Brougham Park

Chapter 20

"Miss Dawson! Miss Dawson!"

The voice echoed throughout the dimly lit room as Samantha stood by the window, lost in her thoughts. Realising that she had not paid any attention to his calls, the gentleman walked towards her and called out again. The voice was loud enough that Samantha was jerked out of her thoughts.

She turned to find a figure standing before her. The figure spoke against the silence that reigned the room as he walked closer. The candles that were lit near the window where Samantha stood shone on the features of the figure, revealing it to be none other than Mr Harris.

In the soft glow of the flickering candle flame, the shadows danced playfully on the walls, casting a warm ambiance that gently unveiled the captivating features of Samantha's face. The delicate light traced the elegant lines of her profile, highlighting the subtle curve of her cheekbones and the graceful sweep of her hair. The flickering candlelight seemed to linger, bestowing an ethereal radiance upon Samantha's countenance, as if the very flames conspired to showcase the beauty that resided within her. Silence reigned on for a few moments and Mr Harris, standing in quiet admiration, was overcome with awe in the presence of such mesmerising grace.

Mr Harris, upon recovering, then spoke again. "Miss Dawson, are you alright? Is something bothering you or are you unwell? We have all been looking for you. I did not expect in the least that I would find you here."

"I am very well, I assure you. I just felt a little overwhelmed by the large crowd, so I wanted some privacy." She said with a smile, hiding the worry and uneasiness she had felt that still reigns her mind.

She had not realised how much time had passed since she entered the room until Mr Harris had informed her that three sets of dance had been completed and that there are only two more sets left. Mr Harris also informed her that William and Celia had been looking for her for quite some time and urged her to find them at once. Samantha thanked Mr Harris and immediately left the room, leaving Mr Harris in the darkness lit up by the candle lights.

As she stepped out of the room, the cheerful and bustling atmosphere filled her surroundings once more. The sound of the music and chatters of the local residents swept away all the silence that she had been in the past half hour.

Soon her eyes fell on Celia who was chatting away merrily with Mr Crew, Charles and Maria. Not too far from them stood William and Eleanor, who were speaking with the Hardy sisters and Mr Grey. She also managed to locate Catherine, Richard and Mrs Dawson at another corner with Mr Gibbs and Miss Price. They would most probably talk about their upcoming wedding. She slowly took in her surroundings, trying to adapt to the bright lights and loud sounds. Once she felt comfortable again, she walked towards Celia. Charles, who was the first to see her, called out. "Samantha, where have you been? We have all been looking for you."

The rest of the group turned towards Samantha. Celia was filled with relief after seeing her close friend. "It is good to see. I almost thought that you had gone home."

"Oh look! The next dance is about to take place. Mr Crew, shall we take our positions?" Maria turned to Mr Crew, who extended his hand and led her to the dance floor. Mr Ferrars led Celia to the dance floor leaving Samantha and Charles behind.

"Do you have a dance partner yet?" Charles asked Samantha to which she assured him that she had none. Charles then asked Samantha to dance with him and led her to the dance floor.

The music was a fun filled one, and laughter filled the air as the dancers enjoyed themselves immensely. It was then that Charles realised that Mr Harris was not to be found anywhere. He was not among the dancers nor was he among the crowd. Charles began to worry that his friend was missing.