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Authors: Shirley Marks
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enough time for you to learn, to perfect the
steps, if you are willing.”
The squire remained quiet.
Cassie did not know what to think. Was he angry?
Embarrassed at his situation? Of his confession? Or
perhaps that she knew of it at all?
Taking advantage of the silence, she left her seat
and moved to his side, holding her hand out to him.
He stood, although hesitantly, almost as if his legs
would not propel him forward.
“Here, let me show you the basic step.” She took
him by the arm and drew him to a corner that permitted movement.
Lifting her skirt to allow her feet to be seen, she
stood across from him. Slowly, she talked him through
the steps.
“On the first beat, you step out here.” He followed.
“On the second, you bring your other foot near. And
on the third beat, shift your weight back on the first
foot.” The squire continued to follow her lead. “It
isn’t difficult in the least.”
“One, two, three … one, two, three … one, two,
three …” he said just above a whisper and mirrored
her feet.
“It’s best not to count aloud.” Cassie smiled.
“There … I think you’ve got it.”
She gazed up into his face. He was smiling too. He
was smiling at her. Cassie felt quite self-conscious at
his extended gaze and quickly averted her eyes.
“Of course, this is not the correct position to
dance.” She was quick to clarify.
“Yes, I am well aware of that aspect,” he added
softly and cleared his throat. “I have seen the waltz
performed many times.”
The squire took Cassie’s right hand in his left. She
brushed against the smooth metal of his signet ring.
He moved closer and slipped his other hand around
her waist. All hint of expression fell from his face. A
long bout of silence followed. She swallowed hard.
Squire Stewart held her in his arms, dance position. With a brave upward tilt of her chin, she slowly turned her head, displaying a cool, seemingly detached profile.
In reality, Cassie felt the panic rise through her. Her
pulse raced and she could feel her heart pound hard.
She wondered if he could hear it too. Her first reaction
was to flee but she managed to keep her head.
“There doesn’t seem to be enough room in here to
turn.” Moving away from him, she nervously smiled.
“Perhaps this is enough for today. Shall we continue
tomorrow?”
He met his instructor’s eyes and nodded. “If it is
not too much of an inconvenience.”
“Until tomorrow then” Cassie inclined her head and
took her leave. She moved down the hall and slipped
into a side parlor, closing the solid door behind her.
Leaning her head onto the cool surface, she inhaled
slowly to calm her wildly beating heart.
What was happening to her? What was this feeling
bubbling up inside her? While the squire held her
close, she thought she felt as if she would faint. She
wanted to be as far away from him as possible.
Cassie vividly recalled the warmth of his hand and
his firm grip on her waist. It was horrifying and comforting all at the same time and she wondered why
she had not felt this way when Edward took her in
his arms.
Julian looked forward to every morning when he
could spend time alone with Lady Cassandra. After
their ride, he sat across the breakfast table for coffee.
Some evenings, he escorted her to various parties in
Edward’s absence. When working at home, he often
walked by the side parlor, where the women sat after
supper, to see her in animated conversation with
Lorna or enjoying a book by the fireside.
This afternoon Mrs. Green wheeled the clattering
tea cart into the library. Julian redirected her to the
front parlor, thinking the brightly lit room conducive
to a more enjoyable afternoon tea.
He pulled on his jacket before venturing out of the
house to call the ladies in. The squire imagined that
Lady Cassandra had lost all sense of time. He knew he could find her with Romeo, with or without Lorna
depending on his sister’s
steps, if you are willing.”
The squire remained quiet.
Cassie did not know what to think. Was he angry?
Embarrassed at his situation? Of his confession? Or
perhaps that she knew of it at all?
Taking advantage of the silence, she left her seat
and moved to his side, holding her hand out to him.
He stood, although hesitantly, almost as if his legs
would not propel him forward.
“Here, let me show you the basic step.” She took
him by the arm and drew him to a corner that permitted movement.
Lifting her skirt to allow her feet to be seen, she
stood across from him. Slowly, she talked him through
the steps.
“On the first beat, you step out here.” He followed.
“On the second, you bring your other foot near. And
on the third beat, shift your weight back on the first
foot.” The squire continued to follow her lead. “It
isn’t difficult in the least.”
“One, two, three … one, two, three … one, two,
three …” he said just above a whisper and mirrored
her feet.
“It’s best not to count aloud.” Cassie smiled.
“There … I think you’ve got it.”
She gazed up into his face. He was smiling too. He
was smiling at her. Cassie felt quite self-conscious at
his extended gaze and quickly averted her eyes.
“Of course, this is not the correct position to
dance.” She was quick to clarify.
“Yes, I am well aware of that aspect,” he added
softly and cleared his throat. “I have seen the waltz
performed many times.”
The squire took Cassie’s right hand in his left. She
brushed against the smooth metal of his signet ring.
He moved closer and slipped his other hand around
her waist. All hint of expression fell from his face. A
long bout of silence followed. She swallowed hard.
Squire Stewart held her in his arms, dance position. With a brave upward tilt of her chin, she slowly turned her head, displaying a cool, seemingly detached profile.
In reality, Cassie felt the panic rise through her. Her
pulse raced and she could feel her heart pound hard.
She wondered if he could hear it too. Her first reaction
was to flee but she managed to keep her head.
“There doesn’t seem to be enough room in here to
turn.” Moving away from him, she nervously smiled.
“Perhaps this is enough for today. Shall we continue
tomorrow?”
He met his instructor’s eyes and nodded. “If it is
not too much of an inconvenience.”
“Until tomorrow then” Cassie inclined her head and
took her leave. She moved down the hall and slipped
into a side parlor, closing the solid door behind her.
Leaning her head onto the cool surface, she inhaled
slowly to calm her wildly beating heart.
What was happening to her? What was this feeling
bubbling up inside her? While the squire held her
close, she thought she felt as if she would faint. She
wanted to be as far away from him as possible.
Cassie vividly recalled the warmth of his hand and
his firm grip on her waist. It was horrifying and comforting all at the same time and she wondered why
she had not felt this way when Edward took her in
his arms.
Julian looked forward to every morning when he
could spend time alone with Lady Cassandra. After
their ride, he sat across the breakfast table for coffee.
Some evenings, he escorted her to various parties in
Edward’s absence. When working at home, he often
walked by the side parlor, where the women sat after
supper, to see her in animated conversation with
Lorna or enjoying a book by the fireside.
This afternoon Mrs. Green wheeled the clattering
tea cart into the library. Julian redirected her to the
front parlor, thinking the brightly lit room conducive
to a more enjoyable afternoon tea.
He pulled on his jacket before venturing out of the
house to call the ladies in. The squire imagined that
Lady Cassandra had lost all sense of time. He knew he could find her with Romeo, with or without Lorna
depending on his sister’s
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