William felt extremely nervous as he continued to watch everyone dancing to the rhythmic music with their costumes and masks.He still couldn't believe he was doing this. Elijah was going to need to do something to repay him. He hasn't seen Lady Elizabeth yet, and the longer that was put off, the better.

He was so worried about saying the wrong thing or doing the wrong thing and blowing his cover. He just hoped this night went by quick and smooth so tomorrow he can go find his best friend who put him in this mess. He couldn't be too mad at Elijah though. Especially reading those letters.

"Your Grace, it's nice to see you." A feminine voice said.

William kept his eyes straight as the title did not register in his mind.

"Your Grace?"

Oh, right! William's heartbeat went into overdrive as he turned to see who was acknowledging him. He paused when he saw the woman in front of him. She had long blond hair and chocolate brown eyes. She was wearing a light blue evening gown with a matching mask surrounding her eyes. Even with that costume on, she was breathtaking.

William cleared his throat before he attempted to speak. "Good evening..." Christ, I have no idea who this is! By the expression on her face, he should know who she is.

"Lady Elizabeth, Your Grace."

I'm going to ruin this... William bowed his head slightly. "Forgive me, Lady Elizabeth. Unfortunately, I've been under the weather as of late." William took her hand and placed a kiss there.

William should probably ask her to dance, but he was not too familiar with this style of dancing. Deciding to play it safe, he asked, "Would you like to join me for a walk?"

She seemed extremely put off by his request. Like Elijah would never ask that of her. "Look," William said, "I would like some fresh air and a little time away from all these people. Seems like us getting to know each other is a grand idea. Wouldn't you say?"

Her shock turned into a warm smile. "I would love to."

Katherine's eyes shot open when Elijah pressed his lips against hers. She had not been expecting that in the least. When he pulled away from her, he looked into her eyes with hunger when he said, "Thank you."

Thank you? She had no idea what he was thanking her for. "For- For what?"

"For tending to my wound," he said with a smile.

Such a nice smile, she thought. She couldn't keep her eyes from staring at his lips. And he appeared to notice.

"Was that your first kiss, Kitten?"

Did he call her Kitten again? Did his voice get lower? Am I dreaming? She couldn't seem to form words and just nodded.

His eyes got darker as he reached out and cupped the side of her face, brushing his thumb over her lip. "Well, we should do it right then."

He pulled her mouth to his again, and when she gasped in surprise, he took the opportunity to slide his tongue inside and brushed it against hers. She rested her hands on his shoulders as panic started to rise inside of her. She had never done this before. Deciding to push her fear down, she slid her hands to his neck and then into his hair. She attempted to deepen the kiss, and he moaned into her mouth. She felt a rush of heat run through her and pulled away from him.

She got to her feet and started pacing. "We shouldn't have done that."

"Why not? I very much enjoyed it."

She gave him an exasperated look. "You're betrothed to another!"

He got to his feet and stood in front of her. "Yes, I am! Because I have no other choice. My choices have all been taken away from me, Katherine." He let out a long breath before reaching out to stroke her hair again. "This right here...touching your hair or kissing you...that's probably the last thing I will be able to do because I want to. The rest of my life will have to be at the will of others."

She remained silent as he continued to stroke her hair. She couldn't think when he touched her. She heard what he said and understood it. She couldn't deny she felt some sort of...connection to him. But she couldn't let herself go too far with a man she wouldn't end up marrying.

As if he sensed her thoughts, his expression softened. "Oh, Kitten, I would never take from you something so pure that is meant for...someone else."

"Then, what do you want with me?"

She saw Elijah glance in the direction of the window before he looked back at her. "Come tomorrow morning, the snowstorm will have passed. Can we just spend the rest of this time like the outside world doesn't exist? Without duty and honor? Just us."

Katherine was terrified by what he offered. For some reason, she trusted what he said. Trusted him. She feared what she may feel for him. But, then again, she may never have a chance like this again. If she makes it to town, she'll have a new job as a maid for the Duke of Kent. If she doesn't have a job, she must go back home. Perhaps this was her own last night of free will, as well.

"Yes," she breathed.

He flashed her a wicked smile and she nearly melted. I'm in so much trouble.

"So, tell me something about yourself, Lady Elizabeth."

They had just started walking on the terrace and William was relieved to be separated from the crowd of people. He could tell she seemed uneasy, but she answered anyway.

"My mother died during childbirth. It's been difficult for my father."

"I can only imagine. I'm fortunate to have both my parents still." As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted it. He forgot for a moment that he needs to talk about Elijah's life, not his own. "I mean, I feel lucky that I had my father here for as long as I did."

She gave him a sorrowful look. "My condolences for your loss. That was tragic news when we heard what happened."

"Thank you," he replied.

"May I speak freely, Your Grace?"

William smiled at her. "Of course."

"I was wondering...how you felt about, you know, all this?"

William knew exactly what she was referring to. "You mean our upcoming wedding?"

She nodded as she looked away. Clearly, she was uncomfortable talking about it. How do I answer this?

"If I am being honest, I'm sure I feel just as you do. Nervous and uncomfortable. Possibly a little scared. Am I right?"

She met his stare and William could see the fear in her eyes. "Yes."

William tried to think like Elijah would in this moment. But that didn't help. His friend didn't even want this arranged marriage. He didn't want to lie to her. He wanted to make her feel more comfortable.

"It's going to be alright, Lady Elizabeth. We will get to know each other and I'm sure we will make each other happy."

She let out a sigh and started to walk away. He could tell she didn't like his answer. "Wait," he called as he grabbed her hand. She walked back up to him and he gently cupped her face with his hand. He stroked her cheek for a moment, taking in the feeling of her soft skin. She gasped lightly and he dropped his hand with a smile.

"Come, milady. We have the rest of tonight and you can freely ask me anything you wish to know about me."

She smiled and started walking beside him. "Oh, Your Grace. I think you may regret that."