Topaz didn't notice the gentleman nearby at all until he spoke to her, and was immediately aghast. She would not have lingered here had she thought someone was approaching her, and she certainly would not have spoken aloud had she realized that anyone was close enough to hear. Now he seemed to think that she had some sort of attachment to the strangers across the room. While this was a sound conclusion to leap to, given how invested she had been in their stilted attempt at romance, she was mortified by the mere suggestion of it.

"Ah, no," she admitted. Her cheeks colored slightly and she moved her hands together in front of her waist, twisting one finger a little anxiously. She could not have lied about it for fear that she might be caught out later in the evening, either because this gentleman might actually know the pair of them or because she might be called upon to interact with one or both before the evening was through. She felt rather abashed to have to tell the truth, however. Should she give some explanation for what she'd been doing? Would it help at all? Perhaps it would scare him off, she thought hopefully — she was sure that it wasn't common for young women to spend balls lingering at the edges of the ballroom staring down strangers, and he might think her odd enough to abruptly end this conversation.

"He's just so obviously smitten with her," she explained. "I couldn't help but cheer him on."

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