Lady Louisa shut the door as quietly as she could, hoping that no one had noticed her escape. The last thing she wanted was for someone to follow in after her. Before she turned, however, she realized that she was already not alone in this dimly lit room.
At the sound of a man clearing his throat, Lady Louisa reluctantly turned to find herself in some type of office. The walls had various bookshelves stuffed with books. A small fireplace was built against the left wall and next to it was a door, no doubt leading out into the main part of the house.
In the far back corner of the room, next to some long-draped windows, was a large oak desk. On it stood a single candelabra that shone light on a masked face behind the desk.
“Forgive me, I didn’t think this room was open to guests,” Lady Louisa said quickly.
“Then why did you enter it?” the gentleman asked. Lady Louisa laughed at her stupid remark.
“I was trying to escape someone. I was just hoping to slip in and out for a second. Might I ask you the same thing? Why are you in a room that is not for the public?”
“It’s a fair question,” he said, rubbing his chin. There was something about the way he walked that seemed familiar but she hadn't yet recognized him.
He was wearing a large death mask with the long pointed nose and a large skull cap that went over the front part of his hair. Other than his mouth and square chin, Lady Louisa could see nothing of his face.
Rowland had stood up at her sudden entrance and now walked around the desk to come closer to her. His breath had been taken away by the sudden appearance of this angel. Everything about her seemed enchanting, and he ascribed that to the mysterious gold mask that hid her identity from him.
Rowland was sure he would have remembered her entrance into his house. She had not been an announced guest that he had greeted at the door.
“I was seeking a little break from the festivities,” Rowland finally explained to the lady, not yet wanting to expose his identity. “I suppose we both came into this room to hide.”
“What part of the festivities did you feel the need to hide from?” the lady asked him as she edged along the room.
Rowland wanted to get closer for a better view of the lady; she seemed to edge farther away hoping not to be recognized.
“Well, you see I was hoping this mask would keep others from recognizing me,” he said, thinking back to how he had not donned it until after greeting all the guests, “but unfortunately I was still rather easily recognizable by almost everyone here.”
“And your identity must be kept a secret for what reason, pray tell? Perhaps you are a notorious villain?” she asked with the hint of a smile on her soft pink lips.
Rowland gave a soft laugh at the thought. “No, my lady, I can assure you I am no villain.”
“Are you here uninvited then?” Lady Louisa continued, genuinely intrigued by the mysterious man.
“I am nearly sure that I was invited,” he said slowly. “Are you saying you don’t know who I am?” he added, a little surprised.
“I am sorry to say that I don’t. But I am not from this area. I don’t mean to offend by my lack of knowledge.”
“I am not offended at all. In fact, I find it very refreshing.”
“Does that mean you don’t plan to tell me your name?” Lady Louisa asked while inside her she craved to discover this man’s identity.
“No, I don’t think I will,” he said with a slightly wide sparkling grin.
“But perhaps you would share yours with me, as I must have missed your introduction when the ball began.”
Lady Louisa seemed to consider this a few moments before turning away from him and towards the bookshelf closest to her. She didn’t want to explain that she had arrived late or, worse, the reason behind it.
“I can’t see why I should tell you mine when you won’t tell me yours,” she said as her fingertips glided over the spines of the books.
“I can’t say that is unfair, though I don’t like it. Perhaps I can guess your identity then,” he said, excited at the idea.
She looked back at him, and Rowland was sure his heart caught in his throat as her clear blue eyes sized him up.
“Alright, I will allow you five questions and one guess,” she said with a sly smile.
She was rather enjoying this game.
He nodded in agreement before placing a hand on his chin and rubbing it thoughtfully.
“I would guess by the fine quality of your dress, you are a lady?” he asked and stated at the same time.
“That is true. My father was a Lord with a seat in the House of Lords,” Lady Louisa encouraged, knowing that in this crowd that would not limit his options by much.
“Was?” he asked.
“He passed away a few years back,” she said sullenly.
“I’m so sorry,” he said taking a step closer to her and closing the gap. Though she could scarcely make out his eyes behind such a large mask, she heard the sincerity in his voice and thanked him for it.
“That’s two questions down,” Lady Louisa said, wanting to move on from the subject of her father’s passing.
“That hardly counts,” the man protested. “It was more like a follow-up question.”
“Unfortunately, you don’t get to make the rules. I do. And I say it counts as two,” Lady Louisa said, feeling braver in the anonymity.
“Alright then,” he said, rubbing his chin again, “then I suppose I will have to be more careful. Let me think, three questions left,” he added to himself.
Rowland was rather enjoying this little diverting game and found this mysterious woman quite perplexing.
“Are you here tonight with family?”
Lady Louisa thought over the question. She technically had been invited along with her aunt’s family, but then they had no idea that she was present at the ball.
“That’s actually a hard one. I would have to say yes and no.”
“Yes and no!” the man retorted with a laugh. “I have a feeling you are being very difficult on purpose.”
“I don’t mean to be, honestly. I guess I will say that I was invited with family members but came on my own.”
“A brave maiden to come to such a place on such a night alone,” he said.
He thought over the guests again. He was sure he had not greeted a single lady into his house.
“Are you asking me if I am brave?” Lady Louisa teased with a playful smile.
She took a couple more steps in the direction of the books, turning her attention back to them when he quickly shook his head ‘no’ in fear of giving away another question.
It rather felt more like a game of cat and mouse. Both seemed to take steps from time to time, first farther away from each other, then closer together, and now again Lady Louisa put distance between them.
“I can already deduce you are a brave lady. The fact that you didn’t immediately leave the room, and that you came alone, tells me that. You must be quite bold and outspoken in life.”
Lady Louisa couldn’t help but laugh. Nothing could have been further from the truth in describing her. The gentleman watched her laugh with merriment in his own masked face.
“I take it this is not a true statement then? Yes, that is my next question,” he asked when Lady Louisa questioned him with her own blue eyes before answering.
“As a fourth question, you are correct in that I am not a very outspoken lady normally.”
“Yet you experience a change tonight. You seem quite radiant and defiant as you continue to float away from me in this very room,” the Duke said, putting words to the frustration he felt.
He was sure if he got close enough, he would recognize her, but she always seemed to stay in motion. He pondered his last question carefully, in dire need to know this woman now more than ever.
“So, you are a lady normally reserved, but quite emboldened by the anonymity. I am sure from your manners and speech you attended the finest schools in London.”
“Is that all you know so far?” Lady Louisa teased.
“You also have a fondness for Percy Bysshe Shelley,” Rowland stated boldly. The lady looked back at him, surprised.
“I have watched you run your hand along each shelf but only when it fell upon a book by Shelley did you stop and let your fingers trace the binding.”
She looked down shyly. She couldn’t believe she had done so without even realizing it.
“Let me see if I can remember this correctly,” he said softly while he thought. “The sunlight claps the earth, and the moonbeams kiss the sea: what are these kissings worth, if thou kiss not me?”
Lady Louisa looked down at the ground shyly. She was surprised by his ability to quote Shelley and, also, the brazen quote he chose.
“Did I get it right?” he asked almost thinking to himself.
“Yes,” Lady Louisa replied. “Love’s Philosophy. It is actually one of my favorites.”
His smile widened at her words. He took two more steps closer, and this time she didn’t take any away. They were now standing so close that the nose of his mask could almost brush against the top of her head. She would have to look up to see into his eyes but she couldn’t bring herself to do so.
“Tell me your name,” he whispered. “I fear I will never guess it and shall not survive the night without knowing it.”
“I hardly see how I could now,” she said with a playful smile. “I find myself alone in a closed room with a man I know nothing of, reciting romantic poetry to me. I fear it is best we never exchange names after such an
intimate encounter that could ruin us both if it was known.”
“Perhaps you are right. We are in quite a compromising situation. If you told me your name, I suppose I would have to do the honorable thing.”
There was silence between them for a few moments.
“I don’t know that I would mind that terribly,” Rowland finally said. He was satisfied to see her raise her shocked face.
Rowland bore deep into the blue eyes that looked back at him, willing some recognition, but none came.
“I should go,” Lady Louisa said, utterly embarrassed now.
She had experienced and participated in more flirtation than she had ever done before in all her seasons combined.
“May I ask my last question first before you leave?”
“Alright, after all, you do have one left,” Lady Louisa said hoping the playful banter might remove the heavy weight that seemed to tie them together.
“Would you do me the honor of a dance?”
Lady Louisa hesitated and looked towards the door she had entered.
“I don’t suggest we walk out of this room together. You can exit this way,” he motioned to the door behind him. “There will be fewer people out in the hall. I will take the door leading back into the ballroom. We could meet in there, let's say by the punch table for the next set?”
Lady Louisa considered this. She did have a desire to know this charismatic, tall, angular man as well.
“Alright,” she finally said softly. She stepped around him and made her way to the door leading out of the room. She hesitated for just a moment and looked back.
“See you very soon then?” Rowland asked the mysterious enchantress.
She nodded once and then slipped out of the door.