She jerked her chin toward the mask still clutched in Robert's hand, and at last, he relented, releasing her wrist.
"Oh… right," he murmured, his voice oddly quiet as he handed it back to her. "I saw you drop it on your way here, so I followed you to return it."
Anna took the mask from him with a polite nod. "Well, thank you for that."
Robert said nothing, but his dark eyes remained locked onto her, scanning her features as if searching for something—something familiar.
The weight of his scrutiny made her skin prickle with unease. Without another word, she swiftly lifted the mask to her face, shielding herself from his piercing gaze before turning away, eager to put distance between them.
But Robert wasn't finished.
"Excuse me," he called out, catching her wrist once more. His grip was firm, yet there was no aggression this time—only insistence. "Would you care for a dance?"