Esther was almost certain her worst nightmare will come true and she will be standing alone in the shadows of the ballrooms for the rest of the season but fortunately, that was far from reality.

The first dance at the Actons' Ball was a pain indeed and just as she had expected, she spent it standing, if not too far away in the shadows then at the outskirts of the dance floor with an aged crowd of onlookers. However, it was soon noticed by the gentlemen in attendance that the one and only Miss Sherborne was 'Duke-less' that evening and even before the announcement of the next dance, Esther had all her dances of the evening promised to one or the other handsome young man.

To great relief, her biggest problem was no more a bother as she soon realized that she was still as wanted as ever and she did not anymore need to cry in corners, as the other couples danced. However, contrary to her beliefs, she was still not happy to be dancing the nights away like that.

The usual wide grin that used to appear almost instantly on her face the moment the orchestra hit the note was there no more and keeping a happy and pleasant exterior was a struggle. Her head that only ever sang along the music was now finding it difficult to focus on the rhythm and she was missing steps more often than ever.

As she looked around at the giggling and laughing faces of other couples, she only felt more pressured and dancing for her was no more the peak of all joys.

The real Duke attended very few balls but The fake Duke attended almost all of them and Esther was not happy about it. Her eyes would often find him or perhaps it was his unique self, the taller than usual form, the sharper than usual features, the deeper than usual eyes and the stronger than usual vibe, that always stood out from the crowd. But however unique, it was not a pleasant view for her.

His arm was always hooked with Lady Valentine's and he danced with her every time he joined the dance floor, which he seldom did. He spent most evenings chatting with her and The Marquess, and the real Duke if he was present at all.

There was no contact between him and Esther, they were strangers.

The Marquess of Rosevale on the other hand was as friendly and approaching as ever, which was a problem as Esther had taken her father's warning to her heart and she did not want to be seen chatting and laughing with him by Lord Sherborne.

Although she did not completely kill the contact. They danced one dance together every ball they attended, that only if he asked Esther before all her dances of the evening were not promised already, which he most often did as if he was religiously devoted to it. He would book two dances some evenings but if he asked for a third she would lie that it is taken and instead hide in the shadows than having him dominate most of her dances.

But that was all they did. Dance. She kept her eyes on anything but him while they were together and she made sure every conversation he introduced met dead ends.

For any man as wise and experienced as him, her behaviour should have been hint enough to retreat but he perhaps was built different. After a few evenings, he understood how uninterested she was in his conversations hence to Esther's relief he did cut down on the talks but never did he fail to ask her for a dance at the right time.

The Frampton girls were leaving no opportunity to grab a conversation with the royal party. Every now and then the sisters would walk up to the fake Duke and his friends and bat their eyes in the most unnatural manner. It was a pain to watch them try so hard but there was less Esther could do.

The fake Duke and the Marquess were least interested in their chatters and giggles but Esther had definitely caught the real Duke talking gladly to Juliette more than once and she knew not how she should feel about it hence she decided to not concern herself with their matters.

Miss Florence Lewis, on the other hand, was catching the eyes of the young Leonardio Radcliffe and it was a very exciting affair to witness. However, Lady Radcliffe, Leo's mother did not look much pleased with the new union. Her high nose and even higher pride were finding it extremely difficult to watch her only son get enchanted by the lowly daughter of a housemaid, which made the entire arrangement ever more gossip-worthy and every night Esther and Florence spent hours discussing the matter.

Esther had never seen her friend go so red in blush. It was love, no doubt.

After attending eight balls in the same monotonous fashion, Esther found herself shifting her weight on her legs at the fringes of Lord Bamford's ballroom one evening. Next to her stood Florence, twirling her curls in her fingers as the ever dashing Leonardo Radcliffe walked up to them with a charming smile on his face.

Esther knew it was about time that he took her only companion away and what follows next was not a secret to her anymore.

From the corner of her eyes she sneaked a glance of the royal group standing just a few meters away, it would only take Reuben ten to fifteen steps to reach her. She still had two dances left on her card so if he asked her out she wouldn't be able to refuse him. The only way out of this situation was to avoid him until two other gentlemen asked her.

Gathering her gown in one swift move, she turned away from Lord Valentine's direction and started walking across the hall to join the chattery Frampton girls.

She could see Juliette and Jennifer standing with two tall and broad men on the other side of the dance floor. The orchestra had started tuning up to soon announce the fourth dance, meaning, Esther had to find a partner soon.

She had only reached half way up to the Frampton sisters when they slid their hands into the respective gentlemen's and made it to the dance floor leaving Esther to the mercy of fast approaching Reuben.

There were no gentlemen in sight to come for her rescue, except a server with a tray carrying flutes of colorful drinks.

For all Esther cared about, he couldn't ask for her next dance.

Lord Valentine on the other side, unfortunately could.

He was wearing a very finely sticked velvet suit and was the very picture of an admirable handsome man from what Esther had seen from the glances she stole and it would be a pity to destroy his undoubtedly expensive attire but with him just a few steps away behind her and the server walking up to her from just as far on the other side, Esther was badly compelled to succumb to the circumstances.

After all, spilled drinks had done much harm to her in past, for once, it could do good.

As Lord Valentine and the server, both approached close enough, Esther swiftly turned on her heels and her elbow knocked the server's balance so it would cause his tray to trip and empty all it's content on Lord Valentine's torso.

"P-pardon me, M-my Lord. Extremely s-sincere ap-pologies, I-" The horrified server started to babble the moment he realised what he had done having no idea it was a planned crime.

"Oh my, Reuben, are you alrig-" Esther began to ask in a concerned voice but stopped as she looked down at his as-good-as-new attire.

There was hardly a few droplets of liquid here and there on his suit while rest of the drinks formed a pool on the floor.

"You can leave, no harm done." He told the server and the boy left in the blink of an eye with a face redder than Miss Lewis's when Leonardo Radcliffe used the most cringe-worthy romantic poetries mid-conversion.

Esther was still staring at him is disbelief and awe when the orchestra blew up announcing the commencement of the next dance.

"Miss Sherborne," Reuben spoke drawing Esther's disturbed attention back to him, he had bowed in the most charming manner, his right foot swept behind his left heel in style and his hand was spread in her front. "May I have this dance?"

There was no refusing a Marquess on his face, Esther had to accept the offer. With a plastered smile she placed her hand into his and they joined the couples on the dance floor.

Just a few couples before them stood the fake Duke with a grinning Lady Valentine.

Her smile made Esther envy her.

The music began and they started dancing. Esther could feel Reuben's consistent eyes immobile on her but she was not going to give in any soon. She employed the same old practice of keeping her eyes on anything but her partner to avoid any conversation at all, but how long could an old and obsolete strategy keep her safe?

"That was quite a stunt you pulled there." Lord Valentine finally spoke pulling Esther's eyes to him. "It's a pity it failed."

"Pardon? What stunt?" Esther asked with a face as straight as she could manage.

"Oh, are we to pretend that you haven't been trying your best to avoid me all this time? Well, that too is alright." He added with a nonchalant shrug and they changed partners before Esther could reply.

The criminalization made her fluster with guilt and she could hardly keep her mind on the dance. Lord Valentine was watching her intently while they danced with different partners. She switched partners again to find the fake Duke dancing with her.

"Miss Sherborne." He greeted her in an extremely strange and formal tone. She decided to only acknowledge it quietly and pass him.

"Your Grace." She whispered back and before any of them could muster the courage and subject to start a conversation, they switched partners.

Once Esther was back in Lord Valentine arms, his blaming eyes that sought answers violently made it impossible for her to stay silent.

"Well?" He prodded.

"Well, no, we do not have to pretend so. It is quite clear that I've been avoiding your acquaintance." She replied plainly. "And I express my sincere apologies if you cannot understand my reasons but they are quite strong from where I stand."

"No, I understand." He replied and before he could speak any further, they were separated again but that was the reply Esther least expected.

She paid less attention to who she was dancing with until she was back with him. "You do?" She asked in a confused tone.

"Is that a marriage proposal?" Lord Valentine asked with raised eyebrows, "for if it is then I must waste no time and say 'I do!'"

Esther rolled her eyes at his impromptu and untimely joke and looked away.

"Well, jokes aside, my dear Esther," he started in a serious tone, "it is quite understandable for you to be upset after what I told you. I cannot expect you to be willing to play along with my masquerade, but must you not mind me as I shall keep up with my pretense of making you fall in love with me. For my sister's peace of mind and heart, that is."

The more she absorbed his words the more they seemed to dilute her father's warning.

He sounded genuine. Like a good person, which he was not.

In the last few weeks, Esther talked to Florence about him and she told her all his notorious stories and the journey of his unparallelly tainted reputation. She needed no more proof to judge his character.

He was the kind of man she needed to stay away from and yet here his word were acting magnets to her.

After a few switched partners when they were back to each other, Esther had made her decision. "That is not why I am compelled to avoid you, that in fact holds no importance to me."

Reuben's eyebrows curled up, "That ruse holds no importance to you and yet you have good reasons to avoid me? This conversation is getting interesting."

"I've been warned." Esther said plainly causing an instant change in Reuben's expressions but before he could put his emotions to words they switched partners again.

She was unaware of the weight her discomfort imposed on her expressions until she reached the fake Duke and he got compelled to inquire about her well-being. "Is everything alright, Miss Sherborne?" He asked in confusion and for a second there, she thought she sensed concern in his tone.

Her forehead scrunched up at his question and she decided to leave it hanging there just like that.

Edward's eyes followed her as she switched another partner to reach Reuben again. Rebeca's eyes as well were pinned on the couple.

"Warned about what? By who?" Reuben asked hurriedly in a denser and scarier voice.

Esther gulped on her dry throat and answered, "By my father, to keep a distance fron men like you who hold a bad reputation and yours is the most tainted of all as far as I know."

As if it were all a well-planned mystical joke, the music came to a halt immediately after she had spoken that sentence and the dancers all bowed to one another except Esther and Reuben, they were in their own world.

Esther could see a hint of hurt in his eyes as she honestly admitted everything.

"I meant not to hurt your sentiments, Reuben, this is just the truth and I much prefer a hurtful truth over a sweet lie and you know it." Esther explained hesitantly as they still stood on the dance floor.

All other couples had dispersed except The Duke and Lady Valentine who were watching Esther and Reuben from a distance.

"Oh kid me not, Esther. You cannot hurt me with that, don't tell me you think you can." He replied with a scoff. "With that kind of a reputation, it would take much more than that to penetrate my thick skin."

"I see." Esther muttered feebly. "Um, I think I should then-." She struggled to place the right words in place. Evidently, she hadn't had much luck with them so far that evening.

"Oh right, yes. No spending a lot of time with such a tainted man. I understand!" Reuben replied nodding his head too frequently.

"No that is not- um- I- I extend my most sincere apologies for my words but I must leave now. We will take this conversation ahead another day?" She suggested in a hurried manner and before listening to Reuben's response she was already storming across the hall on horse speed.

Reuben couldn't understand what suddenly went wrong but from his reliable and long experience with women he could think of a few good reasons.