Onbekend(19)

“I’ve been a bit busy babysitting,” Devin replied. Arianna pulled closer to Devin’s arm as the young man who was standing behind the bearded man peered at her. Arianna could feel the young man’s gaze past the mask.

“The old man must be proud,” the fellow replied. “To finally have his granddaughter home.” Devin nodded. “Now that you have returned as well, don’t be a stranger. Come visit any time. You and Brenton have a lot of catching up to do.”

“As long as there isn’t more work to be done,” Devin replied.

“I’ll have to have a talk with James. He keeps you too busy. You’re only seventeen. You should be enjoying your youth, not working.” The man laughed as he walked away. The young man behind him didn’t speak, but followed the older man as he walked on to talk with the next group of people.

“Who is he?” Arianna asked.

“Lord Winter,” Devin replied. “He runs the Triclan City north of here, and he is a good friend of your grandfather’s.”

“Why did the young man with him keep staring at me?” Arianna asked. Devin didn’t reply. “It seemed like he knew who I was.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Devin replied. “If anyone suspected, it would be him. He probably does know.”

“But we’re wearing masks,” she added. Devin shrugged again. “How come Lord Winter seems to know everyone even if they’re disguised?”

“His sense of smell is great,” Devin explained as the music changed. Arianna turned to the orchestra. She recognized the tune as the melody began. It was the same song the jewelry box was playing earlier in her room. Somewhere in her memory, she could recall hearing the song before.

“This song,” Arianna began, as she looked across the room to her grandfather. “It has words, doesn’t it?”

“Yes,” Devin replied. “Would you like to dance?”

Arianna shook her head no. “I don’t know how to dance like that.” She pointed to the people on the floor waltzing to the song.

“If you can remember this song, you should remember how much you loved to dance to it,” Devin replied. “Besides, it’s easy for the girl. You just follow my lead.” Arianna tried to protest more, but being unwilling to let go of Devin’s arm in the large crowd of people, she had no choice but to dance with him.

Devin led her to the middle of the dance floor. He placed his hand lightly on Arianna waist. Arianna’s heart began beating faster. Standing so close to a cute boy who had actually asked her to dance made her a bit dizzy. Hesitantly, Arianna responded by placing her hand on his shoulder. As he whispered directions in her ear and gently directed her with his grasp, Arianna began to slowly remember dancing to the same tune many years before. Devin easily maneuvered them between the people as they joined the large group twirling around the dance floor. Though only able to catch slight glimpses of her grandfather, the happiness within him seemed to overflow as he grinned at the pair dancing.

“You said my senses would increase,” Arianna began, as they continued dancing. “But I also seem to feel what other people are feeling now.” Devin remained silent. “Like the old man over there dancing with the woman in the tight red dress. He is overly happy to be dancing with her, and she’s bored to death. Or the balding man across the room by the hors d’oeuvres table. He isn’t hungry but trying to waste time. He is nervous about something.” Arianna paused to wait for a reply Devin would not give. “Why do I feel these things?”

“That will take much longer to explain. Let’s just say, for now, it was something you inherited from your father’s side of the family,” Devin replied. “Gabriel could probably tell you more.” Arianna nodded, though she hadn’t gotten the explanation she wanted.

At the end of the song, Arianna quickly turned to her grandfather who was beginning to stand. The rustle of fabric caught her attention as a girl, who could be Arianna’s long-lost twin, rose and stood beside the older man.

“Look familiar?” Devin asked, as he stood next to Arianna, staring at the pair. Arianna didn’t have time to reply as Lord Randolph stood on the edge of the platform, and rapped his walking stick three times on the top step. The room hushed at the sound, and everyone dancing moved closer to the platform, forcing Devin and Arianna into the crowd of people. Devin placed his hands around her waist to keep her from being pulled farther away from him. Arianna felt herself blushing, but didn’t want to be separated from him either.