Love & Misunderstanding

Chapter Seven - Jonathan's POV

A week had passed since the unfortunate dinner party at the Caldwell's, and once again I found myself leaning against a wall, staring at endless number of couples as they danced. However, it was not the couples that I was focused on tonight. Instead, I was focused on my friend's situation. He had been heartbroken and humiliated by Miss Hoffman, whom I was had recently come to think of as a selfish snob, just like her friend, Louise.

The only thing that I was thankful for, was the fact that no one else had seen or heard anything. He had remained remarkably calm, despite everything. He had not thrown a fit, or screamed. Perhaps he was finally growing up. Now, keeping it a secret was the issue at hand. If we could accomplish that, everything would surely end well enough. Although, I could not help but question whether Miss Hoffman had intentions of disgracing him,

Yes, he had been rather foolish, but I still felt sorry for him. He was my friend, and friends needed to stick up for one another. At least that was what I had always heard. Not that he had ever stuck up for me before. Besides, who else was I going to feel sorry for? Certainly not Miss Hoffman. In my eyes, she had seemed cruel and callous. Obviously Matthew had been mistaken when he said that she was polite, because she had seemed quite the opposite to me.

"Do you refuse to dance even at a ball hosted by your own family?" Vincent asked, coming up to me.

"I already told you, I do not like dancing," I replied.

"Well, could you possibly put aside your own desires for once and do me this favour? Mother keeps nagging me to try and persuade you," he complained, "and it is starting to get annoying, considering that it takes away from my own enjoyment."

"Then return to your petty amusements," I retorted. "You are wasting your time with me."

"All right, be a gloomy Gus." He let out an irritated sigh and returned to his dance partner, who was waiting for him not too far away.

As soon as he was out of sight, I redirected my attention toward Miss Hoffman, who was speaking with her sister-in-law, Charlotte, near the entrance. I could not help but wonder what her exact reason had been for such a cruel rejection. I had already suspected that she may not return Matthew's feelings; however, that did not justify her actions. She could have gone about it differently. She could have let him down more gently

There was a part of me that wanted to question her motives, and yet there was also a part of me that wanted to cling firmly to the idea that she was merely cold-hearted. After battling with my conscience for a while, I finally gave in and decided that I would the unthinkable. I would ask her to dance with me, but only to question her. Although, truth be told, I did not expect her to give me any answers. I expected her to decline my invitation to dance just as she had declined Matthew's proposal.

Reluctantly I made my way over to where she was standing, forcing myself a long every step of the way, and asked her something that I never thought I would. "Miss Hoffman, might I have this next dance?"

I heard several gasps echo through out the room, which only irritated me further. Miss Hoffman made no reply for the first several moments. She merely stood there, staring at me as if I had somehow grown a second head. Then, all of a sudden, her expression hardened. "You may," she replied, much to my surprise.