Storm and Silence (FANFIC)

15. Unbelievable Dance of the Year.

It was the Captain. His eyes were twinkling and I was honestly just surprised to see him.

"Captain! You are Captain Carter, yes?" I asked.

"I am." He replied bowing in the same snappy manner I'd remembered. "I had not expected to see you after the last time we'd met! It is truly unbelievable."

"Oh believe me, I thought same." I replied.

"You've been well I presume? No troubles troubling you? No damsel-in-distress sisters to save tonight? No friends of mine you want to assassinate?"

"Very funny. But no, I do not wish to assassinate any of your friends, nor do any of my sisters have any woes of love or otherwise. Actually..." I glanced towards the entrance. Still no sign... I shouldn't be thinking about him! Gah! How come I can't control my thoughts!? I turned back towards the Captain who was looking at me, an eyebrow raised.

"You were about to say something Miss Linton?"

"Was I? I.. I don't happen to recall." I said uncertainly.

"Okay then Miss." But before he could continue, a man in a uniform walked up to him, grabbing his attention. Captain bowed towards him before turning back to me. "I apologise, but even in these slightly undertoned nostalgic moments, I must be needed elsewhere by my fellow peers."

"Oh no." I said, waving my hand airily. "It's no problem really. Go talk with them, I have need to speak with my sister anyways." He nodded once, smiled before disappearing from my line of sight. I decided to do as I said and went to look after one of my sisters, preferrably Ella. But instead, I bumped into Maria, who looked close to tears strangely.

"Maria?" She turned, waving her fan in despair.

"Oh Lilly! The first three dances have already begun and ended and yet I've not gotten a single partner, unlike she." She said pointing her fan towards the dancing Anne.

"But why do you despair?"

"Because we both are supposed to be dancing together in this! We do this every ball and yet.." She trailed off, wiping her eyes.

"Dear Maria, why do you cry about it? You see me here? I've been standing around with no man to ask me to dance! Yet I'm not crying!"

"Well you've been lucky, being able to dance with Lord Dalgliesh and others. I wanted to dance with him and yet you stole him from me!" I raised my hands in surrender.

"Do not lay the blame on me dear sister. He was the one who asked me, not I. And you know our aunt, she'd would've sprung hell onto me, had I not accepted his Lord's hand in dance." Right then the music ended and a male specimen walked up to us. Completely disregarding Maria, he bowed at me instead.

"Miss Linton, will you do me the honour of dancing with me?" I was taken aback, and also completely forgot about Maria for the moment. I accepted his offer and as he led me to the dance floor, only then did I hear a groan of frustration. I looked over to see Maria burst into tears and dash away. Oh dear. I think I have another sister to help with her little love troubles. But after this dance.

* * *

When the dance was over (and after plenty of foot stepping from me to him), I curtsied, before turning away and walking quickly to look for Maria. It took a while but I managed to find her - talking to someone I didn't think would dare come her way in a million years. He shows up now, only to talk to my sister!? What interest does he have in her??? I thought he liked another last night! Ugh! Men! The whole thing made me think of Sir Phillip and how he fell in love with one blonde haired blue eyed lady for a week or two to another.