not getting very far and only getting monosyllables in return, Edmund decided to join some of the others. Anne was alone again. When it seemed like everyone was deep in conversation, she walked out into the main hall to inspect the flowers from Avery. She smelled their sweet aroma being careful not to get too close to the blossoms with insects on them. Then, she closely inspected the bugs. They were so much easier to study than most other animals because they were so small and, except for those that flew, did not travel very much, at least not for mankind’s size.
“Anne, shouldn’t you be in there?”
“Yes, Father, I should.”
“Are they from that special spot you were telling me about?” She nodded with a grin lighting up her face. “You could at least talk to him.” She nodded sheepishly. As was his custom with his shy daughter, he gently took her arm and led her into the room. The Viscount was energetically arguing with Edmund about horses and everyone else had someone to talk to. Anne did not want to just disrupt the conversation nor just stand at the edge listening in. The latter was the most embarrassing. So, she went out into the garden. There Anne was the most comfortable. She sat down upon one of the benches and wished she was a little more social. So many people talked about absolute nonsense, did not care if their listener cared about the topic, or just passed around gossip which mostly was false. Why could she not be more like them?
Soon later, she heard the call for partners for cards and that some of the young girls were asked to play the piano. Anne decided to try again, entering the room to join the guests. She quickly was asked to partner Julie Amber and gladly accepted. Being occupied now, supper quickly arrived. As people moved toward the dining room, Avery came to her side making her heart leap.
“Is this better?” She glanced back confused. “A smaller group of people.”
“A little.”
“I noticed that you left a few times at the beginning. I hope you won’t leave when the dancing begins.” He squeezed her hand.
Supper was noisy for the amount of people in the narrow room and Anne had to work hard to hear the conversations right next to her. Avery noticed that she was squinting which he thought was a sign that her head was starting to bother her. She really was squinting from concentration but her ears were starting to throb inside. The clanking of the dinnerware was the most painful sound in the room. She was wondering how loud the musicians were in the ballroom. Since you could hear them in the background despite the noise, Anne knew that meant the music was loud. How could she dance with such thunderous music which inevitably would give her a headache? She did like to dance. Supper just seemed to be endless and she was starting to feel her head by the time it finally was over. Even the Viscount’s superb wine did not help her head. Because of all of the commotion around her, Anne responded less and less to conversations until she was totally out of them by the time dessert arrived.
Realizing the increasing pain in her face and the diminishing responses, the Viscount noticed that even a little soiree was not right for Anne. He started looking around and then realized that it mainly was the room that increased the volume. He would have to keep that in mind for his soiree. As soon as it was possible to leave the table, Avery quickly ushered her into the garden for some quiet. He did not say a word. Instead, he just sat next to her holding her hands wishing that her head would improve soon. Just as he realized that she was regaining some normalcy the musicians started up again for the dances. From the volume that ensued through the doors, he immediately knew that Anne would not survive dancing in the ballroom. From this distance it was starting to bother her. It was quite light out yet, so with a quick glance around, the Viscount found an ideal place.
With a gentle pull, Avery got Anne up to her feet and led her out the garden onto the green beyond. The music was muffled but still loud enough to dance to it. When Anne realized what he was up to, she almost cried in joy. He quickly kissed both hands and then swept her into a waltz. Soon they were not alone. Trusty had apparently somehow found a way to get out of the stables and was determined to find his mistress. There were a few screams and yells in the ballroom, which the couple outside did not even notice. Not finding his quarry, Trusty started to yowl. Recognizing that sound, Anne quickly stated: “Trusty!” Avery moaned with the disruption and quickly strode toward the ballroom. But, someone decided to throw the dog out to the gardens where he at first yowled but then catching her scent, started finding his way to Anne. Upon feeling a dog brush past him, Avery quickly turned and grabbed the puppy.
“Is this the fellow that made such a loud ruckus?” For his little size, he certainly could make his sound carry! He placed the dog next to Anne and continued with the dance. At first Trusty created problems because he wanted to be between them, but soon realized that just sitting close to them was sufficient. “Doesn’t like to leave your side, does he?” She laughed and moved closer to her partner. With a voice noticeably out of breath and emotional: “I don’t plan to either.”
In the increasing darkness Anne had a hard time seeing his face. “You don’t plan to do what either?”
“Leave your side.” She gasped. “What’s the matter?”
“You mean that?” She stopped allowing Trusty to quickly come closer and whine for some attention.
Avery picked up the hand-full, scratching the dog behind the ears in hopes of getting him to quiet down. “Why shouldn’t I?”
“But you are a Viscount…and I’m…I’m just a very shy, reserved, not very social young lady….” She hung her head.
The dog was placed back on the ground with a pat on the rump. “Anne, that all doesn’t matter—“
With despair clearly showing on her face, “But you need to host balls, soirees, and—“ He covered her mouth with his index finger.
“Anne, dearest, we will just have to adjust. Find the right number of people, the right rooms so that it isn’t so loud,” he felt that she wished to say something, “we will learn together.”
He maneuvered his hand so that their hands were clasped together. She had to take a deep breath to slow her heart a little. “But being a host, I would be expected to talk to all of the guests!” He heard her panic.
“You are expected to do the same tonight too, you know.” Her whole body drooped in despair.
“Anne?” Her mother was looking for her.
“Coming.” Lady Vinrey was standing in the middle of the garden looking apprehensively for Anne.
“What were you doing out in the dark?”
“I was dancing—“
“Dancing? Out there? Anne?” Lady Vinrey did not like the sound of something in that.
“Ma’am, I had realized that the music was much too loud for her and even here in the garden it was still bothersome to her ears, so we—“
“Went out into the dark!”
Before she could create any fearful scenes, the Viscount quickly cut Lady Vinrey off. “At the time, it was still light. We needed to go out onto the green because we needed room to dance. Trusty found us quite quickly as soon as someone let him out of the ballroom.” Anne’s mother still did not like the sound of any of that.
“If you wish to dance anymore this evening Anne, you will do it in the house. There are plenty of rooms in which you can dance.” With that, she took her daughter into the house. Anne quickly apologetically glanced back to the Viscount to which he only grinned back understandingly. If he were the father of any child in this situation, he would ask the man out! He understood Lady Vinrey’s reaction.
Anne was hardly in the room when she quickly went out into the main hall searching for a room with a less deafening sound. She ended up in the parlor. When the door was only partially open, the music was muffled enough for Anne to actually be able to enjoy it instead of cringing. Having such melodious music surrounding her, she had to move the chairs and tables and settees to the walls to give herself some room to sway to the music. It was unbelievable that Avery knew what type of hold music had upon her. The country-dance was ov
er and during the pause Anne went to get a few bites of food and a glass to drink. She had just finished her little refreshments when the musicians swept into a waltz. Trusty, as usual, was at her feet and she positioned herself to face the sitting dog, who was wiggling with the excitement of the day. Anne graciously curtsied to her “partner” and proceeded to waltz with her little puppy who she took into her arms after the introduction. After a turn, she was looking into a sweet grinning face.
“My dear, you do look a sight! Let the poor pup be back on the floor where he ought to be.” Helping her with her little charge, he immediately took its place and swept his daughter around the room. “Did your mother stop you dancing before?” Anne grinned sheepishly into his all-seeing soft eyes. She nodded and put her head down to rest upon his shoulder. “It seems like this little soiree is quite a bit better for you than the ball was. But still, you aren’t mingling with the guests!” If only she knew how. “You have received too many of my bad traits.”
“Father! You don’t need to blame yourself. I just don’t have the courage.”
“Courage! My dear! You have the courage to not be like the rest of the brainless, dimwitted, gossip-filled, gaudy women or young ladies that England is full of! I’d much rather have you like you are than you changing
The Quiet One Page 7
