Piper had slipped back from his little detour to the library and looked around, mentally assessing the crowd as he sipped his glass of wine. He silently wished he could dance with whom he wanted, but he didn't let that ruin his night. However, the woman following him might just ruin his night. She was a busybody, and she didn't seem to want to let him politely leave her presence. He had no intention of spending the rest of his night answering her questions and humouring her, which was why he slipped himself closely to the next person he saw, linking arms with him as if they were old friends.
"There you are," he said brightly, smiling. He then leaned over to whisper quickly in the man's--boy's?--ear. "There's a beastly, creme-puff of a woman stalking me. By the way she keeps pinching my, er, cheeks, I think she means to make me dessert. Please pretend to know me and walk with me." Piper gave him a slightly urgent look, not daring to look back in case he completely gave away that he had no idea who he'd just approached.