Chapter IV

When they arrived at the party site, Katniss got out arm in arm with Lady Annie. Never in her life would have Katniss thought that someday she would walk with Lady Annie like that. But, like Lady Annie whispered, now Katniss wasn't the maid, but Miss Katniss, the daughter of a rich butcher from the country, who was visiting London for the first time.

They entered the ballroom, and Katniss had never seen anything like it. Only the hall could be filled by two thirds of the Mellark house, packed with girls and boys dancing, talking and drinking. The lights were dimmed, and the walls had big windows with gold curtains, and a wooden floor so varnished that it could reflect anything like a mirror.

Lady Annie runned to introduce her to her friends Lady Johanna Mason and Miss Cecilia, who firmly believed the story Lady Annie told them. Katniss just prayed that no one noticed the massive fraud she was.

Lady Annie gave her a drink, and went to dance with several men. Katniss was alone by the wall, with a glass in her hand, slightly embarrassed and not knowing what to do. She was looking at Lord Peeta surrounded by girls dressed in shorter dresses and showing more cleavage than Katniss was accustomed to, when a tal man, elegantly dressed in a tuxedo and black bowtie, stood in front of her. He had a bright white smile, eyes as green as grass and bronze hair slicked back with a rebellious streak that curled in his forehead. He was the most charming man she had ever seen, and he was there before her, smiling at her.

"Hello, I don't think we were introduced. My name is Finnick Odair" he made an exaggerated bow, leaving Katniss even more embarrassed.

"I'm Miss Katniss Everdeen. I'm not from around here," she wasn't sure what to say and all the words that came out from her mouth sounded like lies. Fortunately he didn't notice or was a really good actor.

"I realized. I heard Lady Annie introducing you to her friends earlier. I couldn't resist to ask you for a dance." He held out his hand and grinned.

Katniss agreed and took his hand with her gloved one, placing the glass on a table beside her. "Of course. Why not?"

Finnick Odair took her to the dance floor, where he swirled her theatrically and approached her more than other young people were approaching their dancng partner. Katniss felt uncomfortable and moved away from him a little, wich Finnick didn't seem to mind.

"So you're Lady Annie's friend?" He asked, strangely interested.

"Yes, since childhood, in the country" said Katniss.

"Lady Annie is one of the most interesting young woman I have ever met," said Finnick. "And I have met a loto f young woman. Tell me, have she received a marriage proposal? I know she was introduced to society two years ago. Surely she must have many men who want to marry her. "

Katniss didn't want to humiliate Lady Annie saying that she had no suitors, so she said "Yes, a few. But Lady Annie hasn't accepted any request from any of these men because she did not love them. If you like her, you should try your luck."

"Oh, you're direct. I like that, Miss Everdeen" he said, smiling. "Yes, I am interested in knowing Lady Annie better."

"Then you should go ask her for a dance," said a voice behind Finnick. They stopped dancing and Finnick moved away, revealing Lord Peeta. "Don't worry about Miss Katniss, I will keep her company."

"All right. Nice to see you again, Peeta" Finnick smiled and walked away.

"Likewise." Lord Peeta said, while the other blond man approached Lady Annie and stole her from the arms of a young Indian man. "May I have this dance?"

"Lordship, you don't need to do this" Katniss said, in a low voice so anyone would hear.

"Miss Katniss, here I'm just Peeta," he approached her, holding her hand on his left hand and placing the other hand on her waist. "Here we aren't master and servant. We're just two people dancing at a party."

"I suppose so," she said, embarrassed, trying to follow Lord Peeta's steps.

"How do you feel about your first night in London?" He asked, smiling. Although not as charming as Finnick Odair, Lord Peeta still had that innocence in his eyes that made Katniss feel butterflies in her stomach.

"Yes, I am" she replied, smiling back. "It's really lovely. I never thought your life was like this."

"It's a bit boring" Lord Peeta said. "I prefer daytime in London. I like to walk around the city, going to libraries, bookstores, tea houses and see poets reciting their work, or plays. It is much more interesting than being here pretending we're perfect, girls only looking for a suitor with a title and money that they think they deserve."

"I imagine it's very upsetting for you- Peeta "she said, still not accustomed to treat him by his first name.

"Yes, Katniss, it is. I cannot help that I am a Viscount and will be an Earl after my father's passing. But I'm not interested in any of these futile girls. I like women with substance. Even if they aren't noble or rich. "

"Your father would go crazy if you told him that," she concluded, smiling.

"That's what amuses me the most" he confessed with a laugh.

They spent all night dancing and chatting. Katniss never realized that Lord Peeta was so wise, reciting Romeo & Juliet fluently or speaking about Paris and the French culture that she never knew.

"If you want to, tomorrow I can take you to a stroll through London" he offered. "Annie will be with her friends, talking about Finnick and this night with nostalgia. You won't have nothing to do all day until she arrives, and we can be at home before she returns. So she doesn't need to know. "

"I would appreciate that" agreed Katniss, delighted. Walking through London with Lord Peeta was a much more fun than being locked in her room all day reading.

"So, when Annie leaves tomorrow, make an excuse to go out and we will meet each other on the corner of the street." Lord Peeta smiled. "Now we have to go, it's getting late. I'll steal Annie from Finnick's arms and we will go home."

Lord Peeta fetched Lady Annie, who was annoyed by this intrusion on her dancing, but agreed to return home. She spent all the way home talking about how Finnick invited her to have tea with him, and the next day would be spent at Lady Johanna's house, with Miss Cecilia.

Throughout the trip, Lord Peeta and Katniss exchanged gazes, wich Lady Annie ignored, and she thought about the filled days in the coming two weeks.

And that night, Katniss slept satisfied and happy, not thinking of Gale for a single moment.