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something more, something tantalizing, and his dark gaze met hers. A flame lit his eyes, a fire that warmed her and somehow startled her with its intensity.
    For a moment she couldn’t turn away. To break the spell of his look, Lucienne glanced at her mother. “It’s a beautiful ring, isn’t it, Mama?” Lucienne held out her hand. “So very unusual in its style. I’ll be the envy of every girl in the parish.”
    “Beautiful indeed, Lucienne. I’ve not seen anything more exquisite.”
    Lucienne admired the band of glowing stones for a moment and tried to collect herself. She needed something from Armand, something… Oh, how could she have been so distracted, and by Armand, of all people... The wedding! She needed to discuss the masquerade with him. He must agree to do it the way she wanted.
    “You’ve been so generous and brought me such lovely things, I feel terrible asking for yet something else.” She lowered her eyelashes and wished her heart would stop fluttering so she could breathe properly. The sight of those magnificent pearls must have shaken her wits.
    “If you wish for something and it’s in my power to give it to you, you have only to ask.”
    “It’s the wedding,” she began. “Or the timing of it. Our family always hosts a grand bal masque for Mardi Gras. People look forward to it, plan for it every year. They even have wonderful costumes made for it. Last year Grandmère had special gowns made for my cousin Pierrette and me. Made in Paris by a very famous couturier.” Lucienne cast a beguiling glance up at him. “The ball is terribly important to all Mama and Papa’s friends.”
    “Yes, I’ve had the pleasure of attending the Toussaint bal masque . We have many grand Mardi Gras balls in town as well. You and I will enjoy years of such entertainments.”
    Lucienne added a very pretty pout to her plea. “I’m sure we will, but not this year. We’ll be married in a tiny family wedding here at Mille Fleur because of the pressures of your papa’s business. And longtime friends of our family will be so disappointed. The ball they enjoy so much will not take place, and we won’t have a grand wedding at the Cathedral to make it up to them. It seems inhospitable and less than gracious to let them down this way.”
    “You want to postpone the wedding, then?” A long frown crossed Armand’s face. “I don’t think that will be possible.”
    “No, no, of course not.” Lucienne put all the entreaty she could produce into her words. “I only want to combine the events. Hold the masked ball as part of the wedding celebration. Wear the wonderful Paris gown that Grandmère ordered for me. She’s growing older. It’s important to her to see me wear that dress. I would always regret it if she never did.” She finished with a rush. “But if we hold the wedding at the ball, everyone will be pleased. Papa is relieved, our friends and family get to enjoy the ball, Papa Dupre is able to be there, and it all works well.”
    Armand sat in thought. She could see him weighing the possibilities. “You will miss two of the major pleasures of your life, a grand wedding and this delightful masquerade? And your grandmother will not see you in the magnificent gown she had made for you? That’s worrying you?”
    Lucienne clasped her hands. “Oh, yes, it’s the most beautiful gown ever. But it just isn’t suitable for a wedding—not a little family wedding, that is. Please, can you possibly do this for me? I know you’ve been so generous and sweet, and this must seem like a silly thing to worry about, but it would mean so much. Papa was so excited when he thought of it.”
    “If it will please you and it’s something that M’sieu Toussaint desires, then certainly I have no objections.” Armand’s smile suggested satisfaction at a request so easily satisfied.
    “And will you wear a costume, too? So that we match? My dress is made to look like a butterfly, a glittering, white-and-silver butterfly.