<div class="floatleft">(https://imageshack.com/i/plOXftgUj)</div><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><strong>Name:</strong> Sarah Dalgliesh<br/><strong>Location:</strong> Arrival at the party.<br/><strong>Time:</strong> Early-ish<br/><strong>Wearing:</strong> Black asymmetrical dress (https://imageshack.com/a/img921/6710/55wDPg.jpg), black pumps, stockings, necklace (https://imageshack.com/a/img924/1483/xogsIp.jpg), mask. (https://imageshack.com/a/img922/4672/xnOFmQ.jpg)<br/><br/><strong>Tagging:</strong> Henry<br/><strong>Notes:</strong> Quite taken with her new companion. <br/></span><hr/><br/>The man before her was not exactly what Sarah had expected to encounter at the masquerade; not that she really knew what to expect.  His voice, his manners, his charm; attractive in so many ways in addition to his physical good looks.  She’d assumed there would be handsome men and beautiful women of course, but as inexperienced as she was with this um, type of fête, she wasn’t sure how people would interact.  Her Phantom had put her at ease.<br/><br/>Sarah smiled as she joined him in their toast, taking a sip of the excellent champagne and feeling grateful to no longer have to worry about alcohol mixing with pain meds.  He made no attempt to hide the way his eyes took in her face and the curves of her body, which was refreshing.  She returned the favour, her own eyes once more exploring but now lingering on his eyes, his lips, his hands, the way he filled out his suit...<br/><br/>“You are very kind.  Please, never feel you need to restrain your boldness,” Sarah replied.  There was a tone of something else in his cultured voice that drew her to him even more.<br/><br/>She made no attempt to evade his touch, and once his fingertips found her hand and then her sensitive wrist Sarah would have been unable to pull away even if she had wanted to do so.  Her eyes fluttered closed for several heartbeats as his lips touched her skin, a very faint flush rising to her cheeks.<br/><br/>“I am pleased to meet you, Sir Henry.  I doubt anyone with intact senses would consider you a fool or a cad,” she murmured.  “If I am the object of your desire this evening, I remain willing to accept any risk that entails.”  Her eyes met his, no sign of dishonesty or misgivings on her part.<br/><br/>Sarah smiled at his question, allowing him to keep possession of her hand.<br/>“Yes, I dance.  Where you lead, my Phantom, I shall follow.  On or off the dance floor.”