Sir John led his lady love to the center of the dance floor. With a flourish, the music began and the happy couple swept into a first public dance. Lord Garrison, who descended the grand staircase behind the couple, motioned that he would observe from the other side of the dance floor.
The Swordsman reminded me that my attendance requirements exceeded those of just a regular party guest. I scanned the crowd. No one stood out as suspicious, so I began the task of mentally noting faces and outfits. It will be a long night.
Some courtiers began to join the dancing circle, shifting my attention to the ones closest to the queen. Although my assignment did not include both royals, Princess Alina stood stationary near me. Not too hard to guard a statue.
"Princess Alina, might I have this dance?"
I could kick myself for thinking so loudly. No more guarding a statue for me. That could not be Carrion's voice. Indeed, it was not. Sir Gavin stood with his hand outstretched.
"Unless Lord Carrion has claimed the first dance. I do not wish to be rude. My mother thought it improper for the princess to be left out of the dance, so I came to remedy the situation." Sir Gavin looked between the Swordsman and the princess.
Lord Carrion missed his opportunity. He should have swept her into the twirl once the dance started if he wanted to dance.
"I had every intention of asking the princess to dance once I saw a proper place on the dance floor." Lord Carrion pulled Alina's hand that still rested in the nook of his elbow closer to his chest.
"How gracious of you both!" Princess Alina gushed, turning red. Blush of flirtation or flush of anger at being claimed, I would never know.
"I would gladly dance with Sir Gavin since he asked first. I will gladly save the next dance for Lord Carrion."
Lord Carrion plastered on a grin that did not reach his eyes. "Thank you for your generosity, Your Highness."
"If our princess is on the dance floor, I suppose we should be too. Otherwise this sword is just a fashion statement." Lady Calista beamed with pleasure much to Lord Jacobson's chagrin.
I pushed the rising laughter down into my stomach. My amusement at the couple might make Lord Carrion give me a black eye.
My brother and his date shifted into the void left by my three babysitting charges. Benate managed to shift his way close enough to me to whisper in my ear.
"I see why you avoid this place. You cannot just knock sense into these gentlemen with a few good jabs."
I no longer held my chuckle. He was right. My mirth earned me a look of loathing from Lord Carrion as he assumed the chatter had to be about him. Sadly this time he justified.
"You're right. The castle does look bigger on the inside." I commented aloud disarming the other Swordsman. Carrion turned to look back at the dance.
Sir Gavin kept close to the middle of the dance floor. I hope it gave him some relief from his wound to not be dancing around the largest circumference. Lucky for Lord Jacobson, Calista led them close to her best friend. Small circles for all!
"Lord Holden, are the royal dances always this grand? It really is breathtaking." Gella looked in rapture. I doubt many commoners took the opportunity to visit the castle for a party.
"No. This ball bests them all because you are here." I said without thinking. That came out of my mouth. It should not have. I need more sleep.
My brother's eyes grew as wide as his grin as he clapped me on the back at such a forward thing to say. Gella giggled to herself.
"Do not let Holden charm you too much, Gella." Benate said with good humor.. "He should invite you to more dances and let you see for yourself. I am sure your father could spare you from the shop every now and again."
Gella rolled her eyes. "I am sure my father would love that as much as Lord Holden would."
My good humor seemed to dissipate into confusion. "What do you mean by that, Gella?" I asked, unable to meet her gaze as I swept the dance floor for any threats.
"Oh. I mean I would understand if my father's ideas made me less desirable to hang around." Gella sheepishly admitted.
Lord Carrion scoffed. As he stood next to us, it was unmistakable not to hear. I looked on the dance floor. Sir Gavin danced beautifully at a respectable distance from the princess as the perfect golden child he strived to be.
I did not see anything offensive about Lord Jacobson and Lady Calista's stumbling on the dance floor either. I hated that I had to ask, but I needed to know what he saw.
"Lord Carrion, is everything okay?"
Lord Carrion turned to my little trio. "Yes, Lord Holden." He looked at me as if something was obvious.
"What did I miss?" My mouth tumbled open for the second time this evening.
The music for the song crescendoed as it started to come to the end.
"If you insist," Lord Carrion rolled his eyes. "Good lady, Lord Holden has barely kept his eyes off of you this evening. Even in my limited time seeing you two in the same room, I do not think he wishes for less time with you."
My jaw hung slack. I am not sure what shocked me more, Carrion noticing something beyond his own nose, or him saying I was captivated by Gella out loud to her face. Carrion's final sentence rang out without the music to hide any of his meaning.
"Oh," Gella muttered looking at the dance floor. "How kind of you to say, Lord Carrion."
Sir Gavin, like the gentlemen he was bred to be, walked princess Alina to her next partner.
"No problem, milady." Lord Carrion turned to the Princess. "Princess Alina, might I have this dance?"
Just like that Lord Carrion left me to deal with the fall out of his actions.