“Don’t you think he’ll make an exception for tonight?”
I gave him a brilliant smile to make up for making a mess of things. At least he’d waited to give me the ring when we were mostly out of sight of the people below. “I don’t think so, but I’ll put it on at home. I’m sure it’ll look lovely.”
His grip tightened on my hand for a moment, and I fought the ridiculous urge to pull my hand free in case he tried to take off my gloves. Instead, he put the ring back in the tiny airship box. “I don’t want to give you something you can only wear at home.”
“I’ll get it resized,” I offered, reaching for it.
“That’s all right. I’ll figure something else out.” His tone was light but his expression unreadable as he put it back in his pocket. Silence hung between us while the song drew to a close, but as a new one started to play, Desmarc held out a hand. “May I have this dance?”
“Of course.” I accepted his hand and he pulled me to him, effortlessly syncing into the music’s beat.
“You look lovely.” Desmarc spun me out, and my skirt flared around me with layers of tiered ruffles and cascading pleats edged with delicate lace. A few loose curls settled around my face as he pulled me back in.
“Thank you.” I blushed and looked down at my dress, an old one of Mamá’s I’d reworked so it would feel like she was with me tonight in some small way. White chiffon sleeves overlaid the snug-fitting brown leather bodice with brass grommets and gold thread.
Desmarc turned his head and scanned the crowd below us, providing me with his profile of a chiseled jawline and straight nose. “Good turnout tonight.”
“I’m sorry your uncle couldn’t make it, though. I’d hoped to meet him.” I pressed my lips together to try to cover my disappointment at the thought that his uncle’s absence might indicate his lack of approval for our union. Desmarc was always closemouthed about his family and his past, saying he preferred to focus on our future instead. All I knew was that his parents had died when he was little and his uncle had raised him in a neighboring city.
“You can meet him soon.” Desmarc pulled me closer and murmured, “This way I get to have you all to myself for a bit.”
My heart stuttered in counterpoint to the music.
He looked down at the couples twirling below us. “Plus, I thought you might like it better up here.”
“Thank you.” It meant a lot that he had granted me this brief reprieve from the crowds. In general, I didn’t love being the center of attention, although it was difficult to avoid at my own engagement party, especially with Papá’s aim of becoming the Prime Meridian and governing the city.
His ambition was why he’d had a governess tutor me in all the rules of deportment and decorum from the time I was ten until eighteen when I came out into society, three years ago. She’d done her best to turn me into a perfect little lady. Not that perfect ladies walked around with knives strapped to their thighs. Even though Papá had been the one who’d taught me never to go anywhere unarmed, he wouldn’t be pleased to know I’d brought a weapon to my engagement party.
I smiled at the thought.
“We’ll be back in the thick of it soon enough.” Desmarc spun me out, then back in, his movements fluid and graceful.
“Back among the cogs.” I sighed.
“You really shouldn’t call them that.” A wry chuckle softened Desmarc’s reproof.
“Why? It’s the perfect name,” I said. “They’re stuck fulfilling the role to which they’ve been assigned.” Not that I had any right to speak. The harder I tried to break free, the tighter Papá’s noose became.
“Yes, but don’t forget that we also need them. Politics are all about who you know.”
“You really are perfect for Papá. Are you sure you aren’t marrying the wrong person?” I was only partially joking. Desmarc and I got along, but this marriage was more a union of him and Papá.
“I’m sure.” Desmarc laughed, his deep green eyes twinkling at me. “You look much better in a dress.”
We fell into the comfortable silence I’d grown accustomed to. The sound of turning gears and the puff of steam added an ambient layer to the orchestra’s lively melody.
With Desmarc’s political connections to some of the big wheels in the Guardian faction, he was the perfect person to boost Papá’s chances of becoming the Prime Meridian. My marriage to him meant consigning myself to a life of hosting parties for people I didn’t care two sprockets about. It wasn’t the most ideal situation considering how closely he worked with my father, but my chances of Papá approving another suitor were slim. At least being with Desmarc didn’t make me feel like I was being smothered.
The song ended, and people clapped, a tittering of noise flurrying around our ears. As our platform lowered to the ground, I worked up the nerve to scan the room for Professor Sophronia. She wasn’t on the dance floor or any of the couches lining the opposite wall, where quite a few guests sat in quiet conversations.
I looked down and tucked one of my loose black curls behind my ear to hide my disappointment as I mastered my expression.
“May I have this next dance as well?” Desmarc asked. His hopeful smile and short brown curls softened the angular features of his face.
“It would be my pleasure.” I smiled and let him sweep me into the next number. While I’d told Desmarc about my desire to do more with my life, I hadn’t yet told him about my plans to enroll in AIR U. I was waiting for the right moment to bring it up, even if that moment happened after we were married. I was pretty sure Desmarc wouldn’t discourage me as he didn’t have a reason to worry like Papá did yet, but I wanted to tread carefully.
After dancing the next few songs together as well—nothing scandalous about it now that we were publicly engaged—Desmarc escorted me off the dance floor.
Geneve, her black curls piled on top of her head with metal pins, caught my eye and gave me a small wave. She took in my dress with a nod of approval, her eyes welling up slightly.