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The Greatest Escape [MrAdam]

Fairess

Planetoid
Joined
Jan 26, 2015
References of the Past:
Robin has a book in his hands and is leaning back against a tree. In front of him, there is a small mountain of food laid out on low tables over a manicured lawn. His younger sisters are laughing and playing with a little puppy, who is yapping excitedly. Robin is torn between his desires to continue to sulk and to continue to read. He considers reading-in-a-sulk, but this is an altogether too subtle form of sulking. If others are not aware that one is sulking, is one truly sulking?

Robin tries to return to his book, but is distracted by an especially high-pitched scream from Little Lady Catherine. He gives up reading and decides to return to active sulking.

"Mistress Maybell? Why can't I go inside to read?"
"Because my lord your Father wanted to have a family picnic."
"But if Father isn't here, and Mother isn't here, it's hardly a family picnic."
"Your mother and father have gone for a walk around the lake."
"Why couldn't I go with them?"
"Because... sometimes mothers and fathers need some alone time."
"But they will be ages!"
"They might not be. It might be a short walk"
"They are always ages! You could let me go back inside, where I could finish my book, and them come straight back out. If Mother and Father are allowed to have some alone time, so should I. You could just let me... they will never know."
"I said no, young lordship, and I meant it."

"Why are you in charge of me? I am going to be Duke someday."
Robin puffs himself up, makes himself look as big and powerful as he can. He feels a stab of anticipatory pain. Everyone tells him he will be Duke someday, but that would mean that Father would be gone, and that is a prospect so awful he could barely think about it.

A note of irritation creeps into Maybell's voice.
"Because your Father, who is Duke now, says that I am. At least until you are older. Then you can... throw me in the dungeon or whatever you want to do. We have this conversation every single time you don't get your way, Robin."
Her anticipation of his planned - empty - threat takes the wind out of the young lord's sails. He sighs a deep, theatrical sigh.

He notices that Maybell has seen something, and his gaze follows hers. One of the servant girls has crept over to the picnic to pocket a piece of fruit. Robin doesn't mind, but apparently Maybell does. Maybell bellows at the poor girl, threatening all kinds. Perhaps it's Robin's sense of fairness or justice... perhaps it's because he's read too many fairytales where bad things happen to people who mistreat servants... or fair folk who they take for servants. And... of course, Robin doesn't believe in Fairies, but the servant girl is blonde and pretty, and if anyone might be a fairy or an elf or a pixie, it might be her. He also wonders if Maybell was nasty to the girl because she was angry with him. That didn't seem fair either.

Robin watches the girl retreat to a safe distance.
"Why can't the girl have some food, Mistress Maybell? She looks hungry."
"Because this is the Ducal picnic. The servants have what's left, but not until the family have finished. And then amongst the servants, there is an order of precedence."
"But we are finished" objects Robin.
"That's not the point" answers Maybell.
"Would you chase birds away? If they tried to take some of the food?"
"I... no... maybe."
"I think people are more important than birds. When I am Duke, everyone will have enough to eat, and there will be no hunger in the realm."
"If you just feed everyone" countered Maybell, "People wouldn't do any work. And then where would we be? There would be no food"

Robin looked sceptical.
"If you had food... and water... and a house... and all those things. Would you give up your job and just go and live in your house and eat your food?"
"No, Robin. I like working for the Duke. It's an honour to run their household and look after you and your sisters."
"I should think it would be very boring, not having anything to do. I remember when Master Pointon" he waves in the direction of his tutor, dozing nearby, waking at the sound of his name "...got sick that time. I didn't want you to be sick, Master Pointon, but I thought I would like not having lessons. And I did... until I got bored."
The old man smiles fondly.
"I remember you pestering me for reading recommendations when I could barely speak!"
"No" opines Robin, "I think everyone needs something to do. I don't think you work for food, Mistress Maybell, I think you work because you like being in charge and because you like bossing people around!"
Maybell wants to retort and defend herself, but Pointon's laughter makes that impossible.

"One day you will be in charge and you will be bossing people around" reminds Pointon.
"I should practice, then" answers Robin. "I can't just go from not being in charge to being in charge without any practice of bossing people around, now can I?"
"Well, what do you propose we do, little lord?" asks Maybell, still put out. She blames Pointon's influence. Filling the boy's head with ideas.

"I can't boss you around Mistress Maybell" Robin answers, ignoring her patronising tone, "And I can't boss you around, Master Pointon. And... some of those guards are a bit scary, and when I tried to boss one around once, he just laughed at me and called me Dukeling... like 'duckling'. I was going to send him to the dungeon, but then I thought he might have a family and friends and that that would make them sad. Plus also, we need guards to guard the dungeon, and they can't do that if they're already in the dungeon."
"You are not allowed to boss around your sisters either, Robin" reminded Maybell. "Just because you are the oldest."
"But they're not allowed to boss me around either, just 'cos they're girls and there's two of them" Robin answered.

"Oh... " he says, "I know who I could boss around!"
Robin has an idea. He stands up, ready to try to outwit the grown-ups.
"You! Girl!" he calls, in the direction of the servant girl. "Bring me a big plate of food. Bring me whatever you think looks best. Bring lots."
Maybelle shoots Pointon a look. Should they allow this? He smiles back. He wants to see where this is going. The boy is not entirely wrong about learning to command. He wants to see what he does next.

The girl does as she's told, and brings a laden plate.
Robin pulls himself up to his full height.
"This is my food" he says, self-importantly. "This is food from the Ducal family picnic. It is not yours, servant girl. It is mine."
He takes the plate from her. He feels Maybell's approval, but he doesn't want it.
"My sisters can get their own, or have it brought. If they so choose. But this is mine. Does anyone disagree?"
No-one was minded to do so.
"Therefore, if it is mine, it is mine to do with as I wish. And I wish to share it with this girl. I order you to sit next to me and share my food, servant girl. You look hungry."
"You can't just-" objects Maybell
Pointon laughs. "A little bit of sophism, but overall...well played."

Robin turns to Maybell, suddenly assertive.
"I want all the servants who wait upon us to be well-fed, and I want them to be looked after. Machiavelli says that it is better for the Prince to be feared than loved, but above all, he must not become hated. Machiavelli means the whole population, but I think it goes double for the Prince's own household."
"Robin, the girl is greedy and disobedient, not hungry."
"Respectfully, Mistress Maybell, I disagree. Greedy and disobedient would not make me risk your anger."
"Whatever shall I say to the Duke your father when he returns and finds you sharing a plate with a servant girl?"

This is not the trump card she thinks it is.
"Whatever you think fit to say. I think Mother has a soft heart and will think it sweet. I think Father will be amused. I don't think anyone wants our servants to have cause to hate us."

Robin moves away from the others, back into the treeline, and sits down with his back against the trunk of a large oak. He gestures to the girl to sit.

"I've already eaten" he announces, feeling suddenly a little shy. "You probably saw. So I'm not actually hungry. So you can eat what you like. What's your name? I can't keep calling you "servant girl", that would be rude. My real name is Robert, but everyone calls me Robin."
"I'm going to get you!" Estelle practically sang the words, breathless though she was. Robin seemed to just be getting faster and faster — it used to be easy to catch up to him with the superior length of her little legs.

Still, though, his fate was set. She closed in on him with a very unladylike leap, a thin but nonetheless voracious bear as she threw her arms around him. They both went tumbling into the long grass, disappearing into the waves of green that grew alongside the pond's edge. The loamy earth was soft underneath the grass, saving the poor boy from bruises and Estelle from some very harsh scolding.

Of course, she didn't really care about the dirt or the grass stains on her miserably drab uniform. She was much more concerned with keeping Robin underneath her, his hands pinned to the ground from her grip. Stuck prone on his belly, he absolutely hated it when she did this, which made it all the more rewarding — why shouldn't a girl be able to claim victory over a boy?

He grunted as he struggled beneath her, knowing full well that the tickles were coming next. That was always the right of the winner! Before she could gloat, however, he did something strange with his hips. One moment she was perfectly balanced with her weight to keep him pinned, and the next she was suddenly knocked into the grass on her back. It was impossible to regain her bearings before he was on her, a shrewd little panther eager for revenge.

And revenge he had! With him on top of her skirts, she couldn't even kick properly, left curling in on herself with her arms defensively crossed. He easily found his way past them, spidering his fingers down the sides of her ribs. This was the problem with boys like him — he seemed to have an instinctive nose for weakness, aware that the key to his torture was a light touch, almost affectionate as though he were petting a puppy behind its ears. The more he tickled, the more she laughed, quickly growing too weak to fend him off. She grabbed at his sleeves, trying to pry him away, and he simply used the opportunity to slip his fingers under her arms.

Just as she was brought to bright, giggling tears, however, he suddenly stopped and went still. She gazed up at him curiously, finally able to breathe, and batted his hands away. He barely reacted, supporting himself on one arm as he leaned down closer to her, narrowed eyes on the grass.

And then she heard it, too.

"Master Robert! Master Robert, where are you?" That frustrated baritone could only belong to the boy's butler. Surely his tutor didn't need him again already!

"Estelle? I swear, if you're out here with him again, Maybell will have your hide. Come here right now!" Oh, gods, and that was Mia, one of the maids.

Neither Robin nor Estelle moved. The pair of servants continued to call out, steadily making their way closer. A cold sweat started to bead along the back of her neck, and she moved to get up, but Robin gently pressed her back down.

"They won't find us if we don't move." He spoke the words in a hushed voice, two of his fingers pressed over her lips to keep her quiet. "The pheasants Father hunts are always done for the moment they run."

Pride urged her to shove him away — it seemed they could be discovered at any moment — but just this once she'd let him have his way. She didn't move a muscle beneath him, eyes trained up at the sky as she tried to keep her breathing as soft as possible. Slowly, the footsteps came closer, tromping the long grass heedlessly underfoot. Just when she swore they were fully upon her, a deafening pause lingered in the air. Her heart beat rapidly as she stared up at Robin, pale blue eyes full of innocent panic.

Somehow, he remained composed, eyes fixed up toward the grass and the searching servants. She couldn't recall the last time she'd seen him so serious. Or perhaps he was nervous, too? She was used to seeing him smile, pout, and glare, but this sort of tension had never existed between them. Was this how those princesses felt when the hero was stealing them away from a castle full of wicked captors?

Her cheeks were starting to feel warm, so she glanced away from his face and tried to think of something pleasant. Suppose they were to run away into the nearby woods, never to be bothered by the Duke and his servants again?

"Where could they have gone? I swear the Young Master was just within my sights, reading alone in the garden before he suddenly wasn't." The butler sighed with exasperation, still much too close for comfort.

"They can't be far. Come along and we'll find them soon enough." Mia already sounded tired, and Estelle almost felt bad for her. Almost. Walking the estate's lovely grounds seemed much more pleasant than endlessly dusting paintings.

Finally, the pair of servants started moving again. It seemed like an age before their footsteps finally faded into silence, leaving only the chirping of birds and the sound of the pond lapping at the grass nearby.

"Is it safe?" Estelle dared to speak at last, wriggling impatiently beneath him.

He didn't answer immediately, slipping off her at last to peek above the long fronds of grass. "They're gone. I should go distract them while you sneak back into the house."

She pouted, sitting up at last. "You don't wanna play s'more?"

The look he gave her was stunningly wicked. "We don't need to. I won."

"You did not! I caught you! You're it!"

"It doesn't count if I escape." Now he was just proud, his chest puffed just that little bit more. It was, after all, the first time he'd ever successfully fended her off.

She reached for him to quickly remedy this, but he was faster, stepping back and nearly tripping over in the process. His gaze narrowed at her as he caught himself, annoyingly serious. "You're going to get in trouble, Leafy."

Estelle snorted, standing up to shake the grass off her skirt. "I'm always in trouble."
"Now, Robin.... Master Pointon and I wanted to have a talk with you. Mia tells me you were asking about the servant girl?"
Robin narrows his eyes. He cares neither for Mistress Maybell's tone, nor for her referring to Estelle as 'the servant girl' when he knows she knows her name perfectly well. He dislikes being summoned for this discussion when he should be at fencing practice, and he dislikes the feeling of foreboding that is gnawing at him.
"Estelle" he says, with emphasis. "Where is she? I haven't seen her for ages."
"It's been three days" says Maybell. Pointon shoots her a look. This isn't helping.
"I know you are fond of her, and that she's your playmate" says Pointon, "So I'm sorry to have to be the one to break bad news to you."

Robin's eyes widen.
"Has something happened? Is she hurt? Is she...?" Dead. Is she dead? His words trail off, but that's what he's thinking. He's catastrophising.
"Oh, Twelve Gods, no" says Maybell, "No, no. She's perfectly fine. Hale and hearty. It's just that... she has returned to her family."
"Why?" demands Robin. He doesn't think Estelle likes her family much, because she rarely spoke of them.
"She was only ever here temporarily. To spend some time in the Palace. To get an education. You must have noticed that servants and ladies-in-waiting come and go all the time."
"S'pose" concedes Robin, though he's not sure that he's noticed any such thing.
"I think he's old enough to hear the truth" says Pointon. Maybelle furrows her brow in doubt. Robin is being played, but he doesn't notice.
"I am old enough!" he insists.
"Well..." begins Pointon, "It cannot have escaped your attention that Estelle is... well... Estelle is becoming a young woman now. She's not a little girl any more. You must have noticed."
Robin reddens. Grown-ups talking about this stuff is about as embarrassing as it gets. And... yeah, she's all tall and... other things.
"And you are becoming a young man" continues Pointon, ignoring his blushes.
Robin nods. In truth, he isn't... not yet. But he'll never admit it.
"In a few short years, it will be time for Estelle to marry. Her family want her home."
"She's too young to get married!"
Pointon nods. "Now, she is. But in a few more winters, it will nearly be time."
"A few more winters is ages! Why can't she stay here till then?"

"Robin" said Maybelle, unusually gently, "How do you think that you would feel to be parted from your father and mother for such a long time?"
"I would feel very sad." he concedes, considering the question with adorable seriousness.
"And how do you think your mother and your father and Catherine and Elizabeth would feel to be parted from you?"
"I think father and mother would be sad. But Elizabeth will have Catherine and Catherine will have Elizabeth, and they won't miss me"
"Your sisters love you very much, and would miss their big brother terribly."
Robin doubts this. He's jealous of their closeness. Girls and their whispers and secret games.
"S'pose" Robin sees where this is going, and doesn't like it one bit.
"Would you be the one to tell Estelle's mother and father and sister that they can't have her back, because you want to play games with her?"
"I-" Tears start to prick Robin's eyes. He would tell them that, but now he feels bad about it. He blinks.

Pointon comes to his rescue.
"It's fine to feel upset because your friend has gone. And I know - servant or not - she was your friend. Whatever Maybelle thinks, I know she was a good and loyal friend. But it's time to let her go now."
"But - what about they all come to the Palace?"
"The Palace isn't their home, Robin" says Maybelle.
"Which Robin are you going to be?" asks Pointon, a little edge in his voice, "Are you going to be brave Robin, who understands that he can't always have what he wants, and considers the needs of others. Or are you going to be little boy Robin, who screams and stamps his feet when he doesn't get his own way?"
"Brave Robin" he answers, swallowing hard, though he's not entirely sure. "Can I talk to her? I want to say goodbye. I want to give her a present."
"No" said Maybelle, "She's already gone. She knew this would upset you, and she didn't want to remember you upset."
Robin's jaw tenses. He knows she means that he wouldn't be able to say goodbye without crying. He also knows she's right.
"It's better this way" says Maybelle.
"If you want to send her a present, I'll see that she gets it" says Pointon.
"You know I don't want to marry Estelle!" Robin blurts out, apropos of nothing, suddenly wondering if this might be why. It's true - he has no interest in marrying anyone. He'll marry a beautiful noblewoman someday, but today, he just wants his friend back.
"I'll marry whoever Father and Mother think I should marry, for the good of the realm. I promise."
"That's not why she's gone, Robin" says Pointon, gently. "No-one thinks you want to marry her." That's true... and not true. He changes the subject.

"Now that you're older, you do need more friends. We think maybe you became friends with Estelle because you didn't have enough friends."
"Lots of other children want to be my friend, but that's because their parents told them to. I want to choose my own friends."
"And you knew that Estelle's parents didn't tell her what to do?"
Robin nods. "Because I chose her. She doesn't..." He trails off. He doesn't know how to put it. "... she only laughs at my jokes when they're funny. She says what she thinks."
"You wanted to boss her around, remember?" smiles Pointon.
"Only at first!" answers Robin, protesting, "... she's... unbossable."
Maybelle, for once, entirely agrees.

"You needed something, and we didn't give it to you, Robin." says Pointon. "We didn't see what you needed."
"I need Estelle"
"Robin" warns Maybelle, her tone hardening. "This is not up for debate."
"I'm sorry, Robin." continues Pointon, "We made a mistake. We left you alone for too long. Were you lonely when you met Estelle?"
He nods. And he'll be lonely again now she's gone. He bites his lip.
"We won't make that mistake again. We will help you find friends you can trust. Do you forgive me?"
"S'pose" he answered. It's not every day his tutor admits to being wrong, never mind asks his forgiveness.
"And Mistress Maybelle."
Robin nods, but the look on his face sends a different message.
"You be brave, now, Robin." says Pointon, "Life is full of disappointments. Being a man is learning how to accept them."
"Can I go now?" Robin asks. He's on the brink now.
"You can" says Pointon. "You can either go back to fencing, or have some time by myself."
"Some time by myself"
"Fine. We will expect you for supper, though. And we expect you to be brave Robin, not petulant Robin. We want your father and your mother to see how brave and sensible and kind you can be."
Robin nods. And bolts for the door.

As soon as the door is closed, Robin hurtles - head down - back to his room. He rushes to his desk, opens the drawer, and fishes out a small black notebook that he's hidden as best he can. He opens it, and the first page reads "Things to do when I'm Duke" in a neat, practised, hand.

He flicks through the first dozen or so pages, each covered in writing in the same hand, careful and precise. He turns to a new page, grabs the quill, dips it forcefully into the ink. In huge letters, taking up the entire page, and with such force he's more carving than writing. He writes, "GET ESTELLE BACK!!" and underscores it again and again.

He drops the quill and stares at what he's just written. He thinks about what Master Pointon said, Would she be happier with her family? Would he be the one to make them all sad? He feels so very sad, and so very guilty, and so very sad.

It's all too much. He pushes the book away, not wanting to see the words he'd just written. He dashes over to his bed, and buries his head into the pillow.

In a few hours time, he will go to supper with Father and Mother. He will be quiet. He will be withdrawn. But he will be brave Robin. He will not be a petulant child. He will not mention Estelle. He will accept that a light has gone from his life. Possibly forever.

For now, he buries his head in his pillow to stifle his sobs, and cries the hot tears he can only shed alone.

Sometimes Estelle wondered if she was, in fact, human. The presumption that she wasn't was absurd, but it also explained why she felt nothing when Baron Lineham lasciviously ran his sweaty hand up her thigh. She fluttered the ornate fan in her hand, the brittle-brightness of her smile painted perfectly on her lips. A giggle followed, so well-practiced that it almost didn't have the harsh edge of disapproval in it.

"My Lord, you cannot tempt yourself now or we'll be in complete disarray by the time we arrive." Estelle could already sense his declaration that a little fondling before then would hardly hurt. Once upon a time, such a notion would have made her nauseous. "Please, I'd like to make the best possible impression on your peers. They ought to know what an impressive man you truly are."

"Bright girl! I knew taking you was the right decision." The Baron slapped her thigh in what she presumed was meant to be a playful gesture. The consequent sound of her own flesh making contact with his was yet another thing she'd quite forgotten to be embarrassed about. She did, however, know the correct reaction, squeaking with scandalized shock.

"Indeed. I shall be the perfect partner and show the Court that you are a man to be properly cherished." Estelle sold this damning bit of dialogue with the same plastic smile — he was not the sort of man women would get jealous of merely because someone pretty was on his arm. He was too old and too crass to attract a decent wife, and his desperate need to have an heir made him no more appealing.

Well, she supposed there was still a crowd of women who might consider him, given their poor circumstances and ill luck in the marriage mart. At the end of the day, however, such ladies still had their families and enough cushioning to keep them away from ever having to consider a workhouse to get by. For a woman like Estelle, this was a golden opportunity, a chance at a comfortable life with an odious husband she could nonetheless control with her wiles. Few women of common rank ever got to go to the sorts of noble gatherings she was headed toward, to stand at the side of their nobleman lover as though they were equals in society.

Granted, that wasn't quite what this was. She wore a pale blue mask with silvery accents to hide her face, and the story they had agreed upon was that she was his distant cousin visiting from abroad. If she could conduct herself well, he'd said, he would consider legitimizing her title with a bribe to the right official. As long as he could secure a healthy heir for himself, it seemed, the price for a wife like her would be worth the cost.

So what was she doing, wasting a perfectly good chance at a comfortable life? Why had she spent the better part of what she'd saved away for a ridiculous dress and jewelry? To risk everything on a single shot, a few precious moments with a childhood fantasy… quite what had gotten into her head?

While it had been simple enough to keep her nerves in check on the way there, her return to the Duke's estate was a different matter entirely. One would think, what with the passage of so many years, that the familiar iron gates and manicured lawn would have little effect on her. But she noticed that the rose bushes ensconcing the pathway to the front door were exactly the same, a succulent peachy-pink that held the warm essence of summer in every petal. She couldn't help but recall plucking those very blossoms — without permission, of course — and her first experiments in herbal teas. With just a touch of sugar, those petals could be boiled into the most beautiful honey-colored tea.

Gold like his hair, pink like his lipsyes, that's exactly what I thought the first time I made it. Estelle let her hand drift downward, the silk of her long glove catching against the open mouth of a rose. If she wasn't careful, she knew the Duke's palatial estate would drown her with nostalgia. Indeed, she would have given almost anything to be a ghost, to abandon all her careful plans to linger, silent and insubstantial, in those precious places that held her fondest memories.

Unfortunately, Estelle was still very much among the living, and the baron was already impatiently tugging her along. His pace was not a forgiving one, and her dress didn't exactly allow for the lengthy steps it demanded.

Gently, she expressed her own impatience with a squeeze on his forearm. "My darling Baron Lineham, you move with such purpose! I assure you, the festivities aren't going anywhere without you."

He let out a breath of exasperation, glancing down at her with the most condescending sort of annoyance. "I would like to make it to the ballroom sometime before the party is over. Can you truly walk no faster, girl?"

"I wish to be seen as graceful, my lord, not heard as I tumble into the dirt." This time, she gave his arm a sharp tug, pulling him into line with her step. While he cursed under his breath, she cleared her head of any further fog brought on by memories, the angle of her chin proud and the gait of her walk poised as she was lead into the palace's grand ballroom.

When had she last seen the place in all its glory? It was familiar and foreign at once, this place with too many windowsills she'd once been tasked to dust. She could clearly recall the Reynuax sisters dancing on the polished wooden flooring for their lessons, innocently giggling or otherwise whining under another of Miss Maybell's lectures. Dance was a thing to be taken seriously, one of the first real conversations between man and woman as they joined hands for the first time, or so she'd said. No one knew how to suck the joy out of something as well as she did.

Focus, Estelle! No staring at the grandly tall walls with their golden accents, no gawking at the sparkling lamps and beautiful pastels of the floral arrangements — and most importantly at all, she wouldn't spare so much as a glance toward the hors d'oeuvres being passed about on serving trays. The only thing she allowed herself was a delicate glass of champagne, and even that bubbly-sweet touch of cherry and cream was too much of a delight to her senses. There was no doubt about it: royal family aside, no one else in the kingdom treated their guests better than the Reynauxes.

In a perfect world, the baron would have been more popular among his peers. He was taking great pains to introduce his vaguely related cousin, hinting at every opportunity that she loved him dearly and was ready to wed any day now, but every one of his cohorts were… well — not persons of interest to the Duke or anywhere close to his acquaintance. The wives on their husbands' arms squinted at her, gossipy peacocks eager for something to peck, and the men tried to pretend that she wasn't the foreign princess she appeared to be.

After all, her diction was a little too perfect, the tone of her voice mellow and warm as lavender-infused honey. She knew exactly how to embody the 'perfect' woman, that refined and tragic heroine who would die without the love of her beloved. It was there in the demure curve of her wrist, the elegant confidence with which she held herself, never flinching away from the gaze of others.

It didn't matter if their gaze quickly wandered down the form-fitting shape of her gown, particularly where the pale blue fabric became translucent from the knees down. While most of the women seemed to do their best to puff out their hips and sleeves, Estelle was quite the opposite, favoring a natural drape of silk and organdy that hugged the true shape of her waist and hips. A silvery lattice of leaves and blossoms had been sewn atop the fabric, the delicate lace curving over her arms in place of proper sleeves. Then there was the outer part of her dress, an even more translucent skirt that opened like the blossom of a calla lily around her legs.

Her real pride and joy, however, was the jewelry. All she'd ever worn was costume jewelry, flashy but cheap and clunky stuff. This, however, was the real thing, delicate silver laurel leaves forming a chain around her neck. They dripped with gorgeous sapphires, matching the jeweled hair pins that glittered like dew drops against the blond coil of her hair.

Add to all the finery the soft and elegant curve of her chin, the thin daintiness of her lips, and she could be nothing but the most noble of women among her peers. Her slender frame was on full display, and yet she acted as though this were the only proper and natural way to conduct oneself.

She was, unfortunately, also losing her patience. If she allowed the baron to keep her chained to the sidelines where the unimportant so often liked to gather, she would never find her way into the circle of the man she was risking so much for. Her heart squeezed nervously every time she thought of him, wondering if she'd even be able to recognize him. The image of young Robin was so clear in her mind's eye, but she knew it was impossible for him not to have changed. Physically, mentally, he would be as much a man as she was now a woman.

"Ah! Your cup is empty, my Lord. I shall remedy this at once." Estelle flashed a bright smile that would broker no arguments, gratified when the man was too deep into his bragging to care about her sudden absence. It was a simple enough thing to set the two empty glasses aside so she could wander the ballroom at last, searching for the gaggle of noblewomen that would no doubt be cornering the unmarried duke.

"Charlotte! For heaven's sake, straighten your back, girl!" An eerily familiar voice made Estelle freeze in her tracks. Yes, it had been a long time, but she'd know the sharp bite of that woman's voice anywhere.

Charlotte was more the stranger, flustered and frustrated in equal measure. "Mother, you are speaking too loudly. He already looked this way. A-And he hasn't moved an inch toward me…"

"He's only being polite to the other guests. Ugh, and there's Madam Solene, flaunting her daughters like prize piglets in front of him. Wholly unaccomplished women, both of them." The familiar head of ebony hair shook with disdain. "You must be more assertive to win the Duke's attention."

Estelle's ears suddenly felt numb. The Duke. Was he nearby already? If she just stepped a little closer… but she didn't want to risk getting any closer to the two women, one of which had strikingly similar blue eyes.
 
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"Wait" blinked Fabien - Sir Fabien Essling, Knight of the Realm and cousin to Duke Robert, to give him his fuller title.

Robert and Fabien were sat on easy couches in a small parlour just off the main ballroom, sipping fine wine. Duke Robert's great grandfather had had this built to allow him to arrive late and leave early for formal events that he found tedious. His grandfather had, by all accounts, used the room to slip away with a girl or a boy he had taken a shine to. His father had had the furniture changed.

"... let me make sure I understand you properly, cousin. On the other side of those double doors is a grand ball, taking place in your ballroom, in your Palace. On the other side of those doors is pretty much every eligible maiden within reasonable - and in some cases unreasonable - travelling distance of your palace. All wanting you. Every mother, nagging her daughter to impress you. Show a bit more cleavage, a bit more leg. Every father... twelve gods man... some of them, wouldn't even insist on the wedding ring going on before the silk panties come off. If they caught you sneaking out of her chambers, they'd insist you came back for breakfast. Take my daughter as your mistress, Duke Robert? Why it would be an honour! The same fathers who'd break every bone in my body for looking at their little girl in the wrong way. All this... that's what you're complaining about?"

"Put it like that, it does make me sound a tad ungrateful" grinned Robert, in response. He had a feeling he knew which father his friend was thinking of.
"And it's not just the Ducal Throne, pretty boy. You with that mane of golden hair, those deep, sensitive eyes, those delicate cheekbones. Your mother must have been some looker back in the day, because you do not get any of that from your late lamented father."
"Seriously, though. It just gets a bit... much. There is such a thing as too much choice, and... it feels like everyone's obsessed with the question of my marriage."
"Simple solution. Either get married... just... I don't know... pick one at random. The richest. The most powerful. The one with the least annoying laugh. The one with the biggest tits... whatever, just get it done. Problem solved. Or just declare that you won't marry for twelve months for reasons of state, etcetera and so on."
"Can I do that?"
"You're Duke, you can do what you like"
"I can't though"
"You kinda can."

Robert sighed. "I don't know... after Lucie, I..."
"You're not still hung up on that manipulative little bitch?"
"No, but..."
"But?"
"But... that whole business worries me. Why was my judgement so bad? Why could I not see what was obvious to everyone else?"
"This again. Twelve Gods, Robert.... it wasn't obvious to everyone else. I mean, it was to me, but... yeah. It's like I told you... everyone makes mistakes. It's just you get to make yours in the full glare of the court. We're not ourselves when we get like... like that. None of us. That's why you need your friends and your advisors around you. Mackey-whatshisname?"
"Machiavelli. Beware flatterers, and those who would tell you only what you want to her. Cultivate honest advisors who will disagree with you, and will give you their frank opinion on any matter, but only when you ask."

"Precisely. You can't see everything, and you shouldn't expect that of yourself. No-one can think straight when they're enchanted by a hot, confident, smart girl like you were. And stop... stop moping. Just because you seriously contemplated proposing to one of the worst human beings I've ever met, doesn't mean you need to propose to someone else instead. Just... I don't know. Have some fun. Enjoy it. Cos when you're married to a shrew of a Queen and you've got a clutch of ankle-biting princelings and princesslings demanding your attention, you'll regret not getting all the pleasure you can out of a night like tonight."

Robert laughed. "Put it like that... yeah, I've no argument. I will, however, just point out the reason that you want to be out there sooner rather than later."
"Which is?" Fabien asked.
Robert grinned. "Lady Chantal de Marboux. The cutest little redhead at my court. You have this womanizer act that you put on, but the way you look at her.... that's different. That's new."
"More out of hope than expectation, I fear" said Fabien, sadly.
"What? Why?"
"I don't know... I don't think it's reciprocated. She's a bit... hot and cold with me."
"Want to know my theory?"
"Not especially"
"Everyone needs an advisor that will tell them the truth"
"Fine, if you must."
"I think she likes you. I think she really likes you... only her father doesn't approve. So she holds back, because she doesn't want to fall for a man her family disapprove of... only it's a bit too late for that"
"How do you reckon that?"
"She told me."

Unfortunately, Fabien was just taking a sip of wine, and almost choked on it.
"What?! What do you mean, she told you?"
Robert grinned, and took another sip from his own glass, rather more delicately.
"A little bird told me that Chantal had been seen in tears in the palace gardens. I wondered if it was about you, so I asked her to come and see me."
"You wondered if I'd made her cry, you mean?"
"In part, yes. If you'd been beastly to our sweet little Chanty, we'd have to have words, Fabe."
"And then she told you?"
"Yes."
"I don't know what to say. I mean... that changes everything and nothing."

"How do you mean?"
"I mean... I know she does like me, but her family's opposition remains."
"Look, go and talk to her father. Talk seriously... don't play the jackass like you usually do. Don't be afraid of him. Talk to him man-to-man. Ask why he's opposed, and what you can do to change that. Remind him that I'm your cousin."
"Robert, everyone's your cousin... sort of. Your family tree is more of a hedge."
"Be serious for a moment. You need to decide what you want. Do you want her, or not? If you do, you know what you need to do. If you don't, stop messing the poor girl around"
"My branch of the family isn't rich enough."
"But your people have no objection to her?"
"To Chantal? No, they'd be delighted. Punching above my weight."
"You're not wrong there. Look, speak to her. Ask to speak to her father. Ask him what his expectations are of a suitor for his daughter's hand. Remind him that not only are you my cousin, you're also my favourite cousin. You could also say that you have reasonable expectations of my bounty when it comes to wedding gifts for two people I like very much. But you need to decide... if you're in, you're all in."
"No-one's more surprised than me to hear me say this, but I'm in"
"Good. Now... let's go to the ball. You go dance with your girl... whisk her away. Tell her."
"One condition."
"Name it"
"You stop moping around and have some fun."
"I'm dancing with the first pretty girl I see."

* * * * * *

Duke Robert de Reynaux slipped through the doors into the ballroom, Fabien behind him. Although he tried not to make an entrance, people noticed and there was a mini hubbub of voices. Heads turned. The Duke dressed relatively plainly... a black velvet tailcoat over a cream silk waistcoat and a high collared cream shirt. His cravaet was a deep green, the predominant colour on his coat of arms. He wore cream knee breeches and low black leather boots. Although the designs were plain, the materials and fit were immaculate, giving his look an effortless, timeless feel.

Robert scanned the crowd, looking to make good his promise. Etiquette required him to have a brief conversation with his honoured guests, but he had made a promise and intended to keep it. And... he was delighted for Fabien and Chantal and found himself revitalised by vicarious joy. Right... done. Oh... not Madam Solene again. Her older daughter was... not unattractive, but dull. No spark. No life, The younger was too young for his tastes, and bore an unfortunate resemblance to her mother. Poor girls - whatever their achievements, what was most offputting about the prospect of marrying either was having Madam Solene as mother-in-law.

So he sidestepped her entirely. Oh. She's pretty. She'll do nicely.
"Your Grace, may I present my daughter, Charlotte?"
"You may indeed. An honour to make your acquaintance, my dear" he said, speaking quickly. He paused to kiss her hand.
Her mother was about to say something else, but Robert interrupted.
"Dance with me, Charlotte. Do people call you Charlotte? Or are you a Charley? Or a Lottie?"
Robert steered a slightly flustered Charlotte towards the dancing area, ignoring her mother completely, who couldn't decide whether to be offended or delighted.

Robert enjoyed dancing with Charlotte. She was very pretty, but also very familiar. He asked her if they had met before, and she mutely shook her head. She would have remembered. Nevertheless, she seemed familiar. She was a... well... she was a type. Tall, blonde, willowy. Classically beautiful. After a few moments of silence, she nervously regurgitated some flattery she had learned, probably from her mother, about what a good dancer he was. While she wasn't wrong, this was not what he wanted. Robert put his finger to his lips.
"I don't want to hear a single world from your lips, Charlotte, that has been put there by anyone else. Do you understand me?"
She looked at him, puzzled.
"How many beautiful young women do you think I have danced with, hmmm? And yes, Charlotte, you are beautiful."
She blushed. Robert liked that... not easily faked.
"Do you really think you can reel off words of flattery better than any of those others? No... no, you don't have a gift for this. You want my advice? Be yourself, Charley. You want to catch yourself a handsome, rich, powerful husband? Be yourself. Be you. Let him see you. See if he likes you. See if you like him. That's something you never learn if you just follow your mother's terrible advice."

That earned Duke Robert the ghost of a smile, but whether because she was overawed, shy, or just plain confused by him, he couldn't get much out of her. He felt free and a bit giddy… he wondered if he'd had too much wine, or whether he just felt like a burden had lifted at least a little. He wasn't here, at this ball, tonight, to select a bride. He was here to have some fun. Now that he could do.

The dance finished, and he invited another young man he'd noticed looking at Charlotte if he'd like to cut in. Delighted, he readily agreed, and he passed her over. It felt like there was always so much in the way... between him and any young woman he met. His status, her status. Her nerves. What her awful mother had told her to say. What her awful father had told her to say. He thought he'd found a connection with Lucie. He'd been wrong. He'd never really had that connection with a girl, not since...

... and then he remembered why Charlotte looked so familiar. He stared at her, dancing with her new partner, looking more at ease. It couldn't be, could it? No. It wasn't. Nevertheless, the likeness was striking. He made a note to ask mother or daughter about it later, but for now, there were guests who wanted to talk to him, and mothers with daughters they wanted to introduce.
 
Ah, there he was. Despite all her careful plans, all the times she'd rehearsed this very moment in her head, Estelle could do nothing but stand off to the side while the pair of women advanced on the duke — her duke, her Robin, the only man she'd ever acknowledged as her master. He was exactly the boy she knew and yet he wasn't. Certainly, he'd grown up to be far taller than she would have imagined, lean with a graceful gait he hadn't quite mastered in his youth. There was that same brightness in his eyes, however, and the manner in which he spoke appeared just as animated.

Part of her felt relieved; she hadn't wanted to see him grow up to be the image of his father, a stern and cold figure who tended to lord over a room like he was contemplating a battlefield. On the contrary, his son was like a warm beam of sunlight, charming and, well… perhaps even a touch whimsical as he quite stole Charlotte away from her mother.

Not that she heard a word of what passed between them, of course. Even with masks on, it was all in the body language Estelle herself had learned so well — the tenseness in the mother's shoulders, how she reached toward her daughter as if in protest. And then there was Robin, all ease and delight as he guided and trapped Charlotte's demure hand onto his arm.

Of course Charlotte didn't fight it, didn't even think to resist that pull. There was awe in the soft parting of her lips, an eagerness in her steps and a doe-like joy in her gaze as she was quite swept off her feet.

Estelle had not been prepared for such a sight. The stabbing pain that shot through her chest rendered her breathless. Look at her, the Count's daughter, so maidenly and sweet in his arms. And look at him, smiling at her like she's the prettiest, most engaging creature in the world. It all seems so… happy.

Something cracked inside of her. Perhaps she truly was made of porcelain — she felt the fissure branch out under her skin with hot, needling vengeance. Was this anger? Suddenly she felt hideous with filth, as though everything she had struggled to contain was leaking out through the cracks of her weak little heart. Greedy, stupid girl! Master Robert is not yours, not in any sense whatsoever. The only thing that awaits him if you stay so selfishly by his side is misery, ruin, and mockery! If you truly care about him, never speak to him again!

Awful, awful Maybell's voice was shrill in her head, fresh as the day she'd been kicked out of the ducal palace. Glancing down at her gloved hands, Estelle swore she could feel it, sticky, stinky filth clinging to her very skin. These were hands that had wrapped around Lineham's cock, inviting him to cum into the sultry warmth of her cleavage. The same hands she'd introduce to Robin's lips had massaged the soft stones of men who treated her like a perfect stranger in public. While he spoke sweet words to gentle women and enjoyed bubbly champagne with those fortunate enough to call him a friend, she had schemed and debased herself for the mere opportunity to stand in the same room as him.

She hadn't come just to see him, to wish him well with whatever woman caught his eye. No, she needed him because she couldn't even make herself a servant of his home without his intervention. She couldn't deny the even worse temptations his handsomeness brought to her mind, either. Imagine being the mistress of a kind duke. How hard could it be to seduce such a warm and eager man?

Oh, she never should have come. Estelle touched the tip of her unfurled fan over her lips, struggling to contain the near throbbing threat of tears. She didn't belong in that room, and her resolve to do anything and everything just to bring all her suffering on a childhood friend was crumbling just as she'd worried it would.

Think about how hungry you were on the street, how much your belly ached. All that pain you endured making yourself into the perfect little performer for the circus master, every insult of the men who have used you while pretending their cock is the greatest gift for a woman to receive. Estelle forced herself to take deep, calming breaths, her gaze under her mask darkening. So what if there's a little scandal? What's a favor on your behalf to a man as rich as him?

"If I may… it appears as though you lack a partner for the next dance. Perhaps I could remedy that?" A young gentleman with wavy chestnut hair and a fine purple coat bowed toward Estelle, quite catching her off guard.

She glanced to him, then back to Robin and his catch as the music swelled into its final movement. A small smile crept onto her face, flawlessly sweet and full of self-assured villainy. "I am honored by the request, Sir, but I confess my next dance is already spoken for."

"Oh? Then perhaps —"

"Ah! There he is now. You must excuse me." Estelle dipped into a slow, elegant curtsey, head gently bowed while her hand at her side preened with its pinky up. Then she plucked up the long fabric of her skirt in one hand and turned, making her way toward a certain pair of people as Charlotte was guided to a new partner.

If the duke was going to take his sweet time in ever recognizing the gem she had polished herself to be, he would simply have to pay the price, she decided. It was clear he was beginning to make his way toward another gaggle of noblewomen — all pretty young things that practically squealed when they saw that they had his eye. She had to make her move now before they closed in around him again.

Approaching him herself would have broken etiquette, of course. She had no chaperone and he was yet to make any overtures in her direction. That did not mean, however, that she couldn't fall into step beside him, as if brushing past to find her supposed dance partner. And as long as she was careful, as long as the flicker of her ankle crossing in front of him was hidden by her skirts, what did it matter if the duke was tripped into stumbling toward the floor?

"Oh!" Her squeak was high and dramatic to sell the scene of an accident, the contact of her ankle with his leg surely inevitable.
 
Duke Robert was, to his surprise, enjoying himself. Why had it taken Fabien to make him see what ought to have been obvious? Lower the stakes, just have fun, dance with as many pretty girls as possible. Delight as many proud parents as possible. Just be charming and friendly and happy, and try to spread that around. Just because his marriage was a serious matter did not mean he must treat it as a serious matter.

He glanced around the room. There. Their masks could not conceal their beauty, and Robert was almost positive that the one on the sky blue dress was Camille. If he was right, that would make her shorter and slighter companion her sister Danielle, and the other two... one was probably her friend Zoe, whose brother was married to Camille and Danielle's older sister. The other two he either did not know or could not identify. But he wanted to make their acquaintance. They seemed to read his intention before it was fully formed, and were waiting for him, perhaps even moving a little closer. Although he couldn't hear, he could certainly see evidence of excited whispers. Fabien was right... it was nice that people... that attractive young women... were pleased to see him. Excited to see him.

In a few heartbeat's time, Duke Robert will trip, stumble, and nearly fall. The young woman he tripped over will herself almost lose her balance. But for now, before that, Duke Robert is momentarily distracted. He hears a familiar laugh, and turns to look over his right shoulder. It is Lady Chantal, and she is dancing with Fabien. She is laughing with joy, and her eyes are shining. His eyes are shining too. They make a wonderful pair, he thinks... on and off the dance floor. They are both good dancers, but together, they are in simpatico. They are dancing with passion and pleasure and joy. Duke Robert can only watch them for a few moments before they are swallowed up by the throng of other couples. But he takes those few moments, treasures them, feels warmth in his heart.

As a result, he is not watching where he is going. Perhaps he is too accustomed to having people move out of his way. Before he knows what has happened or why, he trips, stumbles, and takes a step to recover his balance. He hears a squeak of shock or surprise at almost the same moment. He is naturally graceful, agile, and avoids taking a tumble. In a moment, he sees what must have happened. He must have tripped over this girl, the girl in front of him, the girl who is herself off balance, and looks more than a little shocked. Though, behind the mask it is harder to tell. He offers her his hand to steady herself, but in truth he is a little slow.

Duke Robert recovers himself quickly. There's a bit of a hubbub, a fuss. He hears murmurings, hostile looks aimed at the girl.

Did you see that? Did she just trip the Duke? Was it deliberate? Did she just... How dare she? Why was she not looking where she was going? How do you not see the Duke? Scheming hussy! Poor dear, I hope she's okay. It's just an accident. Wouldn't it be cute if this is how he meets his bride?

He doesn't know the truth of it. Only that he was not looking where he was going. It follows that at least part of the fault must be his. Perhaps all of it. He also knows that he doesn't like how some of those around him rush to judgement. Judgements that owe more to jealousy than justice. This feels like bullying, and Robert does not like bullying or injustice. He takes command. At the moment there is muttering, but someone will voice an accusation loudly at any moment, he is sure. He has to do something. He would not leave this poor girl exposed to suspicion and insults and mockery if there was even a chance that the fault lay at his door. In his mind's eye, he sees her fleeing, sobbing, from the ballroom. An innocent misstep... a literal misstep.... could ruin her. Robert could not, would not, allow this.

"Twelve gods!" he exclaimed, "My dear, I am so sorry. I can only apologise for my carelessness. I was not paying proper attention to where I was going. The fault is entirely mine" he continued, his voice hardening on the final two words as he made eye contact with Lady Zoe, who had both rushed over to the scene and rushed to judgement about it. Her interpretation was obvious from the look on her face. Duke Robert was heading for me, this was my opportunity, my turn, my time... how dare this scheming little slut nobody just throw herself at him? She could have injured him!

He took the girl's hand and kissed it.
"May I have the honour of the next dance? May I prove to you that I am not normally so clod-fotted? Come!"
Without waiting for a proper answer, ostensibly because the opening strains of the next dance were starting, but also because he wanted to diffuse the situation, he whisked her away, and onto the dance floor, via a few graceful excuse-mes to people he steered her past.

Some bitterness remained, no doubt. But it was the Duke's place to take offence, or not to take offence. If he chose to take responsibility, well, that was his decision. And admirers of the chivalric ideal had to concede that Duke Robert did the right thing. In any case, one dance was one dance... there would be other opportunities. And this was a new topic of conversation for later... to tell the Duke of your admiration of his treatment of that poor girl... to show him your magnanimous nature and your kind heart."

"When someone goes to such extraordinary and arguably underhand lengths in order to get my attention" said Duke Robert, as he took her hand to lead her, "I give them that attention."
He smiled. He did not know for sure whether she had deliberately tripped him or engineering that collision. If she had, she might confess it. If she had not, he hoped she would regard it as gentle teasing to further break the ice.
"I don't know if you recognise me behind my mask. Don't tell anyone" he said, as if his mask did anything whatsoever to disguise his identity, "but I'm Duke Robert".
 
Oh dear. Estelle hadn't had any assurance of quite how her play would pan out, but the results were much more enjoyable than she could have anticipated. The scandalous whispers and accusations, the tiny thrill of actually touching an old friend after so very long — it was exceptionally difficult to keep from smiling! While actually hurting the man would have indeed been unfortunate, she couldn't deny the satisfaction of seeing him stumble. He owed her nothing, truly, and yet he was so obviously and abundantly adored that being the only one willing to quite literally trip him up felt somehow… exciting.

What would he do upon finally laying his eyes on her? On the one hand, he was the perfect gentleman, quick to assess the damage done and to correct it. He'd always been so good at that, ever-so-carefully stacking his cards one compliment or suggestion at a time. Though he seemed not to know who she was, he was still willing to shield her, a true knight in shining armor.

But on the other hand, how could she not be disappointed? Unreasonable though it was, a part of her had hoped that somehow he would remember her. He'd know her the moment their eyes met, smile with all the warmth of their happy memories, and be pleasantly shocked by how beautiful she had become.

What a ridiculous notion! Why in the world would a duke harbor such shining affection for a young maid he'd known years ago? If her own family saw not even the flicker of a bright and beautiful noblewoman, why in the world would a pampered duke so much as remember her name?

The flicker of his lips on her silk-clad hand was too brief, the commanding lead of his arm too dismissive. He did not wait for her to defend or explain herself, perhaps already too used to snuffing out court drama with a well-timed waltz. How many times had women attempted such moves on him, fighting over one another to catch just a moment of his time? She could imagine it all — pretending to faint so that she might land in his arms, dropping a handkerchief just as he happened to walk by, passing along a love letter in the hopes that he might return even an iota of affection in return… this was the world he lived in.

She welcomed the bitter taste on her tongue, nothing but poise and a soft, bashful smile on her face. If she were to stop or interrupt the duke on his oh-so-noble mission to rescue her, that would simply cause more scandal that might prove a little less simple to dissolve.

So she followed him, a pale and gentle shadow against the bright light he cast as he led them both to the dance floor. His little jab amused her — so he had caught on to her little scheme, but was still resolved not to punish her. Or perhaps he was trying to goad the confession out of her with a sweet smile? He did, she couldn't help but notice, possess very tempting lips. The way those clever eyes glimmered under the bright lights of the ballroom, how his hand so elegantly and confidently cupped around hers… Ah, so this is the height of a nobleman's charm when he can be arsed to put on airs.

Estelle didn't miss a beat, the line of her lips unreadable as she fell into step with the duke and rested her free hand atop his arm. She couldn't help noting that he didn't tremble, didn't hesitate in the slightest as she was drawn so close to him. Once upon a time, he made the most disgusted face when told he'd have to greet the ladies who visited his house with a kiss on the hand. Yes, that was the boy she'd known, self-righteous and indignant, certain in the most pure and childish way that his lips weren't for just anyone, and certainly not girls he'd never met.

And now look at him, his fingers mere inches from the bare skin of her back, lips still touched with the satiny musk of her glove, and he looked like he hadn't a care in the world. There was no doubt about it now: despite all her efforts, to his eyes alone, she was no different from the other peacocks chirping for his attention.

Would that she could be just as unaffected! He was handsome, this grown-up Robin, with very amicable airs that almost stole all the sharpness from his words. Despite knowing how foolish it was, she couldn't help feeling a certain sort of safety being so close to him. Just like that day so long ago, when he'd shielded her from searching servants looking to tear them away from a game of tag…

No, no more such thoughts! She focused her mind keenly on the first steps of their dance, falling into his lead as easily as a leaf drifts on a breath of air. He could dance well enough — that much she had already seen, but he had that very Robin-like habit of his, which happened to be ignoring the dance in favor of making conversation. And that ought to be a crime, really, wearing such fine clothes and dancing amid such lovely music without truly giving himself to the pleasure of kinetic conversation. She wanted to feel him spin her, to lean into the graceful bow of those violins and let the world become nothing more than a blur of color.

So perhaps it was inevitability rather than surprise that added a tone of reprimand to her otherwise gentle voice, always cultured into the perfect auditory wine. "Mn, I don't recall asking for your name, nor to be swept up onto the floor in a half-hearted dance. And yet you nearly knocked me off my feet and are now accusing me of having tripped you for something so insubstantial as your fleeting attentions."

Her smile, despite the wickedness of her words, had a warmth that her usual expression lacked. Having witnessed his display of heroism, she was certain he would be patient with a few barbs. "Are you usually this charming, or have you simply never had to try before?"
 
Duke Robert did not - in this moment - consciously know who his dance partner was. What he did know was that he felt an instant affinity with her, a connection. He found her voice enchanting, and something in her voice resonated with him on a level deeper than the words she was using. He should have wondered about this odd familiarity and investigated further, but he was too busy enjoying it. Probably, somewhere in his subconscious, some hidden sense was starting to analyse the available evidence, both internal and external, and in time it would start generating hypotheses to test. But for now, it left Duke Robert to his dancing.

Robert liked to talk while he waltzed. His natural grace, allied to lots of practice, and to hours upon hours with other young nobles of the court spent under the critical eye of the dancing master and mistress, meant that even the most complex of courtly dances was second nature. He had hated dancing lessons... at first. And then, for some reason, just as he reached his mid-teens, he started to find that they held significantly more appeal.

He enjoyed talking because he enjoyed the privacy... though conversations did not always go well. One social skill he had a lot of practice with was putting people at their ease, especially if they were nervous. But it was not always possible. Some of his dance partners, like Charlotte, more or less clammed up completely. Others just launched into conversational topics in a way that suggested that they had had a script drilled into them. Others would drip flattery into his ears, or would talk about themselves, or worse, about him. Being interested. Asking questions. It all felt so, so scripted. He had got into the habit of asking peculiar or unexpected questions... cats or dogs... cheese or chocolate... if a tree falls in a forest and there is no-one there to hear, does it make a sound... what is it for a rose to be red? Anything to change things up a bit.

What he was not used to was being spoken to with disdain, whether genuine or affected. And while he had friends - and cousins, and sisters - with whom he would banter and exchange fond barbs and insults - it was not normally a feature of his dancing conversations. Once upon a time, there was a girl who would speak to him like that... exactly like that... but that was a bit of information that was still stuck in his subconscious and not currently available to him.

Robert could see her smile, and his own broad, boyish handsome grim matched hers. He laughed with pleasure at the audacity of her mockery. This was so refreshing, so different. He loved it.

"I will have you know, missy, that I am always this charming... though I reserve the right to be less so tomorrow, should I drink too much wine."

"I thought there was a possible world in which you really were the innocent victim of my inelegant carelessness. About to be besieged on all sides by a flock of judgemental harpies, furious with you for pulling a stunt that they lacked the wit or the guile or the courage to carry out themselves. I thought you were a damsel in need of rescue..."

Robert's tone was still light and playful, and he feigned a note of hurt or regret in his voice, as if he were disappointed that she was not such a damsel... although nothing could be further from the truth.

"I see now that it is the harpies I have rescued from you. With your wit, you would have made short work of them all, I feel sure. So it falls to me to deal with you. First you trip me up, and now you insult me... mock my dancing... call my attentions insubstantial... and do not care to know the name of the host of the evening's festivities."

"You know what your disrespectful behaviour deserves, my lady?" he asked, still smiling. Dare he? Why not? It was a masked ball. She'd started it. He was going to have fun this evening, he'd promised Fabien. He felt liberated. His cousin's advice had got him out of a hole he'd dug for himself. In the days and weeks to come there would be difficult conversations... about how he ran his own lands, about how those who swore fealty to him ran their lands, his plans for the Academy, his plans for reform. But all that lay ahead. Tonight, there was dancing and devilment.

The steps of the dance called for Robert to spin his partner away, pirouette, and then pull her back towards him, holding her close for just a moment. He whispered four scandalous words into her ear.
"A Good. Hard. Spanking"

And then, as the dance demanded, he gave a formal bow to his partner, an innocent look on his face, as if butter would not melt in his mouth. As if he hadn't just made a scandalous remark. This was not like Duke Robert... although not a shy man, nor one unable to ask for what he wanted, he was not in the habit of making indecorous suggestions to women he'd only just met... whose names he didn't even know. But this mysterious, masked stranger... so familiar and yet unfamiliar... felt like an exception.
 
He was too close not to notice it — the goosebumps that sprung up along the back of her neck and across her bare shoulders. The tremble that ran down her spine could be felt through her fingertips, leaving her grip weak. It had only lasted a moment, that warm, ticklish tease of his breath at her ear, and then suddenly the dance demanded that they part.

She was certain he must have chosen that very moment to mention a spanking of all things, for she was forced to answer his bow with the dip of a curtsey. Her form-fitting gown clung to her pert derriere as she moved, the curve of her back deepening while her toes gracefully circled about and pointed to the floor.

Curse the wicked boy! Her cheeks were warm, a tender pink that peeked out from the lip of her mask. The dip of her chin was shy as she averted her gaze, her mind struggling to dream up a proper comeback when he took her back into his arms.

A proper lady would thoroughly rebuke him, or perhaps be so shocked and embarrassed that she'd do naught but stutter. While she was both shocked and embarrassed, however, the strangely warm mix of these emotions inside of her was quite new. She couldn't count the number of times she'd been solicited, willingly or otherwise, by a brazenly groping hand or a sinfully demanding tongue. Dread, annoyance, boredom — that was the progression of her feelings toward the opposite sex. Then, as if she'd only known the bitter taste of cheap wine all her life, Robin had to go and tease her with the bubbly delight of his champagne.

Yes, she'd wanted their dance to render her breathless, but not like this. The whole point in her being there was to seduce and entice him, not the other way around! If she melted into the brightness of his laughter, let herself be charmed by the remarkable poise of his conversation, she'd be just like all the other ninnies vying for his attention. A clear head and a brittle heart — that was how she made her way in the world.

So she gave herself a moment to let the girlish tension in her chest subside, eyes set on the union of their hands rather than his face. Twice now, she'd tried to catch him off guard, and yet he'd proven to be unflappable. She'd assumed the spoiled fellow might react with indignance, insult, or at the very least, surprise! But no, he simply took it in stride, adding salt to the wound of her futile attempts with genuine enjoyment of her company. She'd challenged his intentions and he'd challenged her back, doubling down on the obvious nature of her sins. Clearly, she wanted his attention, and no amount of petty insult and beating around the bush could hide this simple fact from him.

Does he actually want to spank me? Her head circled back to that decadent thought he never should have spoken. Surely he wouldn't have said such a thing if the attraction between them wasn't mutual. So did he think her beautiful after all? Was he genuine when he pointed out her wit? She felt the silliest little puff of pride at the notion.

No, this wouldn't do at all! He was confusing her, teasing at her, and slowly peeling away her defenses. She'd seen him do it time and time again to men and women of far greater age and acumen. It was a spell, a trance, a trick that could make a person forget what had seemed so right and true but a moment ago.

And yet! Gods help her, she caught herself puffing her cheeks, visibly pouting in front of him. Her lips twitched as she tried to right her expression, but the scent of his cologne was in her nose, muddling her senses as his arm pressed her closer in an elegant spin. She had to follow his steps perfectly, had to prove herself the best dancer in the room. Soldier on, Estelle! This is nothing! It's just Robin!

"Mercy, Your Grace!" Estelle let him win this one, more concerned with keeping pace than letting her little lies linger. "The honor of your hand is far too great to be thus abused."

A small, private smile touched her lips, that delicate porcelain façade shattered. "You would only hurt yourself, I am sure. Such tender hands are for wine glasses and gold-nosed quills, not the hardships of a woman's body tempered by the tortuous demands of beauty."
 
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Robert luxuriated in his minor victory, smiling, delighted with the game, outcome, and playing partner alike. He saw the little tremble, the blush, the avoidance of eye contact while she recovered her composure and thought of a suitable rejoinder. Best of all, she seemed just the right kind of taken aback. He wanted to throw her off balance, not throw her off or cause her to retreat from the field entirely. What he had suggested was outrageous, but she was not outraged. He hoped she was intrigued. As intrigued as he was.

"You believe your buns of steel are more than a match for my soft scholar's hands, hmm? Perhaps that you believe the court rumours that I am soft, indolent... and that my hands are more those of a Duchess than a Duke. Truth is, my darling, they're not entirely wrong. But compared to my late lamented father in his pomp, how could any man measure up to his martial ideal? But though I believe the pen is mightier than the sword, I can tell forte from foible when it comes to swordplay. More to the point... I'm sure I'd find the results of the tortuous demands of beauty... inspirational in rising to the occasion."

"Either that or I'll just find a slipper"
He grinned his handsome grin.

"However, I am minded to grant you mercy. Perhaps chivalry requires that I partially commute your sentence. This dance draws to its conclusion, and I am not minded to be parted from you just yet. Would the sentence of another dance with a man whose name you do not care to know be sufficient punishment? Perhaps I may impress you sufficiently to upgrade your judgement on my dancing from merely half to three-quarter hearted?"

The part of the Duke's brain that was working on the puzzle of this mysterious woman's identity was making some progress, but was failing to achieve a significant breakthrough to access the greater pondering power of his conscious mind. That was occupied with scandalous mental images of this beautiful young woman draped over his knee, skirts in some disarray, her panties coming down. It had been a while since he'd had a mistress... either a noblewoman or a more subtle liaison with a pretty servant girl. Though it would be just his luck if this was all a ruse to earn his favour over some trifling border dispute. But perhaps he wouldn't mind too much.

But the strange sense of familiarity... it had only grown stronger. He couldn't account for it. But it was not yet strong or pressing enough to prompt him to consider asking... the odds were against it, and asking might sound like a very weak line he was spinning. One that would be entirely beneath him.
 
'Buns of steel' promptly made Estelle snort — it was crude, ridiculous, and terribly amusing. She couldn't help but think of freshly baked rolls, soft and airy enough to feel like a pillow, only to unexpectedly be hard as a stone when bitten into. Such a remark alone was enough for him to make a point of how silly her comparison was (surely, a gentleman's hand had more bite than the shapely curve of a woman's nether regions). But he kept going!

Stop! Robin, please, no more! Estelle struggled to contain herself, shoulders trembling with the suppression of laughter. The slipper, however, was the final straw. She burst out laughing, a bright, breathy sound that she herself hadn't heard in a good, long while.

Though her outburst of mirth could hardly be called raucous, it was terribly indecorous, given the occasion and who she was dancing with. Her hand on his arm slid to the top of his shoulder, the perfect resting place for her cheek as she leaned forward to hide her face from the undoubtedly scandalized onlookers. Ah, let them criticize her all they wished! In that moment, she was a nobody who would never be seen among the court after tonight. Never again would she have the chance to dance with him like this, to show her 'betters' the glittering delight of her irreverence.

It was fitting, she supposed, that it was Robin who brought out this side of her. She still couldn't get the image out of her mind, being strewn over his lap while he stole up her shoe and slapped her with the flat sole. Worse yet, he'd have ample room to tickle the soft arch of her foot while she struggled to break free of his grasp.

In that moment, however, while she remained close against him, she had no desire whatsoever to part with him. Indeed, she could imagine nothing better than ignoring the party altogether, finding a comfortable sofa where she could straddle his lap, and nuzzle her face against that soft, royally golden hair. It wouldn't matter what he wanted to talk about — she would tell him everything he wanted to know, murmur all the sweet, dirty, and amusing things his ears were hungry for so long as he didn't let her go.

As the music slowed into its end, Estelle righted her posture and finally met his gaze once more. That shameless smile was still burning on his lips, it seemed, and she was of half a mind to poke at it with a brazen finger.

"Ah, what an honor it is, to be asked rather than seized by His Grace for a dance!" Her voice was animated now, the blue in her eyes alight with girlish mischief. "I do, however, admit that my opinion of your dancing was incorrect. It would be a pleasure to share the floor with you, and therefore a very poor punishment, I'm afraid. Would a proper apology be sufficient?"

Somewhere in the back of her mind, a voice urged her to stop playing around and seize the precious moment to ask for his help. None of this pomp and ceremony was necessary — she only needed him to consider her position as a servant again, to give her a fair chance at her old life.

Just a moment more, she told herself. Let me have this dream for just one more dance.

Baron Lineham, however, didn't seem keen to go along with her indulgence. Estelle caught a glimpse of him over Robin's shoulder, that bony, wrinkly face even further wrinkled by anger and betrayal. The Hells are you doing with the Duke? His glare practically screamed the words at her. Idiot girl, you can never have him and we're both ruined if he figures you out!

Of course the man was already clawing his way out from the crowd, determined to seize her away. She had precious few seconds to act and so much more scandal to conduct!

"Granted… I think I should catch my breath for a moment. Perhaps you know a quiet place where we may do just that?" She reached her hands around his, leaning back to start tugging him away from the dance floor.
 
"... she only laughs at my jokes when they're funny."

Words echoed through time, tumbled down through the years. Spoken by the child, remembered by the man.

Robert, you recognise that laugh. You know that laugh. Or one much like it. Think. Remember. And perhaps more to the point, you recognise the swell of pride and pleasure within you at prompting such a response. You love making her laugh. Love it. Only your parents' approval mattered more to you then... perhaps Master Pointon's good opinion also. Think... remember... why does this stranger's laughter resonate with you so? It's not because she's pretty... it's not just because she's pretty, anyway. Think... remember... wake up... you utter, utter clot.

Robert noticed the faces and the glances of the people around them. He always felt watched, scrutinised, when dancing... his expression, his body language, whether his mind was on conversation or dancing. It was so ubiquitous he barely even noticed any more. But this time he felt the glances, of judgement, not at him, of course... but at her. Whoever she was. Because it was obviously a grace breach of etiquette to have any kind of fun at a Ball. For some people, dancing was only a serious business.

"I only asked if she thought I danced well", grumbled Duke Robert, by way of 'explanation' of his dance partner's sudden mirth. A note of hurt in his voice and a self-effacing grimace. It was an obvious lie, and intended to be taken as such. But it was also a reminder that the Duke was aware of those glances and those judgements, and a statement that he had no issue with his partner's laughter. The fact that the new Duke did not always take himself too seriously divided opinion... some found it endearing, others thought it undermined his authority and status.

Another dance was an appealing prospect, but so was spending time with this intriguing young woman in a more quiet place. For a moment, he considered whisking her away back into his antechamber, to somewhere very much more private. But he did not want to overstep, and instead allowed himself to be led away from the dance floor.

In addition to his antechamber, he also had exclusive use of one of the balconies above and overlooking the ballroom. There were a number of these balconies. Two were larger, almost the full length of opposite sides of the room and open to all guests, where finger food and drink would be served. A few smaller, more exclusive balconies were on the shorter sides of the room. By convention, they were put at the disposal of powerful families as part of the invitation if there was a particular need or request. The Ducal balcony was higher and central. Robert had had the thrones taken out - his father would generally just sit there and drink wine, watch the dancing, and invite a favoured few to join him to relieve his boredom. In a past life, Robin had sneaked his friend Estelle in to gawp at the dancing below. Now there were a larger number of comfortable couches and chairs, and Robert would use it to hold informal court, or just talk with his friends.

The privacy afforded by the private balconies was access, not visibility. Likes boxes at the theatre, those on the balconies could easily be seen, but access to them was via narrow spiral staircases, each.... not guarded, more supervised... by palace servants chosen for their deferential manner and a steely insistence on compliance with the instructions that they had been given. As he led the intoxicating stranger to the staircase, Robert was vaguely aware of a bit of commotion behind him, probably someone trying to reach him. This was nothing new, however, and he paid it little heed. Whatever it was, it could wait, because it was less interesting than her.

"Good evening, your grace" smiled the servant, waiting at the bottom of the stairs. "Shall I have refreshments fetched?"
"Hello, Connor. A white wine for me, something light and fruity."
He turned to his companion.
"What would you like?" he asked, smiling, "Before you answer, bear in mind that we have the whole palace wine cellar to choose from. Beers, spirits, fruit juice... teas...."

He stopped short and stared at her as if seeing her for the first time.
"We've got an excellent... selection... of... fruit... teas"
He trialled off.

Tall, blonde, willowy. Isn't afraid to mock you... positively enjoys it. That instant familiarity. Those eyes. The way she laughs. Her voice. You literally almost certainly danced with her sister earlier, you idiot. The fact that it's obviously her. Probably the whole family is here, and you still didn't...

A slow, delighted grin spread across his open, handsome face.
"Twelve gods, it's you, isn't it? Leafy! I can't believe I didn't recognise you sooner!"

His expression of delight was almost puppy-ish, but he didn't quite know what to do with that delight. He felt an urge to hug her tight, crush her almost, or pick her up and spin her around. None of those things would be appropriate.

"White wine and a selection of fruit teas, very good, your grace" said Conner, almost unheard, as he subtly made himself scarce.
 
Leafy. How long had it been since she'd heard that moniker? It brought back a deluge of memories, of many afternoons spent shirking her chores so she could sneak into Robin's room where he was supposed to be studying. He'd always been treated to the best teas and snacks with the most beautiful painted teacups. She'd bemoaned the whole situation so shamelessly, angry that he should put his ungrateful lips on the finest teaware while she was forbidden from so much as touching the stuff for fear of her young hands breaking it.

"I have a lady's hands!" She'd insisted, hugging one of the cups close. "You're just a dummy who can't appreciate art because you think it's girly."

Goodness, the whippings she would have had if he'd tattled on her! But the worst he'd ever done was pout in that unmistakably adorable way of his. Whenever he tried to ignore her in revenge, his smile could always be brought back with some prodding and the promised excitement of trying yet another one of her newfound methods for sneaking him out of the palace.

And sometimes, when the wound was deeper than she realized, the prideful, willful little goblin that she was could even bring herself to apologize to him, enlisting the aid of a kitchen hand to bake him something sweet.

So much had changed since then, and yet, when he smiled with such reckless affection it was as though nothing was different at all. He remembered her. After more than a decade he still remembered his Leafy!

The happiness that welled up inside her was so potent it made her chest ache. She'd had no idea that so much of it could ever exist inside her, all that warmth buried by years of familial agony and working herself to the bone just to get a meal. Finally, the rescue she'd dreamed of was at hand, where she could run into his arms without anyone to stop her!

He might have been held back by decorum, but she certainly was not. In the relatively safe shadow of the stairwell, not even an angry, insistent baron could press himself close enough to see the mystery woman throw herself at the duke.

It had once been so easy to snatch up Robin in her arms, like a cuddly little brother she could scoop up whenever she needed a hug. Now, she had to roll herself up onto her toes so she could comfortably wrap her slender arms around his neck. Beaming like a fool, she squeezed him close, uncaring of how her breasts pressed up against his chest.

"Tea! You big oaf, how was it tea of all things that unblinded you?" She felt like laughing and crying at once, her warm cheek brushing against his as she angled her head up toward his ear. "You could empty your entire pantry and the last dregs of your cellar for me and it wouldn't do a thing to absolve you. How many harpies were you going to flirt with until you were even going to bother glancing my way?"
 
As his old friend wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing herself against him in a tight embrace, Robert found his arms respond in kind without any effort of will on his part. One arm around her slender waist, the other higher, around her back, squeezing them together even more tightly. Even through the joy of their embrace, it struck Robert how natural this felt… how well Estelle seemed to fit into his arms. It felt like a resumption, even though, as far as he was concerned, there was nothing remotely romantic… or even sexual… about their prior relationship. Robert had been a late bloomer in many respects. Although young Robin would have grudgingly admitted that she was pretty – if you liked that kind of thing – at that stage, he did not, in fact, like that kind of thing. Unless you counted the strange feeling in his tummy when they wrestled sometimes. Or the fact that he liked the sound of her voice, and he liked to make her laugh.

“Absolve me!” he replied, managing to grin and scoff at the same time. “Why, you could hardly have made it more difficult! Short of dyeing your hair and donning a bushy moustache, of course! This is literally a masked ball. Literally. And rather than simply presenting yourself, or writing to me, or making yourself known in countless other possible ways, you instead elect to accost me at a masked ball! And rather than tell me your name, you instead throw yourself at me, trip me up, offer me no clues as to your identity – other than your insolence, of course! Which perhaps I should have recognised. You were my friend, Estelle, and that gives you a prior claim to my attention ahead of the 'harpies'. There was no need to employ subterfuge to obtain what was your right. I may even have made fewer scandalous remarks. But I deserve some credit for recognising you eventually, do I not? In my defence… it has been more than a decade, and you have changed quite a bit. For instance….”

Robert dropped his gaze, deliberately and shamelessly glancing down the hemline of her ball gown. Just for a moment, before his eyes flicked up again to meet hers once more.
“Those are new.” he said, smiling his roguish, twinkling smile. “You look lovely, Estelle, and I am delighted to see you again.”
 
It was strange, this mix of seduction and reclaimed friendship. There was comfort in the affectionate cinch of his arm around her, but the way his hand spread over her bare back? Another sharp tremble ran down her spine as the warmth of him near melted the painfully elegant curve of her back. She hadn't thought herself cold until now, when the warmth of him so easily slipped through the silk and lace of her gown. Perhaps it was the fault of such sinful calefaction — the muscle keeping her upright was quickly becoming quite useless — but she suspected it was the sudden snap of tension in her circumstances that made her feel suddenly weak.

Even when dancing, she'd been so focused on her every word and movement, determined to play the role of a confident, peerless seductress to perfection. Of course he'd kept poking holes in her performance, making her laugh and blush and perhaps even forget herself just a little, but she was driven by the loveliest, most brittle sense of desperation.

Ah, but he remembered her! He held her close, full of chivalric regard and far too much kindness for an old friend. Well, he did use 'friend' in the past tense, which was just enough to make her gut twist with unease. Genial though he was, she did not miss the unspoken hurt in his teasing rebuff. Why didn't you write to me? Why did you approach me as a stranger? Why would you treat our meeting again like a game?

Where did she even begin her story? What did it matter, when her only purpose in seeing him again was to beg for his help? The longer she remained with him, the harder it was to find the words. He wasn't looking at her like a servant, nor was there pity for the filthy creature she had become. The way his eyes wandered down to her breasts, mischievous and warm — how could she not keep the game going just a little longer?

"There is nothing I would not give to have Maybell near enough to hear such provocative words from our dear duke. Are you feeling quite alright, or has my corruption already taken hold of you?" Her wry smile was sharp with bitterness, but that was all she would allow to slip before falling back into pleasantries.

"You've grown so much since I saw you last! I may have had ample help in identifying you, but I like to think I'd know you even if I were blindfolded. I know the sound of your voice too well, and that eagerness of yours hasn't changed even a little. How you must torment the good ladies of court with that wagging tongue of yours!"

Her gloved hands slid down from his neck, carefully bracing herself against his chest. "I, however, am willing to forgive your rambunctiousness and whatever elixir grew you to such an unfair height. Tell me that we are friends again, and I will delight you in all the ways I am capable of."
 
Robert closed his eyes, trying to imagine all the ways in which she could delight him. With her body pressed against his and his arm around her bare back... with the scent of her hair in his nostrils, with the sound of her sweet voice and sweeter promises echoing through his mind... it was not too great a leap of imagination.

He imagined himself smiling his handsome smile at her, and accepting her offer with graceful alacrity. Robert's mind was even starting to form some of the words he'd imagine he'd use... he'd tell her how delighted he was by her delightful offer to delight him. There was definitely potential for a witty double entendre about how he'd torment her with that wagging tongue of his... and perhaps also something about blindfolds, and how he could find her one if she so desired. Accepting would be so, so easy... and it felt so, so right... and was so, so tempting. How long had it been now? And with her, it would be... well... it would be new and familiar all at once, with an echo of the taboo or the forbidden. The pleasure of their reunion manifesting as sexual desire, affection channelled into lust. It was so tempting. And it would postpone awkward conversations... conversations that perhaps neither of them were ready to have... until later. Until afterwards. Easier to be intimate after intimacy.

But no.

Once Robin had been primed to regard missing his friend and desiring her return as selfish, and as weakness, he saw it elsewhere too. Had he been a good friend to her, or had he been selfish? He could do as he pleased, while poor Leafy took all the risks. Mistress Maybell might criticise his conduct or scold him, but he never risked corporal punishment to be with her as she risked it to be with him. Was she beaten often because of him? He wasn't sure he knew. As Robin gradually turned into Robert, he started to question whether he had made her be his friend without realising... he didn't think he had, but how could he be sure? As he grew older, and as Master Pointon introduced him to the writings of Machiavelli, he came to understand how power and privilege operated, how the desires of the powerful were anticipated and pandered to before they were even expressed. How even the prospect of disapproval kept certain ideas and information and actions off the agenda. He still thought it more likely than not that their friendship was genuine, and not a little adventure or fantasy that he had willed into being without knowing it.

Estelle would feel his body stiffen in their embrace. Robert kept his arm around her shoulders, but unwound his other arm from her back. His mask was a distinctly token effort, but he removed it nevertheless. He took his time doing it, as if it were delicate, or as if he were making a point. He gazed down at her with a thoughtful expression on his open, handsome face, pondering, trying to find the right words for his thoughts.

"Yes" he said, "but also no. Yes, we are friends again, and I am gladdened to the depths of my cold, dark soul to see you again, Estelle. And although I would not necessarily... hypothetically speaking... be entirely opposed to some mutual delight. But the one does not depend upon the other. I offer you my friendship gratis, string-free... not as part of a quid pro quo. Perhaps you will lambast me for mistaking your meaning and impugning your honour. Perhaps you'll laugh at me for responding to your... delightful... offer with pedantry or sophistry, but I think the distinction is an important one. You can seduce me if you want to, but you don't have to seduce or induce me to be your friend."
 
She could sense it like a shark smelling blood in the water — he was close, so very close to the first steps of that slow, amorous dance meant for two entwining souls. There were complicated implications, to be sure, but he did not seem nervous or ignorant. He knew how to flirt, how to hold a woman, and surely all the hidden strings that came attached to such intimacy. Was that why he so delicately separated desire from friendship now? She wouldn't put it past him to suspect an ulterior motive on her part, and it seemed exactly the sort of method he'd use when trying to diffuse such personal subterfuge. I'll give you what you want, those gentle eyes promised, you don't need to slit my throat in the night if comfort and safety is all you desire.

Had it been young Robin speaking such words, she would have known without a doubt that his purpose was only to avoid conflating duty and propriety with real and true friendship. But this was a slyer, older fellow separated by years of entirely different circumstances from her. If she took everything at face value, including those bright, heart-melting eyes, she never would have made it back to his side.

Part of her was delighted to no end by the dilemma he presented. She could not recall a time when a man anywhere near his rank or education had trusted her to understand casuistry to any degree at all. The more sensible part of her brain, however, urged her to tamp down that pride. Moral arguments were not conducive to seduction and challenging the rightness of a man's words was a far better way to earn his ire than his affection. If she kissed him there and then, if she pushed that paltry boundary keeping him in check, she could find all manner of ways to convince him that such distinctions didn't matter at all.

She needed to continue pressing the advantage. He did not yet know who he was truly speaking to — yes, she was physically the young girl he had met a childhood ago, but she was no longer connected to any form of nobility, bastardized or otherwise. Her most recent moniker was Madame Désirée, the name of a celebrated exotic dancer who held private and public performances alike. What made her stand out from so many dancing women of the art was the fusion of ballet with acrobatic and foreign influences. There was not another style like hers, and she had cultivated that advantage with mystique. No one knew from whence she came, and no one could quite decide if she was the image of art itself or blasphemy in the form of dance.

Unlike Robert, she could not remove her mask. If he was seen with her, if she was recognized, the only thing that would follow was scandal. What a farce, Madame Désirée seducing a duke in the guise of a noblewoman! Mistresses were meant to be kept well away from the light of a ballroom. And yet there he was, concerned that it was her and not him that was being put upon to remain honest about friendship and intimacy.

In the end, however, habit was simply too hard to kill. Her expression curled into the sly smile of a villainess as she idly traced the satin lip of his waistcoat. "What woman, I wonder, would not be offended by such implications? Some sheltered little creature whose only use in polite society is to find a husband? What a relief, that I don't have to endure an enticing man's attentions to get the object of my desire!"

Gods, she should stop! She never should have said the words! It wasn't him who had put her in such a position, not now and not back then. The trouble was, he was the only one who would listen, who could know the pain screaming silently inside of her. And so her mouth ran on.

"You insult yourself, too. Look at you!" She reached up toward him, cupping her hand over the smooth curve of his cheek. How did one even describe his beauty, still youthful enough to maintain a soft, boyish charm and yet aged just enough to be in his prime with the strapping elegance expected of his family line! Whether he was honest or not, he was charmingly animated in every gesture, earnest and energetic. For all his studious ways, he presented himself as an articulate, cheeky figure among his fellows, not a cloistered intellectual who knew neither manners nor practicality.

She resented how splendid he had become as much as she adored it. Her darkening blue eyes narrowed at him, politeness now well and truly abandoned. "Is it because you are so far above me that you think there can be no equitable exchange between us? Or is your opinion of yourself so low that you think you do not deserve to be won over? If a woman should want to know your affections, should she not be the most beautiful, interesting, exceptional creature to be worthy of them? If she should want something of you after so many years apart, is it not right that she should earn it, be it material or otherwise? Don't insult me — not ever — by pretending even for a moment that my desire is beholden to anything that isn't my own heart."
 
Robert withdrew his arm from around her shoulder and took a small step backwards, unconsciously adopting his 'thinking' pose, unchanged from when he was Robin. Left arm folded across his chest, hand pressed against his ribs with the elbow of his right arm. The thumb and forefinger of his right hand absently stroked at his chin and jaw, a frown of concentration across his face. He was not withdrawing from Estelle, but trying to follow her line of reasoning, which was much harder with her body pressed against his. His keen, intelligent eyes remained focused on her as she spoke.

When she finished, he sighed a deep sigh, considering. He pressed the palms of his hands together, almost as if in prayer, over his mouth and nose, forefingers either side of the bridge of his nose and thumbs on his jawline.

"There must be sense in what you say, Leafy. Somewhere, there must be a golden thread of logic that I might follow to discern your meaning. There must be sense to be made of it. I do not believe the years have dulled your wits when they have sharpened your tongue! Let me see if I understand you. Your desire is not beholden to anything that is not your own heart, and I insult you - and perhaps myself also, indirectly - to suggest otherwise. This I can well believe... you were never beholden to anything or anyone before. So... your offer to delight me in all the ways you are capable of... is an offer made not from ulterior motives, but because it would delight you also. Delight for delight sounds like equitable exchange to me, no?"

"And yet... you imply that if you want something from me, it is right that you should earn it? And that I should expect you to earn it, because... well, because I'm me. Well... that has the form of an equitable exchange, and yet it cannot be so. Why? Because what you want from me - material or otherwise - is unclear. I have made one decision already tonight that is arguably... unwise. My friend loves a girl whose father has greater ambitions for a son-in-law than him. Tonight, I bade my friend remind this man that I am friend and kin to him, and am minded to be generous. If her father is wise, his expectations will be realistic. If he is greedy, or foolish, or foolishly greedy, or greedily foolish, he will ask for more than I can afford to pay. Not in terms of coin or land, but in terms of my own reputation for wise and just rule. I cannot offer preference to a man beyond his service and merits just because he is my friend. And then I shall have to refuse him. And my friend - if he is wise - will understand. But he was only ever on nodding terms with wisdom, and is in love. So he may conclude that the fault is mine, and my friendship false."

Robert shrugged helplessly. This had been playing on his mind. He'd considered it worth the risk, and in any case, there would always be the opportunity for negotiation. He could always speak to Chantal's father directly. The real picture was more complicated than the one he presented, but he was only trying to make a point.

"I have made one uncosted promise of friendship tonight. I will not make a second. Let me instead offer you three equitable exchanges. First. Our friendship always came at greater cost to you than to me. Thus, I have an undischarged debt. If I can be a friend to you, I will. Second. If there is something you desire - material or otherwise - you should ask for it, and I will tell you if I can - and if I will - grant it. You must understand that there are things I can do, and things I can do, but judge the cost too great to do. Third. If you want to seduce me, I'll seduce you right back. You want to delight me? I'll delight you right back. I delight in delighting. Because you, Estelle... whether you're Lady Estelle of Wherever or Leafy the kitchen maid... you are worthy of my friendship and my affection."

"Why? Because I judge it so."

Robert smiled his most winning smile, and offered her his outstretched hands.
"Be my friend again, Leafy"
 
When he stepped away, her arms tried to chase him, leaving her leaned awkwardly forward before she had the sense to correct herself. The way he stood there, poised and thoughtful as he posited the most annoying 'there must be sense somewhere in your argument,' he nearly managed to goad out the seven-year-old Leafy whose only rational answer was to give him a good, hard shove. Fortunately for them both, she was a woman with a hot but decidedly controlled temper. With a self-righteous snort of every word I said was crystal clear, she turned on her heel and folded her arms.

The one thing she couldn't do, however, was storm off. Damn the man, he was genuinely doing his utmost to understand her, and the more he spoke, the more she realized her own folly. He didn't have all the pieces necessary to understand what she was purposefully obfuscating, and hadn't that been her intent? If she'd just keep her mouth shut, he was already so willing to help her!

Why did that make her so upset? Deep down, she understood well enough — he had no idea Baron Lineham was no doubt watching the doorway leading to their little tryst, waiting for her to emerge so he could scold him while she let him pleasure himself with her breasts. That lovely silver pin caught up in hair with those deep, sparkling sapphires? She'd traded a pair of emerald earrings for it, those earrings having been pilfered from some unsuspecting noblewoman's jewelry box by her husband. Her hand had emptied chamber pots, scoured dishes, and collected feed for animals. And he had kissed that hand.

She'd thought that if she could shove those thoughts and feelings down far enough, she could overcome them. Had she not proven herself a lady? No one at the ball could distinguish her nobility from her half-sister. Yes, the very woman who'd ground her heel into Estelle's scalp, hissing 'you're worth less than the floor I walk on!' had been outdone by a stranger half-raised by a circus act.

Yet she didn't feel invincible or victorious. Her stepmother was a part of her past, a woman who she no longer had any relation to. What she realized, pouting like a fool with her back shamelessly turned to the man she desperately wanted, was that she loathed the thought of him feeling a similar way about her. If she was not more beautiful, more charming, more capable than any other lover, friend, or mere servant within his reach, what right had she to take their place?

Estelle slipped the gloved knuckle of her forefinger into her mouth, as if the little bite could hold back everything. It was silly, honestly — her mask already hid a great deal of emotion for her, but she couldn't bring herself to look at him. He was treated only to her silhouette, the golden light cast from the ballroom igniting the soft curls of her hair as they tumbled down the swanlike curve of her neck. The translucent silk of her gown caught that same light in a pale glow, the slim shape of her legs a stark shadow against it.

But she did listen, angling her head toward his voice. It seemed odd that he should mention a friend now of all times, but his explanation soon made sense. How easy it was to forget he was Robin and Duke Robert — a boy who simply wanted to do right by his friends as much as a man who had to behave according to the needs and expectations of the court. He was already worried about what his friend might endure and suspect, and now she was foisting her problems on him. If she would simply come out and say she only wanted to serve him again… but that was no longer all she wanted, was it?

Had it ever been all she wanted?

And then he had to go and say the words her heart wouldn't allow her to swallow. Worthy of friendship and affection? After all that happened, and all she had yet to explain?

"You don't… I can-ngh! — I…" Estelle's voice cracked, her muddled mind unable to find up or down of their dilemma. She could scold him for reasoning his way back to friendship. Perhaps she could even stammer out how powerfully she felt Maybell's and her own stepmother's eyes on her, as if they were vengeful spirits from the grave bent on reminding her of how much she didn't deserve the hand he offered. Scandal. Selfishness. His unhappiness.

Why didn't she just kiss him earlier? It was so much easier to act when her head was full of only him.

Suddenly aware of her own hand, Estelle yanked it away from her mouth and turned to face Robert properly. Still unable to meet his gaze or handle the smile she knew he was beaming toward him, she looked only for his hands. Stiff as she felt, sick to her own sensibilities as his generosity made her, he was still within reach. She took hold of his hands, squeezing them tightly in his.

"At least half of what you said is nonsense." She dipped her head, half muttering between them. "But I won't say no when you ask like that."
 
There was more going on here than he knew. And he did not know what he did not know. This was not an entirely new revelation for Duke Robert. He had no idea where Estelle had been, what she had been doing, or why she was back now. He knew her as a maidservant, but her birth was always higher than that. And now, here she was, dressed as magnificently as any woman here, and with more natural beauty and grace to work with. There were mysteries here, but they could wait. They were not what was important.

The first crack in Estelle's beautifully crafted facade had appeared. And he was not entirely sure exactly what he'd said that had prompted it. It was not like the Leafy he remembered to be unable or unwilling to meet his gaze, look him in the eye. The mumbled accusation that he was talking nonsense was more familiar, from when she would fail to admit that he had bested her in an argument and had no more reasoned response. Had that been an argument? And had he bested her? He wasn't sure. But this was a problem for later.

Robert felt her take his proffered hands, and squeezed hers in return, though more gently. He chuckled, as much to himself as to her.

"If at least half of what I said is nonsense" he said, "then at most half of what I said must not be nonsense. And that's not a bad success rate, especially given the amount of time I spend talking. I am, as you see, in love with the sound of my own voice. Do you know, Leafy, how many people would stand where you stand, and - bold as brass - accuse me, Duke Robert de Reynaux, of talking nonsense? It's not many. Machiavelli would argue that-"

He trailed off.
"You know what... screw Machiavelli. Screw sophistry. Fuck Philosophy. Leafy is back!"

He gazed at her for a moment, smiling. He almost reached out to remove her mask, but for some reason, that felt too invasive. Instead, Robert pulled her into a hug, wrapping his arms around her, seeking to hold her in a warm, comforting embrace.

"Hello, Leafy" he breathed into her ear. "Robin's pleased to see you. And. So. Am. I."
 
Oh, he was insufferable! But Estelle knew better than to assume the source of his verbal wanderings was narcissism as he implied. His parents had never needed to worry about his dedication to his studies — young Robin had thrived on the simple pleasure of being heard and understood. And no one had indulged him more than his favorite old tutor, who was willing to go back and forth about truth, the assumption of truth, and how to break down everything into even more truth. Behind every assertion between two civilized people, there was a story much more interesting than the spoken words themselves.

She had never been able to match Robin in that regard. Now that he was a proper adult (and a half-decent gentleman), she could only imagine just how many passages he had memorized in that bogglingly large mind of his, how many lenses of thought he employed to consider her every word. Indeed, she could imagine him making her write down every phrase he'd said, notating exactly what she thought was sensical and nonsensical. And then, with the patience of a devil, he'd walk through her every thought until he could find that 'golden thread of logic' that would lead them to him being right all along.

That much hadn't changed between them, she decided. He was letting her off easy this time, probably because she was in visible distress. Perhaps there was more to it as well — was his desire to have his Leafy back truly so simple, no strings attached?

Well, when he pulled her closer so shamelessly, it was difficult not to believe. There was the warmth of him again, the velvety rasp of his sleeves against the silk of her gown as he closed in on her. She didn't waste her time on silly repartee, nuzzling her chin up against the curve of his shoulder. Still, a sound managed to escape all the same, the strangest squeak that fell somewhere between a moan and a whimper.

Her ears were warmed pink before he even tickled one with his breath. Compared to everything he'd spoken thus far, a 'Hello, Leafy' was nothing short of pure innocence. And yet! Something about the way he said it made her stomach curl in on itself, squeezing into a nervous little knot. For a moment, just the smallest one, she had to wonder if he was the one ensnaring her.

But that was a ridiculous notion! She was the one using him, seducing him into a quiet corner so she could ascertain his friendly feelings toward her and make her move. He'd be surprised, no doubt, by her desire to be his servant again, but she still felt the need to put such business off. Robert had also said that he was not entirely opposed to her advances. If she put aside the need to win him over, if she were free simply to express her delight in being near him again, exactly like this, then…

"The pleasure is mine, Your Grace." Estelle dug her fingers into his cravat, casually working her way toward the knot at his neck so she could loosen it. Against his nose, she was all lilies, a light and fresh sort of femininity warmed by just a touch of vanilla. "Still… pushing aside Machiavelli to woo your kitchen maid? I'll make you into a Nero yet."
 
Robert held her close, and he was struck again by how neatly their bodies seemed to fit together. He was minded to just hold her, saying nothing, doing nothing, except maybe... maybe... starting to stroke her hair. He heard her... whimper, maybe? To his ears, she sounded almost feline. He thought that might be what she needed... give her what she needed now, work out the whys and the wherefores later. His instincts told him that something was amiss, but another voice in his head reminded him of the effect he sometimes had on people. He had been told this by a number of people before... he was the Duke, after all. And not just that, but handsome and clever too... his presence, his clean sandalwood scent, could often overwhelm people. It would sometimes strike pretty girls dumb when he tried to converse with them. As a ruler so tender in years, his presence was a blessing, but his inability to entirely shut it off made it feel like a double edge sword. Perhaps Estelle was just overwhelmed by seeing him again, by his remembering her, by his offer of friendship, by the magnificence of what he had become.

But Leafy had never been that impressed by him when he was a child, and judging by the way she had first spoken to him, she was hardly overawed now. No. something else. She recovered from whatever-that-was quickly enough and was soon back bantering and toying with his cravat, which allowed him to enjoy her closeness. She felt so good in his arms... she smelled so good. He should, he realised, watch for his habit of trying to save everyone, or even assuming people needed saving. Estelle looked well... better than well... she looked magnificent.

"There are fewer steps between Hero and Nero than most people know" he said, "which is why I need people who'll tell me when they think I'm talking nonsense, and when they think I'm behaving like a spoilt brat, or abusing my power and position. But I'm not having it that you were ever really my maidservant... not really. Maidservants do as they were told. Maidservants are subtle and discreet, fading in and out of existence as they're needed. Maidservants treat their betters with deference and respect." He paused, grinning, "You were a terrible maidservant, Leafy! You slummed it a bit for a while... I'm not sure I every really understood why that was. You should have been a lady-in-waiting to one of my sisters... but I'm glad you weren't. I'm glad you were my friend... are my friend. And look at you now! Maybell would be amazed... either that or entirely unsurprised."

"But alas, I cannot lurk hidden in a stairwell with you for much longer. It would be a mistake for me to neglect my guests. I am sure my absence has already been noted. Mother will not be happy... the harpies might start ripping the palace to pieces! Will you sit with me awhile in my balcony? Connor will be back with refreshments once he deems it safe and discreet to do so. Who are you here with? They can join us, if you wish it. I thought I saw someone who might be..."

He trailed off, the words "your sister" unspoken. He settled for "a relation" instead, but felt immediately awkward. He couldn't remember all the details - or even if he ever had any details - but he had a strong sense that there were family issues. He knew - or had reconstructed - the fact that she was her father's daughter but not her mother's, and that was a cause of tension. But perhaps that had been resolved with her marriage. Either way, it felt awkward. Until he'd reminded himself, he hadn't thought about who she might be here with. She must be here with someone... but... no relatives had tried to make an introduction... if that had been her sister, she would surely have been with her... at least if all was well. Did she marry one of the northern Barons, and if so, was he here? He didn't like to think of her married... but his memory told her that she must be, or must have been, but now his instincts told her that she wasn't. Oh yeah, that time when she offered him every delight she had to offer. That could have been a clue. But still... He changed tack.

"If you would like to come to my chambers after the ball, I can arrange that. If that's... possible? Appropriate? We can catch up properly. If not... an audience tomorrow? I'm sure my schedule can be changed. Look, I'm sorry, Leafy... I'm tempted to just leave with you right now, but I just can't afford to act like that."
 
Estelle indulged in Robert's embrace as if it were a warm bath, content merely to soak in his open affection. Well, there was a little more than that afoot — once she'd done away with the knot of his cravat, she slid it clean off his neck. With that fine green fabric bunched up into one hand, the other made short work of the button at his collar, popping his neck free of all that stiff linen. While he went on about exactly how poor a maid she had been (an alarming track of thought, given what she was so close to asking from him), she shamelessly nuzzled her way between his bare neck and the fabric of his shirt.

There could not be a better sensation than this, she decided, with her face positively burrowed into the warm, masculine scent of him. Her lips lingered flush against the fine, bony line of his clavicle where he could surely feel her cat-like smile, wickedly delighted to be his terrible maidservant.

He probably didn't remember that there had been a time when she was terrified of him. It had been only a brief moment, confined to her quiet, rapidly beating heart, but significant all the same.

"You! Girl!"

Yes, even young Robin had possessed authority and pomp when he wished to, and having just tried to steal some apple slices from his picnic, she'd been certain she was about to have her fingernails peeled off. That was precisely what the maids had told her would happen should she try to steal anything shiny from the house.

While fruit didn't exactly equate to valuable silverware, young Estelle had never been given reason to expect mercy. Despite having been caught red-handed by the head maid, Robin had used that same superior voice to command Estelle to gather up all the goodies she saw fit, sit beside him, and eat everything she desired.

He'd done all that for her sake, talking big to the grown-ups around them about things she'd been too scared to pay any real attention to, and yet! When she sat beside him, fingernails intact, she'd only been able to stare blankly at the ground in front of her, mindful of Maybell's furious gaze.

"I've already eaten." Robin's voice had changed when he spoke again to her, softer and a touch self-conscious. "You probably saw. So I'm not actually hungry. So you can eat what you like. What's your name? I can't keep calling you 'servant girl,' that would be rude. My real name is Robert, but everyone calls me Robin."

Her mouth had opened, then closed, her throat too tight to speak a single word. She'd been certain the silence that followed between them would very well suffocate her. For all the awkwardness, however, he never scolded her or treated her like a dummy. He simply did what he always did: he talked. He talked about how everyone expected people like his sisters to be shy, but they definitely weren't, and one had even asked a dignitary why the wart on his face was so large. He talked about a radical 'social contract' he'd read recently — something about how people were pure before being introduced into 'nascent societies' and that 'private property' corrupted them with jealousy and pride, therefore making the intervention of governance necessary.

Finally, he'd gotten around to a bright smile and a gentle, "You really can eat something. Aren't you hungry?"

Somehow, all those words of his had filled up the trembling, empty space inside of her, and she'd surprised herself by finally speaking. "I'm s-scared. If M-Miss Maybell sees me take something…"

His young face then made a truly amusing scoff. "I said I'm sharing my food. It's fine."

She'd bitten her lip, finally daring to glance over the sweets screaming at her from the plate between them. "You promise?"

He'd had to reassure her not once more, but twice more until she dared to steal one of the awaiting macarons. She couldn't quite say what had drawn her to it, but something about the pretty pastel green with an elegant drizzle of chocolate along one edge appealed to her. Ah, and when she bit into it!

There simply weren't words for the crisp sweetness of the minty meringue, how it near melted in her mouth just as the rich chocolate filling hit her tongue. Her eyes must have widened twice her size, those little hands clasped over her mouth in wonder. It didn't make sense that there were such incredible things in the world, that flavor could explode in one's mouth and linger there in a wonderful, satiny rasp of memory. Before she'd realized it, tears had started to form in the corner of her eyes.

"What…? Why are you crying?" Of course the generous boy had been confused, pouting at such a dramatic reaction to a simple dessert.

She'd simply shaken her head, sniffling back more salty nuisances. "I-It's just so good! You're so good, Mr. Birdie!"

"Robin. I said everyone calls me Robin."

"Chickie?" A sugary giggle had trembled out from her lips, and she was still much too euphoric from the influence of chocolate to remember her fear. Why had it felt so very good to tease the remnants of that sullenness still stuck to his face?

"Robin! You know what? Just call me Robert." He'd been trying to frown, but she could see him fighting a smile at her ridiculous attempts.

"Sir Chirps-a-Lot."

That was what finally did it. He'd reached for her then, catching her cheek between two fingers in a sharp pinch. It'd hurt, of course, but she'd felt something else, too, a sort of ticklish electricity that'd made her burst out laughing. "Hee! Screechy! Squawkers! S-Sweety-beak!"

He'd been on the verge of tormenting her face with both his hands, but a sharp, "Estelle!" from Maybell promptly quieted the two. It'd only been natural for her to clam right back up, but when she'd glanced back to Robin, he was clearly mouthing his own fitting nickname for her: Dingbat!


She couldn't say she'd ever been scared of him since. He could accuse her of bravery all he wanted, but the truth was that he brought it out of her. More than anyone she'd known, he made it safe to be herself, and the version of herself she enjoyed the most was the one that made him smile.

Had any of that really changed?

Well, he certainly left a sour taste in her mouth when he mentioned Maybell. She imagined the awful woman would whip the scars right off her calves if she had even the slightest clue that Estelle was all dolled up with her hands on Robert. That, however, was a gripe for another time. Much too soon, Robert was apparently deciding to be reasonable and proper.

As far as seduction went, she'd certainly failed. If he was able to talk about guests and setting an appointment to see her on the morrow, there had to be at least several tricks she wasn't using. For all this trouble, however, she couldn't bring herself to fret. It was very, very comfortable, being in the arms of a man who wasn't groping for her ass or bragging about the 'gift' he'd provide her as soon as they could be properly alone. He wanted to speak with her, politely and genuinely, and that was exceptionally high praise from the court's brilliant fox of a duke.

"Mn, you mustn't be the one to apologize, Your Grace." Estelle reluctantly leaned back so she could gaze up at him properly. A helpless smile touched her lips, his only confession about the potency of his striking looks a soft, breathy sigh. "I am fully aware of The Rules, and unlike you, free to dismiss them as I like. When I take you too far, I'm sure I'll find the shame somewhere in me to muster up an apology."

She turned herself in his arms, casually wrapping his cravat around her wrist until she could play at tying it into a one-handed bow. "I will gladly follow you anywhere you wish: on the balcony, in your private chambers… and by your side, wielding one of those silvered butter knives against the harpies that await. There is no one of consequence awaiting my return, and so I am yours until you have the sense to send me away."
 
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Robert knew that he would be a better man if his cocktail of emotions at Estelle's answer consisted of more parts sorrow and regret that she did not have anyone 'of consequence' awaiting her return. And rather fewer parts of a kind of possessive, wolfish pleasure. I am yours, she had said. You are mine, echoed and echoed and echoed in his. No-one of consequence was waiting... no husband, no fiancée, no interfering family members. No-one of consequence was not, of course, the same as no-one at all. He might have wondered how long the list of people who Leafy would regard as being 'of consequence' would be... he suspected it would be shorter rather than longer. He suspected that she might deny that he was on it.

Even if he felt inclined to explore the topic of why there was no-one waiting, this was not the appropriate moment. If Estelle had come to him, broken, in tears, in desperate need of comfort and reassurance and alms, he would have given it. But his instincts told him that right now, what she needed wasn't sympathy or even empathy, but something else. Joy. One might even say 'delight'. He could ask why her larder was bare. Or he could pass her a macaron.

He looked down at her. His. In his arms. There was a look of devilment in his eyes, just a hint of the wolf about his grin.
"You are mine, then" he smiled.

She had been his before, only he'd not understood it at the time. His fencing practice had begun to pay dividends. He'd got stronger. Quicker. More subtle with his intentions - not taking a deep breath before acting. More explosive with his movements. But he'd stopped himself from using what he'd learnt with... or on... Leafy. Didn't seem fair. Until he didn't want to get tickled. Again. So he'd let her think he was beaten, and then pounced. Then she was at his mercy, and gods, it was delicious. He could tickle her wherever he liked. And he liked. He loved that feeling of power, loved making her laugh and squirm, loved how it made her lose the power to resist him. Loved how he got to choose where to touch her next. Loved the flush in her cheeks, the way her breathing became louder and more ragged. Loved how it was all a game, but a game he was winning. He'd wondered what would happen if he kept tickling her and didn't stop. Would she reach peak tickle? Would her giggling reach some kind of crescendo or climax? What might that be like?

It all made Robin feel very funny, but good funny. He stopped tickling her when they were interrupted, lest her giggling give away their hiding place. Hiding like that was fun too. Was it all too fun? Was there something wrong with what they were doing? He had a dim sense that there probably was... beyond neither of them being supposed to be out playing, of course. Too many sweet foods were bad cumulatively, even if each was individually delicious. Even as the son of the Duke, Robin had a sense of distrust of anything too good. He remembered his fairy stories and folk tales... what seemed too good to be true probably was, or was at least worthy of suspicion. Still, he rationalised, it was probably just a one-off. The first time he'd been entirely victorious, rather than losing, or wrestling to an entertaining stalemate or draw. The rush of euphoria from a first-time achievement... like the first time he'd successfully executed an indirect riposte from a parry in the guard of septime. Only it hadn't been like that at all. Robin's mind hadn't wandered back to that particular event nearly so often in the days afterwards.


Robert glanced at Estelle's wrist, and either was - or affected to be - a little confused to see his cravat around her wrist. He stared it at, and then, head canted to one side, looked quizzically at her.

"I can hardly go out there" he said, in a stage whisper... staged lecture... indicating the ballroom, "without my cravat, now can I? Whatever will people think? Whatever will people say if I emerge from this stairwell sans cravat? I'll tell you, girlie... scandal, that's what. I cannot be.... tied... to any suggestions of impropriety. And you... you shouldn't be undressing me here. Perhaps a gentleman may remove his cravat later on in the evening, with the permission of the ladies present, should it be a warm night or the dancing particularly energetic. But traditionally, de-cravatting is done in one's private chambers."

"I said you were a terrible maid, Leafy" he grinned. "Now... put it back on. At once, girl, you understand? And if the knot isn't to my satisfaction, I'll make you do it again!"
 
"Bah, I can't tell if you're being serious or trying at a terrible impression of Miss Maybell." Estelle squirmed to face him properly again, the wrist in question demurely resting against her chest. Normally, she'd admit that deep green wasn't really her color, but she quite liked having something of his tied up with her. Besides, an open shirt suited him quite well, and wasn't it fair for her to do some ogling after his little peek down her dress?

His smile was radiant, the assertion of 'you are mine' still running hot in her blood. Truly, this was dangerous — she was inclined to do any manner of scandalous things, right there and then.

"I can think of at least a dozen reasons why your cravat-less self is hardly such a terror, and were I not in such dogged pursuit of rekindling an old friendship, I wouldn't let you get away with this." She leaned back to glance at the doorway to the stairwell, hands braced against his chest as if she might push herself away at any moment. "Suppose I ducked out of your arms and dashed out there right now, exactly like this. Would you chase after me, limping along with so much of your virtue lost? Would your mother weep over your nobly fallen corpse, perished by the slightest tarnish upon your seraphic reputation?"

With an annoyed click of her tongue, she undid his cravat from around her wrist, both ends in hand as she slipped it around his neck — and used the torque of the satin to drag his face down closer to hers. So long as he didn't resist, their lips would be mere centimeters apart, close enough to smell the sweet prickle of champagne on her breath.

She practically trembled with desire, no, with the need to kiss him there and then. Her head was still full of that rich, woodsy cologne mixed with the musk of his skin. Always, the more he insisted on a point, the more she wanted to test the boundaries of it.

"Some unsolicited advice from a woman who has none of your smarts or experience: you're young enough yet to be a rake and get away with it. Talk all you like about the evils of scandal, but it's nothing more than a tool, the same as tempered generosity and oh-so-pious honesty." With no small amount of willpower, she angled his chin away so she could wrap his cravat back in place.

Apparently, the woman had experience with such things — with a few twists and a knot, his cravat was fixed back in place, perfectly balanced with a handsome bow and the ends tucked neatly into his vest. She gave it a long, appraising look before her eyes found his face once again.

"Mn, I daresay that it's better than before. And for the record, I have been known to behave. If I had been called 'My dearest, sweetest Leafy' instead of 'girl!' I might have grown up an angel instead of a devil." Her tone was suddenly edged with seriousness, and she paused. "You do know I am a devil, yes?"
 
Robert found himself holding his breath while Estelle expertly re-tied his cravat. He could have dispensed with it... could have re-tied it himself. But he wanted to her close to him, wanted to smell her scent, feel her breath on his neck. He'd enjoyed her taking it off, so he hadn't stopped her. And he wanted a repeat performance in reverse. He thought she was probably chiding him for having her re-tie his cravat in the stairwell, rather than... well... something much more delicious in his private chambers. This little pantomime was a collusion in feigned innocence, but it was one Robert was relishing. He was almost certain that if, instead of all this, he had just ordered her to his personal chambers, stripped her, and fucked her brains out, she would have followed his instructions with relish. But this was Estelle... she... they... deserved more ceremony. Like the heady champagne that he could detect a hint of on her breath, this was a pleasure to be sipped and savoured rather than gulped down in one go.

She was right in what she said about his options as regards playing the rake. And she was right about scandal being a tool of power. And a scandal was only a scandal if people were scandalised... and people were only scandalised by two categories of behaviour. Clear moral wrongs were the first. The second was hypocrisy - when your deeds double-crossed your words, or where your deeds double-crossed the image people have of you. And scandal was often mistaken for its near neighbour, which was mere gossip. Or news. Someone ashamed of his own conduct turned gossip into scandal. This was why a pious nobleman siring a bastard with a serving girl was a scandal, and his libertine brother doing the same was just.... expected. This was true whether the pious nobleman wore his piety lightly or heavily.

Robert grinned at her assertion that she was a devil. He caught the hard edge to her question, but chose not to acknowledge it. He placed his hands possessively either side of her waist and leaned closer to answer.

"If by that you mean that you're in my ear, tempting me with all the delights you have to offer, then yes, I'd say you are a devil of sorts. Devilish. Devil-ish. Metaphorically speaking, you're Mephistopheles. Literally though... no, not having it. Know why? I'm going to tell you anyway. Two reasons... firstly, devils don't tell you they're devils. Not the ones who seek out their prey. And I'm no Doctor Faustus. I just wanted to dance with some beautiful women, not summon the Great Adversary himself. Second... anyone who describes themselves as a devil must have a reason to do so. And if that's because they elements of their past for which they reproach themselves or regret, why, that can only be because they have a conscience. One who possesses a conscience cannot be a devil. QED. And if you believe yourself a potential angel who became a devil, I would ask myself if you fell, like the Morning Star, or if you were pushed. More sinner than sinned against?"

"And more to the point. I know you, Leafy. Knew you. Would like to know you again. I didn't recognise you at first, and you chided me for it. I recognise you now. You're Dingbat, not a bat out of hell. And if you need someone to call you 'my dearest, sweetest Leafy', I'll happily oblige."

He tapped the tip of her dainty nose with the tip of his forefinger.
"You're no more a devil than I am an angel, my dearest, sweetest Leafy. And....."
He paused, and then whispered into her ear.
".... I'm no angel."
 
Stop. Stop it! His lips were so close again, the cultured tenor of his voice drizzling against her like melted wax. The warmth of it alone was enough to sting a little, full of kindness she didn't deserve. It lingered on her skin, made her arms feel weak and her face hot. This time, however, that warmth spread down her neck, blossoming in her chest with enough sultry tingling to make her nipples harden. There had never been a time when a man's voice alone could do this to her, not even when sex was still new and strange and exciting.

That was the problem with Robert — he hadn't even moved his hands anywhere inappropriate, and yet the comfortable weight of his touch was so exciting. It wasn't that his hands were particularly large or her waist unnaturally small; though he'd happily mocked his own 'scholar's hands,' she was certain he was more than capable of squeezing her, hoisting her up over his shoulder to carry her off for an overdue spanking.

Why was she the one getting flustered, losing all sense and control? Had she not planned this out well in advance? Had she not thought of the best things to say and do should he prove difficult to persuade?

Instead, her head was filling up with nonsense. She wanted him to squeeze her breasts, to find the shape and sensation of them to his liking. She wanted to drag her long skirt over her hips so he could feel out the delicately sculpted curves of her thighs and buttocks. There was pleasure in indulgence, of course, but to her there was something inexplicably exquisite about being admired by him in particular. She wanted to impress, to please, amuse, and delight him. She told herself it was because she had to be nothing short of perfection to win over a man like him — it conveniently buried the thought that perhaps she'd been waiting her whole life to give her everything to the cheeky, spoiled smart-ass she'd fallen in love with as a girl.

In a fair world, she would have been able to deconstruct what he meant by not being an angel in the same way he'd plucked apart her devil metaphor. Despite having given him little to work with, it was clear he was quickly catching on to the worries that lingered in her mind. 'Devil' was so easy to dismiss, to play for nothing more than a sensual warning. Being himself, Robert called it out as such immediately and moved past it, arguing before she even spoke the actual words that he knew her, that he knew the sins of being worldly, of being common blood mixed with nobility, and that such things didn't need to be construed as evil. Though he didn't say it all directly, the implication was there, in complete agreement with his former assertion that he didn't care if a kitchen maid was one of his best and dearest friends.

"Oh, Robin." The naked tenderness in her voice spoke for itself as her fingers curled over the nape of his neck, pushing his face flush against her. "You must expect me to say that you could never be mistaken for an angel, but when you swept me into your arms to dance, I…"

Her cheeks felt much, much too warm, but she managed to swallow down the worst of her mawkish sentiments. "What I mean to say is that you've put me in a terribly unfair position. I cannot help but think of the times you've mentioned tyranny, or gone out of your way to assuage your guests on my behalf, or worried about what your friend will think if you must put duty before him. Even when we were young, you were never allowed to be just a boy. A duke, I suppose, isn't quite an angel, but I suspect the expectations as to how they must behave aren't all that different."

She took a deep breath, taking advantage of his lowered head to run her fingers through his hair. "But you really are just a man. A man with a great many responsibilities, but still just a man — and flawed, most definitely, undeniably flawed. If your sisters are anything like I remember, they must remind you of that particular trait quite often. I admit I had my doubts — so much so I was terrified at the prospect of being recognized by you — but I am delighted to have found Sir Chirps-a-lot not just alive but thriving in this very stuffy palace."
 
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