It wouldn’t be wrong to say Archie was struck by Lydia’s warm and playful demeanor, a contrast to the formalities that typically dominated the early moments of such encounters. Her wit and charm were evident as she ventured to break the ice, and Archie couldn’t help but appreciate her effort. Those were the moments Archie was most fond of - a stark contrast to the meaningless small talk that often happened at these gatherings. He was not interested in wasting anyone’s time considering he wasn’t taking this whole parade seriously and sensing, maybe he was wrong, that the girl standing with him felt the same way, he found it remarkably easy to let down his stoic facade.
”I’m afraid I have to admit this may be my first season,“ Archie confessed with a subtle shrug of his shoulders letting a coy smile show. Just like this year, when he decided to immerse himself in the experience, never in the past did Archie have a desire to attend these events and present himself as a man looking for a wife. But you never know how quickly someone’s mind can change. The question that lingered was whether such a transformation would happen to him. And if, let’s just imagine, that did happen, maybe there were a few options he would be willing to explore. Archie was not oblivious to the lady’s beauty standing before him, despite the complex relationship between their families. He acknowledged that there were aspects of their families’ interactions he was not privy to, and this lack of information was something that didn’t sit well with him being someone who liked to know everything, especially when it came to family matters. He couldn’t help but feel somewhat frustrated by the gaps in his knowledge, even Margaret had some issues with the girl but he wouldn’t let that sway his open-minded approach.
”And I wasn’t expecting to find this… not being that terrible,“ he added with a soft laugh taking a moment to observe the room. He found it amusing that the same space could hold both excitement and boredom simultaneously, depending on one’s perspective. Archie had always been more drawn to the periphery of these gatherings, content to observe and, on occasion, engage in meaningful conversations. ”I genuinely hope you’ve been enjoying your evening, despite the music not being as delightful as it is at this moment.“ Archie’s gaze returned to Lydia, his eyes sparkling with a genuine warmth that contrasted his usual stoic demeanor. He genuinely wished for her to have enjoyed the evening, despite his earlier reservations about the ball.
Asking how she would make the night more fun Archi was not expecting her to take two drinks from the tray and hand him one. He had never been one to turn down a good drink, especially when the alternatives included mindless small talk and formalities. ”How did I not think of this trick?“ A playful tone as he accepted one of the glasses Lydia offered, the chilled liquid pleasantly refreshed him before considering his next move. He knew what he had to do, where he was after all. Now it was his turn to extend his hand, ”Lady Lydia“, he said with a playful tone, ”would you do me the honor of a dance? I do have to warn you, or better… Prepare you - This just may be not only the best dance of your night, but your life. I’ve overheard people calling me the dancing virtuoso.“ His words were accompanied by a bow, making it clear he was not taking himself seriously. ”But don’t be intimidated by my skills, I’ll do my best to not outshine you.“
@/novella - Lydia