"It is not half so beautiful as you," he said before he could think better of it.  He reached down and plucked a white rose pulling off the thorns gently. "Do you know about the secret language of the rose?" He asked her reaching over and gently tucking it behind her ear. looking back toward the ballroom to make sure no one was pursuing them with prying eyes.  He thought that if nothing else they might could begin to use roses to communicate as many didn't know the story.