Chapter 3

Cynara stepped into the ballroom with a gasp. It was beautiful; it looked like she had stepped directly into a movie. Everyone was so regal in their long, flowing dresses or jackets and high collars. She eagerly went ahead of her party, looking anxiously around. She walked around the edge of the dancers to get a closer look at the band.

"You like it?" she heard a voice in her ear. She turned around to see Charles standing at her elbow.

"Oh, it's spectacular!" she responded enthusiastically.

"Would you like to dance?"

"Oh, I don't know how," she said regretfully. She would have loved to try the prim and proper dancing that they were doing: A choreographed picture of perfection.

"How do you know?" Charles asked. Good point, she thought, but before anything else could be said, Finley walked up to them.

"Look who I ran into," he said presenting a young man, about Cynara's age. It must be Sanford, she thought.

"Oh, so this is the elusive Sanford?" she asked Finley.

"Indeed it is," he responded. This was only the third night she had been staying at Margrave Manor, but it already felt like much longer. And in turn it felt odd to not have met Sanford before now.

"And this must be the forgetful Cynara," Sanford smiled.

"That's me."

"If I had known such a beautiful girl would be staying in our house I would have made a point of coming home last night."

"There you are Mr. Stanmore," a middle-aged woman approached Sanford and smiled seductively. Despite the fact that she was older, she had a sophisticated charm about her and a sort of regal beauty.

"Mrs. Hulery, what a pleasant surprise," Stanmore smile back. "Would you care to dance?"

"I would love to," and he lead her out onto the dance floor.

Charles leaned and whispered in Cynara's ear, "Mrs. Hulery's husband died last year, and ever since then she seems to be paying particular attention to Sanford."

"A cougar," Cynara whispered back to him.

He chuckled softly, "You know, I never thought of it like that, but that is the perfect word to describe her. She definitely wants to sink her claws into our poor Sanford."

"Somehow I don't see Sanford as a helpless little rabbit up for the kill."

"Listen you two," Finley interjected, "Cynara, you are a distant cousin staying with us for a few months for a vacation," and his gaze wondered off to across the room, then as an afterthought, "Oh, and your last name is Waldorf."

"Got it," Cynara nodded gravely, but Finley was lost in his own little world.

"Earth to Finley," Cynara poked him. Finley seemed startled to be pulled out of his thoughts.

"Who were you just staring at?" Cynara asked mischievously.

"No one!" Finley scoffed.

Cynara rolled her eyes and scanned the room in the direction Finley had been looking a few moments ago.

"Was it that petite blonde that just walked in?"

Finley nervously cleared his throat, "Why would you think that?"

"Ooh, Finley has a crush," she cooed teasingly.

"A what?"

"You like her," she elbowed him.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Finley defended, "Now if you'll excuse me," and with that he walked off.

Cynara looked up at Charles, who was grinning down at her. "So who is she?" Cynara asked.

"That's Jane Withurby, she just came out this season and every eligible bachelor has his eye on her. She has the pick of the crop."

"And does she like Finley back?"

"Honestly, I don't think she even knows he exists. God knows Finley has never even spoken to her."

"Why on earth not?" Cynara asked, not thinking that Finley was the shy type.

"Finley's got a bit of a reputation, and I don't think her mother would allow him to speak to her, really. Plus, she already seems to be interested in Lord Randall Trahern. That's who she's dancing with right now," he said nodding toward the dance floor, "Everyone is speculating on when they will announce an engagement."

"Poor Finley," Cynara said forlornly, staring and the dancing couple.

"Why don't I get you something to drink?" Charles asked, changing the subject.

"Yes."

Charles moved off to get her some punch, and Cynara noticed that the song was ending at just that moment. She followed Jane Withurby and Randall Trahern off the dance floor with her eyes, then just couldn't resist the urge to go talk to them.

"Hello there," she greeted casually after storming her way through the crowd to be in the exact spot they were headed.

"I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met," Randall said to her.

"No. I'm Miss Cynara Waldorf, a cousin of the Stanmores."

"A pleasure to meet you, Miss Waldorf, I'm Jane Withurby," the girl said politely. Cynara noticed that the girl was a picture of grace and poise; she also seemed so tiny that a small gust of wind could knock her over. Randall seemed tall only compared to her diminutive height, and Cynara thought about how Finley would look like a giant standing next to her.

"And I'm Lord Randall Trahern." Cynara didn't like the arrogant way he spoke, but then decided to be fair and admit that no matter what she wouldn't like this Randall character, because she was prejudice for Finley.

"Nice to meet you, I just umm ... came over here to compliment you on your dress, Miss Withurby."

"Oh, why thank you so much!" Jane smiled shyly.

"Yes, I normally wouldn't just barge up to complete strangers, but I just had to know where you got it," Cynara chatted.

"What a nice thing to say. I got it from this wonderful little dressmaker, Miss Beatrice Dandell. She runs a dress shop on Main Street called Miss Beatrice's designs."

Randall snorted his disinterest in such girly talk, and Jane looked at the floor, "She really is quite a genius."

"I'll have to stop by there sometime, and I'll tell her you recommended her to me."

"Good evening, Mr. Trahern," an older woman came up to them, "And who's your new friend, Jane?"

"Mother, this is Cynara Waldorf, Miss Waldorf, this is my mother, Lady Withurby."