Luke strode forward and took Annie in his arms, leading the dance with confidence. The cotillion was an upbeat one, with buoyant steps as they galloped sideways and then back the other way, in line with the other couples.
“I am reminded of the first time we danced together,” Luke declared as they circled each other.
“Why is that?” Annie asked as she took his other hand and circled him back the other way.
“I felt this feeling then.”
“What? Mischief?”
“Ha! Was I mischievous that night?”
“Very! You knew exactly what you were doing,” she said with a playful accusing stare. “You had already started me on a journey to make you love me.”
“Oh, that was not mischief. That was inevitable.” He teased her as he took her in both arms once again. They stepped on each side of one another, their arms forming a perfect circle. Feeling the softness of his fingers on her arms, that same thrill of excitement passed through her, making her spine shiver.
“I am reminded of that same night, too, though for a different reason,” she confessed.
“Why is that?”
“I felt this same excitement too,” she whispered as they circled each other once again. “Though I wished to deny it.”
“Do not tease me, Annie,” he whispered, so close to her ear that she could have sworn his lips brushed her skin. “You’ll make me long for the wedding to be here faster!”
She giggled as they continued their dance, smiling ridiculously at one another. As far as she was concerned, the wedding could not be here fast enough.
***
“May I steal your future bride away for a minute, Luke?”
“Well—”
“Too late.” Lady Shrewsbury’s words prompted Annie to laugh as Jemima took her hand and led her across the ballroom. She and Luke had barely stepped off the floor after their third dance of the night when Lady Shrewsbury had found them. “Enjoy a drink with Noah. We sisters-to-be have much to talk about!”
They crossed the room together, arm in arm, with Annie laughing softly, aware that Luke looked rather put out to have her stolen from his side.
“He looks quite irked at you for this,” she said with a smile to Lady Shrewsbury.
“He’ll forgive me. He’ll have you for his entire life soon! I wish to have you for just a few minutes.” Lady Shrewsbury drew her to the side of the room where a table was set up with crystal glasses. “Come, share a drink with me, for there is something I wish to say to you.”
“Of course, my lady.”
Lady Shrewsbury poured out two glasses of sparkling wine and passed the first into Annie’s hands.
“That is our first thing to discuss. No more Lady Shrewsbury. We are to be sisters, so I wish you to call me Jemima,” she declared. “And I will not have no for an answer.”
“I would love to call you Jemima.” Annie smiled. She had always wondered what it would be like to have a sister, and having Jemima offering such friendship was a kindness indeed.
“Our second thing to discuss is this….” She paused and held her glass aloft. “I wish to toast your happiness, Annie.”
“My happiness?” Annie said in surprise. “Aren’t such things usually saved for the wedding day?”
“It is the norm, yes, but neither you nor I have played by the rules much in our lives, have we?” Jemima said with a wink, pulling a hearty laugh from Annie. “I wish to toast your happiness now because I can see what happiness you have brought to my brother already.”
“I have?” Annie asked, unable to keep the hope out of her voice.
“Here, my early wedding present to you.” Jemima looped her arm around Annie and turned her to look across the room. “You see that smile on my brother’s face?” Annie observed it as he spoke to Lord Shrewsbury, laughing about something.
“I pride myself on knowing my brother better than anyone in this world, and I can say with confidence that this smile is a new thing. He smiles like this because of you and no other. You have brought him the happiness I have always longed for him to have, and for that, I must thank you.”
“Oh no, you do not need to thank me.”
“Yet I will anyway,” Jemima said as Annie turned back to face her. “If my brother brings you half the happiness that you have brought him, then I feel you will be a happy couple. So please, raise a glass with me, Annie. To your future happiness with my fool of a brother! May he always make you smile, as you do him now.”
“You are kind to me. Cheers,” Annie declared, chinking her glass with Jemima’s own.
“Now that is done, let us talk about Christmas,” Jemima said excitedly. “Would you come to ours for Yuletide this year once you return from your honeymoon?”
“We would be glad to.” Annie couldn’t stop smiling. She had a feeling that her own happiness and Luke’s were not the only ones added to by their impending nuptials. Jemima wore a smile now that Annie had not seen her wear before.