Ella was true to her word the next day, approving of the sapphire ball gown Audra had hurriedly altered for me. She'd changed the neckline to one the rest of the debutantes were favouring, an off the shoulder look that was far more elegant than I was used to. Both Ella and Rosanna commented on how it was much improved, which was a relief given that it was my only ball gown now that Ella had commandeered the navy and green one.

We arrived to the ball with far less fanfare than on the opening night, the debutantes surging from their rooms and descending as one into the ballroom. The dancing had already begun, pausing only when the royals entered. As was custom, the debutantes refrained from dancing until the prince had selected his first partner. Unsurprisingly, it was Sarah Thornbury first, followed by Ashley Mayfair then Ella.

While it irked me to see Ashley winning a laugh from Andrew, I was more preoccupied searching for my brothers in the mass of ball attendees. Tonight's ball had more guests than any I'd attended yet that Season and I was forced to wade among them, craning my neck for any glimpse of our trademark Marks-Whelan auburn hair.

"I wouldn't dare hope you were looking for me?"

Oliver Pendleton's horsey grin materialized before me, bowing in greeting.

"Alas no," I said, dropping a curtsey, "My brothers are supposed to be in attendance tonight,"

"Have they arrived yet?" he asked. I shook my head.

"It would seem not, as I've circled the room at least three times already," I said, still looking around while we spoke.

"Then permit me one dance before you resume your search?" he asked. As much as I wanted to refuse him, I knew there was a strong chance that Vile Edith could still be primping at the house.

"Of course," I said, forcing a smile as Oliver took my hand.

I was a thoroughly distracted dance partner, stomping on his foot when I lost count in my scanning of the room. Oliver didn't seem to mind and laughed away my profuse apologies. I did a double take when we waltzed past Andrew and Jane Cartwell, stomping on Oliver's foot a second time as I whipped my head around to be sure I wasn't seeing things.

"Is that Jane?" I blurted out, making Oliver look around as well.

"I believe so, yes," he replied, confused. I shook my head, wondering whether the rules had changed since my last ball. Rosanna had made it abundantly clear that the prince was to dance with debutantes only, but Jane was very much a lady-in-waiting.

When the dance ended, I did my best to escape Oliver, who had offered to fetch me some punch. I pretended to head for the ladies restroom, only to circle around and continue to search for my brothers. It was no longer so early that Edith could convince them to delay their arrival in order to appear fashionably late, so I circled the ballroom again while the dancers twirled a quick gavotte. When I still saw no sign of my auburn-haired brothers, I served myself a glass of punch to quench my thirst before setting off again.

I'd made up my mind to sneak up to one of the upper balconies to get a better vantage point when the music ended. I cursed my luck as people flooded to and from the dance floor, plastering a smile on my face as I wove around them.

"I'm calling in your debt,"

I felt Andrew's fingers close around mine as I whirled around to face him in the chaos of in between dances. My stomach got to fluttering again as he smiled down at me.

"Oh Andrew, Ella will flay me!" I said, casting a nervous glance around.

"I've already danced with two other ladies in waiting," he said, leaning in to whisper as he shot me a devious little grin, "She has no reason to complain, especially since I spent our entire dance flirting with her,"

The music had started again and Andrew mistook me chewing my lip as consent. He pulled me onto the dance floor and I did my best not to blush scarlet at the stares I was receiving.

"I hope you realize how many other ladies in waiting I had to suffer through so I could dance with you," Andrew said, his hand resting on my waist as he pulled me in for the waltz.

"And I hope you realize that I'll be getting quite the verbal lashing for having the gall to dance with you, whether or not you flirted with Ella," I replied, as the dance began. He led and we twirled, the entire world forgotten for a moment as our eyes met.

"I daresay it was a wise decision, even with the verbal lashing," he said, his cheeks fighting in vain to keep from grinning, "Otherwise I'd be forced to charge you interest on unpaid dances,"

"Then I suppose I'm torn between verbal lashings and declaring dancing insolvency, as I have no way of repaying you more than one dance," I said, screwing up my face as if I was thinking long and hard about it. In truth, I found it highly distracting to be dancing so close to someone who set off a multitude of butterflies in my stomach.

"I hope that isn't the case," Andrew said, "I've been looking forward to this dance all night. You wouldn't believe the comments I had to endure from Jane Cartwell,"

"Serves you right for choosing to dance with her first!" I laughed, "You should've chosen Rosanna, she'd have uttered maybe three words and blushed the entire time,"

"I really should've chosen you," Andrew said, his green eyes intense as they searched my face. The flutter in my stomach rose into my chest and I nearly lost my count of the dance.

"Which would have easily guaranteed my dance insolvency," I said, forcing a laugh to hide the fact I was now acutely aware of both his hand on my waist and the feel of his shoulder through his red formal jacket.

"Or it would have freed you up to pay your debt all in one night. One dance now, one dance later," he said, teasing me.

"Please, promise me you won't. It's so wonderful to dance instead of read when the music is playing," I said.

"As you wish," Andrew smiled, "But I'll still be charging you interest on unpaid dances,"

I smiled, the fluttering threatening to rise into my throat as I stared into his eyes. I looked away to regain some composure as we waltzed past Emily and Rosanna, both watching me like a hawk. I swallowed, but told myself I'd face them later. I wouldn't worry away the few moments I'd spend with the prince.

"Perhaps I could convince my cousin to pay my debt for me," I taunted, "I daresay she'd spring at the opportunity,"

Andrew made a face that prompted me to giggle.

"I thought you fancied her! You just finished telling me how you flirted with her!" I laughed.

"Your cousin is a charming young lady," he started, only for my quirked eyebrow to give him pause.

"Go on, I'd like to hear how that sentence ends," I said. Andrew shot me that lopsided grin as he shook his head.

"Ella's fine, she's just a bit...dull," he said. I laughed in earnest this time.

"If you were expecting someone exciting, then I'm afraid you've chosen the wrong debutante," I said, grinning.

"To be honest, I was expecting someone more like you," Andrew said. I sighed, shaking my head.

"Then I'm terribly sorry to disappoint you, but I'm fairly certain that not a single debutante will measure up to my questionable standard," I laughed, "If one can even call it a standard!"

"I had been hoping that your cousin would help ease the monotony of batted eyelashes and simpering giggles, but alas it was not to be," he sighed dramatically.

"Then I suggest you stop wasting your time dancing with ladies in waiting and start spending more time with your debutantes!" I joked, "You'll be forced to choose one of them, so you might as well see whose particular brand of bland you can stand,"

"That was an impeccable rhyme," Andrew chuckled, "And while that is excellent advice, I'm not entirely certain that my future wife is among this Season's debutantes,"

Andrew's words had shocked me into silence, wiping the grin from my face.

"Don't let anyone hear you say that aloud," I said, frowning. He tilted his head noncommitally, unwilling to meet my eyes.

"It's happened before, for a prince to take more than one Season to choose his bride," he said. I was still frowning, worried that our conversation had turned to a subject that was clearly making him so uncomfortable.

"Here you are with the finest, prettiest young ladies in the country to choose from and you're threatening to become a bachelor king," I said, attempting a joke to lighten the mood. The music would ending soon and I didn't want to leave him on such a note.

"I'm not saying they're not pretty enough, I'm just saying that perhaps I don't know exactly what I want yet," he admitted.

"Surely you have some idea about what you need in a wife," I said. His eyes found mine again as the music crescendoed and finished.

"I'd thought I did, but now I'm not so certain anymore," he said. I sighed and held his gaze, curtseying while he bowed. I was acutely aware of the debutantes and ladies in waiting that were not-so-subtly gathering around us.

"Don't prove your brother right, I know you're not a ninny prince who's unable to make a decision," I said, attempting a smile once again. Andrew's face softened as he fixed me with that special grin.

"Well there's one decision I have made," Andrew said, reaching out to bring my gloved hand to his lips, "And it's that your cousin will not be allowed to settle your dance debt. Have a nice night,"

"And you," I said, as Camilla Parkhurst sidled her way up next to me. Just like that, Andrew's sideways grin turned into a polite smile as he bowed to Camilla, offering her a dance. I curtseyed as he led her away to line up for the next courante, turning away to head for the ladies' resting room. My mind was swirling with our conversation and I had to sit down and digest it before it got carried away by the rest of the evening.

Luck was not with me, however, as Emily and Rosanna appeared at my sides. Emily stopped me at the edge of the dance floor, a hateful glint in her eye.

"I see you're up to your old tricks," she said sourly, "Which is a spiteful way to repay Ella for permitting you to attend,"

"I fail to see how dancing with the prince was spiteful!" I shot back.

"She expressly forbade you from speaking to him again," Rosanna said, frowning, "And besides, you're a lady-in-waiting and have no business dancing with a prince!"

"I couldn't very well say no when he asked, now could I? And I don't see how you can complain," I said, fighting the urge to roll my eyes, "He clearly danced with both Jane and Maisie before he asked me and now he's dancing with Camilla! It seems that he's being courteous and-"

I cut myself off with a little squeak as a pair of hands clapped themselves over my eyes. I grabbed at the wrists, recognizing the set of horse-shaped cufflinks I'd given as a Christmas gift last year.

"Xavier!" I exclaimed, peeling his hands from my eyes to turn and face my laughing brother.