Translator: Nox

Chapter 54

<54> The Last Ball (5)

"There's nothing wrong with your dancing. The problem now is how well you can entertain a Lady. Mr. Dalton, you prefer directness over manners, so you'll have to hide that well."

"Does Miss Pendleton find my way of speaking offensive?"

"I don't mind. Frankly, that's what I like most about Mr. Dalton. But that's only because I've been in society for too long and I'm sick of manners. Most Ladies think of social etiquette as if it were the Bible."

"It sounds like you're telling me to completely hide my true nature. Could you explain in a little more detail?"

"If you have any trouble talking to a Lady, change the subject immediately. And shower praise on everything she says. As if all her words and actions lead to the right thing. And though it may be cloying, compliments on her attire are essential. Point out the details delicately and meticulously. For example, her dress or hair ornaments."

"Hmm, Miss Pendleton looks very lovely today. The sky-blue dress that the Lady is wearing goes well with your gray eyes. These flowers adorning your strawberry blonde hair are fragrant, but they cannot compare to your beauty."

Miss Pendleton chuckled.

"Are you practicing on me?"

"Is it unpleasant?"

"Practice as much as you like. I don't mind being used by Mr. Dalton. And since I'm a woman, compliments about my beauty aren't bad to hear."

"Goodness. If I had known my compliments would please Miss Pendleton, I would have offered them more often. Now, every time I see you, I must shower you with praise about your dress and hairstyle. Until you hit me with your fan to tell me to stop because you're tired of it."

"If you're waiting for the day I hit you with my fan, you'll be waiting in your coffin. I'm not one to stop compliments about being pretty."

The waltz continued. Mr. Dalton's dance was flawless. If he went out and danced with any Lady, she would fall in love with him after just one song. Miss Pendleton had nothing more to teach.

Miss Pendleton knew this well, but she didn't stop dancing. She didn't want to let him go. This dance was the last waltz of her long social life. Now, Miss Pendleton would never be asked to dance by a gentleman as a Lady.

That meant this dance was the last waltz with Ian Dalton.

Miss Pendleton finally realized that her social life was ending today. Ian Dalton. She would never be able to dance with this gentleman again. It also meant that she could never share friendship with him on equal footing again.

The feelings for him that she had buried deep in her heart stirred again. The comfortable joy, happiness, and affection she felt when she was with him were trying to come back to life. It was foolish.

She was conscious of the pearl pendant around her neck. The image of her mother sleeping inside it appeared before her eyes. She buried her feelings deep again.

"Miss Pendleton, I heard you're preparing to be a governess."

Miss Pendleton looked up at him in surprise.

"...Who did you hear that from?"

"Let's just say it was from one of your friends."

Miss Pendleton thought of Mr. Fairfax. It must have been him. It was an open secret among her close friends, so he knew it well. He had promised several times to arrange a governess position for her.

Miss Pendleton wasn't particularly displeased, as she had no intention of hiding the fact that she would be entering the workforce.

"That's right."

"Do you happen to know Latin and Greek?"

"Yes."

"Then, how about becoming a governess for my nephews, Daniel and George?"

"Daniel and George, you mean those eight- and ten-year-old nephews of yours?"

"Yes. My sister asked me to find someone suitable in London. I'm very busy these days looking for the right person."

A governess for Mr. Dalton's nephews. From what she had heard from him about the people of Dunville Park, they were good people. Moreover, with Mr. Dalton's introduction, there would be no fear of being exploited or treated harshly.

But Miss Pendleton wasn't drawn to his offer. It was too early to worry about a job when her grandmother was still alive. And on the other hand, she wanted to avoid working in a place where she would soon encounter Mrs. Dalton as much as possible.

"Taking care of those little rascals is too big of a challenge. I'm not confident."

Miss Pendleton deliberately replied playfully. But Mr. Dalton replied quite seriously.

"If Miss Pendleton takes care of them, I will make sure to correct their behavior firmly. They won't even dream of acting up or talking back."

Miss Pendleton shook her head.

"I need time to think. I haven't decided when I'll start working yet."

"Then take your time. I'm still looking for other people, so don't feel pressured to choose."

Miss Pendleton nodded at his considerate words.

With that conversation, the two stopped talking. Only music flowed between them. In the dark terrace, with only moonlight shining on them.

Ian fixed his gaze on Miss Pendleton's face, revealed under the moonlight. There was only one reason he had asked her to dance. It was only when dancing that he could keep his eyes fixed on a Lady's face without being misunderstood.

He had made every effort for nearly a month to get a chance to see Miss Pendleton's face like this, but seeing her face now, his heart ached.

The moment he saw Miss Pendleton in the hall earlier, his heart sank. Her eyes were bloodshot, and the corners of her eyes were sore. Her lips were chapped, and her cheeks were gaunt. She looked sick, and her face seemed deeply heartbroken. She tried to hide it with her dress and adornments, but she couldn't fool his eyes.

With that face, Miss Pendleton went to meet Miss Jenson. Next to Miss Jenson was a middle-aged man, and he could easily tell that the middle-aged man was Mr. Price.

Ian watched the two from afar. Miss Jenson soon left the two, and Miss Pendleton and Mr. Price disappeared somewhere together.

He couldn't stay still. He immediately chased after Miss Pendleton. He didn't know what she was thinking when she went to meet Mr. Price, but if that old geezer tried anything with Miss Pendleton, he was going to throw him off the terrace.

But the conversation he overheard behind the curtain was unexpected. Everything stemmed from a misunderstanding. Mr. Price apologized to her repeatedly. Behind his disgraceful behavior was Gerald Pendleton, the de facto head of the Pendleton family.

Miss Pendleton's uncle was trying to profit from his family by selling his niece. His fist clenched involuntarily. His fingernails dug sharply into his bare skin, but he couldn't relax his grip.

He had once been angry at Gerald Pendleton for not protecting her from Mr. Price's brazen advances, but now he felt more than anger, even hatred.

To trade his own niece. It was something he couldn't even imagine. Was he acting so harshly because of the issue of Miss Pendleton's birth? Whatever the reason, he was nothing short of a scoundrel.

But Miss Pendleton wasn't surprised by the words. She simply comforted Mr. Price calmly, then politely declined an offer from Mr. Price and sent him away.

Ian watched Miss Pendleton's back as she stood alone, looking out over the terrace. A small frame, a slender waist. An outline that seemed fragile enough to collapse at any moment.

What was she thinking? Resentment towards her uncle? Humiliation? Indignation? He wanted to know Miss Pendleton's heart. He wanted her to tell him everything.

He came out from behind the curtain and approached Miss Pendleton. Wearing the mask of a friend, he asked her to dance.

Now, he looked down at Miss Pendleton, who was almost in his arms under the moonlight. She was smiling gently at him, but she looked very tired.

He could imagine how tormented she had been for the past few days leading up to making the choice she had just made. He had heard enough about the disgraceful behavior of that Price fellow, and she had probably been pressured by her uncle as well.

But he couldn't find any signs of sadness or anguish in her expression. Rather, she seemed quite relieved. At least she didn't regret her choice. Considering the authority that the head of the family wielded over the family and her various circumstances, it was a great act of courage.

He wanted to tell Miss Pendleton. Thank you for choosing to reject Mr. Price. I want to help you so that you don't regret that choice. If you want, I'll give you everything I have.

His heart remembered the time he had spent missing her, sitting by the window in his Whitefield office. How much he had wished for her to be in front of him, sketching her face on every blank page of his sketchbook.

As if his wish had come true, she was in front of him. But his heart was still not satisfied. He was just her friend. A friend. She and he were just friends. It didn't make sense. It was a ridiculous play. He could never see her as just a friend. She was only a woman to him.

'Miss Pendleton. No, Laura. I am entirely yours. Stay by my side. Not as a friend, but as a lover. And as a wife. I'll give you everything I have in return.'

He repeated in his mind. As he did, he gripped her hand in his.

"Ah!"

Miss Pendleton let out a scream. Mr. Dalton stopped abruptly. His face changed at Miss Pendleton's painful expression.

"What's wrong?"

Miss Pendleton shook her head.

"It's nothing. Let's continue..."

But Mr. Dalton looked at the hand he was holding. Miss Pendleton tried to pull her hand away, but he grabbed her wrist tightly.

"Are you hurt? Where?"

"I tripped over a stone while taking a walk yesterday. And then I sprained my finger."

"That happened... Why did you come to the Ball!"

"It's okay. Really. It's nothing. Let's finish. I want to dance this song to the end."

Miss Pendleton looked at him with pleading eyes. Ian's heart sank at that look. He took her hand again. Very lightly.

The two began to dance again. But there was no longer a comfortable atmosphere. Miss Pendleton kept her gaze fixed on his chest, straight ahead. He couldn't see Miss Pendleton's expression.

He was very worried about her hand, but he couldn't focus only on that. It was because of the look in Miss Pendleton's eyes as she looked at him just now, pleading with him to dance to the end. There was a sense of urgency in her eyes.

His heart began to pound. She was desperate to dance with him. It meant that this dance was meaningful to her as well as to him.