I swallowed a giggle at the confused tone in his voice.
"Well, aren't you a part of it, Garrett?"
"I suppose I am, in a way."
"So?" I prodded.
" 'So' what? I'm confused."
Standing here brooding over my unaswered questions wasn't going to get me anywhere. Pushing myself from the column, I knew I should try to talk to Masquerade before another guest claimed his attention. Once I apologized for upsetting Garrett, I'd ask him about Robert.After a few minutes of searching, I found Masquerade."Is Garrett all right?" I asked, "I'm sorry if I bothered him. I didn't mean to hurt his feelings.""Oh no, Miss Phillips,
He turned back to me, and my eyes met his. Somehow, thinking these people were all rich and I was the poor one wedged between them like a sore thumb seemed a better alternative to this harsh truth. Literally, anyone...any kind of person could be here...I had no idea what that kind of person could be.Why did I ever want to come to this dance?Tears of fright began to well in my eyelids. I bit my lip hard, trying to sort through my raging thoughts. Masquerade regarded me.
The strings inside my chest had dissolved. I pulled my hair to the side and Masquerade smiled."Now! Chin up, shoulders erect, head high," he told me. "You are a lady of my halls. Command such respect!" I noticed Clarence approaching from behind Masquerade. "The gentlemen cannot help but admire you, then."
I had hardly danced with Clarence when I realized just how lucky I was. He was graceful, but not stiff, like a lot of other dancers were. Knowing he wouldn't judge me, I felt very at ease. Though he kept me going at a good clip, he wasn't rude when I would slip or get confused. If anything, my mistakes fueled our conversation. "Ah, it would seem you've met your match, Miss Phillips," he grinned broadly. "It would seem so," I agreed, "Perhaps I don't swim so well as I thought."
We continued the waltz. The dancers moved together like a colorful kaleidoscope. My hair swirled to the sides with every twirl and step, exposing my face and shoulders picturesquely. Oh, I wanted so badly to forget that we were surrounded by the other guests, that everyone in the ballroom must be looking at me and making judgments because I was dancing with the host. Then I could dance with him without attracting so much attention. But I guess I could count myself lucky that I was dancing with him at all. He noticed my anxious glances around the ballroom.
Masquerade gracefully resumed waltzing, and I let myself be swept along, my lips still tingling from the sensation of his kiss. If the expression on Masquerade's face indicated anything, he had enjoyed it, too. He seemed a little bewildered, and frankly, so was I. How was it possible to be this happy? The music swirled around us as we moved in perfect harmony. Sometimes, we would happen to step closer and warm each other's face
Hello all! I know these last few chapters have been full of twists, but I need to step back just a little in the story because I feel some key scenes are needed to give a full atmosphere and weight to the story. So I'm going to take down the last four chapters, and continue the story after the chapter "A Creeoy Warning."I know part of what happens next will already be known by the time you get there, but trust me, you'll be much more invested when you do and will feel a lot more for Jenna and Masquerade. Plus you'll have spent more time seeing the different events of the ball, not just the dances.As a thank you for your patience, I invite you to check out Falling for Lord Masquerade's facebook page, where you can see images of the art inspirations I have for the story.I'll work my hardest to get these new chapters out this week. Again, I promise you'll be glad I did.Thank you, all! Much love,Emily Christine
I stood in the ballroom, my mind struggling to understand what I'd just heard. I'd had an opening? He distracted me? I shook my head. She must have just been angry that I danced with Masquerade. Still, her words had stirred up an anxious agitation in me. I couldn't put my finger on why I was unnerved. Nothing she said made any sense. Maybe her tone disturbed me. And her eyes! God, I'd never seen such an intense look in all my life. My stomach growled, reminding me that a meal waited for me. With one last glance to the gorgeous room, I moved into the main hall. Near the front door, a side hall led to the dining hall. As I walked to its grand entrance, I suddenly regretted not coming with the rest of the guests. With everyone already seated, I was going to look awkward entering by myself. My growling stomach assured me that momentary embarassment was worth it if food came after. The hall came into view and dazzled my eyes. Polished dishes, gleaming wal