Page 55 of A Duke Under Her Spell
“But it resembles…” she stopped, turning bright crimson.
Felix broke out into a full-fledged grin and laughed. “Lord Byron thinks so too.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, he wrote about the intimacy of the waltz when it was first introduced to England.”
“What did he have to say about it?”
“Hmm, let us see if I can remember how it goes…” Felix stood and thought for a moment before reciting.
“Waltz—Waltz—alone both legs and arms demands,
Liberal of feet—and lavish of her hands;
Hands which may freely range in public sight,
Where ne’er before—but—pray ‘put out the light.’
Methinks the glare of yonder chandelier
Shines much too far—or I am much too near;
And true, though strange—Waltz whispers this remark;
‘My slippery steps are safest in the dark!’”
“Oh, my,” Marybeth stumbled over her own feet at the brazen nature of Lord Byron’s words.
“Oh, yes, and it gets worse from there.”
“I think perhaps I have heard enough.”
“That is probably best,” Felix agreed with a twinkle in his eye.
“Perhaps another dance?”
“The country dance perhaps?”
“Do they do so outside of the country?” she asked. The manners and rules of society were proving to be quite a foreign clime to her.
Felix chuckled once more. “Yes, it is. The name comes from the Frenchcontredansewhich is simply in reference to the dance’s structure.” Felix went on to explain the positions and steps of the dance as people faced off standing apart from one another. “We need more people for this dance,” he mused, thinking for a moment and then walked over and rang the bell pull. A footman entered moments later.
“Yes, Your Grace?”
“I need a number of the servants to join us in the library, if you would please inform them.”
“And what number would that be, Your Grace?”
“Three others beside yourself should provide a proper demonstration.”
“Very well, Your Grace.” The footman bowed and went to do as bid.
When he returned with the required number of people, Felix instructed them to face off for the dance. He led them in the steps and then before Marybeth knew what was happening, they were galloping together down the center of the line and circling back around from whence they had come. Breathless and laughing, she informed him, “This is much better.”
“If you say so,” he murmured giving her a knowing look that caused shivers all the way down to her toes. “For me it is the waltz. It will always be the waltz.”
Chapter 24
