Apollo

Chapter Ten

A/N Happy Good Friday to all Christian readers! And to all readers, here's Chapter Ten – I hope you enjoy it! As usual, votes and comments mean a lot, so do leave one behind – if you would be so kind! :)

THAT NIGHT, EMMELINE LOCKHART LEARNED HOW DIFFERENT DANCING with a friend was from dancing with a lover, or her brother.

It was not worse or better, as one might call it – only different. When Emmett held her she was in her safe haven, and when Peter spun her around she felt like she was the only woman in the world. When she danced with Alexander St James all she could do was laugh, and she truly understood for the first time the reason why dancing was considered a social activity.

She saw her brother once or twice. He was naught but a figure in the crowd, but she would always be able to recognise him. She knew his silhouette better than she knew anyone's, and she had memorised every one of his features down to the last hair on his head. Their eyes did not meet, and he did not go to her. Alexander noticed her face fall at each sight of her brother and was always quick to divert her attention with a witty line, and before she knew it she would be smiling again.

"Shall we go to speak with that Victoria Arden?" he asked after they had danced for some time. She was engaged in conversation with a girl at one side of the ballroom, and he spied the brown-haired young lady through the crowd. "I do think I see the lass."

"I think I would like to introduce you now," Emmeline answered. A pause. "Thank you for all this, Alexander."

"For all of what?" he replied with an easy smile. "We are family, beloved. I will always stand by you – and I will let everyone know it. Whoever offends you will offend me far more."

She laughed. "Whenever did you become such a dear, beloved?"

"When I realised just how wonderful you are."

Emmeline burst out in giggles. "You must be the funniest man I know."

"What an honour. But come now." He offered her his arm. "We have a snob to intimidate."

She smiled her gratitude to him. "Yes – that we do."

And so together they approached the snooty girl, who stood chattering animatedly with her company.

He cleared his throat, and Victoria's eyes fluttered to meet his. Instantly she dropped into a flawless curtsy, her friend following hastily.

"Your Royal Highness," she greeted. "Whatever brings me the pleasure?"

"Whoever, Lady Victoria," he corrected with some edge to his tone. "We saw you in the crowd, and my wife wished to introduce us."

"Oh, yes, of course. Princess Emmeline."

"Do rise," she replied with a pleasant enough smile. When Victoria was standing at her full height once more and her friend had scampered away with one scathing glance from the snooty girl, she said, "I would like to offer something of an apology, Lady Victoria. I understand I quite rattled you the other night. I meant to make my point, not quite to cause you such immense grief."

"Well—ah—yes," she choked out. "I was...slightly upset."

Emmeline cocked her head with a slight lift of her eyebrows, her smile never leaving her lips. "Only slightly? Well, that does come as a surprise to me, given that my brother came naught but barging to my study demanding that I make a public apology to you."

"Yes," Alexander said. "I do wonder what my wife has to apologise for, Lady Victoria. Is she not entitled to her opinion that you are not compatible with my brother-in-law? Is she not entitled to be upset should someone view her brother, whom she loves dearly, as a means of gaining money and power rather than a human being?"