Serafina tried to figure out what she could do to stop them. Could she create a blast of air to send all the musicians’ sheet music flying from their stands and halt the orchestra? Could she splash the water in the fountain onto all the dancers and send them running?
Rowena leaned toward Braeden and spoke to him in her lovely high-society Southern accent. “I was so positively petrified by the thought that no one would ask me to dance this evening,” she said, meeting his eyes with hers. “You are a fine gentleman for rescuing me.”
Rowena was acting so sickeningly sweet that it made Serafina want to scream her throat out.
She knew that Rowena was trying to trick him, but she didn’t understand her plan. And what was Braeden thinking? Why was he doing this? He had no idea who this girl was! Was he going to dance hand in hand with every creature that slithered in out of the forest in a nice dress and fancy hair? And with the brace on his leg, his dancing was going to be a painful, clumsy affair at best.
But before Serafina knew it, the two of them faced each other in a ceremonial fashion. As was the custom, Braeden put his white-gloved hands behind him and bowed deeply to his dance partner. When it was her turn, his lady did a slow, deep curtsy to him, with one leg out in front of her, her head bowed, and her arms elevated beside her like the wings of a graceful swan. What on earth! Serafina thought.
And then the two dance partners came together, holding each other in a formal and decorous fashion. Their dancing started out slow and easy, synchronized with the gentle overture of the orchestra’s music and the movement of the other dancers, but when the waltz rose up to its full tempo, they began to move more swiftly, turn and turn and turn and dip, sweeping across the dance floor with astounding grace and beauty.
It made Serafina’s heart sink to watch it.
She had no idea Braeden knew how to dance like that. What amazed her even more was that he could move so smoothly and effortlessly with the brace on his leg. He normally dragged it along behind him, barely able to walk, but here he was gliding with the music of the waltz, like his feet were barely touching the floor.
Then Serafina looked down at his feet.
It was difficult to detect, even for her narrowed, suspicious eyes, but when she looked very carefully, she could see an unnatural glint beneath his feet. He wasn’t dancing. The sorceress was pulling him along, literally sweeping him off his feet with her power and deceit. But poor Braeden had no idea. He was smiling, euphoric, happy to be dancing, moving with such strength and athleticism on legs that had been weak and pathetic for so long.
Serafina looked around at the other dancers and the people watching to see if any of them could see the sorceress’s work.
Mrs. Vanderbilt looked onto the dancing couple with a smile on her face.
Others, too, seemed to be pleased to see the two young dancers enjoying themselves. It was only Mr. Vanderbilt who appeared to be studying his nephew and his dancing partner with a careful eye. There was neither happiness nor rejection in his expression, but a steady evaluation of what he was seeing, as if he sensed that something wasn’t quite right.
“It’s because she’s a sorceress!” Serafina screamed.
“Shush, kitty!” Rowena whispered as she and Braeden danced, knowing that only Serafina would hear her through the sound of the music.
A few moments later, when the music died down and the dance was over, Braeden and his lady partner stood apart and faced each other once more. Braeden bowed and his lady curtsied, just as they had done before. Then Braeden presented his right arm, his lady took it, and they walked off the floor.
“Did you enjoy the dance?” Braeden asked her.
“Oh, yes, very much so. And you?”
“Yes, my leg is feeling much better than it has in a long time,” Braeden said, his voice light and happy.
Serafina followed them up the steps to the promenade that encircled the Winter Garden. The whole area was crowded with mingling guests.
It was customary for the gentleman to escort his dancing partner back to her family or friends, but Braeden did not appear to know where to take her.
“I am here alone,” his lady partner said softly.
“She doesn’t have any friends,” Serafina interjected, “and you definitely don’t want to meet her family!”
“I see,” Braeden said uncertainly. “Would you like to partake of refreshment in the Banquet Hall?”
“Yes, that would be delightful,” she said, and they began walking in that direction.
“Pardon me for asking,” Braeden said, “but have you been to the house on a previous occasion? Have I met you before?”
“Yes, I believe we have met,” she said mysteriously.
Braeden’s expression changed. He leaned toward her and whispered, “Are you a catamount? Are you a friend of Waysa’s?”
When the girl did not immediately reply, Braeden asked, “Are you related to Serafina?”
Then he looked down at her feet, knowing that some catamounts had four toes on each foot even when they were in human form. Rowena’s feet were covered by her glittering shoes, but at that moment, Serafina began to realize just how carefully Rowena had planned this out. From head to toe, she’s all a trap. She’s luring him right in.
“I came to the ball tonight to speak with you, Braeden,” she said, her voice gentle and calm, but filled with just enough urgency to give it an edge.
“With me?” Braeden asked in surprise.
“Perhaps we could go someplace more private,” Rowena said.
“Don’t fall for her tricks, Braeden!” Serafina shouted at him, wondering if she could swirl her arms and start up a great wind inside the house to send Rowena’s hair a-flying and knock her tumbling down the stairs to the basement.
“All right,” Braeden said calmly. “Come this way…”
Rowena betrayed a crooked smile as she followed Braeden through the Banquet Hall. The room was full of guests, many of them eating and drinking as they enjoyed the lively festivities of the ball.
Serafina looked back through the archway toward the Winter Garden hoping to catch a glimpse of Mr. Vanderbilt watching Braeden and Rowena from a distance, but she couldn’t see him.
“What are you doing, Braeden?” Serafina asked. He seemed determined to slip away from the ball and get her alone. It was very unlike him.
Serafina followed the two of them into the Bachelor’s Wing and down the dark and empty passage.
“Perhaps we could go in here,” Braeden suggested, gesturing toward the Gun Room, with its cabinets full of shotguns, hunting rifles, and other weapons. As was customary for a gentleman, Braeden entered the dark room first to find and turn on the light.
“Rowena, I’m warning you, whatever you’re doing, don’t do it,” Serafina said fiercely. “I mean it. Stop it.”
But Rowena ignored her.
“When you were attacked, I helped you!” Serafina reminded her.
“Oh, don’t fool yourself,” Rowena whispered. “We both know that you’re not all cotton balls and kitten paws. You helped me because it was the smart thing to do.”
“But what are you doing here?” Serafina demanded. “Leave Braeden alone!”
“My plan should be clear to you now,” Rowena said impatiently.