Chapter 8 You're the Star Tonight
1169 Words
In the banquet hall, servers with trays of champagne mingled among the guests.
The ball was themed around Victorian elegance, with guests arrayed in splendid attire and women fluttering delicate fans. All eyes were drawn to Arthur, the man poised to ascend the social pinnacle.
Yet they merely admired from afar, saving their breath, well aware that their charms might not suffice for him.
Arthur scanned the room, not spotting Lily. Concerned she might be overwhelmed or hesitant to join, he excused himself from his father and stepped out to find her.
At that moment, the door to the banquet hall swung open. Arthur paused and saw Lily waiting at the doorway.
"Hi."
Lily greeted him.
Arthur had always known she was beautiful, but now she looked as if she had stepped out of a classical painting, briefly mesmerizing him.
It was Lily's first time attending such an event, and she was understandably nervous. Mimicking the aristocratic greeting she had seen in movies, she lifted her skirt and curtsied to Arthur.
"Am I doing this right?"
She asked Arthur, noticing the collective gaze of everyone in the banquet hall fixed on her.
Regaining his composure, Arthur softly nodded.
"Take my hand."
He extended his right hand, took Lily's in his, and led her towards Leto.
"Oh, Lily, that dress looks stunning on you," remarked Leto.
"Thank you, Mr. Bronte."
The live band played Franz Schubert's "Rose on the Heath" as Leto gazed at Lily with a melancholic expression.
"I was on my first date with your mother when this same song played in the dining hall."
Lily was not very familiar with Leto and her mother's story, but his expression and the current atmosphere made her grasp the depth of their past relationship.
"Your first dance should be with your sister, Arthur."
"Sure."
Arthur made a "please" gesture, but Lily shook her head.
"I don't know how to dance."
"That's alright. I'll lead you through it."
Arthur's broad hand enveloped hers, his arm wrapped securely around her waist, and she placed her other hand on his muscular arm. Their proximity allowed them to sense each other's warm breath.
"Just follow my steps. Take it slow."
She lowered her head to focus on her steps, trying to ignore the alluring scent that periodically floated towards her. She couldn't tell if it was expensive cologne or his natural fragrance, but she found it intoxicating.
"Stay focused," Arthur reminded her.
As they moved together, Lily noticed that the others had stopped to watch them intently.
"Everyone's looking at us."
"Well, because you're the star tonight," Arthur's deep, resonant voice whispered in her ear, sending a warm tingling sensation.
"Me?"
"Before you arrived, Dad officially announced you as a member of the Bronte family."
Lily lifted her head, sensing the envious and jealous glances around her. The condescension and indifference she once felt from these people were gone. It was a new experience for her.
Becoming a member of the Bronte family was a dream for many, but Lily's childhood had made her crave independence more than most her age. Being bound by the strict rules of a powerful family wasn't the life she wanted.
Of course, she was aware it wasn't the right time to argue, and she couldn't prove herself to Leto.
Arthur glanced at Lily's expression. She looked troubled, not as joyful or carefree as he had hoped.
He pondered what she might be thinking, but before he could inquire, the dance concluded and Louis, who led the applause, stepped forward.
"It seems I arrived late and missed the first dance."
Lily released her hand and turned to thank Louis.
"Thanks for the dress and the necklace."
"You look stunning."
"Thank you."
Noticing Lily's timidity, Arthur's brow furrowed.
"The dress is a bit too snug on her."
"I managed to finish one dance and didn't feel too constrained, did I?"
Somehow, Lily mustered the courage to refute Arthur.
Louis, with a smile, set down his glass and invited Lily.
"Care to join me for the next dance?"
Not far away, Lauren and Vivian were walking toward them. Lily instinctively wanted to avoid them.
"I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. Could we step outside for some fresh air?"
"My pleasure."
As Lily took Louis by the arm, preparing to exit, Arthur grabbed her other wrist.
"I'll accompany her. Lauren and his sister are here to see you, Louis."
Louis instantly sensed something was amiss, his expression saying "this can't be good".
"Oh, please! Not me!"
"You handle this first. Dad will discuss it with you later."
Arthur pulled Lily out of the banquet hall. Lily glanced at Vivian's reluctant expression and guessed that they were talking about the engagement.
In Lily's view, Vivian should be happier to marry Louis. Although Lily and Louis had only met a day ago and didn't know each other well, at least he was thoughtful and kind towards women.
Yet marrying Vivian would be unfortunate for anyone. Thinking this, Lily felt a pang of sympathy for Louis.
*****
Once they left the banquet hall, the surrounding quickly quieted.
The cold wind made Lily sneeze, and Arthur took off his jacket to drape it over her shoulders.
"Did Vivian's prank lead to your cold?"
Arthur looked concerned, but Lily instantly understood the implication of his words.
"Just a prank?"
"While you were entertained, did you consider how the victims might feel?"
"Right, why would someone of your status think about others?"
After expressing her feelings, Lily looked at the dumbfounded Arthur and regretted her impulsive words.
It was true that Arthur had no obligation to help her.
Was it because he had helped her multiple times before that she had formed an unconscious dependence on him? Or was she, like Vivian, deluding herself into thinking Arthur treated her differently?
Regardless of the reason, Lily realized she had misspoken and took a deep breath to calm down.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have said that."
Arthur observed Lily's mix of defiance and distress without responding.
He softly brushed his fingers across Lily's cheek, smoothing back a stray lock of hair tousled by the wind. He felt a pang of sympathy for the woman before him, yet he maintained his composure, refraining from any further bold actions.
Lily turned away. "I'm not feeling well. I need to head back to my room. Could you let Mr. Bronte know, please?"
As he watched Lily's retreating figure, a bittersweet mix of loneliness and regret washed over him.
This situation left Arthur feeling more unsettled than he had ever felt before. As the eldest son and heir of the Bronte family, his father had instilled in him from a young age how to control his emotions and never let others guess his preferences. He had always excelled at this.
Unless it pertained to family matters, he seldom took interest in anything else.
But why was it that this newcomer, who had been around for just a few days, managed to stir his emotions so effortlessly?
- Writer
