"I'll consider that a resounding success then," he looked so pleased with himself.
"I'm glad my success could benefit your family in so many fashions, Count Korolenko," Edwina suspected that her response wasn't what Lord Adam expected from a girl who hadn't Debuted yet. 
"As you were able to benefit from Daro's talents as a teacher, it is only due course that your success elevates his reputation," Count Korolenko didn't seem admonished at all. "He is the last of my siblings to find a Suitor and settled into a stable lifestyle; my sister Bogna is married to that gentleman from Seong, and Celestyn is currently engaged to a Merchant Prince of Yang."
"And you own lovely wife introduced herself to me before retiring for the night earlier," his wife had the robust build of her Hinikia heritage, but she also had several children under the age of 4 to contend with; exhaustion had all but dripped off the woman.
"With your elevation to Master Gentileschi's apprentice, Daro is suddenly a valuable husband to even the nobles here in Taroton, although I doubt one of the Higher families will sacrifice a daughter," he was so economical about it that Edwina wondered how Lord Daro had grown so artistically in this family. 
She wanted to argue that Lord Daro had value as a husband long before Edwina had received a Master's favour, that he was a kind and considerate man who was always respectful, but also still compassionate. That she would have gladly been his brief if only he had seen her as a woman instead of a student. But Edwina was smarter than that, had more self preservation than reckless abandon, and kept her truths to herself. It wouldn't be appropriate, and it wouldn't help resolve the fact that she wasn't actually an adult yet. She'd kept her love for Lord Daro as concealed as possible, though so very many of her siblings had long ago figured it out. "Then let us raise a glass to Master Gentileschi and the opportunity I have thanks to Lord Daro's expert teachings."
She couldn't hold her heartbreak against Count Korolenko, many nobles treated the non-Heir children like trader's tokens, exchanged no for love but connections. Her own parents were married that way, and now none would doubt the true love and passion they had grown. But Edwina felt oddly grateful that she'd be at the university and not forced to see the love of her life marry another. Maybe if he had a love of his own she could tolerate it, but Count Korolenko had made it clear that was not the fact.
The meal, although exquisite, suddenly tasted of ashes and Edwina couldn't wash the taste of it from her tongue. She wasn't technically an adult, but no one seemed to mind that in regards to the wine being poured, so Edwina carefully paced herself out. For once Blair's tendency to jokingly fill an unsuspecting sibling's glass with anything other than water had been to Edwina's benefit; she knew how much wine she could drink before getting silly. 
And to Edwina's surprise, after the meal had concluded a large artwork under a velvet drape was set up, and Lord Daro once again stood to make a speech. "As part of Lady Edwina's testing by Master Gentileschi, she was expected to complete a Masterpiece in less than a week. As many of you know, a proper portrait takes far longer than a week, but I had the distinct pleasure to sit for just two days while Lady Edwina was able to paint a base, that in another two days became this," and he pulled the covering away. The portrait was larger than Lord Daro himself, and Edwina had been able to complete it so precisely simply because he was so inscribed on her heart. Something she suspected Master Gentileschi had known as it'd been the elder woman's suggestion to use him as the subject. The end result being an almost perfect replica of Lord Daro, the only discrepancy being the size of the portrait; if her magic could compel the image into real life he'd have stood eight feet tall. 
Everyone focused on the portrait Edwina had impressively completed in just over four days, a visible demonstration of her hard work and natural skill on display for all to see and judge. It'd been good enough for Master Gentileschi, that was all Edwina cared about, but she also know that's make jealous souls more critical of her efforts. But even those shrews wouldn't be able to find much to critique, Edwina was impressed with how well it'd come out; the benefit of painting someone she loved. But now also the standard she'd set for herself. Edwina let the guests crowd the portrait, ironically ignored in favour of the work she'd completed. 
Except for one person, as she felt a pull of magic tug her from her lingering and out onto the balcony close by. As the curtain fluttered closed in an approximation of privacy behind her, Edwina found herself facing Lord Daro. "At last, the Lady of the night," he smiled, and Edwina had a near overwhelming urge to throw caution to the wind and just kiss the man. He looked so beautiful, the metal frames of his glasses reflecting the firelights and bathing the warm tones of his eyes with an ember's glow. He seemed to have the rosy cheeks of slightly too much wine, that or perhaps the efforts of evading his ever vigilant siblings. "I wanted to toast you, Edwina Briggs, Master Gentileschi's apprentice," he flourished a wine glass at her and she tried not to gasp at the familiar use of her name, "but for some reason my siblings have been controlling my company all night."
"Count Korolenko has heavily implied to me that he's seized this feast as a way to entice a Taroton Suitor for you. Apparently it's only fair that my rise in reputation benefits you, as your tutelage has so clearly benefitted me," she took the wine glass and sipped it. 
"I want to say I'm surprised, except I'm only surprised he felt bold enough to say that to you directly," he sighed, maybe more at ease now that they were in his home, and Edwina drank in the small details of him being this...unfiltered.
"It only surprised me in that he seemed to feel you had lacked value as a husband before hand, clearly he has a poor understanding of what is desirable to the woman of Taroton," her siblings' recklessness had infected her. 
Possessed by his own unusual recklessness, Lord Daro took the wine glass from her, setting both glasses down almost roughly on the railing before he crowded her back against the railing quite deliberately. "You are a torment Edwina, everything I could ever desire and I am a terrible man because I know you are still to Debut."
And proving she was Blair's little sister, Edwina leaned in close to Lord Daro's mouth to whisper, "torment me then Daro, because I'm already ruined by you."
She heard the distant shatter of one of the wine glasses falling to the ground below, but Edwina was too absorbed in how he pressed against her, lips claiming hers finally. Edwina curled her arms around his shoulders, holding him as tightly back as she dared, the thin material of her dress making clear where the heat of his hands lay in return. Although Daro was an academic, artistic man, he kissed like one of the literary men in Blair's red covered romances; daringly filthy. And, perhaps, she was just as wanton as the characters, because the weight of him pressed against her thrilled her like no childish crush could ever achieve. 
"I would ruin you Edwina," his voice was harsh and Edwina tried to catch her wits, "in ways neither of us would recover from."
"That's exactly what I want," she sounded so breathy saying it. 
"Torment," he hissed the words against her lips before kissing her again. She could taste the wine he'd drunk all night, a heavy red that stained his lips as makeup had hers, and this time his hands didn't cling to her tightly but instead stroked along her body purposefully; exploring like a sculptor with clay. 
Neither one of them cared that the well packed party was continuing on, just on the other side of a single curtain; all resistance implanted thus far failed utterly on this last night. Lord Daro's hands traced and teased, drawing sighs and sounds of delight from her that he greedily drank from her lips, a frantic need building in them both. Bathed in moonlight and clinging to each other, he smothered the sounds of pleasure and discomfort she uttered with his kisses, their bodies intimately locked together despite the risk of discovery. Edwina clung to Daro, the balcony and a fall at her back, as Lord Daro lived up to his promise to ruin them both.