Dancing

[janebecomes]

Jane found herself moving through the ball with far less joy than she wished as her thoughts seemed to circle ever around what it means to be sensible.

Mister Wisley was a fair dancer but he did nothing to make her enjoy her time on the floor, but she would give him the dances that he asked for.

She knew that it would be sensible and profitable to accept his offer of marriage but Jane was not sure if she truly could.

So she moved around the floor, not truly hearing or seeing simply walking the steps and wondering if perhaps Mister Lefroy had decided he had no wish to attend the ball.

Comments

[tom-lefroy.livejournal.com]

He almost doesn't believe this is real.

(Because it can't be.)

But the touch of her lips against his is no trick of the mind, certainly no fantasy. It's real and it's causing every last scrap of logic to disappear as though it never existed.

A hand reaches up to graze her jawline with the barest of touches.

He returns the kiss earnestly, hungrily, but all the while - gently.

[janebecomes]

When his hand touches her face, Jane realizes what she has done and breaks the kiss as she whispers,

"Did I do that well?"

They're not the words she meant, but in a way they are, she wants him.

[tom-lefroy.livejournal.com]

"Very - very well," he says, finally managing to let a breath out.

(For she had, in the most cliche of ways, quite stolen it from him.)

[janebecomes]

Jane isn't sure whether she should laugh or cry, so she smiles with relief and says,

"I wanted, just once, to do it well."

[tom-lefroy.livejournal.com]

He returns the smile.

It's likely the first genuinely happy one he's managed to make in a long time.

His hand slowly moves down to graze tenderly at her neck. There are consequences to this, but right now he could not be forced to care.

The sound of a group of men chattering beyond the distance makes him turn - just briefly - towards their direction.

Decisions must be made.

He turns back to Jane, a hopeful smile on his face. His hand moves to take hers and he starts off - away from the fountain and the approaching men.

"I have -" he starts, "no money, no property. I am entirely dependent upon that bizarre old lunatic, my uncle."

He leads her towards the trees, excitement and joy rising in his voice.

"I cannot yet offer you marriage. But - you must know what I feel.

"Jane, I'm yours."

He can't believe that he's confessing this; and yet it is exciting to admit it.

"God. I'm yours. I'm yours - heart and soul."

He watches her expression, half-joking as he concludes with, "Much good that is."

[janebecomes]

His torrent of words surprises her and she doesn't look anywhere but his face as they move deeper into the garden.

She wants to laugh and that joy slips into her voice,

"Let me decide that."

Then she tightens her grip on his hand for she will not let him go.

[tom-lefroy.livejournal.com]

He would not fight to let go, either.

"What will we do?" he asks, because though he'd laid his heart out for her to see, he didn't exactly think beyond it.

[janebecomes]

Now she does laugh though its full of desperation before she finally says,

"What we must."

Its so easy to lean her face upon his shoulder and feel that silly green coat,

"I think now I understand the allure of a man's velvet coat slightly better."

[tom-lefroy.livejournal.com]

He laughs too.

It's relieved and happy, and there's a little bit of disbelief thrown in too. Because whatever it is they must do, they'll do it. He'll do it.

"Do you?"

[janebecomes]

"Yes, it does call rather too much attention to you, but it has a softness to it,"

Gently she moves her hand to his lapel and looks up at him,

"Which suits you."

[tom-lefroy.livejournal.com]

How could this not be an invitation to bring her face towards his for another kiss?

Never mind that there are parties within the Gresham Manor awaiting them. Never mind the looks he will receive from his relations later.

When he kisses her this time, he thinks he understands - more than ever - why his parents did what they did.

(They married for love.)

(He can too, can't he?)