[Charlie Devenish (Rose)]

((OOC: No hurry, Alex. Just wanted to get this up for whenever you want to start it.))

Charlie was thoroughly enjoying the ball. If none of his partners were Miss Hampton, then that did not bother him as much as he had thought it might, since he had managed to engage her for a dance later in the evening. He had danced with Livia and Cassandra and both dances had been very amusing as was his dance with Lady Elizabeth Dunford, a stellar example of unpretentious good humour even at the highest rank. The lady he was next to dance with, however, was a complete stranger, to whom he had been introduced to in a roundabout way through various friends of friends of Viola's. Well, she was very pretty and agreeable looking, so Charlie was not going to complain. Anyway, he always liked meeting new people.

He bowed and held out his hand. "Miss Winter, shall we?"

[Katherine Winter (Alexandra)]

Katie cheerfully accepted Mr. Devenish's hand without so much as a backwards look at her mother. She was thoroughly swept up in the delights of the ball. Handsome gentlemen and lively dances had gone to her head far more than the one glass of French champagne she had been allowed! She had not seen the dashing Lord Sylvester since he had bowed her farewell at the conclusion of the first (not for lack of trying!) but even this failed to cloud her light, bright mood.

"We shall," she agreed with the most genuine smile in the room.

[Charlie Devenish (Rose)]

Charlie matched Miss Winter's smile with one of his own, equally as bright.

As he led her to the floor and they took their places in the set, he commented, "I shan't ask you how you like the ball for I can see in your expression that you do very much, but is it your first ball? I do not remember seeing you at Almack's on Wednesday."

He felt sure he would have remembered such a lively and pretty girl as Miss Winter. On the other hand, he had been rather distracted by Miss Hampton...

[Katherine Winter (Alexandra)]

"Oh!" Katie had long ago learned that her features were extremely expressive and yet every time a new acquaintance read her like a large-print book she was still surprised and dissembling was not a talent in her repetroire."I do very much indeed, but this is not my very first ball - though it is the first like.... this," she gestured with her free at hand at their glittering surroundings. She was not yet so ball-worn as to despise the Almack's lemonade but even she realised it could not hold a candle to French champagne in freshly polished crystal.

"I attended Almacks this week past," she informed him, only mildly disheartened hat he had not noticed her for she knew in her heart that she had looked pretty that evening and that there had been an almightly crush in the Almacks rooms - and so many of the crushers such pretty young women! "But you are forgiven, Mr Devenish, for I failed to notice you there too." She grinned openly at her partner, large eyes wide and twinkling.

[Charlie Devenish (Rose)]

And another faux pas! Charlie wished now he had not sounded so sure that he had not seen Miss Winter at Almack's. He knew he was blushing again. (Was there a cure for such a ladylike complaint and if so could he please know about it?)

On the other hand, he realised, as he dared to look at her, she was smiling! And her eyes glowed. Charlie felt a pleasant warm sensation as he met her eyes and couldn't help smiling back, even though it felt like a terrible betrayal of his true and deep feelings for Miss Hampton.

"Thank you for your understanding, Miss Winter. I must forever regret that evening at Almack's now since I had a missed opportunity for meeting you!" he replied with awkward gallantry.

((OOC: Oh, Charlie!))

[Katherine Winter (Alexandra)]

Katie was too swept up in the music and dancing and excitement to be really conscious of Charlie's slightly awkward manner but she did think him extremely different to her first partner of the night, the Lord Sylvester Leveson. Though they are not dissimilar in looks, she thought - not that she had dared to scrutinise Lord Sylvester too carefully during their time together and she was too shy to now study Mr. Devenish in the way that she would like. That is, to not his every feature and determine a perfect simile for the colour of his eyes for the benefit of her journal tomorrow.

"Pray, do not regret a thing," she cooed as she followed her partner through the opening steps of the dance. "If we had met now we might not be dancing together now. Instead I might be dancing with someone dull or inelegant!" Realising that this was not the most approproate or elegant comment, she hastened to add; "Not that I know of any gentleman who is either." Not strictly true, but this tiny falsehood sounded kinder.

[Charlie Devenish (Rose)]

Did that mean... did that mean that he was neither dull nor inelegant? Charlie was pretty sure that this was one of the most exciting compliments to have ever been heard from a pretty young lady directed at him!

He was moved to smile at her benevolently and say, the smile concealing a strong desire to jump up and down gleefully, "And I very much hope you never do. But if you have been lucky so far, then let us hope that you luck will hold for the rest of the ball at least and if possible the rest of the season."

[Katherine Winter (Alexandra)]

Katie was eager to agree with that hope and her smile only brightened.

"If I look to be in danger you shall just have to rescue me and invite me to dance," she laughed, blissfully unaware of how very forward the comment might sound as she floated upon the pretty little cloud the warmth of Mr. Devenih's smile buoyed her up to.

"Does Lady Emerson hold a contest for best costume do you know?" she continud, drifting cheerfully onto the next thought that crossed her mind.

[Charlie Devenish (Rose)]

It did not occur to Charlie either that the comment might be rather forward. He was only filled with a fluttery hope that an extremely pretty young lady might actually want to dance with him.

"In that case, I can only hope that you are frequently in danger!" he replied with a beaming smile. Then he thought about what he had said. "Not that I wish you to come to any harm, but for the honour of your hand..." Not an improvement.

He was glad of the turns of the dance and Miss Winter's change of subject. One day he would be able to talk to women without sounding so utterly stupid. It was no wonder Viola laughed at him so much!

"A contest?" he repeated with too much eagerness. "I do not know, but I think it's a capital idea! Who do you think would win?"

[Katherine Winter (Alexandra)]

Katie glowed. He would ask her to dance again! She knew it! Oh she could not wait to tell Jem and Rosie!

"I very much like the Viscountess Tessington's costume," Katie admitted shyly, hestitant - now that Mr. Devenish seemed to hold her in some esteem - to venture her opinion lest it damage his of her. "It is different but... " She cast about for the correct word, "stylish."

"And who do you think would win, Mr. Devenish?" An irrational part of her wanted him to mention her name but the more sensible level lectured that, if he did, it would only be out of politeness. Her costume of peachy silks and apricot roses was pretty, no denying it, but it did not stand out for any reason.