Lady Beth turned and jumped, shocked to find him behind her. Charles reached out and caught her, pulling her to himself to prevent a fall. She freed herself quickly and stepped back, creating a few centimetres between them, jumpily rubbing down her skirt. When against all things sensible, he closed in on her again, she made no show of it, even though she had noticed. She cleared her throat. "Mother was friends with the late Duchess, her birth Mother. She brought her home." She said, almost whispering, but Charles was no longer listening.
Without much knowledge, night slowly descended upon them as the wind became stronger, the air, colder. In the silent, moonless night, Charles could hear his heart pounding and he knew it had no relation to the cold air. From where he stood, he could almost feel her against him, he only needed to move one foot. They stood like that for a while.
