He was captured by the expression on her face as she pulled away - a certain curiosity mixed with a certain spellboundness that he could only relate to too well. This time, she came to him and his fingers laced even further into her hair, his only thought of never letting this moment end. But then a laugh from behind them crackled through the air and Faustus felt her freeze in his arms. He drew away ever so slightly, his eyes flicking to his peripherals as if he could silence them with a single glance - but of course they were so obstructed by the tree, ornaments and presents that it was impossible to even cast such a withering glare. Even if he could, the reality of the situation descended upon him, and he looked down at her. In the dim light, he could see her cheeks redden and he realized how foolish he'd been to put Miss Skovgaard in such a compromising position.
If he could draw back even further, he would, but as it was, they were both quite confined by the tree and the wall behind her. And what was more, someone's voice reached them, exclaiming they'd dropped their fan underneath the tree. Faustus' heartbeat picked back up again, for a different reason this time, as another voice replied jovially that they would be obliged to go fetch it for them. If they were caught, it would mean potential ruin — likely more for her than for him. And so he slowly disentangled his hand from her hair only to press his index finger to his lips.
With the same hand, he dropped it and started softly rapping on the wall behind her. If memory served him correctly, there was a door somewhere just to his left — one that wouldn't have been used tonight seeing as it only led to the Christmas tree, but if he could find it, they would be able to safely slip through to the hallway on the other side. Ah! There was a click and the door swung open. "Through here — there's an empty parlor the first on your right down the hall." Careful to not let her trip, Faustus guided Miss Skovgaard out and stepped through after her, letting the door swing shut behind him with a soft click.
If he could draw back even further, he would, but as it was, they were both quite confined by the tree and the wall behind her. And what was more, someone's voice reached them, exclaiming they'd dropped their fan underneath the tree. Faustus' heartbeat picked back up again, for a different reason this time, as another voice replied jovially that they would be obliged to go fetch it for them. If they were caught, it would mean potential ruin — likely more for her than for him. And so he slowly disentangled his hand from her hair only to press his index finger to his lips.
With the same hand, he dropped it and started softly rapping on the wall behind her. If memory served him correctly, there was a door somewhere just to his left — one that wouldn't have been used tonight seeing as it only led to the Christmas tree, but if he could find it, they would be able to safely slip through to the hallway on the other side. Ah! There was a click and the door swung open. "Through here — there's an empty parlor the first on your right down the hall." Careful to not let her trip, Faustus guided Miss Skovgaard out and stepped through after her, letting the door swing shut behind him with a soft click.