Butterflies and Hurricanes

[[Brian]]

Kirsty did not look entirely impressed when I told her we were to go back to ours on horseback. So there I stood smiling at her with the reins of the chestnut stallion in my hand whilst it plucked from some long grass by a fence.

"Where's the carriage?" She had asked, with an almost nervous laugh.

I had laughed at her. "We're not going by carriage, silly," I chuckled. "We're riding home."

"But I'm not in my riding dress!" She had protested.

"It doesn't matter!" I had laughed.

She still wasn't completely happy as I held my arms around her so she couldn't slip off its back, and holding her hands around mine where they were on the reins. In fact, she kept trying to turn as if to bury her face in my chest.

I don't think I'll be inflicting this upon her again any time soon.

It was, however, a fine day and soon we were making our way into the stables, the stable boy coming out to meet us. I jumped down first much to Kirsty's obvious displeasure because she tried to grab my hand to stop me.

This caused her to slide off the back of my horse with an ear piercing scream; thankfully I was fast enough to be able to catch her in my arms and prevent her from hurting herself. No, definitely no horseback rides for Kirsty.

She even made me promise I would not make her go through it again to which I promised profusely. But at this point no more could be said on the matter because my mother flounced into the hall, arms wide so to hug me.

"Come," Mom said, hooking a finger and indicating for us to follow her. Kirsty glanced up at me and I shrugged my shoulders before she took my arm and we followed my mother into the ballroom. That already did not sit well with me and when she announced that the woman in here was to teach me how to dance I was ready to run.

Please not dance lessons, anything but that!

It was Kirsty's turn to laugh. I turned to look at her as she stood giggling almost uncontrollably, her diamond ring glinting in the sunshine slanting through the floor length arched windows that opened onto the balcony.

"Did you know about this?" I asked as my mother and the woman conversed with each other, and one of the maids took off scuttling across the room to the grand piano. Kirsty shook her head no, but carried on giggling.

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously.

"Okay Brian," the woman began, coming over to me. "Please, make a box with your arms."

I raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Pardon," Mother corrected and I frowned as my arms were suddenly pulled about to create what this woman said was called a box. I scowled deeper, she could just have said get ready to do a waltz or something.

Then without any prior warning the woman began to move, counting and then scowled when I stepped on her foot. That was not my fault at all, if she had told me we were going to move I would have looked at my feet and made sure.

"We shall try again," she said, trying to smile at me. This time I would not be able to concentrate because I could hear Kirsty's irresistible giggling behind me where she sat at a small table with my mother, watching my every move.

At least this time I was given a warning to start looking at my feet before I trod on hers.

Mother groaned and when I turned to look at her she had her face buried in her hand almost out of embarrassment. I could dance anyway, this woman was being entirely awkward.

"You know what?" Mrs. Beecham said, trying to put on a front that she was not offended by the fact I had trodden on her feet more than once. "I think this would be far easier if you were to dance with Lady de Farrars."

A grin split my face at this news and so I turned to the table and once more I made my way across, pulling my jacket off since I was starting to overheat. Then I neatly placed it on the back of my mothers chair for her to keep an eye on it.

Then I looked at Kirsty and held my hand out. "May I have this dance?" I smiled at her as she smiled back and put her delicate hand into mine, allowing me to pull her to her feet and lead her to the middle of the dance floor.

Without being asked, I placed one hand on her waist and with the other I clasped hers gently, then when the maid started to play the piano I counted myself and began moving my feet, Kirsty matching the footsteps gracefully.

See? It was just that woman, I can totally dance.

"Is there actually a reason for my needing lessons?" I enquired, glancing to my mother who was sat with a happy look upon her face at the table still.

"You must be able to dance at your engagement party!" She exclaimed, still with the happiness.

"I should have known, really?" I whispered, looking down at Kirsty who smiled softly back up. This box, was this made for two lovers who wanted to trap themselves within one another, or was it merely to stop men and women becoming far too close and being indecent? Or, third option, are women's dresses just too wide to permit men and women standing any closer?

I vote for the first option.

"Brian," she then said quietly, a questioning undertone to her voice.

"Yes, Princess?"

"Will you take me back to India one day?" She enquired.

I smiled and nodded, "How about India for the honeymoon?"

Kirsty stopped dancing and her eyes flooded with delight as she gasped. I laughed at her reaction, before scooping her into my arms and twirling us both around the dance floor, forgetting the decency thing. I wanted to hold her close in my arms.

The guys were right, I was completely besotted with her, my world had become lost in hers and I could not wait for her to officially be mine, for the day I would be able to sleep beside her without having to be in my wolf form to get away with it.

I truly was in love with her.

"Do you mean it?" Kirsty whispered into my ear, the excitement clear in her voice.

"For you, anything, Princess," I grinned down at her once more. In the background I could hear the two women cooing which only stood to make me smile more and make even more of an effort at the whole dancing thing.

"Oh that is so sweet," Mrs. Beecham gasped. "Your son is so in love with her, and to call her Princess?"

"Yes," Mother replied, and I could detect the smile on her face. "We were so pleased when he returned from London with her. I couldn't have been happier that my son's heart had finally settled itself! They are just so wonderful together! It would be a devastating blow to lose her, now."

"Well," I whispered back at Kirsty. "I think if there were any doubts on what she thought of you, they are now confirmed."

"Would you care if she didn't like me?" She replied, a sly grin on her lips.

"No," I grinned before shrugging off the last thread of decency and pecking her lips softly. The women did gasp now, and I wondered whether their opinions of us might change at all. They shouldn't it was merely one small kiss for my beloved as a means of showering her with even more of my affections.

"No," I heard my mother go on. "There is no shadow of a doubt that she is the One."