Catherine winces; too pushy, too desperate, too everything—but Mr.Dean just grins and offers her his arm.
Is it that easy? She’s been putting in effort all night, making sparkling conversation (if she does say so herself), and then losing her potential dances to Lady Rosalie’s machinations. Does this mean she could have just stood there all night and said not a word?
Mother and Cousin Louis walk with them to the edge of thedance floor, almost bodily blocking anyone from approaching Mr. Dean. Catherine can see Lady Tisend fighting her way toward them through the throng of onlookers, but they reach the dance floor before she can manage.
Mr.Dean walks out with Catherine and they step apart to join the uppermost quadrille just as the band is warming up for the next set. Mother grins victoriously, and a few yards away Lady Tisend stands seething, glaring daggers at Mother.
Not that it’s Mother’s fault, really. Mr.Dean asked Catherine to dance after all.
Catherine’s grateful she remembers the steps to the minuet. There have already been multiple dances she’s never seen tonight. It turns out Idless doesn’t get all the newest each season.
She focuses on her footwork for the first few minutes, making sure to smile at Mr.Dean, who smiles back, but offers nothing by way of conversation as they twirl around each other. He’s handsome, and he seems perfectly nice from their brief interaction, but he doesn’t seem particularly special.
The reaction to their danceisspecial, though. The whole room is focused in, whispering about them while they move up and down the line of dancers. Catherine gets a glimpse of Lady Rosalie when they make it to the other end of the line. Her look of loathing rivals that of her mother’s, and Catherine has to withhold a grin.
See how she likes it, having her dance stolen.
Bolstered by Lady Rosalie’s reaction, Catherine looks up at Mr.Dean as they join arms to skip down an aisle formed by the two rows of dancers.
“Do you attend all of the balls, Mr.Dean?” Catherine asks.
“Most,” Mr.Dean says, smiling down at her. “I enjoy a good dance and a round of cards, and here I can have both.”
And then they break apart, returning to their sides of the dance aisle. She expects him to ask a question in return as they step forward and meet hands. But he doesn’t.
Then she expects him to ask a question when they meet in the middle to circle each other. And then when they join in the middle to take each other’s hands, spinning around once before returning to their lines. But he doesn’t.
He doesn’t ask her even a single question for the rest of the dance. He just keeps smiling that bafflingly beautiful smile at her.
Other couples are talking as they dance. Lady Rosalie’s friend in the yellow dress with the round face and Mr.Rile are talking and laughing up a storm. They look like they’re having fun. She didn’t find Mr.Rile nearly as interesting as Lady Rosalie’s friend seems to, nor does she find Mr.Dean as charming as everyone else.
He’s very polite. She ought to be flattered he gave her his first dance.
Maybe something’s wrong with her.
Then the dance ends and she’s curtsying to Mr.Dean, unsure of her next move. Does she try to bring him back to her mother? Does she invite him to get drinks? She realizes with panic that she has no idea how to... keep a man’s interest. Hasn’t ever wanted to.
“Mr.Dean.”
Well, it hardly matters, does it? Because Lady Tisend has found them. Mother’s glaring at her from the edge of the dance floor, but Mr.Dean turns affably to bow to her.
“Lady Tisend, a pleasure as always. Have you met MissPine? She’s a most charming new addition to our circle.”
Lady Tisend’s eyes narrow just slightly while she gives Catherine a broad smile. If Catherine didn’t know better, it mightseem genuine. But remembering her mother’s words makes Catherine see the calculation behind her eyes.
“A pleasure to meet you, MissPine. But I’m afraid I need to steal Mr.Dean away. I had promised to introduce him to several of Lady Rosalie’s and my friends.”
“Of course,” Catherine says, helpless to come up with a way to make him stay.
Mr.Dean gives her a bow and another handsome smile, then offers Lady Tisend his arm. Catherine stands alone on the dance floor for a moment before making her way back to her mother, trying hard not to feel the eyes of the entire room on her.
Was it a triumph to get Mr.Dean’s first dance? Or is it more embarrassing to have him stolen away by her competition’s mother?
“Lady Tisend was practically green with envy and Lady Rosalie looked ready to combust,” Mother says, tugging Catherine in as soon as she’s within reach. “You’ll surely have his first dance at the next ball, and I believe we could even get a promenade out of him if we were to run into him at the Pump Room. We’ll have to go each morning this week.”
Catherine looks over at Mother. Something pointed and intense has come over her face. It’s unsettling.
“Mama, I’m not sure I truly like him—”
