Gideon Browne seldom felt like a fool, but this was a rare exception. He should have known—but instead, he had discounted Miss Chevalier entirely as a possibility, had grown infatuated with another altogether. But it had been her after all, so surely all was well? Not that she cared if he was infatuated—that she knew his name at all outside of the hospital was something akin to a miracle...

Boldly, Gideon reached for her hand that still held the mask.

"Forgiveness," he said, "can be obtained easily enough if you would consent to a dance."

He had meant to come across as charming, flirtatious, but was feeling rather too lightheaded for his words to have properly met the mark.