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responding as
    courteously to the inviting lady, 'Why yes, madam, I would be
    delighted.'
    She moved back to the role of the lady. 'Thank you, sir. I am much
    obliged.' Her arms curved up gracefully, holding her invisible
    partner. He would be blond, she thought, fleetingly fanciful.
    Tall, blond and utterly gorgeous. Polite. Passionate. Perfect.
    At first there had been a blank silence from everyone, and then a few
    of the men made as if they would laughingly partner her, but she was
    already stepping into an old-fashioned ballroom waltz, swinging
    wide, sweeping graceful and swirling, making her white dress billow
    from her waist in the night wind. The breeze feathered at the light,
    silvery, loose hair at her temples, and the lighting from the open glass
    doors spilled over her, at one moment making her a slim silhouette,
    at another, highlighting her perfectly. Her slim neck rose from her
    white shoulders with the slight curve of a swan's, and she was
    distinctly seen to be talking away to her invisible partner. Everyone
    from the group watched her, entranced and highly entertained.
    Everyone saw the imminent collision, except for Caprice.
    She whirled around, and bumped right into someone. With a
    laughing gasp, her arms collapsed and clutched at the real flesh and
    blood someone she had run into, and hard arms went around her
    waist in response. She tumbled out an apology.
    And looked up. The man who lightly held her was half obscured
    from the light spilling out of the house, and half lit. She caught a
    glittering impression of dark bright eyes under a black fall of straight,
    glossy hair. His face—what she could see of it—was vaguely
    familiar, and arresting. He was tiller than she, and slim also, and not
    looking at all surprised to be holding a piece of white fluff and froth.
    A slow smile creased whitely over his lips, lighting his whole
    countenance. Something kicked in her chest like a captured bird. 'Oh,
    well,' he said, and his voice was low and well modulated. 'If you
    really need a partner...'
    She began to smile in response, as she tilted her head a little to one
    side, like a diffident bird. 'Sir,' she said sedately, immensely thankful
    he couldn't determine her inner reaction, 'I would be charmed.'
    They began the waltz steps, as one.

CHAPTER TWO
    As they circled in that grand style, she leaned comfortably back
    against the steady, hard arm at her waist and smiled at her unknown
    partner, her sudden, inexplicable boredom for the moment quite
    erased. His dark head was bent, angled to her, as he watched her face
    in the quick golden flashes that spilled over them from the lanterns
    hung in the trees.
    'Tell me,' he said, and she raised her brows. He started to smile again,
    eyes sparkling. 'Do you ride away on a pumpkin at midnight?'
    'Goodness, no,' she replied lightly, feeling dizzy. 'I brought a car.
    Besides, I'm not leaving at midnight. I'm staying the weekend.' She
    tried to focus more sharply on his flickering features, finding she
    liked the feel of his firm hold on her, and the smooth grace with
    which he danced. 'And you? Are you one of the neighbourhood
    guests? I don't believe we've been introduced.'
    'No, we haven't,' he said as lightly, watching her. 'I'd have
    remembered if we had.' That brought a secret smile to her lips. He
    knew his party patter. 'I'm Jeffrey's brother, Pierce, come from New
    York for a bit of relaxation. No one told me there was to be a
    weekend party.'
    'Don't feel bad,' she said, confidingly, and she leaned close to him.
    For a brief instant she inhaled a fresh, attractive scent that was his
    aftershave. 'I was told just a few days ago, myself.'
    He looked indulgent, amused. They circled, now somewhat far from
    the house and lakeside, and he came to stop underneath one of the
    glowing lanterns, letting his hands rest at her waist as she twinkled
    up at him with her enormous, midnight violet eyes. She could feel the
    weight and the warmth of those large hands through