Chapter 1
I sit and watch as the gentlemen ask one beautiful lady after another to dance. While I can only dream again. I sigh when I see a nobly dressed gentleman standing in front of me. I am too shy to look at his face.
“I am pleased to see you, fair lady. May I have this dance?”, he extends his hand with a look of anticipation in his eyes.
I look at the stranger, visibly confused. Actually, I didn't expect anyone to ever ask me to dance. After all, I am the wallflower at such events.
“Such a fine gentleman as you should not be seen on the dance floor with a simple lady like me”, I answer.
"Oh, please don't say that. Your beauty is enough to attract any fine gentleman - he bows low, his arm outstretched for me - just one dance can I persuade you?" he asks again.
Did he just say: I am beautiful and capable?
I feel my heart beat softly, flattered by his words. I never feel like this before but I know my place.
“I am desperately sorry, but I must reject them again”, I say goodbye to him with these words, leaning forward slightly.
“Oh no, fair lady. I insist! Don't deny me just the pleasure of your dance”.
He leans over and grabs my hand, pulling me close as the music
begins.
Surprised, I look at his face for the first time. Only
now do I realise how handsome he is.
But good looks do not
justify his behaviour towards me.
“Please let me go. For such
a fine gentleman as you, this is not appropriate!”
I noticed
the way the other guests were looking at us.
He looks into her eyes and with a little smirk on his face
“My lady, I must insist! All the other men are simply drooling over your beauty, yet I am the only one to have the courage to approach you”.
He looks into her eyes and notice a little sparkle. She was clearly enjoying his attention; she was just not ready to admit it.
Embarrassed by his words, I look away.
“I can't, please let me go”, I reply, trying to wriggle out of his arms.
If he keeps this up, we'll be the talk of the week.
He look at the lady and a devilish smile crosses his face.
“This evening I am your dance partner”.
He holds her closer and confidently whispers in her ear “You like me and you know it”.
Totally taken by surprise, my heart pounding, I look into his face. He looks at me with a look that I cannot interpret. What does this strange man want from me?
All these years I have remained unrecognised at all the dances and now I am in the arms of this strange man.
“How could I like you? We only met a few minutes ago. Besides, I do not find your behaviour towards me very gentlemanly. It would be in both our interests if you would stop getting upset with me. Can't you see the eyes and whispers of the others?”
He leans his face closer to hers and whispers: “You say nothing of my manners. Your beauty has captivated me. Let us enjoy each other and ignore the whispers of the others. I will be the envy of every man in the room and you will be the envy of every other lady”.
He holds her close, dancing seductively and locking eyes with the fair lady.
Before I can say anything, the stranger has pulled me onto the dance
floor. I could feel his eyes on me, but I couldn't look at him.
“Why
are you doing this?”, I ask him.
“My lady, I am doing what every man in this room would dare to dream of”.
He holds her closer and continues to whisper in her ear: “You know that every man here would sell his soul to dance with you. And you know that you like dancing with me”.
With a smirk, he whispers into her ear, again: “Let us enjoy this moment”.
His words are like the promise of paradise. But I definitely can't
enjoy this dance because all eyes are on us.
“Who are you?”,
I ask him without giving him a second look.
“My name is Leon, and I am known in all of the courts”, he smirks.
Leon? I try to think who.
He looks at her curiously, noticing that she seems uncomfortable.
He whispers softly in her ear: “May I ask, my lady... what is your name? Are you not enjoying this dance?”
I shake my head.
“How can I have any pleasure in a dance that
is the result of coercion”, I answer him.
“I was not aware that my insistence on this dance was that forceful, my lady. Forgive me for being so bold”.
He smiles politely and holds her close while dancing.
“I am just intrigued by the fact that I am the only gentleman who approaches you on a dance. -He pauses a moment and whispers to her, but still keeping his smile- My lady you are a vision”.
“A vision?”, I keep asking him without looking.
What does he
mean? The murmur of the guests soon covered the music. Who is this
Leon? He says he is known at all the courts, but what is his title?
“My lady, ignore the murmuring of the guests. Let us concentrate on each other”.
He whispers with a seductive voice, caressing her hands with his: “You still haven't told me your name, my lady”.
“How can I ignore the conversation? It's hard to ignore and tells
me that the person I'm dancing with must be very important. Why else
would there be so many eyes on us?”
I want to look him in the
eye so that my words have weight. But my shy nature won't let me.
“My lady, I am of course an important individual in all of the courts. But you are the prize of this evening. Everyone was waiting for you.
He whispers and kisses her hands: “Tell me your name, my lady. How can I address you, if I am so lucky to dance with you this evening?”
As he kisses my hand, I feel embarrassed. He has a charming
character, but his manner is too idiosyncratic.
"The
gentleman is mistaken. I have never played a special role on such
occasions. My presence is of little importance. Besides, my name will
be forgotten by the end of the evening".
I take advantage of the moment of grace when the orchestra finishes.
I bow my thanks and leave without another word.
I ignore all the talk and all the faces. I walk down the stairs to the gate. Without looking at him again, I disappear into my carriage.
As he watches the carriage leave, his smile turns to a frown and his heart beats fast and murmurs:
"My lady... why..."
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