Characters (in order of appearance): Puck, Rachel, Kurt, Santana, Brittany, Quinn, Finn, Sam, Will (more will appear later)
Warning: Issues of gender and sexuality will arise later in the fic: a male character portrays himself to the world as female.
Disclaimer: Not my sandpit, I'm just playing in it.
A/N: I realise that I haven't included Tina, Mercedes, Matt or Mike, or indeed any of the ethnic minority characters in this fic. I haven't the skill or knowledge to deal with (and could not do justice to) the racial issues that existed at this time, and I make no apology for that.
Chapter 1
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. This has been an established fact among the upper echelons of society for centuries, and it was this steadfast belief that had every eligible lady's eyes fixed firmly upon the gentleman who had just entered the room through the open white doors.
He was tall, but not unusually so, and his short dark hair had a obvious tendency to curl. He was good looking, but in a roguish way. Not for him the pale skin of an over-educated man. His complexion had a darkish tint when compared the rest of the gentlemen in the room, making him seem somehow more exotic. He was not dashingly handsome, not in the way of some of the young lords in the room; he had a strong jaw and prominent cheekbones. His lips were pink and full, so unlike the thin, pinched faces of the disapproving gentry.
For gentry he most certainly was not. This man was wealthy, certainly – wealthy enough to make him a very suitable marriage match for any lady – but he had no title. He did not even have a family name that commanded respect. He was no more or less than the only son of a merchant, a merchant who had been born by the Bristol dockside to a penniless actress, who had found herself in the family way after a brief fling with a noted touring Shakespearean.
That merchant had worked, and he had worked hard. A combination of good luck and sensible planning had seen him rise from a humble shop boy to the owner of some of the most prestigious shops in the city.
This meant that many of ladies of high society were far more likely to know the young gentleman's family name from reading it on a hat box, or on the side of one of their many carriages, than from hearing of the exploits of its members over tea with a duchess.
The young man's name was Noah Puckerman.
He strode through the doorway with an innate confidence that usually came only with titles and rank. His confidence came from the knowledge that, unlike most of the people in the room, his family had truly earned their right to walk through the halls of these, the grandest assembly rooms this side of the country.
For our story begins in Bath, the spa town. Often described as the country's most beautiful city, it is certainly one of the grandest and most impressive to behold.
Statuesque, built from the world famous yellow Bath stone, the city nestles snugly among the Cotswolds. The home of the wealthy and the foolish, people had been taking the waters there since time immemorial.
Away from the bustle and dirt of London, Bath was the pinnacle of elegant society. Ladies and gentlemen from all over the country flocked there to take the waters and socialise, and, most importantly for the unmarried women, there were countless numbers of unmarried affluent men.
Noah Puckerman was just one of these men.
The crowd, after acknowledging his entrance, returned to their conversations, many discussing the matrimonial prospects of young Mr Puckerman. Several of the ladies in the rooms dismissed him immediately they heard his name. Others considered his good looks and money of greater value than his ancestry. Still more began to attempt to make out his character, observing his stride, his expression and his attire, trying to divine whether he really was sufficiently respectable to walk through these halls.
He walked through the gathered crowds with a broad smile upon his face. He knew his position here; he knew that he walked a fine line between having women falling at his feet, and those same women rejecting him out of hand.
Pausing, he surveyed the assembly. Soft music was playing from the gallery as those in attendance engaged in genteel conversation. The gentlemen, for the most part, seemed either to be attached to handsome middle aged women, or their attention was being fought over, in the most elegant manner, by the younger ladies.
One group of ladies in particular caught his attention. Three brunettes and a strikingly tall blonde stood near the centre of the room, seemingly engrossed in conversation. One, a small vivacious girl, glanced up, and, catching sight of Mr Puckerman, beamed dazzlingly in his direction.
It was a smile that would capture the attention of any man, her expression seeming to emanate sunshine, the light dancing in her eyes. It was rare for such a bright smile to be seen before the dancing had even begun.
The other ladies followed her gaze. A similarly brilliant smile appeared on the face of the blonde.
Mr Puckerman smiled back warmly, his eyebrow raising ever so slightly. He approached the group, halting several feet away and bowing.
"Permit to introduce myself, ladies. Noah Puckerman, at your service."
The ladies curtsied in response, and the tiny brunette in a dark red dress stepped forward to accept his introduction.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Miss Rachel Berry. Allow me to introduce Lady Katrina Hummel, The Honourable Brittany Pierce, and Miss Santana Lopez, daughter of the Spanish ambassador."
Mr Puckerman turned his head to study each girl as she was introduced.
Lady Katrina certainly seemed to fulfil all the expectations that befitted someone of her rank. The daughter of an earl, he later discovered, she was tall and graceful, sturdy yet slender, and fashionably attired in a sumptuous gown of duck egg blue. She had light brown hair, piled high curls upon her head, giving her an appearance of towering height.
Her expression indicated that she felt this man was greatly inferior to her, but that she might be willing to overlook his background should he prove himself worthy.
She beheld him with a cool stare, her gaze seeming to penetrate through him.
He met her eyes as she condescendingly inclined her head towards him. He hardly needed to bend his neck to do so; she was less than an inch shorter than he.
He turned next to Miss Pierce, her beatific smile still in place. She was next in rank to Lady Katrina, but she apparently had no knowledge of this. Mr Puckerman had the feeling that she would have greeting the king in the same way that she greeted the humblest peasant.
Her figure was tall and willowy, and she moved with a grace that can only ever be inherent; never learned. She appeared almost seraphic, serene and content.
The lady to whom he looked last was even more exotic looking than he, her Spanish blood clearly in evidence. Her hair was jet black, her eyes sharp. She had a look similar to Lady Katrina's, one of unimpressed appraisal. Her eyes flicked over his form, lingering on the expensive buckles on his shoes and the pearl buttons on his jacket.
Mr Puckerman felt that Lady Katrina would have done the exact same thing, had her position and strict manners allowed her. As it was, when he turned back to face Miss Berry, he could see Lady Katrina's gaze holding upon his face.
Miss Berry struck up the conversation, looking up at the merchant's son and asking, "What brings you to Bath, Mr Puckerman?"
He considered his answer briefly before he spoke. "My father felt that it was time that I married, so to oblige him I have come to the city that holds the most beautiful and eligible ladies in the land."
A small smile seemed to be twitching at the corner of Lady Katrina's mouth, as though she knew she should not be pleased by such empty compliments.
With a hint of derision in her tone, she spoke.
"Fine words, to be sure, though easily spoken in an attempt to flatter."
Her voice struck Mr Puckerman like a chime from a bell. It was such a musical voice, pitched charmingly low, clear and soft.
"Honestly spoken, Lady Katrina," he assured her. "I have never in my life seen such a beautiful assembly, and I have had the honour of meeting the most attractive four ladies in the room. Luck must indeed be on my side."
A faint blush stained her cheeks, and she made no reply.
"You flatter us too highly," Miss Berry reprimanded. "The Lady Quinn Fabray is by far the fairest girl in the room. Indeed, any lady stands little chance of engaging a man's attention if she is by."
Mr Puckerman followed their glances in the direction of another blonde, who was laughing gaily on the opposite side of the room, her hand resting upon the arm of a very tall gentleman.
"Have you not heard?" Miss Lopez spoke to the group for the first time. "She's become engaged to Captain Hudson."
"No!" All the ladies chorused in surprise.
"Surely not!" Miss Berry cried.
Mr Puckerman was quite glad at this point that their attention had been caught elsewhere, allowing him to take a moment to gasp at the beauty of the dainty blonde across the room. She was indeed radiant, her laughter floating through the air like a peal of bells.
Miss Lopez nodded. "It will be announced in the papers on Friday. I know because my maid met her maid in the park, and they gossip together more than we do."
Looking back to the group, Mr Puckerman could see that both Miss Berry and Lady Katrina were most put out by the news.
"You two will have to put your pursuits of Captain Hudson to rest once and for all now," Miss Lopez continued.
Lady Katrina blushed a shade so dark that it was almost unbecoming.
"It is well beneath the dignity of a daughter of a peer of the realm to 'pursue' any man, let alone a mid-ranking officer in his Majesty's army!" she replied, highly affronted.
Miss Lopez smirked back at her. "Of course, you had no designs of marriage upon him yourself."
The statuesque lady coloured even further, and remained silent.
Miss Berry burst out suddenly, "How can he be engaged to her? I was almost sure that he was going to propose to me."
"You are the only one who thought so, my dear." Lady Katrina had recovered herself enough to pat Miss Berry on the arm. "We could see he was entranced with her. It was only a matter of time," she added morosely.
"But he-!" Miss Berry started to speak again, but was cut off.
"Give it up, Lilliputian," Miss Lopez said. "You never had a look in next to her."
A grumpy expression on her face, Miss Berry did not reply.
Mr Puckerman stood uncomfortably by for this exchange, feeling like he was intruding on a private conversation. He turned his attention to the elegant blonde member of the party, who had absently started to hum along with the music, and seemed utterly oblivious to the conversation around her.
"Miss Pierce, I see you enjoy the music?"
The lady ignored him, happily swaying gently in her place, her white muslin gown moving lightly through the air.
Miss Lopez placed a gentle hand on her arm and whispered, "Brit… pay attention now."
She seemed to come out of her reverie and looked expectantly at Santana, who nodded her head in Mr Puckerman's direction.
A look of realisation spread over her face as she looked at him. "You must call me Brittany. I never remember to reply to anything else."
Mr Puckerman glanced at Lady Katrina, to see how she responded to this impropriety. She seemed to have no issue, however; presumably she was already familiar with Miss Pierce's unconventional ways.
"Very well then," he said, complying with her wishes. "Brittany, do you like the music?"
"Oh, so much! It sounds like a willow tree swaying in the wind."
Mr Puckerman paused for a moment and listened. She was right – if focused solely on the music, one could almost picture green leaves rustling over a mill pond. He gazed at her curiously. Perhaps there was more to her than the simplicity that first met the eye.
As he tuned back in to the group around him Miss Berry spoke again.
"Do you enjoy music, Mr Puckerman?"
"Certainly, Miss Berry, though I must confess I know the music of a humble country dance hall far better than that of rooms as grand as these."
Lady Katrina's turned in interest to Mr Puckerman. "Really, sir? How so?" Of course, she knew what his background was, but she was curious to see if he would own to it.
"My father is Isaiah Puckerman, the businessman. I believe one of his companies may in fact have made the beautiful necklace you are wearing, Lady Katrina. Coming from a less genteel background than your fair self, I spent much of my youth at his side as he inspected his enterprises; milliners, cartwrights, tailors, etcetera. As a consequence, I came into the acquaintance of numerous families for whom the local dance was the very height of grand society."
He smiled to himself at the memory of picking up his younger sister and swinging her through the air in the centre of the hall, and the other young ladies queuing up to favour him with a dance.
He continued with a nostalgic grin on his face, "They threw themselves into the dances with full vigour."
Hastening to reassure the ladies currently present, he said hurriedly, "Of course I would not expect such an unrestrained atmosphere here. This is a different world."
Lady Katrina arched an eyebrow and with a twinkle in her eye, said, "We may surprise you yet, Mr Puckerman. The evenings can become quite rambunctious here."
Mr Puckerman raised his eyebrows slightly. "Indeed, Lady Katrina?" He found it hard to believe that this group of staid, grandly dressed aristocrats could even come close to the gleeful revelry of the common folk.
Before that lady could answer, Miss Berry spoke. She had clearly been suppressing the urge to speak ever since Mr Puckerman had described his upbringing, and could hold her peace no more. "Whyever have you come to search for a bride here, Mr Puckerman, when you so clearly are so happy with less… cultured ladies?"
He smiled graciously at her. "I have yet to find a lady who captures my heart among them all. I am hoping that perhaps I will have better luck among those to whose world my father is so desperate I should belong."
The ladies appreciated his candour, not realising that his father had downright insisted that his son should marry the lady of highest rank that would have him.
For his part, Mr Puckerman did not mind where he searched for a wife; as long as he was able to spend his days and evenings in pleasant company, and have a comfortable bed to return to at the end of it. He knew how hard his father had worked to achieve all that he had, and was determined in return to please him as best he could by according to his wishes.
He had spent most of his life following in his father's footsteps, learning the art of flattering the gentry into buying their goods: flattering them into marriage would not be too great a leap for someone as level headed as he.
Level headedness, he considered, was most probably one of his most marketable aspects as a potential husband – no woman would want to marry a man who frittered away all his money and left none to spend on her.
He considered the four ladies who were happily chatting away before him, and their potential for matrimony.
He appeared to have navigated his way around the Lady Katrina's initial cold demeanour, but the chances of marriage were incredibly slim. There was little to induce a clearly wealthy member of the upper aristocracy to marry a young upstart like himself. Mr Puckerman guessed that she enjoyed spending time in the company of inferior men because they flattered her so, and not because she had any hopes of marrying them. He would later discover that he was not far off the mark in this assumption.
Although, he considered, she clearly had harboured some hopes of marrying Mr Hudson, an untitled man of uncertain means. Perhaps she was able to look beyond such things as rank and privilege after all.
He moved on in his thoughts to Miss Berry. She was certainly vivacious and friendly, which were certainly both endearing traits. Perhaps he would attempt to get to know her better, if she appeared to get over her own designs upon Mr Hudson. She had no title, and so would, with luck, not object to his own lack of rank.
With her thick dark hair and lustrous eyelashes, she was certainly a beauty. Mr Puckerman did not think too badly of himself for wanting a wife whom he would enjoy looking at – if one is going to spend one's life in a person's company, wanting that person to be a pleasant sight to behold is only to be expected.
Miss Pierce he considered briefly, but passed over. He wanted a woman whom he could engage in intelligent conversation – not for him the simple, obedient wife! She seemed a little too lost in her own world to really want to join with him in his.
Considering Miss Lopez now, he glanced in her direction. She certainly seemed to have the fire in her belly that the girls he had known while growing up had had. A trifle unkind, perhaps, but perhaps that had been inspired by Miss Berry's own character – she had been sweetness itself to Miss Pierce, after all.
As he pondered the girls before him, he heard a change in the music. Instead of a gentle lilting melody over which one could easily converse, it was a dance tune. Not particularly fast or difficult, and it was one that he recognised.
A young gentleman with blonde hair swept neatly back appeared next to the group, and he was evidently known, for no introductions were made. He held out his hand to Lady Katrina, saying, "May I-?"
She cut him off before he could even finish his question. "I would be delighted, Sir Samuel," she said warmly. "Please excuse me," she called back to the group as she was whisked away.
Miss Pierce and Miss Lopez were by now deep in conversation with each other (he thought he heard something about cats' dancing abilities) so Mr Puckerman's choice was simplified. He offered his arm to Miss Berry, asking "Would you be kind enough to honour me with a dance, Miss Berry?"
That dazzling grin spread once again over her face. "I would be delighted, Mr Puckerman." She nodded to the two other girls as they made their way to the floor. "I do love to dance, don't you, Mr Puckerman? I find it quite an enchanting way to spend an evening. Of course, I prefer to sing."
"I'm sure you sing quite charmingly," Mr Puckerman said as they took their places in the set above Lady Katrina and Sir Samuel Evans.
"Well, I don't mean to boast, Mr Puckerman, but I have often been told that I have the best voice of all our social circle."
Mr Puckerman could see Lady Katrina suppressing something – either a contradiction or laughter – in response to Miss Berry's remark.
Before anyone could make a reply, however, the introduction began, and they started to dance. It was an old dance, well known, and so the conversation was able to continue, after a fashion, as they danced1.
Puck stepped forwards towards Lady Katrina, making a small bow as she did the same, then stepping back before taking her hands and turning them both around.
"Do you enjoy dancing as much as Miss Berry, Lady Katrina?"
"More, I am sure, Mr Puckerman," she replied with a teasing grin.
They stepped back into place, Miss Berry and Sir Samuel moving forward and imitating their actions.
As Miss Berry fell back from the two hand turn, she placed her hand in Mr Puckerman's and they danced down the set. Her hold was light and dainty, her fingers small. Her hand was quite enveloped in his, a very pleasant feeling.
"You move very lightly, Mr Puckerman," Miss Berry commented as they did so. "It's rare that I find a man who is equal to me on the dance floor."
"Thank you, Miss Berry," that gentleman responded, turning away from her as they reached their place, and moving around behind Sir Samuel to the take the second gentleman's position.
There was a slight lull in the music as they all clapped several time, and all the dancers took their partners' hands, turning around halfway to face the opposite way.
Now Mr Puckerman took Sir Samuel's hand in his left and Miss Berry's in his right, and as a four, they turned in circle. Mr Puckerman mused briefly over the custom that dictated that one could not speak to a person to whom one had not been introduced, but to hold their hand in a dance was expected and appropriate.
Everyone then stepped back into line before clapping four times more and turning their partners back onto the correct side. The moves were then repeated with the new couple that had arrived on Mr Puckerman's right, and the dance continued with the next.
Mr Puckerman and Miss Berry moved slowly down the room, away from Lady Katrina and Sir Samuel, using the opportunity provided when the lead couple danced down the centre as a chance for conversation.
He discovered her to be delightfully bubbly, if a little inclined to think highly of herself. She complimented freely the other dancers, but almost always with a sting in the tail; she described one dancer thus, "He's clearly giving his all to the dance. Such a pity he hasn't much to give."
The conversation was perhaps a little one sided; Miss Berry had a tendency to talk until someone interrupted her. For his part, Mr Puckerman enjoyed being able to take her by the hand and see her face beaming up at him. She wasn't beautiful in the traditional sense, but there was something so engaging about her features; the way her smile seemed to take over her whole expression, how her eyes lit up. She seemed to have energy enough for every man and woman in the room.
Mr Puckerman had a feeling that many a man would suppose himself in love with her for a few minutes after meeting her, but that her somewhat abrasive personality would drive them away. He personally found her rather charming – it was lack of social graces, not mean spiritedness, that made her speak so.
The music came to an end, with much bowing and applauding, and Mr Puckerman took up Miss Berry's hand again for the next dance.
This dance was rather newer, and more complicated2 – there were far less opportunity for chatter as most of the dancers were concentrating on getting the steps right. Consisting mainly of leading your partner and taking hands to turn the group in a circle, the dance tended to leave one rather dizzy, especially since the band were away of this, and increased the speed of play to add to the challenge.
This was all taken in good spirits, however, with a willing hand always there to nudge a mistaken dancer in the correct direction.
The music ending, Miss Berry twirled under Mr Puckerman's arm one final time, and nearly fell over as she drew to a halt to curtsey. She wobbled slightly as she raised herself up again, and Mr Puckerman, ever the gentleman, stepped slipping a hand under her elbow to support her.
"Oh, thank you, Mr Puckerman," she said, laughing slightly, leaning against him as she regained her balance. "Perhaps I oughtn't to throw myself into the dance with such vigour until I've warmed up a little."
"Perhaps not," he agreed, enjoying the warmth of her pressed up against his side, even despite the high temperature in the room. He missed the feeling of another body close against his – the simple affectionate gesture of a hug simply did not happen outside the family in modern society, and now that he was so far away from his mother and sister, he felt strangely isolated.
All too quickly, Miss Berry pulled away, though she kept hold of his hand. "Let's find some drinks, Mr Puckerman. I'm in need of refreshment."
He gladly followed her through the crowds to the tables of neatly laid out glasses. He slid past her, picking up two glasses of wine, proffering one to her before sipping from his own.
"So, Mr Puckerman, how are the Rooms holding up to your expectations?" Miss Berry asked him playfully.
"I must confess, they are more animated than I expected, though still not quite so lively as those back home."
She smiled wickedly. "Oh, the dancing has barely begun. You'll see"
Impressed, Mr Puckerman replied, "Miss Berry, you surprise me. Very well, then; I shall wait in eager anticipation."
Before she could make her reply, however, she was interrupted by a voice from behind her.
"Miss Berry!"
The voice sounded surprised, and she turned to find its source.
"Captain Hudson!" she gasped, flustered, accidentally letting go of her glass in her surprise. Quick as a flash, Mr Puckerman's hand darted forwards to snatch it from the air before it hit the ground.
The tall man standing before the newcomer looked at him in confusion.
As Mr Puckerman carefully set the glass on the table, he commented, "It would be a shame to ruin your beautiful gown, Miss Berry."
He looked up at Captain Hudson. So this was the man who seemed to have ensnared the hearts of quite half of the ladies in the room, if the group he had met were a fair representation. His visage was far from unbecoming – many would have described him as very handsome – though his eyes seemed to have a want of understanding.
Perhaps he was being too harsh, however. Most men would, after all, be fairly confused by their approach prompting a lady to drop her glass in shock.
Miss Berry looked from him to the glass (now safely on the table) in sudden realisation, having been unaware that she had dropped it. "Oh, thank you, Mr Puckerman. I…"
Looking back and forth between the two men, she hastened to introduce them, falling back on formality to cover her shock. "Captain Hudson, this is Mr Puckerman. He's new to the rooms and a marvellous dancer. Mr Puckerman, this is Captain Hudson."
The two gentlemen acknowledged each other, bowing stiffly from the neck.
"You're remarkably fast, Mr Puckerman. It would indeed have been a shame to get wine on Miss Berry's dress," Captain Hudson began. He appeared to be trying to put on a friendly manner, but there was something wary about him, like he didn't trust this new face.
"Thank you, sir," that gentlemen replied. "She is most beautiful in it, is she not?"
Captain Hudson glanced worriedly over their heads before he replied, "Um… yes, yes, of course. Most beautiful. I… uh… would you care to dance, Miss Berry?"
"Oh… I…"
She stumbled over her words, her eyes flicking to Mr Puckerman, who stepped back gallantly.
"Yes… yes, I will," she finally responded. "I'm sure I'll see you later, Mr Puckerman," she said, smiling over her shoulder as the pair walked back to the dance floor.
Resting one hand on the table and leaning upon it, Mr Puckerman watched her walk away. Next to the towering Captain Hudson, Miss Berry appeared particularly fragile.
Her movements were always purposeful, he realised as he watched her dance. She moved daintily, but there was always a strength behind each motion, belied by her size. Her actions were not cautious and reserved, rather, bold and determined. He admired that about her: she did not let her small stature prevent her from being noticed.
Before he could seek too deeply into his reverie, a voice interrupted him.
"She is most lovely, is she not?"
He turned to see Lady Katrina standing next to him, a laughing smile hinting at the corner of her lips as she followed his line of sight.
"She certainly is, madam," Mr Puckerman agreed.
"You don't appear to find her personality too overbearing; I applaud you, sir. To have danced two dances with her and still be smiling is a rare accomplishment."
Mr Puckerman was fast to defend the lady under discussion. "I found it hard not to smile in her presence. I found her personality rather delightful."
This was perhaps an exaggeration of the truth, but he could not let such a comment pass unchallenged.
Lady Katrina exclaimed, "Do not misunderstand me, Mr Puckerman. I love her just as much as if she were a sister of my own. I speak only from observation. Many men do not appear to be able to escape from her fast enough; a great shame, for she has the kindest heart I know."
Mollified, Mr Puckerman nodded. "I must confess, she does seem to think highly of her own abilities."
"Ah, but justly so. Have you heard her sing?"
"I have not yet had the pleasure."
"Then you must come to dine with us one evening. Miss Berry is residing in my house for her stay in Bath. I'm sure she will be more than happy to oblige you with a song."
"You are most kind!" Mr Puckerman said warmly. "I did not intend to seek an invitation-"
She waved away his protestations. "Don't be ridiculous, Mr Puckerman. You are searching for a wife, she a husband, and you have managed to spend quite twelve minutes in each other's company without losing your cheerful demeanour. It is only proper that you should get to know each other better."
"I… I…" Mr Puckerman was lost for words at the forwardness of this suggestion.
"Forgive me, Mr Puckerman," Lady Katrina said with a smile. "I find that directness is usually the most effective way to resolve an issue. With rank such as mine I can get away with ignoring certain social conventions. Conversations are far less circular that way, I find."
"It's a trait that I very much admire, Lady Katrina, though I am unused to encountering it in such circles."
Lady Katrina opened her mouth to reply, but before she could speak, the music died and struck up anew.
Taking advantage of her moment's hesitation, Mr Puckerman offered his hand and invited her to dance.
A gracious smile appeared on her face as she placed her hand in his.
"I would be delighted, Mr Puckerman," she answered as they turned toward the dance floor. They took their places, and the dance began.
This particular dance3 was not a new one, but it gave little opportunity of respite for conversation between partners. Indeed, beyond passing each other briefly several times and a single two hand turn, the partners had little interaction at all.
It was rather lucky, then, that dances were always done in pairs, to save time switching partners. The second dance of this pair, The Duchess Of Devonshire's Reel4, was again newer and rather complicated, but fortunately, its immense popularity due to its namesake meant that both Mr Puckerman and Lady Katrina knew it very well.
Featuring a long lead down and up the set, it gave ample chance for conversation between partners, and as the pair moved close again, Mr Puckerman asked his partner, "Do you enjoy dancing as much as Miss Berry, Lady Katrina?"
"Oh, far more, I am sure, Mr Puckerman. Her passion is for singing, but I… I love to dance. It's such an opportunity to interact with ones acquaintances away from the formality of stilted conversation."
"I have not noticed any stiltedness in your conversation, Lady Katrina."
"You're very kind, Mr Puckerman."
The conversation broke off here as they were forced to part.
As they joined again for the next repeat, "Do you sing yourself, Lady Katrina?"
"Mr Puckerman, it is my turn to ask a question!" she exclaimed with a cheeky glint in her eye. "I shall oblige you, however. I can carry a tune, yes," she replied, that same glimmer of a teasing smile at the corner of her mouth.
Mr Puckerman suspected from this that she was actually a very good singer. Perhaps he would be able to persuade to her perform for them when dining at her house.
The next time they met in the centre, he waited for her to speak first. She did not disappoint, asking him, "Do you plan to stay long in Bath, Mr Puckerman?"
"My father insists I stay here until I find a suitable candidate for a wife, Lady Katrina. I have no reason to disoblige him at present."
"Then I hope often to have the pleasure of your company, sir."
"You are most kind, Lady Katrina."
Again the dance ended the brief conversation, and they executed the next moves, bringing them to the bottom of the set. This ended their chances for conversation, as only the first couple in each set performed the step that allowed for any meaningful conversation.
As the dance ended, Mr Puckerman and his partner again moved to the refreshments table, Lady Katrina leading them in the direction of the blonde Mr Evans they had met earlier.
"Mr Puckerman, allow me to introduce Mr Samuel Evans, a good friend of mine. Mr Evans, this is Mr Puckerman."
She leaned in close to the blonde man and whispered something in his ear. Mr Puckerman thought he could just make out the words, "Miss Berry," and, "Marriage."
The two gentlemen bowed to each other. As he straightened up, Mr Puckerman observed this was yet another handsome man, whose lips were even fuller than Mr Puckerman's own. He smiled in a frank and friendly manner.
"Have you been in Bath long, Mr Puckerman?" he asked genially.
"Not long, no, though I very much like the little of it that I have seen. And yourself?"
"I spend more time in Bath than I do anywhere else," Mr Evans laughed. "Society here is far more enjoyable than anywhere else that I've encountered."
He glanced briefly sideways at Lady Katrina as he spoke, though she did not notice it. Perhaps there was more than friendship there, Mr Puckerman mused. The other man certainly looked at the handsome woman with great tenderness in his expression. Almost as though he could hardly believe someone so wonderful would spare him the time of day.
Mr Puckerman shook the idea off. He was probably reading far too much into a simple glance. Then again, he pondered, as the blonde started up a conversation with the lady, complimenting her appearance, her dancing and her general attitude to life, perhaps his first thought had been correct after all.
He was broken out his reverie by Lady Katrina's addressing him.
"Mr Puckerman, do you remember what I said to you earlier?"
He fumbled through his memory for a moment before replying, "You have said a number of things to me tonight, Lady Katrina."
"Regarding the atmosphere of the room?"
"You said that I might well be surprised by how… rambunctious it gets."
"Well remembered," she said with a smile. "Now, if you will observe…" she gestured towards the clock on the wall, just about to chime the hour.
As it did so, the genteel music drew to a close, and a lively jig began. He watched in surprise as yet another gentleman swept in to engage the charming young woman for a dance, leaving him standing with Mr Evans.
The were young couples swirling all around the room, laughing and smiling, enjoying life to the maximum, thrilling in each other's arms as they danced their cares away.
This was far more the sort of thing that he was used to.
"Mr Puckerman," Mr Evans' voice came from beside him as the two men watched the couples dance.
"Yes?" the gentleman replied, turning slightly towards the blonde man.
"Are you visiting friends in Bath? Here for pleasure? For business"
"I'm renting a house here for the time being. I've no acquaintances here beyond those I've met tonight. Lady Katrina has been gracious enough to invite me to dinner tomorrow night; I may perhaps make new acquaintances there."
"Lady Katrina said that you were searching for a wife here."
Mr Puckerman coloured slightly. Perhaps he ought not to have been so forward with his intentions. "That is so."
"She also said that you'd made it through dancing with Miss Berry and come out still smiling."
"Also true," Mr Puckerman replied with a friendly smile. "Did you?"
"Alas, no," Mr Evans grinned ruefully. "I was apparently too clumsy; I went left instead of right and nearly tripped her up. I received a short shrift about the dangers of incompetent dancers taking to the floor."
Laughing, Mr Puckerman commented, "I daresay that would have been quite a sight to see."
"Oh, indeed," Mr Evans laughed. "I'm told that even the Duke of Midsomer was there to chuckle at my misfortune. She's remarkably loud for one so small."
"I don't doubt that in the least," Mr Puckerman reassured him. "I'm guessing she can be quite a tigress?"
"Absolutely. I've heard many stories of her indignance and anger when servants have interrupted her performances by dropping glasses and the like. Purely by accident, of course," he added. "No-one would dare rile her on purpose."
The two men chuckled together, Mr Evans trying to quiet his laughter enough to speak. "A word in her favour, though, I must add. A more good hearted and generous girl you will never meet."
"So Lady Katrina informs me."
They both scanned the dance floor, easily spotting the lady in question due to her height.
"Who is the gentleman she's dancing with?"
Mr Evans' expression turned grim as he beheld the man. "That's Mr William Schuester. A bit of a cad by most people's standards. He has been engaged to three women in the last year alone. Lady Katrina has never thought highly of him, thank goodness, though he is apparently an excellent dancer."
The blonde gentleman did not appear to notice that he had given away more than he had intended about his feelings for Lady Katrina.
"She's an excellent dancer herself," Mr Puckerman commented, attempting to keep the conversation light-hearted.
Smiling again, Mr Evans replied. "By any and all accounts, yes, she is."
He glanced up at the music before turning to Mr Puckerman with a grin. "Come, let me introduce you to a few more ladies for your perusal. If nothing else, I can assure you that they are, at the very least, competent dancers."
Mr Puckerman followed him with a smile. Perhaps his time in Bath really would be as enjoyable as he had hoped.
1 The dance is Comical Fellow, a longways dance for an even number of couples, circa 1776, ref: . I believe it can be seen at one point in the film Pride & Prejudice.
2 Bushy Park, longways triple minor for as many as will. Ignatius Sancho, 1779. Ref:
3 Barbarini's Tambourine, longways triple minor dance for as many as will. Fleuret step. The Compleat Country Dancing-Master, John Walsh, 1740.
4 Triple minor longways dance, Ignatius Sancho – Twelve Country Dances, 1779.
As always, feedback is very much appreciated :-)