The string quartet played a gentle, lilting melody as the guests trickled into the grand ballroom, men and women dressed in their finest, the shimmer of jewels and satin catching the golden light that cascaded from the chandeliers above.
Hands interlocked, they stepped gracefully into the throng of other couples, their laughter and perfume mingling with the soft hum of music and candle wax.
The sound of light chatter floated through the air. Conversations overlapped, hushed words, polite laughter, and the occasional burst of a genuine chuckle, all blending seamlessly with the rhythm of bows sliding across strings.
Some couples spun elegantly on the marble dance floor, skirts flaring like blooming flowers, while others lingered by the long tables laden with crystal decanters and silver trays of fruit and wine.
