Beginnings Beyond Endings (A Sanditon Fanfiction)

A Worthy Partner

The strains of music began to drift through the hall shortly after the last guests arrived and the couples began to make their way to the floor for the opening dance which would be led, as it always was, by Tom and Mary. George stood as he heard those first notes and invited his wife to partner him in the first dance of the evening. As Charlotte took his hand and rose to stand, Georgiana could be heard insisting, with the support of Lord Babington and Lady Susan, that no one would be best pleased if Mr Crowe did not also stand and follow the Viscount's example in asking Charity to dance.

Charity flushed prettily at the unwanted attention and happily accepted the hand he offered if only to escape the further machinations of friends who she knew meant well but could be overbearing and interfering. Charlotte directed a sympathetic look her way, knowing all too well how tenacious Lady Susan and Georgiana could both be and thought herself very fortunate for never having been on the receiving end of their combined efforts.

The Midsummer Ball opened with a Waltz that year and, in the country at least, the severe disapproval of such an intimate dance between unmarried couples had begun to fade. Amongst the husbands and wives there stood at least three courting couples who all had the good sense to maintain a generous distance between themselves for fear of inciting scandal. While there was no doubt in anyone's mind that some scandal or another would make itself known during the evening, most agreed that to do so during the first dance would be a little too close to the pale.

So couples turned and swirled with the melody spun by the musicians with the aid of their instruments and all progressed smoothly during the first set. And as some dancers departed the lines in favour of refreshments and conversation, some stayed and new couples took up the vacated spaces.

Charity and Mr Crowe were among those who would continue for the second set as neither half of the couple were yet inclined to return to their company, Charity to escape Georgiana's inevitable designs on her person and Mr Crowe to be done with the required two sets with his unwanted partner at the soonest opportunity.

Their first set had been spent silently with only the barest attempts to breach the silence on her part and sullen, monosyllabic responses on his. But Charity was not to be cowed and she had no intention passing her second set in the same stupid manner.

"Do you take some offense at efforts to engage you while dancing, Mr Crowe?" she tartly enquired.

"I take no offence Miss Entworth and I also find no joy in it." He said and seemed content to let the matter lie.

They were not of like minds. "Then I can only presume you find conversation with your dance partner tedious. Or perhaps you are one of many who face the undesirable challenge of being poorly able to coordinate your thoughts, speech and feet all at once?" She challenged and hoped he would rise to the bait she laid for him.

Mr Crowe regarded the young woman before him as she looked up with an imperious sort knowing gleam in her eyes and felt the most unusual urge to explain himself. It was a rare feeling and one that was even more rarely indulged.

"I am quite capable of speaking while otherwise occupied with more physical pursuits. I simply do not see the purpose in suffering through endless female attempts to beguile us with senseless observations on the most obvious of things."

Charity stared at him, confounded by the accusation in his words before recognising the slight for what it was; a criticism of female intelligence. She allowed herself a brief disbelieving snort at his audacity. "Then you have yet to find a partner worth speaking to. You may be hard pressed to find one." She rebuked. "It has been my experience that most gentlemen have no interest in speaking to women who would share any sort of original thought and most women are raised to mindlessly agree with whatever opinion their partner holds. It does sadly leave the few of you who seem to value the very opposite rather unimpressed by us, I suppose."