The Glaston Ball

As the siblings entered the ballroom, once again, all eyes turned to the staircase. Aurelia scanned the sights, watching for a particular set of blue eyes. Max waited for her at the edge of the crowd below, by the stairs. They met eyes, and he grinned from ear to ear. He's wearing the same fabric from her dress in his cravat. Max was true to his word and matched Aurelia.

His silky pink and green embroidered cravat stood out in stark contrast with his black suit with coattails, his hair was pushed back in controlled waves out of his face, his blue eyes locked on mine. Aurelia bit her lip as she stared at this striking man who may one day be her husband.

As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Max was front and center, in a growing horde of suitors. He looked to Benjamin for permission to take her hand, Ben nodded, and Max whisked Aurelia onto the dance floor for a lively quadrille.

"I couldn't wait to have you back in my arms," Max exclaimed. "The dress shop was too short of a visit for my taste."

Aurelia lowered her eyes and blushed. "I'm glad you caught me when I almost fainted."

"It's hard to resist saving a damsel in distress," he replied as they whirled around in an intimate waltz.

They danced as closely as polite society would allow and laughed and whispered sweet nothings to each other. The guests of the ball took notice of Max's cravat and Aurelia's dress matching, and the crowd murmured about it all over the room.

When there was a break in the partnered dancing, Max took her hand. They walked over to the refreshment tables. He handed her a glass of champagne and took one for himself. A few young men came up to them and made small talk with Max and Aurelia.

"Might I have the next dance, Miss Brooks?" Mr. Browning inquired. He was in a fashionable blue coat and white dress silk pants. Aurelia was surprised he asked her to dance considering he was married. She did owe him dance from the other night, she guessed.

Max took a step closer to Aurelia; she looked up at his face. He was glowering.

"Thank you for the offer, Mr. Browning," she politely replied. "Maybe later in the night?"

"Then shall I write my name on your dance card?" Jacob beamed. "It will give us a chance to catch up."

Aurelia nodded, and Max stared down at her in disdain. As Mr. Browning wrote his name upon the card on her wrist, Max started to step closer to Aurelia than is appropriate at a ball. His jealousy was palpable.

Aurelia's heart could barely handle the attention of so many men at once. Her cheeks flushed a deep red, she began to fan herself rapidly. Feeling faint, Aurelia's corset was laced too tight to breathe correctly, she felt herself begin to sway. Max put an arm around her waist to steady her. Aurelia looked at him in shock. Once she was righted enough to stand on her own, she quickly took a step away from Max.

As Aurelia stepped away, Mr. Browning took advantage and quickly scribbled his name down on her card. When he was done, he smiled weakly and gave a slight bow before walking away. The rest of the young gentlemen dispersed, they were not eager to face off with Max to claim a spot to dance with Aurelia. She narrowed her eyes into daggers at Max. He glared back at her with disdain.

"What is wrong with you?" Aurelia questioned. "Do you want a scandal to follow us?"

"Why would you dance with the man who broke your heart?"

"I owed him a dance. You don't get to decide who I dance with," she seethed. "You are worse than my brother in trying to control who I associate with."

"I don't want the woman I want to marry dancing with other men," Max protested, his eyes turned from irritation to tenderness, his brow softened. "I want every eligible man here to know my intentions with you."

Aurelia's heart pounded against her chest, "It's all so sudden."

"Am I frightening you with all the attention?" Max asked, growing concerned.

She shook her head, "I've never had a man so attentive and affectionate entertain thoughts of marriage, it's all so much to take in."

Benjamin walked over to them, looking less than thrilled at the scene that just took place. He stepped between Max and Aurelia and pushed her behind him.

"You are overstepping your place, St. Clair," Ben fumed. "You are not yet in charge of Aurelia's affairs as you are not even engaged."

Max raised a brow, "You know it is my intention to propose as soon as our families meet to hash out the details."

Aurelia started to get upset as the crowd turned toward the drama unfolding between Max and her brother. "Can you two speak of this later?" Aurelia whispered with some force. "People are beginning to stare."

Both men stared down at her, she raised my eyebrows, and they backed down from one another.

"It is not up to either of you who I marry," Aurelia raged. "I am my own woman to do whatever I wish with whomever I please, not some broodmare at the auction." She was not a fragile flower who needed to be protected and watched over by the men in her life.

Max stared at Aurelia wide-eyed while Ben simply rolled his eyes. "You have the reins, so to speak in this courtship, Aurelia, I assure you," Max protested, she glared at him even harder for his choice of words. "I am so terribly sorry I let my jealousy get the better of me."

Ben looked appeased hearing this. "Don't let it happen again, or I shall forbid my sister from being in your presence."

Aurelia glowered at Benjamin but said nothing. It is one thing to stand up for yourself once, but to do so again could result in unnecessary trouble at home. In other words, no more social season of any sort. She had a terrible gut feeling about being a woman at times, your life was not your own. You were controlled by male relatives then your husband. The unfairness of it all had her huffing.

"I am going to dance with Mr. Browning," Aurelia declared, which caused Max to start to protest. "Mr. St. Clair, you may dance with me later."

"You wound my heart, Miss Brooks," Max jested. "I shall dance with no other woman but you."

She grinned at him as she walked away with her brother.

"He is in love with you and you are about to dance with a married man," Ben exclaimed and sighed exasperatedly. "How I wish mother and father were here to guide you instead of me."

"It shall all be alright," Aurelia said as she tried to soothe Ben. "I'm going to go find Jacob."