Music drifted throughout the Duke's house as the ball got under full swing. Hope was having a wonderful day. That morning she had awoken happy and refreshed. The afternoon had been spent in giddy anticipation of that evening's festivities. Once it had come time for the party, Hope had dressed herself in her best gown and had walked arm in arm with her father to the ballroom in the Duke's house.
The first piece opened on soft chords played by the flutes and echoed by the trumpets of the small in-house orchestra. They were warmly greeted by Duke Fortunez who stood next to the doors receiving guests. As the opening chords moved onto the main theme, Jonathan politely asked his daughter to dance. Agreeing, Hope took her father's hand and they immediately started dancing.
The waltz grew to a lively pace and many instruments played out various themes that were seamlessly tied together by the main one. Hope found that she loved dancing. It was so much fun spinning around in circles and moving to the complicated steps. She had always known that she liked it, but she never had the occasion to regularly practice. Even though this dance was with her father, Hope found that she rather liked it.
The music built itself up to a climax on the trumpets and then subdued back to the flutes only to came back suddenly and ended with the trumpets uproariously leading the way. With hardly a pause in between, the next song started up.
Hope danced with her father for the next few songs. As she danced, she surveyed the crowd which had grown thicker in the time that she had been there. She noticed that many of the people present she had met on the day that she had arrived. Oh no! With a sinking feeling she also noticed that Armando was there.
He started to walk toward where she and her father danced. His advance was cut off by the Duke though, "May I have this next dance?"
"Yes, of course!" Hope quickly agreed, smiling inwardly when she saw the look of disappointment on Armando's face.
The song was a beautiful dialogue between a guitar and the orchestra. The guitar would ask a musical question and the orchestra would answer with a flourish every time. The piece was very Spanish and Hope thought it kind of fitting that she danced to it with a Spanish Duke.
After that song, the Duke respectfully moved on and much to Hope's dismay, she was caught up by Armando.
"So, how have you been, señorita?" Politely he tried to strike up a conversation, but Hope only gave him a half answer trying to concentrate on anything but him. Her eyes constantly swept the crowd, looking at everything but her dance partner.
The song continued to swirl the two around the room at a dragging pace. How much longer can this song be? Hope desperately thought, wishing it would end quickly with all of her might.
As Hope's eyes moved throughout the gathering, she noticed that a tall, dark, and handsome man had just entered. Curious, Hope looked at a grandiose grandfather clock that was set in a corner of the large room. It was ten past ten, what would a guest be doing just showing up? The ball would be over in two hours and there was little point in coming if one couldn't be there for long. Hope used this new arrival as fodder for her thoughts in order to pass the time. Once the song was over, she quickly thanked Armando, trying to remember her manners, and then went in search of her father.
/\/\/\
Roque was rather happy that night. The day had gone surprisingly well and to cap it all off, he was on his way to a ball held by his old friend, the Duke.
Quietly he entered the Duke's house and walked to the ballroom. It always made him sad to come to a party that had started long before his arrival, but he had no choice. He dare not come any earlier for reasons that he shuddered to think about. No it had to be exactly ten o'clock.
It took him all of ten minutes to reach the room already filled with guests and sort out the Duke's face. "Hola, Duke."
"Hola, how's your year been?" the Duke asked politely.
"Not bad, thank you" Roque said, "just more of the usual."
"Whatever the usual for you is," the Duke laughed jokingly.
"Funny, funny," Roque said sarcastically. If only he knew.
Casually Roque scanned the crowd. There were several people here that he knew. The current dance being played was a waltz and he looked on appreciatively as the dancers moved eloquently with the music. Then one set of dancers caught his eye. The man was obviously Armando, a young and haughty fellow only a few years older than himself. The girl on the other hand, was a complete stranger. She was clearly younger than he, and she was absolutely gorgeous. Her hair was a bright auburn that had been done up in an exquisite bun, allowing one curled lock to fall across her shoulder. Her skin was like a porcelain-doll's, and a light pink blush had been painted onto her high cheek bones. Her eyes shone with a green fire that was tinged with a coppery light. The gown she wore was the color of a deep pink rose and it flowed with her every movement, heightening the grace of her every step. Her beauty had stunned Roque and he didn't even realize that he had been ignoring the Duke.
"Roque."
"W-what?" Roque turned back to the Duke trying to shake off his daze.
"I asked if you were enjoying yourself."
"Oh, yes I am."
"Is there something wrong?" the Duke queried.
"No. Nothing of importance anyway," Roque was still trying to shake the image of the mystery girl from him mind. Unable to help himself, he looked back at the dancing couple and the beautiful girl. As the song ended the girl quickly hurried away from Armando and this prompted a smug smile to cross Roque's face, although he didn't know why.
/\/\/\
Hope and her father quietly walked though the Duke's garden that was adjacent to the ballroom. Subdued light faintly illuminated walkways as they wound through the foliage and fountain displays. Statues of white marble stood here and there amongst the plants and trees. Even though it was January, quite a few plants had leaves out. There were no flowers but the displays of candles and lanterns were just as beautiful.
"Are you having a good time my daughter?" Jonathan asked Hope quietly.
"Yes, I do believe I am." Hope answered cheerily.
"Have you met anybody special?"
"Special, in what way Father?"
"Oh, just someone you might not have known before," he was obviously trying to avoid saying something out in the open.
"Not really," Hope gave her father a curious look, "it depends on what you mean…"
"Oh, never mind."
"Never mind what?"
"Never mind," Jonathan said more firmly and Hope let it drop.
Slowly they meandered their way back to the entrance to the ballroom. Steps led up to the doors that stood open allowing guests to come and go as they pleased. They were about to mount the stairs when they were pulled aside by the Duke.
"Jonathan, Hope, I have somebody I wanted you to meet," the Duke indicated a man standing next to him.
With mild surprise Hope noticed that this was the stranger she had seen arriving late to the ball. With a closer look Hope noted that his dark brown hair was cut short like so many men of the time found fashionable. His skin was light colored and his eyes were as rich a brown as his hair. Muscles rippled under a green velvet doublet and he wore black hose and leather boots that reached to mid-calf. He held himself confidently and there was no hint of the arrogance that so marked Armando. Instead, this man held himself with dignity and pride. He was younger than Armando and Hope thought him rather handsome indeed.
"This is my good friend the Baron Roque," the Duke formally introduced the man. "His barony is to the east of here and I enjoy his company here in my land." The Duke then turned more to face the Baron, "Roque, these are the French Ambassador Jonathan and his lovely daughter Hope," in spite of herself, Hope blushed when the Baron politely leaned forward and kissed her hand.
"I'm pleased to meet you," Roque's voice was warm and medium in range. His eyes looked into Hope's and there was a curious light there.
"As are we my lord," Jonathan replied respectfully not noticing or ignoring the fact that Roque had been talking to Hope.
A male voice suddenly rose from somewhere behind the Duke's shoulder to call, "My Lord, Duke and señor Jonathan, my friend here has a most profound question. Would you care to discuss?"
"Of course!" the Duke answered. "Jonathan shall we?" and with that Hope's father and the Duke walked over to the man who had called them and his waiting friend. They may not have known it when they left, but now Hope and Roque were left awkwardly alone.
They stood quietly next to each other for a moment or two, and then Roque's clear voice broke the silence, "Oh, isn't it a beautiful night?" He looked up at the sky and sighed pleasantly. "The stars are so bright! It almost makes me feel free!" Hope gave him a questioning look then followed his gaze and shrugged indifferently.
As Hope looked at the stars she contemplated something that had been nagging at her for a while. Why's Papa being so cruel? Leaving me with all of these men and…
"That dress looks lovely on you," Roque's comment broke her thoughts and suddenly it all clicked. Her father was purposely leaving her alone with men. Now all of those sly looks that passed between him and the Duke made sense. Even that comment that had been made as to whether she had met someone "special" was clear now. They were parading her in front of all these men in the hopes that she'd give in and chose one. Well she would not be married off so easily! No, she could play this game too, and she was determined to win.
For a brief moment Hope's delicate features contorted in rage. How could he? How dare he?
The Baron just happened to look down at that moment and caught the look on Hope's face. "What's wrong?"
Hope glared at Roque. How could I be so stupid? This man's obviously in on it too. They're all in on it, everyone! Well I'll show them! Hope gave Roque a quick smile and excused herself trying to remain polite and not blow up at him. She tried her best not to show her anger and forced herself to walk away calmly.
Baron Roque was left floundering alone. Was it something I said?
The music continued to play as the night wore on. Hope found a certain satisfaction in watching the dismayed faces of her father and the Duke. She had made a point of dancing with only married men ever since the run in with the Baron. Now this wasn't as bad as it sounds because the dances were purely honorary, but it completely foiled Jonathan's plans. There was no way that she could meet a potential beau.
The band announced the last song at a quarter to twelve and Hope again danced with her father. "Have you been all right tonight?" Jonathan asked.
"What a silly question, of course I have been," Hope said using her most girly little voice that always made her father believe her.
"Just making sure, because Baron Roque said that you seemed upset," Jonathan genuinely sounded concerned.
"I might have been a little abrupt, but I didn't mean to be rude, and I'm sorry if I was."
"You don't need to apologize to me; I think you should say it to the Baron."
"Yes father," Hope agreed.
The song soon came to an end and they went in search of Roque on Jonathan's request. The hallway that led back to the main doors of the Duke's house was thickly packed with retiring guests and it took them several minuets to find the Baron in the crowd. He was standing in a small sitting room that adjoined the hallway like an alcove. The Duke was talking quietly to him and they both looked up as Hope and Jonathan entered.
"Ah, Jonathan, Hope," the Duke acknowledged them.
"We would like to say thank you señor Duke. We have enjoyed our stay here tremendously and we are grateful for your hospitality," Jonathan sincerely said.
"De nada. I heard that you'll be leaving tomorrow?"
"Yes, we really must be getting back to France." Jonathan replied mournfully. "We have enjoyed ourselves though and it was a pleasure meeting so many people, including you, Baron Roque."
"As it was for me señor Jonathan," Roque replied inclining his head respectfully. "I really must be leaving, though, so if you'll excuse me, I'll be going now."
"Wait," Hope's voice quaked, "I just wanted to say I'm sorry for my behavior earlier this evening, I wasn't meaning to be rude." Jonathan gave his daughter an approving nod.
"No offense was taken, you simply startled me. Now I really should be going, adios." Roque nodded to them all and then quickly left the room.
"You'll have to forgive him," the Duke smiled in Roque's direction. "He has a very demanding schedule and he really can't stay."
"Does he always do that? I mean come late and leave in a hurry," Hope asked.
"Hope! That's hardly an appropriate question!" Jonathan feigned shock.
"It's perfectly ok," the Duke assured, "and yes he always does. Ever since he took over the barony I've only seen him show up at events precisely at ten and leave precisely at twelve, never any earlier and definitely no latter."
"Odd," Jonathan said in spite of his earlier comment.
"It's his way, and there's no point in us disturbing him, so we just let him be. He seems to get a long well enough though."
"But still odd," Hope reiterated.
"Maybe so, but it's none of our business," Jonathan closed the discussion. "Well, we really should be getting some sleep before our departure tomorrow, so goodnight Duke."
"Goodnight," the Duke replied. The three went their separate ways, the Duke going to see the rest of the guests safely off, and Hope and Jonathan to their respective rooms. Hope quickly undressed and put on her nightgown and as soon as her head touched the pillow, she was asleep.
AN: I hope that I described Roque well. I tried to make him seem really handsome, but I suppose we all have our own opinions of what "handsome" is. Please review...PLEASE!