Re: Dance Floor
Reina had, as was her long-standing tradition (or obsession, she wasn't quite sure), read everything online about Thomas Brandon that she could before attending his Thanksgiving fete. Part of it had been for Anton; she had printed a good deal of it and left it on his desk. Whether he had read it or not, she didn't know, but she had, so she was aware of some of Brandon's history, little as it was. A good thing, too, as Mr. Sparke inquired about it as he took her to the dance floor.
She stumbled for a second, not used to the heels at all. Her foot caught momentarily on the hem of her dress, but she managed, somewhat gracefully, to adjust her gait. She touched the curls piled on top of her head in an elegant fashion, glinting as they were with rhinestones, making sure everything was still as it should be. Satisfied, she allowed herself to fall in step with Mr. Sparke, doing her best not to make an ass of herself. She wasn't a dancer by any stretch of the imagination, but there was something about the movements that were familiar to her.
"I think he made a politically calculated move," she replied, giving Mr. Sparke a charming smile of her own as she reminded herself not to be taken in by him. He had an easy, attractive air. She liked that, but knew she had to keep things professional. "Adopting a young man like this makes him look good, like he has a heart for charity." Which, apparently, he did, if his last party was any indication. "It suggests that he likes children, if Mr. Henry counts as a child, and no one can hate or dislike a man who is only interested in helping children. There are, however, uncalculable risks."
For a moment, her foot slipped. The heel slid across the dance floor, and it was remarkably fast thinking that kept her from dragging Mr. Sparke to the floor. She recovered easily, a slightly strained expression on her face. "New shoes," she said, hoping that would defuse the situation. "And, honestly, I think you'd be better off making one the old fashioned way. Preferably with a wife. You can divorce her if she's abominable a year or two after the child is born, and no one will think anything of it."