The Arrogance of Elegance

Part the Twenty-Ninth

The party progressed and I danced with Lord Graham once before finding my way onceagain to the beverages to avoid Miss Cecelia Brown. Mr. Brunswick was also over there and soon, he engaged me in some small talk which I found him to be quite a charming fellow.

"Your sermon last Sunday was very good," I said to him as I watched the dance go on.

"Thank you, Miss Forsythe," Mr. Brunswick said, looking at the dance floor as well. "I find that James is quite an interesting book to read and I am quite fond of talking on it."

"My dear friend, Miss Burns, is quite fond of that book as well," I stated, remembering how Audra quoted from it every so often. "Her favorite verse has something to do with 'doing the word' rather than 'just hearing it'."

"Ah, yes," Mr. Brunswick nodded with a smile. "' But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves'. That is a very good scripture, though it is harder to live out than one thinks."

"You have it memorized also?" I asked with a chuckle. "I seem to be very behind. Audra always is studying some scripture to memorize."

"Is Audra, Miss Burns?" he asked, thinking for a moment.

"Oh, yes, my apologies," I said softly.

"Do you sit by Miss Burns at church?" he asked as if trying to remember. "The brunette who wears a blue-grey bonnet every Sunday?"

"Yes, indeed," I smiled at his recollection. "She is the very one."

"Is that her dancing with her brother?" Mr. Brunswick asked. I followed his gaze before nodding.

"Indeed, sir," I smiled, before curtsying. "I must go. Thank you for chatting, sir."

I walk over to where the dance was, taking my place on the edge of the floor. I watched Nicolas dance with his sister and ached for him to dance with me. I knew I was trying to give up my scheme of trying to get him to fall in love with me, but I still couldn't deny that I was still falling for him. How foolish of me.

Soon the dance was over and I clapped along with everyone else but it seemed my heart was not in it. I truly missed dancing with Nicolas. He was very good at it and was a good conversationalist. He also was so kind. I shook my head to rid myself of such melancholic and nostalgic thoughts. Whining and wishing in my head would not do me any good.

"Ah, Magdelline," Nicolas said as he appeared beside me with a chuckle. "You've seemingly evaded me all evening, so I'm glad I've tracked you down."

"Evaded you?" I asked, quizzically. "I was unaware I had, Nicolas. My apologies."

"No need to apologize," Nicolas smiled. "But would you like to dance the last dance with me?"

"Of course," I said, curtsying to him before he swept me off to the dance floor. Of course, it was a slower dance.

"You look well, this evening, Magdelline," Nicolas said as we waited our turn to dance our part. "That color suits you well."

"Thank you, Nicolas," I said, trying to hold back a blush. "You look well also."

"Thank you," he said and it was silent. After a few moments, I looked at his face and he seemed deep in thought.

"Whatever are you thinking of, Nicolas?" I asked, chuckling with an edge of worry. "Your face is all scrunched up."

"Oh, I did not realize," Nicolas said before shaking his head. "I was just thinking."

"Of?" I asked, trying to get the thought out of him.

"Of a previous conversation of ours," he said, gathering his words. "You said you were trying to force yourself to be married."