In your dreams

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"Another ball? Dear god, when does the nightmare end?" I look at Lady Danbury who merely laughs at this comment. "You may think it ever so funny but I do not even understand why I must attend in the first place. I am not in the marriage market, I am not looking for a husband and I do not wish to find one either way, so why must I attend these balls? Hm?"

"You are a Lady and unfortunately enough for you, that means you cannot hide in the shadows. You have been at Clyvedon doing the grand total of nothing for years, Delilah. You cannot do so anymore." She does not wish to listen to me any longer and I must say I cannot blame her, I imagine my presence is rather annoying, but it does not fill me with excitement that these balls shall last the entirety of my life. I hope I shall find a husband who dislikes them as much as I do so we may never have to attend.

It is the Vauxhall ball tonight. Apparently that is a big deal but I am afraid to admit I do not entirely know who or what Vauxhall is. The ball is beautiful, unlike Lady Danbury's, it is outside which I think poses an entirely new set of problems. Part of me almost hopes it shall rain and ruin the evening and I shall be able to return home. Lady Danbury is quick to leave me to my own devices but that does not bother me whatsoever. I help myself to champagne and look around for someone who may keep me company. My wishes are answered in the form of Daphne, of course, who stands by me and gazes out into the dancing people. "It is beautiful, do you not think?"

"In fact, I was just thinking how I should hope it shall not rain." I raise a gentle eyebrow and look at her as she seems so infatuated with the other ladies and lords sweeping across the dance floor. "If you wish to dance then you should find someone to dance with. Any man here should love to take your hand, I am sure."

"I am sure the first man to take my hand should be Lord Berbrooke and so I feel I shall refrain from entering the dance floor whatsoever. Oh, dear." She looks up and the two of us notice Anthony striding over. He is, however, quickly joined by Lady Danbury. "Brother-"

"Daphne. You should be-"

Lady Danbury does not allow him to say another word before she interjects, and no one should dare interrupt her. "Daphne, I have not once seen you dance. Perhaps you shall grace the floor tonight? Speaking of which, Lady Delilah, I have not seen you dance yet either."

"That is because I have two left feet, my lady, and I do not wish to embarrass myself." I comment.

"You could not embarrass yourself anymore than you already do." Anthony comments back, clearly just so intensely irked by even my presence, which I find highly entertaining.

"Daphne, let us find you someone to dance with. Anthony, you shall escort Delilah to the dance floor." Lady Danbury speaks, taking Daphne on her arm. "I shall be watching to ensure you do as I have asked. Believe me, and heed my warning, you do not wish to incur my wrath if you do not do as I have asked."

She practically carries daphne away from the situation, who stares back at me with alert and pitiful eyes. I look at Anthony, who avoids my eyes, simply holding his hand to me. I do not take it, escorting myself to the dance floor and standing there silently, waiting for him to take my waist so that I may place my hands on his shoulders and we might join in the dance. "Do you wish to dance in silence or do you believe you can endure a mere moment of at least a slightly polite conversation with me?"

"It shall be difficult since you are the most impolite girl I have ever has the displeasure of laying my eyes upon." He places his hands tightly and firmly on my waist, holding me at arms length which shall make the dance a whole lot more difficult, still avoiding making any kind of eye contact with me, as though that alone shall simply drive him to lose his temper.

"That is so disappointing to hear. I am, of course, absolutely enamoured with you, Viscount. You are such a darling to speak to, I lie in bed at night and I cry because I cannot bare to wait a single moment longer to have such a wondeful conversation with the Viscount Anthony Bridgerton!"

"Perhaps you are correct and we should dance in silence." He scowls. It is at that moment that I realise his eye contact is not simply to avoid me but is because he is concentrating so hard on the dance, mouthing numbers subtly to keep himself in time.

"You realise that everyone can see you mouthing the numbers? You wish to embarrass the both of us?"

"I think it more embarrassing for me to make a misstep and break your toes." He tuts a little and continues to stare into the distance, muttering the numbers under his breath to the beat of the music.

I watch him for a moment and this makes me grin widely. But I cannot watch him continue to suffer throughout the song. "Listen to me. You must bring me closer to you, your arms being extended shall not help how rigid and awkward you look. Can you possibly stand having me a few inches closer?"

"It shall be difficult to endure but... fine." Rather than stepping towards me, he uses his strong grip on my waist to move me to him, adjusting his stance.

"That is much better. Now look at me. I am not medusa, you shall not turn to stone if you look into my eyes." His dark eyes now fixate on my own, and it is once again a battle of wills as to who shall blink or glance away first, and so neither of us do. "Do not mutter the numbers, count them in your head. I shall lead you, you needn't worry."

"I do not worry. Not about things such as dancing, anyway." His scowl softens slightly, as the next song begins to play and he relaxes almost instantly with the help of my advice.

"Yes. Certainly. You are an extremely important man with extremely important things to do. I am so apologetic, Viscount, I forgot." I roll my eyes a little, breathing in deeply with a hitched breath as his hand falls slightly lower as his grip slackens. "Contrary to popular beliefs, I also do not enjoy dancing. You are not the only one who feels as though they have more important things they could be doing than dressing up each night in order to stand by and watch lots of old men stare at lots of beautiful young ladies, as the beautiful young ladies desperately grasp for the very few decent young men, knowing that the rest of them shall end up with snobs such as Rutledge or Berbrooke." 

"If you do not enjoy to dance, and neither do I, then why do we continue to do so? The song has finished."

"Yes, it has. Thankfully, I was beginning to feel rather queasy from having to actually converse with you." I clear my throat, preparing to move away from him so that we might go our separate ways.

"It is clear that was just your excuse to get closer to me, was it not?" His voice is low as he speaks directly into my ear, one hand remaining on my waist and the other trailing from my shoulder and down my arm to grasp my hand at the end of it.

"In your dreams." Although it makes my heart beat faster, and it makes my throat feel strangely dry, I shrug his actions off and hold my hand up directly for him to kiss. "Goodbye and good riddance, Viscount Anthony."

"Goodbye and good riddance, Lady Delilah Basset of Hastings." He kisses my hand before he departs and leaves me alone on the dance floor.

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