Silence Is Golden (Storm and Silence 3)

The melody of the waltz picked up, and we started circling. I waited until the press of bodies around us brought us a little bit closer, then - wham! - my foot struck out.

‘And?’ I asked with a bright smile. ‘How are you enjoying the dance so far?’

He smiled back up at me. ‘Very much, Miss Linton.’

What? Had I heard correctly? Maybe I had missed. Although I could have sworn I heard the distinctive crunch of leather under my foot.

‘Really?’ My smile widened. ‘How fascinating.’

I raised a foot again.

Wham!

‘You don’t think that my dancing style might be a little bit out of step?’

Wham! Wham!

‘Of course not, Miss Linton! Whyever would I think that?’

Oh, I don’t know…Maybe because I’m stepping on your feet, you moron?

‘In fact, I think you are a lovely dancer,’ he added and - horror of horrors - pulled me closer! ‘And a lovely girl, too.’

I shoved him away as gently as possible, then slammed my heel on his foot again. No reaction. Well, except for a contented sigh.

‘Truly,’ he murmured, his eyes half-closed in bliss. ‘A wonderful dancer.’

‘Mr Fitzgerald?’

Wham!

‘Yes, Miss Linton?’

Wham! Wham! Come on…!

‘Are you feeling all right?’

‘Yes, quite well, thank you.’

Wham!

‘There’s not per chance anything wrong with your feet, is there?’

‘My feet? They are flying, inspired by your beauty.”

I ground my teeth.

‘How kind of you.’

Wham!

Still nothing. Not the slightest reaction. What was wrong with this man?

‘Tell me, have you danced with many girls in your life?’

He blushed, bringing a rosy hue to his round cheeks that made him look like a ripe apple. But that didn’t mean in the least that I had an urge to gobble him up. Oh no, not at all!

‘Not really, Miss Linton.’ He glanced down, then peeked up again. ‘You see, I’m a rather shy and withdrawn sort of person. I spend most of my time on my country estate, overseeing my tenant’s farms. Your aunt and I were not very well acquainted. We had only met once before. I was quite pleasantly surprised when she invited me to breakfast at your lovely home.’