Chapter 4
After frenzied preparations, the day of the ball finally loomed. Myrtille and Martha put the final touches to Cécille's hair and stepped back to admire their hard work.
"Not to toot our own horn Martha, but we did a marvelous job! Oh lady Cécille you look so beautiful!" Myrtille gushed with clutched hands.
Martha's lips curved into a rare pleased smile and nodded firmly, "indeed Miss Myrtille! I dare say we make a very good team!"
Cécille looked at her reflection and had to admit that they did a good job.
"You two did a marvelous job in such a limited amount of time. Thank you for your help!"
Cécille took one last glance at her reflection before making her way downstairs where her father was waiting for her.
Lord Hugo smiled widely as he watched his daughter make her way down. The little white flower crystals adorning her hair sparkled delicately under the light and complimented her soft cream gown with lace trimmings.
"Oh look at you darling! You look so beautiful!" Lord Hugo complimented as he helped her down the last steps.
Cécille gave a bashful smile, "thank you papa. This is all thanks to Martha's and Myrtille's joint effort."
Lord Hugo turned to look at them, "of course! Martha and Miss Myrtille, a great thank you for your help! Your expertise really shows!"
Martha and Myrtille bowed and curtsied respectively.
" It is our duty, Milord. Thank you for your kind words." Martha said.
Myrtille nodded at her words, " it is as Martha said, Lord Hugo. And it was really enjoyable helping Lady Cécille!"
Martha's lips curved slightly as she agreed with Myrtille.
Lord Hugo laughed, " you both have marvelous tastes! While you were attending to Cécille, I had the servants prepare something special for all of you for dinner. We can't be the only ones who are going to be enjoying ourselves now, can we? On that note, I wish you a pleasant evening ladies."
"I wish you the same. And thank you again, to the both of you, for your great help. Myrtille, you do not have to wait for my return to retire. This evening is all yours. Enjoy yourselves!" Cécille said before following her father to the carriage.
Martha and Myrtille blinked puzzledly at the disappearing carriage before sharing a glance.
"Something special?" They repeated in unison.
****
Cécille nervously clutched the gift in her hand. She wished the carriage would have taken longer to reach destination but, alas, the coachman set up a rapid pace so as not to let them be late.
"Come now Cécille, you have no need to be nervous. His Grace's family is really kind and his entourage tend to mirror that. I am sure that you will make friends in no time." Lord Hugo encouraged as he helped his daughter out of the carriage.
Cécille glanced at the opulent mansion, the guests donned in silks and jewels and gave her father a dubious look.
Lord Hugo ignored her scepticism and gave her an encouraging smile.
Cécille took a fortifying breath before delicately placing her hand on the offered arm, allowing her father to guide her inside. They were swiftly greeted as they entered and had their coat taken.
Cécille took the time to glance around as her father showed the invitation and presented the gift they had prepared.
The inside was as spectacular as the outside. Glimmering chandeliers, artful sculptures and paintings, gold accents and blooming flowers. It was typical Euterpian architecture that favoured the arts.
Cécille was interrupted in her gazing by her father calling her name.
" Cécille, I think I just saw Duke Avalon. Let us make haste and go greet the hosts."
Cécille nodded in acquiescement and followed demurely behind her father. As they slipped in and out of the crowd, Cécille took the time to look at the guests occupying the dance floor and chatting at the buffet.
So far, it seemed like most were genuinely enjoying the ball. No excessive 'competition' with such a crowd. It was clear at a glance that there was an abundance of choices available to them.
As she was casually glancing at the balconies overlooking the dance floor, her eyes caught sight of two man standing there. If not for one them wearing a white shirt, both would have faded into the dim surroundings. They looked like they were having a serious discussion.
One of the man had the looks of a typical heartbreaker; tall, dark and handsome. And from where she stood, it most certainly looked like 'handsome' was not a good enough adjective for him.
But he was not the one Cécille was captivated with. No, it was his companion that had captured all her attention.
The man dressed in different shades of black could only be described with one word; 'austere'.
He stood perfectly straight, with his dark clothes and hair contrasting starkly with his overly pale skin. From what she could see of his profile, his Roman nose stood out starkly. At first glance, one would deem him as unattractive. And certainly, standing next to his companion the contrast stood out more sharply.
But Cécille, just couldn't take her eyes off him. Something about the man was extremely captivating. She must have been staring too hard because the man paused in his discussion and suddenly turned his attention to the floor below.
Cécille smoothly turned away and walked quickly to catch up to her father who was currently approaching an imposing man with bright red hair that stood out like a beacon amidst the crowd.
Lord Hugo came to a stop a small distance away and waited politely for the man to finish talking to a guest. Cécille discretely stood behind her father and covertly looked at the couple.
The Duke and Duchess of Avalon projected quite a picturesque view. One with blond hair tastefully pulled into an elaborate bun with a sapphire barette that matched her dress and the other with red hair coiffed to one side and a dress shirt matching his wife's dress.
The Duke was quite a tall man with a well defined musculature. His wife looked quite small when standing beside him, even though she was definitely taller than Cécille.
The Duke quickly bid goodbye to the overenthusiastic man he had been talking to and turned towards her father.
A genuinely smile spread across his face as Lord Hugo closed the distance.
"Hugo, dear friend! How are you?!" The Duke exclaimed as he enthusiastically hugged her father and patted his back.
Lord Hugo returned the hug with a large smile, "Duke Arron, we have exchanged letters quite frequently. You are well aware about the state of my being!" He then turned towards the the Duchess and greeted her with a polite hand-kiss, " Duchess Mirabelle I hope you are well. Allow me to say that you seem to get younger each time I see you."
The Duchess hid a bashful smile behind her hand and jokingly admonished, " oh you sweet talking man!"
Duke Avalon laughed boisterously before chiming in, " I quite agree with the chap, my dear. Each day that I awaken by your side, you continuously dazzle me! You look more beautiful and youthful as the years pass!"
Duchess Mirabelle's cheeks pinked at her husband's compliment. She playfully swatted at him before turning her attention to Cécille.
"And this charming young lady is your daughter I presume?"
Lord Hugo gently tugged on his daughter's hand and pulled her in front of the imposing couple.
"You would be right Duchess Mirabelle! This is my daughter, Cécille. Cécille this is Duke Arron and his delightful wife, Duchess Mirabelle."
Cécille carefully curtsied as she greeted them, " well met, Duke and Duchess of Avalon."
The Duchess surprised Cécille with a warm hug, " come now, dear, no need for such formalities. Your father has told us so much about you! I am quite delighted to finally meet you!" She then turned abruptly to her father, "you too Lord Hugo! How many times have I told you to address me as Lady! No need for other stuffy titles!"
Lord Hugo chuckled in good humour," more times than I can count Duchess Mirabelle!"
The Duchess gave him a side-eye before addressing Cécille, " your father is such a stubborn man. Most do not expect it!"
Cécille followed her lead with bemusement, " he is, Your Grace. Most expect my mother to be the stubborn one. They are quite bamboozled when they discover the opposite to be true!"
"And you, dear, have quite certainly inherited that stubbornness." Duchess Mirabelle said with a raised eyebrow.
Cécille gave a beautiful smile, " as our head servant has often told us, 'propriety should be maintained at all times.' It would be most remiss of us to fail to do so, wouldn't you agree?"
The Duchess rolled her eyes in good humour before being interrupted by her husband.
"My Dear Duchess, please do not monopolise our dear friend's daughter!" Duke Arron pushed his wife to the side with gentle playfulness before taking Cécille's hand in an air kiss. "Lady Cécille! Well met! Years of begging the old chap to introduce you and the day has finally arrived! Your beauty shines just like your mother's! I cannot wait to introduce you to my sweet Clementine! I know for sure that a great friendship will surely blossom between the both of you! Just look at your father and I and also the bond between your brother and our eldest son!"
"Duke! You are going to scare her away!" The Duchess admonished.
Lord Hugo spluttered, " Duke Arron! Please do not make it seem as if I was reticent in our daughters meeting! We live in different countries and have different standings after all!"
Several people covertly glanced over at the lively meeting happening between the hosts and the foreign guests.
Two of them happened to be the gentlemen that had captured Cécille's attention.
The handsome one followed his companion's gaze before addressing him, "is something the matter?"
The austere man's gaze perused the crowd below before once again coming to rest on the guests occupying the host's attention.
"Hmmm, not sure. I felt someone staring earlier." He replied distractedly as he stared the young lady with milk brown hair. Every once in a while, small flower crystals would sparkle when she moved, attracting attention to the luscious curls.
He removed his attention from them before fixing his derisive gaze on his friend, " it must be because of you!"
Said friend looked at him dumbfoundedly before questioning, "what do you mean?! I haven't done a thing since the ball started! Matter of fact, I was with you the whole time, in this dark corner, hiding away from prying eyes!"
"Oh? And have you, perhaps, had another memory lapse? Forgotten your glorious past, have you? Forgotten how you and your stupidly handsome face have gotten us into many asinine situations during the years! You do not have to do anything! Just you standing there can invite trouble! Even in the darkest little corner someone managed to find you and be ensnared by your mug! Let us hope your stalker list does not have a new addition!" The austere man sneered before marching away.
The handsome man spluttered outrageously before belated following after him, all while vainly attempting to defend himself.
An inconspicuous gaze watched their fading backs before quickly making their way across the room.
'I have to let them know immediately that He was in Euterpe!' That person thought giddily to themselves.
Little did the handsome man know that he would, indeed, be the source of many problems in the future. Much to his dear friend's displeasure.
But surely he had gotten used to it by now, right?
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