Matching?

Ben was skeptical of Aurelia going to the ball after the rainstorm but Willa convinced him she was well enough to withstand some dancing. She was not some delicate flower that would wilt in some rain.

Aurelia was ecstatic that she was feeling completely better and Aurelia thought Max's tea helped a lot with the chills and preventing a fever from taking hold. She would have to thank him profusely at the ball tomorrow.

Willa and Aurelia spent most of Friday at the dress shop in town getting alterations done to a beautiful cream-colored gown with floral trim with light pink flowers and leaves embroidery entwining with pearls and tiny pink jewels. The necklace Max got her matched perfectly.

Her sister was starting to get bored of all the talk about Max and went to go flirt with their friend Millicent's older brother Robert tending to his horse across the way from the shop.

As Aurelia stared at herself in the mirror in her new dress, a face in the window caught her by surprise. Max walked into the dress shop, with a small smirk at the sight of her in her less-than-finished dress

"Is that the dress you are wearing tomorrow?" he asked curiously. His gaze took in the gown hungrily and Aurelia shifted her feet. Even Max just looking at her got her flustered, where was a fan when a girl needed one?

"Are you trying to match me, Mr. St. Clair?" Aurelia amusedly replied as the shopkeeper walked back within earshot.

"Of course I am," he chuckled. "I want other suitors to know to back off when they see how perfectly matched we are when I'm dancing with you in my arms all night."

Aurelia blushed deeply at his candid response. The ground began to become uneven beneath her feet when the dressmaker walked back out to the main floor holding a matching handkerchief for his cravat. She felt Max's arms wrap around her, he broke her fall as she swooned off the platform in front of the mirrors.

Aurelia's face heated with embarrassment, Max only grinned as he helped her to her feet. He loved the way she reacted to him.

The shopkeeper worried over her for a moment, and she assured her she was fine.

"Saturday shall be most fun indeed," Max declared. He grabbed the cravat tie from the seamstress and gave her a few coins. With one last bow and a kiss on her hand, he departed the dress shop.

The shopkeeper stared at her knowingly. "You shall have your hands full with a man like Mr. St. Clair," she warned in a friendly way.

Still speechless, Aurelia nodded.

Willa came back into the shop and took in her face. "Maximilian was in here, wasn't he?" She asked. "I saw him walking by just a moment ago."

"Saturday is going to be most fun indeed," she said, repeating Max's words.

The shopkeeper was finishing up her gown and kept giving her knowing looks. She could see right through Aurelia and she had a fierce blush the rest of the alteration.

~

Aurelia was wide awake at dawn on Saturday, too excited to sleep in. A light knock announced Willa's presence, and she slipped into bed with her sister. "I figured you would be up. I can't wait for tonight either," she whispered to her.

"I can't stop thinking of Max," Aurelia sighed.

"I know the feeling," Wilhelmina chuckled. "Robert has been wanting to dance with me but didn't find me in time last week to sign my dance card."

They talked about the men they were infatuated with until it is time for breakfast. Aurelia plaited her hair and donned her dressing gown, following her sister out the door. When they reached the dining room, they found that Benjamin beat them down and was already engaged with his meal.

"Aurelia, I need to speak with you about Mr. St. Clair's intentions," Ben said through bites of an apple.

"Intentions?" Aurelia asked growing excited.

"He spoke with me yesterday when we were all in town," Ben replied. "He wishes for you to meet with his mother and me to talk over the details of a proposal."

He smiled as he watched her face contorted in surprise.

"A proposal already?" she gasped. "It's been only a week!"

"She's going to be engaged before me?" Willa whined. "Aurie is younger than I am!"

"A betrothal is not marriage," Ben jested. "There's still time for you yet, Willie."