The night proceeded with a dance between Amelia and her uncle. She was nervous at first but as it turned out dancing wasn't as daunting when her every step wasn't being scrutinized by everyone attending. Unlike last time, this evening she mas merely one amongst many others moving to the music of a string quartet.
Even though she'd thought of Dario as a good dancer Arthur's lead seemed to be even more refined. His precise movements perfectly highlighted his priviliged upbringing as the son of a viscount. She barely had to think about the steps herself and could simply follow along as he led them across the floor.
Amelia had expected to spot the marquis partaking in the waltz, even peeking over her her uncle's shoulder as they spun, but this hope turned out to be in vain. During the third song however, she happened to lock eyes with lady Bogarte who visibly lit up when they recognized each other. She was partnered with a boy who looked to be merely a teenager and wore a graceful smile on her lips that remained even through the boy's unpractised attempts to spin her.
Amelia and Arthur ended up dancing through five songs before they curtsied and bowed respectively to mark its end. The moment they stepped aside a group of men started beckoning for him to join them.
Although she could see that her uncle was keen to mingle she was hesitant to part with him. The fact that she had yet to see the person she so feared had left her with with a lingering sense of dread, and in this her chaperone felt like a lifeline. But she knew that she couldn't impose on the man any further.
"You go on ahead" she said.
"I have someone I'd like to greet as well."
Rosemary Bogarte stood in the opposite corner of the room next to a much older man that Amelia recognized to be the Earl, her husband. Her cheeks were still flushed from the dance.
"Good evening" Amelia greeted them, then turned her gaze to the Earl.
"I am Amelia Ainsworth, we met at his Grace's banquet if you do not remember."
"Of course I remember miss Ainsworth. You are certainly not disturbing us, a friend of Rosemary is a friend of mine."
He seemed surprisingly friendly for a man in his position. This made her relax a bit.
"You have a lovely wife I must say, my Lord. Though we do not yet know each other well I knew this the moment I made her acquaintance."
The Earl smiled proudly and layed his hand on Rosemary's shoulder. A sweet gesture, though it gave the impression to be more familial than an act of love between a married couple.
"Darling" Rosemary spoke and coaxingly stroked her husband's arm.
"Will you excuse us for a moment? I'd very much like to share a drink with miss Ainsworth."
The Earl gently kissed his wife's forehead.
"Of course. I shall go check on Connor."
Rosemary watched her husband leave with a soft expression on her face before directing her attention back towards Amelia.
"I am delighted to see you tonight miss. After the teaparty I was unsure whether you'd want to talk to me."
"Why would that be the case? As I told you before, you haven't done anything worthy of reproach."
"Still, I was worried given how we last ended things" she said, waiving for a server.
"Why are you not with the other ladies? I recall seeing lady Carlton a while ago."
"Charlotte is something of a social butterfly. She likes to socialize at events like these and I do not wish to hold her back."
Rosemary must have seen by Amelias expression that she didn't quite undersand, because she proceeded to clarify.
"Before I married I did not have much experience with the etiquette amongst highborns so it doesn't come as naturally for me as it does others. I never even got to attend an event like this while in my family home and still wouldn't have if not for my husband."
Amelia could understand what Rosemary meant. When she first started learning the proper way to speak and behave at the age of fourteen it had seemed like a whole new language. To this day she still had to be conscious of her every move around nobles.
"Do you truly not mind me being here then? If you feel uncomfortable I will not take it to heart."
"You misunderstand, even last time I found you rather pleasant to converse with. You do not give the impression of someone who would hold my missteps against me."
Amelia suddenly felt guilty for being so irritated with the girl during the tea party. And for approaching her simply to not have to be left alone.
She decided to change the subject.
"You seem to have a good relationship with your husband."
Rosemary smiled softly at her remark.
"I do. It may not be the typical relationship between husband and wife, but we care for one another. I am a lucky woman."
"If I am not mistaken, the person you danced with before would be your stepson then?"
"That was Connor, his youngest. He is to turn fifteen this year. The oldest is nineteen, not much younger than you miss."
'Nor yourself' Amelia thought.
"It is my first time seing Lord Ainsworth today, though I've told he was quite the competent young man when he attended the boy's academy."
"Is that so? I'm afraid I didn't know since he isn't one to vaunt of his achivements."
Amelia was relieved that the server finally came just then as it naturally ended any further conversation of the uncle that she didn't know. Rosemary accepted two glasses of champagne and handed one to Amelia.
"Have you had this with the chocolate truffle? It is simply devine."
The two went on to have an unexpectedly comfortable conversation, laughing about the needlessly lavish canapés and bemoaning their tight corsets and blistered feet. It was just then, when her guard was down, that she saw him. Across the room clad in a black suit and with his grey streaked hair combed back stood the Marquis, his eyes locked on her.