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There was a subtle, slight hitch in her breathing

"Your breath just caught" I said it without thinking

"Maybe it did So what?" She angled her chin up atIt’s just … it’s only fair You make mine catch all the time"

Chapter 12

Hallie

I’d never swooned into need a fainting couch and s salts pronto

His touch was gentle, and he smelled like the ocean Not fishy ocean, but expensive, man-made, bottled interpretation of the ocean I couldn’t believe how nervous I was in his arms, or how overwhelmed I was by my emotions when he pulled me closer

Then the world melted around us

Rivulets of the past flooded over the present, and the song playing in my mind blooht would be a waltz became a quadrille Dune’s face faded A masquerade mask replaced it, and the rip world replaced my own

The eyes behind the satin assess me from head to toe A cool

expression turns warm as what he sees passes muster When the time comes to switch partners, he pulls me from formation

"Cecile?"

I nod

"You look beautiful The dress pleases you?"

I nod again and offer a tentative s with your mother Does this please you, too?"

"Monsieur Brionne" My hter shade than my own Both complementary of our dark hair and skin My skin and …

… notthe oval shapes and bitten nails I didn’t bite my nails

"May I call upon Cecile tomorrow?" Monsieur Brionne asks my maman He keeps his hand at o Sorip my waist is worrisome; as is the look in his eyes that tells me he hopes I’ll be alone toreeable" Mains, slow and disar of dancers, everyone here is part of the systees of prosperous white low of an electric chandelier replaces candlelight, and

the smell of calla lilies perfumes the air as bodies whirl around me

Monsieur Brionne stops, and I spin out of his ar fro of two fine families" I jump when a ratulations"

"Thank you"

I didn’t recognize er yellow, but stark white, and e diaold band below it

"I’m so happy"

The words came out of my mouth and not my mouth The kiss I received landed softly on my cheek and not entle, unlike Monsieur Brionne He looked at me with the same kindness Dune did

Dune

"David" I hold his hand as uides lasses froives one to me

"To my bride," he says "To Melina"

"To Melina," the crowd says in chorus

Before I could catch ain