception.

She was indeed an innocent; he had no doubt about it. Even if she did deny it, her responses to his kisses would have alerted him of it. Her responses were innocent and unrestrained. She held back nothing, pouring everything she felt into that kiss. She may not have been kissed a lot but her sweet responses seemed to have made up for it.

She was slim but yet full in all the right places. He could still remember her softness pressing against him, the smoothness of her skin. Her green eyes darkening with pleasure, the soft moans coming from her as he ravished her mouth, throat.

Still, it seemed as though fate mocked him. The one woman that he had ever desired was the only sister of his arch enemy. It was like being poured with cold water.

Touya Kinomoto and he seemed to be always crossing paths with each other. Like the incident four years ago. It was not undiscovered that Kinomoto hated him with passion and he returned those feelings. Thus, when he heard his voice calling out, he felt as though he was burnt by fire. What made matters worse was that the women that he had been devouring was Kinomoto's's sister.

He knew she had no idea who he was. Or else, she will not be in his arms. There was no doubt that she knew how much her brother hated him. Kinomoto had always made his feelings about the Duke of Wolfne known to everyone around him. Her reaction upon seeing him again in the ballroom with Kinomoto beside her was proof enough.

He had left the balcony a few moments after she left, having the horrible feeling of being had. He had seen her in her brother's arms, her face flushed and her body trembling. She must have been told of who he was afterwards as when she looked at him again, she fainted.

He wanted to rush forward to hold her but in doing so, Kinomoto would surely have his head. There was enough bad blood between them, there was no need for more. The only thing now was how would Kinomoto react if he found out that he had seduced his sister?

He lifted his hand and looked at the hair clip in his hand. He had removed it from her hair only moments ago and had forgotten to return it. He had to return it to her, there was no use holding on to it. Then they will never see each other again.

Somehow, that thought seemed to make him angry and sad and he did not know why he was feeling that way.

-

-

-

-

A pungent smell assaulted her senses as she was jolted awake. Her vision was hazy and she could feel a headache coming up. She groaned, placing a hand to her head.

"Sakura! Sakura!" She could feel her brother shouting and his voice made her head pound.

"Stop shouting," She mumbled, rubbing her temples as her vision cleared. "You are giving me a headache."

"Oh thank God! You gave me such a scare!" Touya whispered, his voice hoarse as he lifted her up into his arms. That movement jarred her senses, forcing her wide awake. She looked around and saw that she was on a bed.

"Where am I?"

"You are in one of Lady Lutherford's rooms. She thought it would be better if we placed you here instead of bring you back home."

"What time is it?" Trying to clear her hazy mind, she got off bed and tried to walk a few steps and nearly landed flat on her face. Luckily, Touya had to foresight to hold on to her.

"It is almost dawn. We are staying here for about two more days and so are most of the guests here," Touya replied as he lifted his sister in his arms and returned her to bed. "Although it was not my decision, I thought it was a good idea for you to recover from whatever you were suffering from. While you were sleeping, I had our things sent over her. Your maid is also here too."

"But-", she hesitated. For the first time since she woke up, she finally had gotten a good look at her brother. His usual neat hair was in disarray, evidence of him running his fingers through many times. His deep brown eyes reflected fatigue as well as worry. He was still clad in the attire he wore the night before, all wrinkled up. He must have stayed up all night, watching over her. Sakura's heart sank as she recalled what she had done the night before.

"Touya," She called out just as he was about leave the room. She patted the place next to her and he walked back and sank down into the soft bed. "I just wanted you to know that no matter what I will keep my promise."

Touya just smiled and ruffled her hair, a familiar gesture that had been done only out of habit. Though not said specifically, he knew exactly what she was talking about. His heart sank at the thought of his only sister being wedded to another but he knew that he could not keep her by his side and protect her always. The time will come when he has to pass on this role to another, one which he hoped will love and cherish her forever.

He himself was not a saint; he knew that from the start. He had his fair share of paramours, though hidden discreetly from the knowledge of his sister. His parents were aware of his shortcomings, which they looked upon with obvious disapproval. However, being about seven and twenty, he knew that his parents could not say much. After all, he had managed living by himself for the past three years in his own townhouse, almost an hour drive from where his parents and sister are currently residing.

The time he had left with his sister was shortening; it was past the time for her to be married. Yet he knew that no gentlemen were good enough for her. He could see it in her eyes, the slight boredom and irritation whenever an overzealous suitor approached her. His sister was so full of live that he was certain that her spirit would surely be broken if she was married to someone that she did not love.

Now as he gazed upon her, he knew that she would fulfill her promise no matter what, even if it meant giving up the one she loved. It was typical of her, to put others before herself. Trying to loosen up the mood, he joked. "I didn't think that you would swoon dead away in the middle of the ballroom. I thought you were made of sterner stuff."

Sakura tried not to smile at his comment. It was just like of him to try to comfort her. She gave a mock pout, placing her hands on her hips. "I did not swoon. I just felt giddy. Anyway it was horrible of you to use the smelling salts as though I was an old lady."

They continued to bicker as they always did since they were children. Only this time it was different. For both of them, it was to hide the uneasiness in their hearts.

After sometime, Touya got up. "Time for me to leave this room before the ladies start to gossip about my lack of propriety. You take a good rest. I will just head out to the stables for a mount."

"Touya, I am really fine," Sakura insisted, wanting to go to the stables herself. She quickly got out of bed, shouting for her maid. "I think I will go for a ride myself. To get a bit of fresh air, don't you agree?"

He wanted to argue with her but even he was not strong enough against his sister's pleading look. Besides, he knew how much his sister loved to ride and the ride would surely put back the colour in her cheeks.

"Fine, but if you swoon again, you are not leaving the house for a month," Touya warned, staring hard at his sister. Although he knew that it was a minor affliction, he could not help but worry.

"Hurry up, I will wait for you in the dining room. You must eat first", Touya continued before leaving the room, shutting the door behind him.

Sakura stuck out her tongue at the shut door, sighing as she waited for her maid to arrive.

-

-

-

-

"What a beautiful day it is," Sakura called out to her brother as they headed towards the stables. Dressed in a pale blue morning dress, with a matching bonnet perched on her head, she laughed out gaily as she raced ahead of her brother.

Touya shook his head as he ran after his sister. Donning a pair of breeches and a shirt, he looked very much a man at leisure, strolling after his sister. "Remember, we must be back before one or else we will get it from mother."

He could only bit back a laugh when the stable boy grew red in the face upon receiving a smile from his sister.

He carried on, walking stall by stall, choosing a mount, unaware of someone lurking near them.

-

-

-

-

He was about to go to the stables when he heard her laughter. The sweet melodious sound which haunted him all throughout the night. Even when he was in bed with his mistress, it was Sakura's moans that filled his head. Shocked and horrified, he had rejected his mistresses advances and sent her away, with his desires unfulfilled.

Now as Syaoran just stood just steps away from her, he could feel his loins tightened. He was about to approach her until he heard Kinomoto's voice. That seemed to serve as a wake-up call for him as he quickly hid behind the door.

They were oblivious to his presence when they rode past him. She was riding side-saddle on a pure snowy white gelding beside her brother as both of them headed out.

He marveled at the way she handed the horse, admiring the way her dress clung on to her body. He found it a pity that all that glorious hair he had fingered the night before was hidden from his view. It was just as well that it was hidden, for he had the entire view of her slender neck.

After checking that they were a safe distance from him, he walked into the stables to request for his horse, which he had sent down from his town house.

He had no intention of staying after the Lutherford's engagement party and had planned to reside at his countryside manor house, where his mother is currently staying. However, when the news that the Kinomotos were staying here for a few days, he immediately wrote a note to his mother to inform her of his delay. He had sent his valet into a hurry in order to pack his things for the stay.

He knew the reason for staying and it was not because of Touya Kinomoto but instead his sister. He had no intention of marrying and was nearly a bachelor at seven and twenty. Yet, it was his duty to produce a heir to continue on his family line and inherit the dukedom. The only reason he would marry was to produce a heir and once that was done, he and his wife could go their separate ways. However he did not know how long that would take, he was after all the only son after four girls.

He did not believe in love and happens in bed with his mistresses does not even conclude to making love in his definition. It was just lust and desires, nothing more. It had now occurred to him that this act was not only dull, it was getting boring. His reputation with women was legendary and he was not a monk, having to satisfy his desire now and then but he received no pleasure from the act before.

He had scoffed at his sisters, all happily married and positively simpering over their husbands. He approved of the usual ton marriages, of husbands and wives going their own ways, nothing to tie them down, no feelings involved.

However, there was something dangerous about Sakura Kinomoto, she was begin to evolve feelings in him that he could not explain. He knew that what he felt for her was lust and desire which will surely go away once he had her. He could not marry her, that was one thing he could not do. On the other hand, he cannot have her as a mistress. He cannot bring himself to do so. She was still a lady, the daughter of a duke, with bloodlines so fine.

The only thing to do was to wait for the lust to die off and then wait for her to marry another. He definitely have no intention of being relatives with Touya Kinomoto! Now the only thing left to do was to forget her sweet kisses. . .

-

-

-

-

-

She and her brother raced on, with Touya winning by a hair's breadth.

"You cheater," Sakura yelled out to her brother while trying to tie the ribbon to her bonnet. It had come off loose during the race, with her hair free and falling to her waist. "I wasn't ready when the race started!"

Touya smirked at his sister, running his hand through his wind blown hair. He was glad to see the colour back in his sister's cheeks, all rosy and red. The ride had done her a hell lot better. "That is what you said every time you lost, which is always!"

Touya got off the horse and walked over to help Sakura down. Sakura gently stroked the horse's hair, before holding the rein and leading the horse to a nearby stream. Touya followed suit and soon both of them were sitting on the grass while the horses drank.

"Mother is going to get annoyed once she sees the grass stains on your dress," Touya drawled as he laid down on the grass.

"She won't know if I changed before I saw her, would she?" Sakura suggested, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. She looked around her, appreciating the soft breeze. "I didn't know how much land the Lutherford's had."

"Don't you know that it is rude to comment on others holdings like that?" Touya joked as he turned to face his sister. "We have as much or more land then they do. Plus, you get to ride your own horse."

"Now who is being rude?" Sakura exclaimed. She took off the bonnet and set it down beside her. "Touya, why did you move out?"

Blinking, he sat up. "What?"

Sakura repeated her question. Touya hesitated before answering. "So that I can gain my own independence and strike it out on my own. Anyway, it is not that I totally moved out. Some of my things are still at home."

Sakura did not pursue further and just let out a sad sigh. She missed her brother and instead of seeing each other everyday like they used to, they only saw each other during social gatherings and only when he paid a call upon the house. She knew her brother had his own life.

"Sakura?" Sakura blinked and her train of thoughts was broken. "Why didn't you pin up your hair today? I thought that was something not quite right about your appearance today."

Sakura bit her lip. The only reason why she not pin her hair was that she did not have her hair clip. Unfortunately, there were none packed for her and she could not possibly borrow from their host, having imposed on them so much.

She did not know where she had placed it, the last time she knew was that it was on her hair during the party. Suddenly, she remembered and had to restrain herself from groaning. The Duke of Wolfne was holding on to it!

"Erm. . . the weather was cool today, so I decided to let it down," Sakura fibbed while desperately thinking of a way to get her hair clip back. What made matters worse was that it was given to her by her own brother! It was her birthday present two years ago. It was in the shape of a cherry blossom with crystals and jewels on it. It was her favourite and she seldom wore it for fear of it getting lost.

Touya looked at her strangely before standing up. He gave her his hand and pulled her up, brushing off the blades of grass which hung on to her dress. "We had best be heading back. We still have to prepare for the ball tonight."

Touya lifted her onto the saddle before getting on his own horse. He handed her bonnet which she had forget.

An idea struck in Sakura's mind. "How about we race back?"

Touya nodded his approval. "On your mark. Get set. Go!"

Both of them raced off once again, leaving a cloud of dust behind them.

-

-

-

-

-

"Ouch! Marie, have a care for my hair," Sakura cried out as her maid tugged on her hair.

"Ignore her, Marie. Carry on," Nadeshiko said, as she stared at her daughter's reflection in the mirror. "My dear, there is a price to pay for beauty."

"I thought in my case, it was free," Sakura mumbled, trying to resist the pain. She glanced at her mother who was already dressed up and prepared for the ball. "Mother, you are positively horrible!"

Nadeshiko hid a smile as she applied rouge on her daughter's face. "It is a surprise that you have not gotten yourself all tan like an Indian on your ride today."

Sakura bit back a retort as her maid helped her into her dress. When the last button was done, she stood back to look at herself in the mirror.

Nadeshiko stood hesitantly next to her daughter. "Are you sure you are wearing this?" she asked, her eyes scanning the dress. "It is quite bare."

The dress was pale pink in colour and it did justice to Sakura's curves. However, it had a deep plunging neckline which showed off a lot of her bosom.

"Nonsense, mother," Sakura said as her maid fastened on a diamond necklace for her. Without her hair clip, she had no choice but to let down her hair. "I bought this dress when I went to Paris with Tomoyo and it is all the rage."

"I do not mind it," Nadeshiko explained. Her daughter, in fact, looked her very best tonight, with her skin glowing and eyes sparkling. "I was just voicing your brother's thoughts when he sees you. What a pity you can't find the hair clip he gave you! Its pink jewels would most certainly have matched your dress."

"He won't be able to say anything. I will keep myself covered until we reach the ballroom. By then, he will be unable to do anything about it!" Sakura laughed out as she took her cloak from her maid. Her stomach tightened as she thought about how she was going to get the clip back.

-

-

-

-

-

The ballroom was already filled with people with music playing. Couples waltzing across the dance floor.

Sakura removed her hand from her brother's arm as the servant helped her to remove her cloak. "Thank you."

Touya's eyes widened in shock upon seeing what his sister wore. Sure enough he had seen women that were dressed lesser than this but they were not his sister! "What do you think you are wearing?"

"A dress?" Sakura replied, an innocent look on her face. Spreading out her skirts, she looked up at her brother who was dressed in a dark waistcoat.

"It is not a dress! It is a cloth with a big hole!"

"Oh hush!" Sakura scolded as they made their way into the ballroom. "I am old enough to decide what to wear, besides most women here are wearing like this."

Touya refused to answer. A dark look settled across his face. Upon seeing the look on his face, his mother chided. "Touya, stop being so overprotective. You are making this worse for your sister."

"Yes, mother," he grated out, forcing a smile on his face when inside he was steaming. Now more lewd glances will be directed at his sister, most of them focused on what she was displaying.

He grabbed the flute of champagne from his sister's hand just as she was about to drink it and drank it himself. "No champagne for you! Not after you fainting yesterday."

Sakura shot him a dark look before turning to Tomoyo, who was beside her. "Isn't he just beastly today! And he does not say anything about your dress!"

Tomoyo,who was wearing a similar dress as Sakura, just laughed. "By the way," she whispered. "If I am not wrong, you went to the balcony yesterday and at the same time the Duke of Wolfne and the Baroness of Sheifield also made their made in the same direction."

Sakura stiffened. She had no known that someone would have taken note of it. "Are you sure?" Sakura asked, her skin growing clammier by the second. "I didn't see anyone outside."

"Sure?" Sakura turned her eyes away from her friend's knowing glance. "For after a while, the baroness of Sheifield left the balcony, without the Duke."

"How am I supposed to know? I have never made the duke before!" until yesterday.

"Oh well, I was just asking. Silly of me to think that you might have done something with the Duke. As if you would betray your own brother like that."

At Tomoyo's words, Sakura felt a sense of dread. She had been trying to forget what had transpired between them, leaving it to the past, but yet for the past few hours, it had been haunting her.

"Excuse me," a deep, yet familiar voice spoke out. "Would my lady care to dance?"

Sakura stiffened. Sakura turned to face the man and upon seeing him, her eyes widened in disbelief. Behind her, she could hear her brother'sfootsteps as he approached her and the man. . .

-

-

-

A/N have been writing this chapter for about a week now. I had a slight writer's block until I finally came up with an idea.

Was suppose to upload this two days ago, but something went wrong with the document manager

Please review! I would like to know, exactly how many people are reading this!