Ashton's Secret

CHAPTER 20.

They finally arrived at the party and Ashton was the perfect gentleman. He helped her down the carriage and insisted that she link her arm with his. Isla did not hesitate. She felt freer in his presence tonight. There was something different about him, Isla was not sure what it was, or maybe it was her? She could not tell.

The party was so full and they were finding it hard to find Catherine in the crowd of guest. "I am not sure she has arrived yet." Ashton said after five minutes with no sign of Catherine.

"That is impossible. Catherine is never late to a party." Isla looked around further and finally spotted Catherine standing close to a pillar talking to an unfamiliar man. "Oh there she is!" they made their way towards her and greeted "good evening Catherine."

Catherine stared at them with a warm smile "Oh good evening Isla and Lord Ashton, I am glad you made it." She hugged Isla and pulled away, then she moved closer to the man she had been talking to. He was a tall blond with clear blue eyes and also very handsome. "This is Lord Rowan. He is my escort for the night. Lord Rowan, these are my friends Lady Isla and Lord Ashton."

"You are a sight to behold my lady" Rowan said in a deep husky voice as he took Isla's hand and kissed it gently.

"Thank you Lord Rowan. It is a pleasure to meet you." Isla replied back politely.

"The pleasure is mine" then he stared at Ashton "your name sounds familiar. Have we met before?"

"I do not think so. I am not from St John's City"

"Oh Lord Rowan is not from here either. He is from Mammon and is only here for business" Catherine informed.

"That explains it then. I am from Mammon too and my father is Duke Arthur, the Duke of Mammon." Ashton said with a bit of pride.

Realization dawn on Rowan "Oh yes I remember now, you are Duke Arthur's son. My sister and her group of friends talk about you all the time. Although I do understand their reasons now, you are beautiful my Lord"

Ashton cleared her throat in embarrassment "I appreciate the compliment Lord Rowan, but I do not think that is a fitting endearment for a man."

They all laughed "but wait," Catherine spoke up "you are the son of a Duke? How come Isla never told me?"

"It does not matter now." Ashton looked around a bit "by the way, where is Lady Annalise? Is she not coming?" Ashton was just curious to not have seen her, not that he wants to see her and deal with her craziness tonight.

"She eloped with Lord Rowan's brother" Catherine said in a bored tone and Isla rolled her eyes.

"That is the first one this month" Isla said and Ashton frowned wondering what she meant. Eloping was supposed to be a big deal.

"First one this month?" she asked.

"Yes" Catherine answered "Annalise elopes with at most three men in every month. She always returns in a week or two after finding out that the man is either married, engaged or does not like her at all."

"Then why do they elope with her?" Ashton asked.

"They do not" Catherine said "she either tricks them into taking her along or she would force them to. Only strangers are usually victims to that"

Lord Rowan chuckled "I do hope she does not return this time. I mean Lady Annalise is an interesting woman, and I think my brother needs someone like that in his life right now"

Catherin frowned at him "Do not wish such a thing on your brother Lord Rowan. Annalise would surely drive him crazy"

"That is not a nice thing to say about your sister Lady Catherine." Ashton said gently.

"Then would you like to get married to her instead?" Catherine raised a brow at Ashton and she grimace in response "thought so"

"Enough about Lady Annalise." Rowan spoke up "would you like a dance with me Lady Catherine?"

Blushing slightly, Catherine took his hand "yes my lord" and they both left the other two to join the dance that was already going on.

For a moment, there was an awkward silence between the two, and then Ashton spoke up, "now that we have called a truce, I hope you will not refuse me a dance this time Lady Isla."

She smirks at Ashton, "ask and find out"

Ashton laughed nervously. She sure was not ready to be humiliated again, but she was no coward. "Lady Isla, would you please accept a dance with this unworthy man?"

Isla's heart leap for the third time that night, she had no reason to refuse him this time, so she slowly took his out stretch hand "Yes I will"

The look on Ashton's face warmed Isla's heart and she couldn't stop the smile. He looked like a kid who just received a gift he had been longing for.

The two joined the others on the dance floor, and they swayed along to the slow melody of the music. They stared into each other's eyes and Isla marveled at how beautiful Ashton's eyes were. They were so blue like the sky, and Ashton was not helping matters, he was staring at her like she was the only star in the night sky.

"Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight, Lady Isla?" Ashton twirls her around, and then pulled her to her with Isla's back to her front. She wrapped her arms around Isla from behind, and Isla was not expecting the thrilling warmth that envelops her. Ashton buried her head in Isla's neck, "you are so beautiful lady Isla. I am almost tempted to go back on my words and keep pursing you." Ashton whispered against her neck and Isla could barely breath properly, it almost seem like she was floating on air.

Why does being so close to him feel so good?

Isla snap out of it when she felt Ashton gently place a kiss on the side of her neck. Her eyes flew open in shock and she roughly pulled away from him.

Ashton also seems to be just returning to her right mind. She looks slightly out of it. "um_I_I am so s_sorry Isla. I did not mean__"

Isla turned and hurried away from Ashton. Her heart was pounding hard in her chest. She had to escape from him. He made her feel things she had never felt before. He is a man, so how is he able to excite her in such a way?

Was Isla falling in love with a man?

Had she been wrong about her sexual preference all along?

Oh God, this is bad!

This is really bad!