My Earl was an Alien by Elizabeth Ellen Carter & Duncan Carling-Rodgers

Author:Elizabeth Ellen Carter & Duncan Carling-Rodgers [Carter, Elizabeth Ellen & Carling-Rodgers, Duncan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Business Communications Management
Published: 2023-10-30T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

AFTER the sixth dance, Jasper gave up. He sat in his own subconscious glumly, and let Thalian take control of his body, only moving his tongue from time to time to be polite to the latest dance partner.

“This is the most wonderous thing I have ever done in my life!” Thalian exclaimed from within. “The way your body moves in time to the music in this coordinated fashion is just marvelous. It’s releasing some kind of chemical from your brain that is making us feel good.”

“Are you sure it’s not just the champagne?”

“No, no, I’m sure it’s not from any external stimulant.”

To his relief, Thalian forewent the next dance to begin a conversation with Lord Fotheringham which led to a deep discussion with the Reverend Pasker on the nature of a soul, before he discussed the accuracy of the Farmer’s Almanac with Fotheringham’s steward.

After another glass of champagne, he found himself, or perhaps it was Thalian, praising the vintage once more to their host before he approached one of the matrons to ask if she might like to dance. The middle-aged woman agreed readily.

Jasper inwardly groaned. He knew, as Thalian did not, that Lady Shergold was responsible for many a crushed toe on the dance floor. If he could survive this, he would demand Thalian to lead him to Celeste.

Hang on a moment!

He was in charge of his body, not Thalian.

“For God’s sake, stop!” Jasper yelled silently.

Thalian was positively giddy. It made him giddy. And now it was making him ill.

The music came to an end. Jasper offered his dancing partner a wan smile and escorted her back to her friends. Some of the girls looked to him, eagerly waiting for the invitation which had been so readily given all evening.

He fought a yearning to turn around and ask yet another girl to dance. That was Thalian’s wish, not his own.

All he wanted was to sit down, catch his breath, and settle his roiling stomach.

Instead, he regretfully shook his head and forced his jelly-like legs to carry him with as much dignity as could be mustered out into the garden where he dropped down onto a stone bench.

“Enough, Thalian, enough,” he whispered, struggling to find the energy to keep this conversation between his ears.

“But there are more dances before supper. I should like to experience them all.”

“And I would like to not experience being ridden to collapse.”

“Hmm, your blood pressure is elevated, and your heart is beating faster than usual. There is also a build-up of lactic acid in your muscles – but nothing that will kill you.”

“You didn’t mention the churning of my stomach,” Jasper muttered. “Look, I appreciate that you love to dance, but there is only such much a man can take.”

“Jasper?”

There, silhouetted in the warm glow of the lamps, was Celeste, the shimmering lilac hue of her gown setting off the yellow-blonde of her hair. She was beautiful.

Something had happened. Whenever he looked at her now something told him that she was the one.

He’d danced with her at least twice tonight.

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