Like No Other

Chapter 1: The Ballroom Imbroglio

                       

                       
“I’m so sorry!"

        Normally, for a lady who unintentionally trod on a gentleman’s shoe, it was best advised to settle such trifle mishap with a few bats of eyelashes and a coquettish smile, to be followed by a graceful sway on hips for the exit and the harassed toes would be forgotten. On the other hand, for her to tread on a shoe of a certain gentleman whose darkening countenance was enough to make the pluckiest of soul quail, it was very likely that feminine charms wouldn’t do the trick after all.

      And the poor Miss Lorrington had the singular misfortune to find herself pitchforked into the latter.

        Gulping a copious amount of fluid in her throat, she mustered all the courage to speak once more to the daunting figure who was glowering ferociously down at her. Either because of the pain inflicted by her slipper or on the account of sullying his shoe, there was no reckoning yet.

        “I-I’m so s-sorry, my lord! Indeed, it w-was so c-clumsy of m-meee!” said the flustered young lady, her already flushed face turned a shade darker.

        “Well, are you quite finished? Then may I suggest to you to get out of my way, for the last thing I wanted is to shove a lady for me to pass,” the gentleman returned ruthlessly.

        To be a recipient of such crude response would no doubt offend one’s sensibilities, as it did to Miss Lorrington’s, and consequently prompted a gasp of shock loud enough to turn the heads of pretentious revelers peering from their fluttering fans, or surreptitiously observing the scene behind their glasses.  Even the dancing couples’ heads were straying from where they should be, all the while their bodies were twisting and turning on the beat of the music.

        Impervious to the reactions drawn by this impropriety, the offending gentleman only lifted one elegant brow and put further the young lady into jitters as he drawled impatiently, “Well?”

        For the third time, Miss Lorrington murmured her apology, and with a downcast head, exited his vicinity in a frantic manner quite unwonted for a young woman of graceful bearing. She reached the other side of the ballroom, where a flock of debutantes huddled together, looking very wretched from what had just transpired. The tell-tale flushed cheek and moistening brown eyes were enough to provoked sympathies and outrage amongst the occupants of the circle. The offended young lady, wisely refusing to give in to tears, chose to fortify herself instead with a proffered glass of punch and consolation from her friends.

      “But how rude of him, to say such things to you!” exclaimed by one Miss Debery after Miss Lorrington substantially recounted her earlier plight.

     “No scruples at all!” Miss Lennox responded, aghast.

      “Well, who says he has scruples, pray? Mama said ‘tis a good thing for him to have secured an earldom and pelf, for the rest of him is anything but pleasant!” Miss Debery reasoned with remarkable vehemence. It was received with several eager nods from the party, followed by the fluttering of fans again.

      “It wasn’t really my intention at all and I begged his pardon, you see,” explained Miss Lorrington with a catch on her soft voice. “But his face… it was really frightening that it could give me nightmares!”

      “There, now, dear!” soothed the other young lady. “Well, goodness knows how one could withstand after coming against his ill-humors!  Why, there is—,”

      Miss Debery’s speech was cut off, for a startlingly handsome young gentleman presented himself in their little circle and went straight beside Miss Lorrington, “But my dear Miss Lorrington!” interposed the newcomer, clasping the lady’s hand to his heart, “What is this I’m hearing about?A nightmare, you say? Tell me!”