The stiffening of his arms was brief, gentle, but filled her with a warm delight; he didn't want to let her go any more than she wished to part from him, and it was truly no struggle to relax upon his lap, sapphire gaze seeking emerald in the moonlit darkness as his reasonable words caressed her ears, making her nod in agreement and smile.<br/><br/>"I'd rather stay and look upon you than rush to return and observe a sea of faces that mean little to me," she answered, and one of her hands left him, slipping up to touch the edge of his mask with delicate fingertips before moving to gently grip the edge of her own.<br/><br/>From the building, the single voice gave way to a rhythmic cry, as the whole company counted down together to the mid of midsummer's night, ready to reveal themselves in all their finery, while here in the garden, she was ready to let him see who she was, free of worry that he might want her for who her family was, rather than for herself.<br/><br/>"At your leisure, milord."