The Last Dance

Kathy Lovett, on the other hand, had not only come from a reasonably wealthy family, she had also inherited a fortune from her late husband, who, at fifty-five years of age - twenty-six years her senior - had died suddenly in his office. Some said it was from over-working, others from the stress of having to keep his eye on his young and lusty wife. The rumours flew thick and fast for a while after his death, but no-one was ever to learn the truth. And Kathy wasn't about to make the curious any the wiser. 

Now on the dance floor, Anthony and Kathy, already well into their lesson, glided past Claudia in graceful swirls of movement, perfectly in time to the romantic waltz that was playing. Claudia could only watch and dream. It was so beautiful. Claudia knew, no matter how much she tried, she could never look as good. Kathy was so talented and good-looking; everything seemed easy for her. It seemed only right that she should be with Anthony. They made a great couple, Claudia thought wistfully. Anthony was a dream of a man to look at. He was not handsome in the 'pretty' way that Malcolm Smyth-White was; rather, he was more rugged and square of jaw. He was equally tall, but slightly broader in the shoulders than Malcolm. There was also the hint of the playful devil in his eyes at odd moments when he was off guard. It was a look he gave to Claudia once at a studio party and it had sent shivers of excitement coursing through her whole body. She had never recovered from that moment. That, she thought to herself as she watched, was the start of it all. From that moment, she was hopelessly lost, and she knew there was no hope of salvation. She was in free-fall and there was no parachute to save her. 

Now he stood in front of Kathy, correcting her arm alignment, with a particular frown on his face for which he was famous in the studio. "Sometimes he's so serious, so...so delicious!" Claudia mused, and almost blushed at the thought. Just at that moment he looked over to where Claudia was sitting and she dropped her gaze, embarrassed that he should find her looking at him. He turned back to Kath Lovett and said something to her and she smiled radiantly and walked off the dance floor. The lesson was over. 

She walked past Claudia, looked down with arrogance, and said, "Eat your heart out, darling. Isn't he just divine!" Claudia was taken aback, momentarily. Had not her teacher, Malcolm Smyth-White, arrived just at that moment to start his lesson with her, she might have become really angry and said something she would later regret. 

As is was, it was difficult for her to concentrate on her lesson after such an un-called for remark. To make matters worse, Malcolm Smyth-White was in a foul temper. Every mistake Claudia made sent him into fits of pique. He tut-tutted over trifles, his face showed a dark fury which was far out of proportion to the situation. Something else must be bothering him, she thought. It's probably having seen Anthony Brand dancing again that did it. 

Claudia was glad when the lesson was over. Usually on lesson nights, she would stay to attend a group lesson after her private one with Malcolm Smyth-White, but tonight it was the last thing she felt like doing. All she wanted at the moment was to leave the studio as quickly as possible. Her mood was such that she even contemplated never coming back. Well, what was the point? She thought, Mr. Smyth-White doesn't seem to have his heart in what he does. Mr. Brand ...Anthony...will probably never take me for lessons, and there's not a hope that I will ever get to see him other than on a professional level within the confines of the studio. 

She put her dancing shoes in her bag, put on her coat, and made for the exit. Just as she reached the door, Anthony came in from outside. He stopped in the doorway and smiled at her, his cheeky eyes twinkling. 

"Oh, hi, Miss Heatherington, you're going early tonight. Not staying for the group?" 

"Er, no...I, er...I have to get home early tonight, sorry," she offered, weakly.