Page 24
She smiled, too, her fingers tightening on the crimson handkerchief. “Not much, I am afraid. My sister keeps writing to me, urging me to marry. My uncle is pushing his choice of suitors on me, too. Between the two of them, I think I will be rushed to wed in a fortnight.”
“Hmm…” He tapped his finger against his plump lips, and Victoria suddenly became acutely aware that her own lips were extremely dry. She licked them and caught him staring at her. “You have a lot of demands heaped upon you by your family.”
She lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “I suppose so.”
“But what do you want?”
Victoria straightened her spine. Nobody had ever asked her that. What did she want? “I suppose, I want to be useful. I want to make a difference. I want to make changes for the better in this world, just like my sister does.”
He smiled. “You look up to your sister.”
“I do. She is a lot wiser than me, although many people dislike her for her passionate nature, including my uncle.”
“Hm…” He paused. “Family means a lot to you.”
“Doesn’t it mean a lot to you?”
William grimaced. “I am not close to my family. But that is why I think if I were to choose a wife, I wouldn’t choose her for her political affiliations.”
Victoria frowned in thought. “What would you choose her for then?”
William pursed his lips. “For her wit, intelligence, and charm. For her ability to make me laugh. For her strength to get through tough times. For her opinions and convictions. And for her ability to see me for who I really am.”
Victoria shifted in her seat to face him fully. “And how will you know that you’ve found her?”
His smile turned gentle. “I have never been a romantic man, I will be honest. But recently, I found that I believe when the right person comes along, you can see their soul in their eyes. I think it is just a matter of recognizing it when you see it and not letting go.”
Victoria stared into his ice-blue eyes, and she could’ve sworn she saw an entire world inside. A world full of mystery, intrigue, and wonder. A world she would love to explore. Gooseflesh covered her skin, and the butterflies inside her stomach grew to the size of horses, or at least, that’s what it felt like.
She didn’t know what was going on. It was like something brewed inside her, warning her of a storm to come.
The back of William’s hand brushed against Victoria’s, sending a surge of warmth through her. She felt his heat against her skin, a gentle yet thrilling contact that made her pulse quicken. In that moment, time seemed to stand still as they shared this delicate touch. Their fingers lingered, tracing an unspoken connection, and their eyes locked in a silent exchange. Victoria’s breaths grew shallow, and her heart raced, the world around them fading into the background.
William was the first to break their gaze. He turned his eyes away and cleared his throat. “It has been a pleasure conversing with you, Princess Victoria. But I’m afraid it’s best for you to leave. Your uncle will be searching for you.”
Victoria instantly sobered. My uncle! He was probably already looking for her. And if he found her on a bench in a dark alcove, sitting close to a handsome stranger, he would be disappointed, to say the least.
Victoria straightened her gloves and peeked at the man seated beside her. He seemed completely unflustered and composed. “I have to admit I enjoy our conversations.”
A lazy smile adorned his face. “I have to admit to the same thing.”
Her cheeks burst into flame again. “Perhaps we can continue our conversation at the ball?”
He grimaced lightly. “I have to be honest. I am not really welcomed in many ballrooms.”
Victoria blinked. “You’re not?”
“I am what you can call the black sheep of the family. It is best that you’re not associated with me in public.”
Victoria’s lips curled into a pout. “Then how can I see you?”
His gaze dropped to her hand, the one that held his crimson handkerchief.
“Oh, do you want it back?”
One side of his lips kicked up in a smile. “Not yet. But how about this? If you want to see me, hang this handkerchief outside your window. And light a candle on the windowsill so the handkerchief is visible from outside. And I shall come to you.”
Victoria chuckled and asked in a teasing tone, “How will you even know whether I hung the handkerchief outside my window?”
