Posted November 12, 2020 | Charlie Wentworth | With: Clara

"In fact, I would be delighted to dance with you, Charlie Wentworth," she actually smiled.

Charlie for a moment just stood there, shocked by the answer Clara had given. He hadn't really expected her to say yes. After some gentle egging on by the Deputy and Mrs. Blakesley, he offered Clara his arm.

He guided her to the edge of the dance floor and waited patiently for the dance to begin. Having no idea what it was going to be, he turned his head to look at Clara, "I have to tell you that I didn't really expected you to say yes," he smiled, "but I'm glad you did. I am honoured to be dancing with the prettiest girl here."

Posted November 12, 2020 | Clara Redmond | With: Charlie Wentworth

Charlie guided her to the edge of the dance floor and waited patiently for the dance to begin. Having no idea what it was going to be, he turned his head to look at Clara, "I have to tell you that I didn't really expect you to say yes," he smiled, "but I'm glad you did. I am honoured to be dancing with the prettiest girl here."

"Oh gosh, that is kind of you to say even if hardly the truth," Clara nodded happily, "But you really do not know me, Charlie, I am - probably to your shock - a nice enough person."

"Oh, one of these!" Clara now heard the announcement and saw some partners heading out even as a few other couples seemed to decline this number. She knew this though.

"Well, here we go then. Do not panic, just do what everyone else does and when we are together, I can lead," she explained hastily as out onto the floor they went to line up with the others.

Posted November 12, 2020 | Brendan Connolly | With: Bridget, and eventually Arabella

Bridget didn't reply to his statement about getting cookies or about telling Clara how he had referred to her. She just walked alongside him to the table with the food, a smile on her oddly serene face.

"I liked are … dance," she whispered, leaning up to be able to reach his ear.

Brendan looked down at her with a grin, feeling for a cookie since he was looking at her. "Me, too. Come another waltz or slow dance, let's do it again. Cookie?" He held one out to her with a dazzling smile.

It would be nice to dance with Bridget again, if he hadn't found someone who was a better dancing partner and conversationalist by then. It wasn't that he minded being with Bridget, but he had come to the dance intending to flirt and he figured flirting would go right over the girl's red head. He had promised Billy to get the names of a few gals, so he had to dance with a few other girls before the night was up.

Just then, there was an announcement from the musicians about a galop quadrille. A gallop dance? Brendan imagined couples dancing from atop their horses and choked with laughter, which he quickly stifled so that Bridget wouldn't think he was laughing at her.

Posted November 12, 2020 | Arabella Mudd | With: Brendan, Bridget

Brendan looked down at her with a grin, feeling for a cookie since he was looking at her. "Me, too. Come another waltz or slow dance, let's do it again. Cookie?" He held one out to her with a dazzling smile.

She took the sweet treat from his hand without diverting her eyes from his, still holding his other hand, and shoved it into her mouth.

Just then, there was an announcement from the musicians about a galop quadrille. A gallop dance? Brendan imagined couples dancing from atop their horses and choked with laughter, which he quickly stifled so that Bridget wouldn't think he was laughing at her.

She heard the caller shout out the dance name, but it didn’t anything to her. It provoked a small reaction from Brendan and she tipped her head quizzically as she continued to chew the delicious cookie.

Arabella had made some pretty swift goodbyes in the Booze tent and had run helter-skelter back into the barn, wondering who she could corral for the next dance. She hit on Brendan, as he’d already promised her a couple of dances and was, therefore, effectively roped and branded already. Ignoring the fact that Bridget was standing in front of the handsome ranch-hand, making cow eyes at him, she quickly grabbed him round his free arm and started to pull him toward the dance floor.

“C’mon Mississippi! I want that dance yer promised me!!” she yelped, but he seemed to be snagged on something, like a stray muley calf caught in a muddy draw. She looked and saw that the cause of the holdup was Bridget, holding fast to his other hand, with poor Brendan stretched in the middle like the rope in a tug-of-war.

Arabella frowned at the ginger girl and literally stamped her foot.

“Oh tarnation Bridg’! Let go o’ him! I needs him fer this dance! I’ll bring him back to ya in one piece, promise!” she reasoned urgently. The dance would start any minute, and she needed to give her partner a pep talk before it started.

Posted November 12, 2020

Harriet finally extricated herself from her bevy of clients with a subtle roll of her gray eyes. In the end, she had to remind them that she was staying in town at the hotel and that she would be in her office early on Monday. She had also added that the evening was meant to be a party, not a work day. Most were acquainted with the attorney's often acerbic speech and took it as the dismissal it was. This allowed Harriet to drop her business demeanor and tap her foot in time to the music. She was not concerned about missing the opening dances. They would be repeated before the night was over and it was far to early to worry about being the town's wallflower. That thought led to her smiling to herself. Not being asked to dance had not been an issue since her awkward teen years.

With a slight smile on her lips, Harriet turned slightly and scanned the crowd, noting several small groups of people talking. As her gaze passed the dance floor she saw Shade and his lovely lady, Kate. At this point, she blinked slightly, having never considered that the man would have any social skills of that ilk. Of course, that was not entirely fair either. Shade had been raised by a Spanish woman of noble birth. She would have insisted on her sons being well educated in all things. Eventually, her eyes lighted on Quentin and Lost Lake's foreman, Mike Wentworth. Definitely a good looking pair of gentlemen, she thought, although her eyes briefly lingered on Quentin.

For the moment, she was more intent on getting a glass of punch or even cold water. Even though they had taken the time to check in at the Belle-St. Regis and wash the road dust off, Harriet had not taken the time to get anything to drink. Now, it was time to find a cool beverage and actually socialize instead of discussing legal matters!

Posted November 12, 2020 | Quentin Cantrell

"Maybe you should let the lady know. You might find unexpected joy, if she receives it well. Tonight with the music and drinks is a very good opportunity....oh and sorry for listening. Your conversation was quite loud."

Quentin turned to regard the stranger's words. His mouth opened to respond but he caught himself. It wouldn't be very neighborly to quarrel with someone at the town dance, especially since he wasn't wrong...just butting in. Quentin glanced over at Mike to see his reaction when his eye caught Harriet standing alone looking out across the people at the dance. Quentin straightened and turned to look at the two men. "I suppose both of you are right. Pardon me if I seek out much prettier company." He nodded to both and tossed a smile at Mike before he moved off through the crowd, cutting a beeline for Harriet.

Quentin stopped in front of Harriet and cut a very formal bow. "Now that you are finished with your legion of admirers, what can I interest you in first?"

Harriet smiled, her eyes lighting in response to his presence. She executed a pretty curtsy. She tilted her head up at him, "Admirers? Hardly. How anyone can want to talk of legal matters with all this going on," she waved one lace-gloved hand at the crowd, "is beyond me."

Cutting Quentin a mischievous look, Harriet added, "What you can interest me in first is something cool to drink. Shall we find the refreshments?"

Quentin took her arm and wrapped it around his, they moved through the fringe of the crowd until they reached the tables laid out with food and drink. "Well, let's see...there's lemonade, punch, water...and...cider...and even some beer...root and otherwise." Quentin glanced over at Harriet. "What would be the lady's pleasure?"

"Cider, I think," Harriet replied after studying the selection, "Hopefully, it has not been excessively spiked," she added wryly. "Are you enjoying yourself so far?" Harriet then laughed slightly, "How is that when we are bickering and arguing, I do not feel awkward in the slightest, yet when trying to make small-talk, I stumble all over myself like a schoolgirl? Is it because I hope things keep...changing...for us?"

Quentin finished pouring two glasses of cider and handed one to Harriet. "I am..." He blinked as she laughed then found himself grinning as well once she explained. "I admit I am more used to us throwing verbal knives at each other, so this does feel a little unusual, but I don't mind...you do look lovely tonight Harriet. I...am very glad that things have changed between us." Quentin was blushing himself now as he had tried to explain his feelings at the moment. He then gave a mental shake and held up his glass to hers. "To us..." he said quietly as they clinked lightly.

Posted November 12, 2020 | Adelaide Chappel | Jay, Mike, Quentin

Munching on the half cookie that Jay had given her, Addy moved along with him, glancing at the floor as music started again, allowing as how it was assuredly best for everyone that they were not participating in this particular number, since there was a specific pattern, which she had know knowing of, and would likely cause chaos, and be responsible for carnage.

Besides, the cookies were good, and she was amenable to having more.

She hadn't been paying attention to what the men were discussing, only catching the last comment, from Quinten.

"I suppose both of you are right. Pardon me if I seek out much prettier company."

"Hey, now!" she grumbled, linking her arm into Jay's as she glared at Quentin with a playful gleam in her eye, "Jay went ta all that trouble ta get all gussied, an' he's about th' prettiest thing here, even if I do say so myself!"

Grinning, she turned her attention back to Jay and Mike. "Seems in a powerful hurry, don't he?" But good for both Quentin and Harriet!

Posted November 12, 2020 | Jonah Danforth | With: Matilda

The waltz was relatively slow, and Matilda was a great partner, and Jonah was quite enjoying himself, thinking that he might try to monopolize her for the evening...until he spotted Leah, standing alone. Not that he had any romantic notions, but he did sympathize with her, and Matilda did have other options.

"What's this I hear about there going to be a hospital for this town? Granted, any town that wants to someday be a city will need at least one of those. I lived in Chicago you see," one nice thing about a waltz was one could chat will dancing.

"Yes, that's the plan...it's in the works." Jonah smiled, pleased that word was getting around, and that public support might be on their side. "Especially since Whitefish is no longer habitable, some of the citizens think a hospital is a good idea, and I do as well, after all, we're a long way from anything like that."

He shrugged. "I use rooms at my house as a clinic and for overnight patients, but I don't really have the proper means for that." Then he added, "There is an orphanage in the works, too, if we can get the approval and support we need."