Her smile bloomed into a grin as he picked her up, arms automatically wrapping around his neck as she giggled in delight. This was so much better than a side conversation at a crowded ball, even if nobody could hear them at the time.

"I would never!" She gasped in mock shock, unable to hide the pure contentment she was feeling at this point in time. "Is it still Valentine's?" She teased more quietly, remembering where she was, as she tried to look past him at the clock. Surely it was after midnight, Elsie had even gotten home until nearly then. It was far past her normal bedtime, but such was the life of a daughter trying to make up for being in the rumor mill and for the girl just trying to be alone with her love for more than five minutes.

Feeling her feet hit the ground again, she kept her arms firmly around him, though struggled to hold the shawl in place, letting it flutter gently to the floor without another thought. Sighing softly, she squeezed him tight and buried her face in his shoulder, taking a moment to simply let the moment wash over her. There was something to be said about taking this risk, but when she felt like she could finally breathe, that for just a minute she felt entirely whole, it had to be worth it. "Either way, this is much better." She mumbled into his shirt wondering when this would be their every night and not just one in a great while.