She wished she felt that same security.
She made a beeline for the large piano set apart from the orchestra where she would take her place for the evening. Madeline was right that Marie spent her time there and rarely got up. She danced during her first Season and saw no need to this time. Her sister had been wrong, however, when she said that Marie never got attention behind the piano. Several times, men had come over and offered her a drink and asked to be placed on her dance card. She usually declined, stating that she was here to play the piano and not to dance. The rejection was usually taken with an air of nonchalance and the men would just nod and go off to find another victim.
She slid into the piano bench and lifted the cover from the keys. She eyed them lovingly and softly ran one finger over them. She smiled to herself.
“You have a very nice smile, you know.” She heard and looked up abruptly into the eyes of her good friend, Cornelius Argabright. He was smiling from ear to ear.
“Cornelius! How are you this evening?” She lifted one hand, which he took and touched with his lips before releasing it.
“I am good, Marie, thank you. How are you?”
“I am looking forward to playing some beautiful music tonight.”
“Oh? So I assume it’s more of the usual for you, then.”
She caught the compliment and blushed. “Thank you, Cornie.”
“You do play such beautiful music. I suppose you have plenty of room on your card. Care to dance with me once this evening?”
She bit her bottom lip and grinned at him. “I would like that. Are you booked much tonight?”
He laughed. “I have all the ladies after me, Marie. You know that.”
She eyed him. He was rich and handsome and very popular. The masses had expected her to marry him someday but it wasn’t in the cards, and they both knew it. They were good friends but would never be anything more than that. Cornelius was the only man Marie had ever felt comfortable with but her feelings for him had never grown any further.
As for him, he knew he was an eligible bachelor in every sense of the word and therefore, kept his options open. He liked Marie, but she was not the woman he would marry. He was still looking for that woman and was confident his choice would be the right one. In the meantime, he enjoyed spending time with his friend.
“I do.” She finally replied. “So you just let me know when and I will have someone play while I dance.”
“That sounds wonderful. I’ll be back to fetch you for the fifth.”
“All right.” Marie smiled at him. “I’ll see you then.”
Cornelius bowed dramatically and took a few steps backward before turning around and disappearing in the crowd. She watched him as he left. Her eyes were diverted to his left, where Duke Arlington had just stepped into the room. His face was distinguishable because of the long scar that traced the side of his face on the left side from his eye down to his chin, where it was buried under a trim dark brown beard. She had been told the scar came from a fencing duel he had been in when he was a younger man in his early 20’s. She wondered if it was true. She watched him eyeing everyone around him. He was standing with a group of men. They were all talking and laughing while he stood with a solemn face, as usual.
Marie couldn’t help feeling sorry for him. She knew that he was brash and often rude, but she felt like he had a reason for that. He had been rejected by women all his life. How did they expect him to be? It wasn’t just the women who were being cruel. He didn’t promote kindness when he snapped at people and gave them dirty looks.
She began playing, running her fingers over the keys lovingly. She began with the Grand March, the typical opening for each ball. It was a time for anyone who wanted to be seen to dance around the floor, catching the eye of prospective matches. She always enjoyed the Grand March because she was able to look at all of the people without being mixed in with them. She had found the dancefloor to be hot and exhausting last Season. Her area of the ballroom was well-ventilated, having a large set of double glass doors directly behind her piano, doors that were often kept open slightly to let in a gentle breeze.
She moved into a Waltz second and again, kept her eyes on the dance floor, watching her sisters twirling about with their suitors. They all laughed and talked to the men without a problem. Even Madeline had a smile on her usually plastered face.