“Lady Francheska, you have no shame in locking eyes with the opposite gender.” he was teasing her. Scanning the area, no one was crowding them, and fortunately, only they were on the table finishing their meals.

‘What a conversation starter. He really could not think of anything else…’ Francheska chewed the insides of her cheek as she took a glass of water from the table.

“My apologies my lord but may I correct your sentence that it was you who initiated the stare.”

“Ah, so the rumors are true, the youngest daughter lost a piece of her mind,” he smirked

Biting the insides of her cheeks, Francheska was pissed by the sudden insult.

“Get along well my ass, my lord you are already building such a bad impression of yourself.”

“Same to you my lady, never knew you had such a foul mouth.”

“Just keep quiet my lord.” Francheska harshly said.

“You are the opposite of the lady who I just met the other day.” He blurted out of the blue that Francheska could only respond by raising an eyebrow, not understanding what he was implying.

“Apologies, a lady like you would not understand.”

Slamming the utensils on the table, Francheska made the boy flinch and curled her lips into a smile.

“I’m afraid that a lord like you would be the one who would not understand. How dare you question me about understanding being a lady when you are not one.” Francheska sternly told the lord across the table.

Francheska was mad and her appetite was gone, but was satisfied she ate enough to have something in her stomach. Wiping the corner of her lips for the residue of the meal, she stood up from her seat as she made her way further from the rude son of the count.

The boy then called her name out, and thankfully everyone in the hall was so occupied with having fun that no one was watching the commotion of the two kids. Every time Francheska heard her name, her steps would change their extent to widen their gap so the boy not catch up.

Before she could even start running, her wrist was pulled so that the force led her to face the boy.

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“Lady Francheska I sincerely apologize, what I said was too much– I overstepped and hurt a lady like you. I deserve to be punished.”

“Punish? My lord, I prefer your excellency to hear about this and show them that you broke your words to them– to the duke and duchess.”

“YOU! Y- you certainly lost pieces of your mind–” the boy slowly mumbled his words.

“I politely ask of you my lord to unhand me this instant before things start to escalate from here.”

The boy then gently removed his grip on her, and then out of nowhere before Francheska could even go her way the boy bent on one knee his head was on the floor as he lifted his left hand– inviting her to hold.

“My lady, will you take my hand and be my first dance of the night?”

“What?” There was a bit of anger in her voice but also confusion.

“I, William Dante Cosimo, would like you to be my first dance on this night, Lady Francheska.” This time the boy said it with diction and confidence that some of the ladies and lords around them caught their act.

Francheska who wants to reject the offer badly and say it right to everyone’s faces and him–! Alas, she could not do it, the voice of the duke and duchess in that carriage penetrated to her senses. She was defeated and accepted by taking the boy's hand.

William felt a hand on his and rose from his position. Smiling widely to Francheska he guided her to the dance floor and started the routine.

Francheska, who was still mad, did not even try looking the boy in the eye. She was just staring at his ears.

“I truly am sorry lady Francheska, I could not think of anything else but dancing with you as an excuse to have more of your time.” William’s voice was low and soundly defeated.

“You should have stuck to not thinking my lord, my anger would have died down if you had given me space and not pressured me,” she replied.

“----” William was like a fish trying to let out another word.

The music score was almost over and the two of them just danced like a music box.

“The rumors were not true, you’re self-aware and I was the one who stared at you first–” William said, still Francheska’s eyes were in the crowd. “-but having a foul mouth was a fact–” before he could finish, the lady’s gaze was finally on his– he got her full attention now.

“-and you are interesting, my lady. I’m the one who is dumb and does not think before saying words.” The band was changing its music score, which meant his time with Francheska was over.

“What else, my lord?” Francheska asked, gripping his hands back to their position.

Hearing the new music score, William realized what Francheska was trying to tell him– he had another time to make amends. Regaining his motivation, he pulled her closer so that she could hear him of his true apology.

“I was arrogant, and selfish to not see and treat you like a person– a lady. I should have been careful not to criticize someone’s character. I was rude, I did not act like a son of Cosimo– I even broke the words I left on our parents to take care of you. My lady, from the depths and whole of my heart, I apologize for what I said at the table.” Their eyes did not stray and continued waltzing on the dance floor.

Francheska then saw the sincerity in William's eyes that all he just said was true.

“My lord,” Francheska sighed and saw William’s throat bobbed to swallow his pride waiting for her response.

“Apology accepted,” the lady then smiled.

William’s eyes widened in surprise, mimicking Francheska’s smile.

“My lord, I might change my mind if you start something else.” The boy could only pursed his lips to zip his mouth but his grin was obvious of satisfaction.

The two continued to dance throughout the music, enjoy the new ambiance they created, and joke about the ridiculousness of how they started their argument. So engrossed in the dance to have a world on their own that they forgot the stare of the nobles surrounding them.

In the distance, the two families reunited to see what the commotion was– seeing their children on the dance floor made the countess words with actuality that they do get along well.