"What was that all about, Henrik?"

He tore his gaze away from Serena and Marcus to look at Sophie. "There's a slight comedy of errors playing out in front of us this evening, and Mister Griffin is afraid that things might get too quickly out of control and lead to an outcome that would be less than ideal for Holby."

Sophie nodded as she handed him a glass of wine. "I figured you could use the drink."

Henrik took the glass by the stem and swirled the liquid around a little before taking a small sip. "Yes, this is exactly what was needed." He adjusted his weight to the balls of his feet as he continued to regard Serena. There was something off about the way she was carrying herself, and he cursed Ric for cluing him in to the fact that something was amiss. This would ruin his concentration for the others that were more, and yet less, important to Holby.

"Serena doesn't look too happy to be dancing with that man. Did you set her up with some odious little prick?" He shook his head. "Then who is she dancing with so unhappily?"

Henrik took another sip before pursing his lips. He didn't particularly care to be spreading about gossip, especially when it came to someone he had begrudgingly come to respect and admire over the years, but Sophie might be able to shed some light on the situation, offer a feminine viewpoint. "If I tell you, I need you to promise that you will not reveal anything of what I say to anyone."

"That serious is it?" He nodded. "Well, you can count on me to be discreet. Read me in!"

He drew in a deep breath before focusing on Serena and Marcus. "Ric seems to think that Serena believes she is dancing with a potential donor. What she does not know is that she is really dancing with a consultant from St. James', and to make matters even more complicated, he just happens to be the ex-husband of her current partner."

Sophie's eyes widened as she glanced at the pair. "That is a fine kettle of fish, Henrik. I say that you cut in and rescue her, let her know who she's dancing with, and give her the option of gracefully bowing out. I mean, would you like being blindsided by information like that?"

She had a point, but there was still something holding him back. He knew how proud a woman Serena was, and that she would not take the news well, if she thought she would be embarrassed by it. "I do think that Serena is woman enough to extricate herself from Marcus, if she truly feels the need to do so. And I do not want to cause a scene, especially when it might affect our donations."

"People matter more than money, even if the NHS can't see that." Sophie rested her hand on his chest, giving him a bemused smile. "At the very least, keep an eye on them while we dance?"

"Yes, that I can do," he said as he finished his wine and set the glass aside. Sophie followed suit, and then he led her out onto the dance floor, his gaze flitting between his partner and Serena. Marcus said something that caused her face to scrunch up in disgust for a moment before she plastered an ever so fake smile on her lips and nodded. "Do you think that people can ever be truly happy?" he mused as he regarded Serena thoughtfully.

"I do. And why do you think that Serena isn't happy?"

"That obvious?" Sophie laughed as she nodded, and he twirled them around in time to the music, making her smile a little wider. "I have the key to her happiness tonight, but I can't bring myself to bring her here. I don't want to lose my best schmoozer to the arms of her beloved. And I know that makes me a thoroughly selfish person, but Holby is so important to me."

Sophie shook her head a little as she stepped closer to him, plastering her body along his. "Then you have to decide if her happiness is more important than yours. Perhaps doing something completely altruistic might ease that conscience of yours."

He shrugged as they continued dancing, his mind still focusing on Serena. She really did seem to be holding her own with Marcus, and so he found himself relaxing a little as he spoke to Sophie about various inane nothings. The music also helped to lull him into a sense of relaxation, and the longer they danced, the less his focus rested on Serena and more on Sophie. There was something so effortlessly charming about the woman, and he found himself wishing that this night would never end.

All thoughts of his own pleasure evaporated, however, when a sudden flurry of movement from Serena caught his attention. She shot a dark look at Marcus before pulling away from his embrace and stalking off in the direction of the open bar.

"That doesn't look good," Sophie said lowly as they stopped dancing. Henrik tore his eyes from Serena's rapidly retreating form to look at Sophie and nod. "I wonder what he said that put her off so? Because that is the walk of a woman who is looking to murder someone with her bare hands if they dare look at her the wrong way."

"And she could easily do that, I'm afraid." Sophie giggled lightly as she leaned up on her toes and kissed his cheek. "What was that for?"

"I know, many people might not describe you as such, but you can be adorable under the right circumstances. You fear her on some level, don't you?" He tried to control the way his cheeks flamed, but that didn't work completely from the smile she gave him. "Admit it, Henrik."

He raised an eyebrow, knowing that there was no real point in denying her words, because she was right, there was a small part of him that was a touch afraid of her. Serena Campbell was a force of nature, and when angered, was all the more fierce. "Fine, she might cause a thrum of terror to run through my veins when she gets her dander up." Sophie's smile turned into a pleased smirk as she hummed lowly. "You like being right entirely too much. So does Serena."

"Well, when strong women are constantly told that they're wrong, all the time, we like getting our kicks when we can."

Henrik nodded as he looked towards the bar, seeing the bartender hand Serena an entirely too large glass of wine that was filled to the brim with the red that she loved so. "And that is what makes me worry," he murmured before he could stop the words. Sophie followed his gaze and they both watched as Serena quickly drank it down, barely coming up for air.

"Are you still so certain that she can hold her own?"

He looked down at Sophie, worry gnawing lightly at his gut as he lifted one shoulder. "I am going to continue keeping an eye on her throughout the rest of the evening. If things continue a downward trend, I will not hesitate to call in reinforcements and put a smile on her face once more."

"Thank you, Henrik." Sophie gave him an indulgent smile before resting her head on his shoulder and letting him guide her back into another dance.