This is Prompt No. 47-Dancing

Mitchie smiled at the harlequin and nodded, allowing him to take her arm. "I'd like that very much," she said. He was a full head taller than she, and his light touch made her feel safe, unlike the iron grip the Frenchman had used.

"So," the harlequin said as he guided her out of the study, closing the door firmly behind him as though shutting out the memories of the room as well. "You're from Virginia." The statement was just that, not a question.

Mitchie turned to face the harlequin, surprised. "How did you know?" she asked curiously.

The harlequin smiled, his eyes twinkling behind the mask he wore. "I can tell by your accent. Very southernish," he teased.

Mitchie smiled back at him and asked, "And where do you come from?"

The harlequin hesitated for a moment and then answered, "I lived in Virginia for a while, but I live up in the north now, around the Vermont area."

Mitchie noticed that he did not give a specific state and realized that he was not comfortable talking about the subject. They had returned to the ballroom, and the music, much livelier than when she had danced with the Frenchman, made her smile. "Shall we?" she asked, looking up at the harlequin next to her.

He took her in his arms, smiling as he nodded. "We shall," he said lightly, and they were off, dancing through the crowd, whirling gracefully in and out of the other couples. People stopped dancing to watch them, but for the first time, the attention didn't embarrass Mitchie. In actuality, she barely noticed the stares of the French nobility. Her complete attention was taken up by the man in front of her, the man that was staring down at her with a genuine look of bliss on his face.

When the song ended, the musicians struck up another lively tune, hoping to tempt this new, vivacious couple into dancing again. After Mitchie nodded her agreement, the harlequin was once again whirling her around, their feet moving so quickly that they were hard to see, but they never missed a beat, and they always missed their partner's toes. Mitchie laughed, delighted by her partner. Usually, she was so afraid to dance because of the closeness that dancing required to one's partner, but now, she found herself pressing even a little closer than necessary, and the harlequin didn't seem to mind.

The music stopped, and so did Mitchie and her partner. They were met with a small round of applause and many whispers as they left the dance floor, heading over to the refreshment table. The harlequin served Mitchie a glass of punch, which she accepted gratefully, and then served himself one as well. He led her over to a couple of chairs and they sat down.

"Do you enjoy Virginia?" he asked, surprising Mitchie by coming back to the subject that had seemed to bother him a while ago.

Mitchie took a sip of punch while she thought about her answer. "Yes," she said slowly. "I like it very much, only-" she stopped abruptly.

The harlequin tilted his head to the side. "Only what?" he asked gently.

"Only that I wish that we could have Virginia without the slaves," Mitchie admitted. "I don't feel right about owning other human beings." She looked up at the harlequin and said, "I get this horrid, queasy feeling in my stomach when I think about those slave markets where people buy and sell those poor people as though they were vegetables or something." Her face scrunched up worriedly as she went on. "I hate the idea of using them like dogs. I think it should be stopped."

The harlequin smiled at her, and the tension she had seen when he had started the conversation left him, allowing him to relax his shoulders and lean back against the back of the chair. "Your words have much truth in them," he said softly, so softly in fact, that Mitchie was forced to lean forward in order to hear him. He seemed just about to say something else, something important, when Tess rushed up.

"There you are!" she cried. "I got worried when I couldn't find you!" Her gaze fell on the harlequin and she curtsied. The harlequin acknowledged her bow, but made no move to get up.

"She ran into a little trouble," he said instead, "and then I asked her to dance. I'm sorry if I've kept her from you."

Tess glanced from Mitchie to the harlequin and back again. "No," she said slowly. "It's alright." She smiled and turned away, almost immediately being caught by another Frenchman wanting to dance with her.

Mitchie watched her friend go and sighed dramatically. "The trials and tribulations of being beautiful," she said, causing the harlequin to smile.

"You don't seem to have that problem, yet I find you more beautiful that she," he said softly.

Mitchie blushed, not believing him. "Thank you," she said politely.

"I mean it," he insisted. He started to say something else, but a shriek of laughter from a party across the room cut him off. He looked around at the crowd and remarked, "Would you join me for a stroll?" He noticed her hesitation and said, "I promise not to frequent any studies."

Mitchie smiled at his attempt to put her at ease. No, this man would not hurt her. She nodded and he extended his hand to help her up from her chair. With her hand on his arm, they walked out of the ballroom side by side.