The masked ball wasn't his kind of thing, but he had been talked into going by some friends of his, after weeks of cajoling, he had given in. The costume he had hired from a local shop made him look like an extra from some Jane Austen novel, long boots, tight britches and filly shirt with oversized cuffs. Looking at himself in the mirror, he put on the mask and thought to himself what a dick he looked! But hey ho, it might push some fair maiden's buttons!
The taxi pulled up at the hotel entrance and after paying off the driver, he climbed the steps to the imposing building. As he entered the lobby, he was glad to see plenty of other people dressed in a similar fashion to him milling around and heading towards the function room.
It was all very well done, the room had been decked out as it should be for the period, with a group of musicians at one end playing the kind of music he assumed was fitting. There seemed to be broadly an equal numbers of men & woman in the room, with a smattering of suitably dressed male & female servants mingling amongst the guests, distributing drinks & nibbles.
The one thing that caught his eye about the female costumes was the abundance of bosoms on show. Looks like our ancestors had got one thing right about the dress code, he thought! Out of the corner of his eye he spotted someone waving at him and after a few seconds he recognised his friends, the masks were effective in disguising your features.
The main part of the evening was spent mingling with them and some acquaintances of theirs, a few dances, which he wasn't too keen on, a few drinks and the occasional visit to the buffet table. After a couple of hours he was feeling a bit hot and decided to pop outside to the veranda for some fresh air.
He closed the French doors behind him, sucking in a deep breath of cool air, before exhaling slowly.
'It was getting a bit warm in there wasn't it?' a female voice remarked. He turned to his right and could just make out the shape of someone leaning against a wall smoking a cigarette, a few feet away.
He walked towards the figure and responded, 'Sure was, don't think these outfits help!'
She laughed, 'Your right can't wait to get out of mine!'
As he got closer, he saw she was wearing a black evening dress with a scooped neckline, which showed off her magnificent bosom, a man could die happy in there he pondered. Long black silk gloves covered most of her arms and as his gaze dropped lower he could just make out her feet, she was wearing strappy sandals.
She saw that he had noticed her chest and she smiled to herself and thought she might tease him. 'See anything you like?'
What the hell he thought nothing wrong with a flirt. 'For sure, what red blooded man wouldn't notice your considerable assets!'
They both giggled, 'Kelly' she quipped.
'Chris' he responded.
They chatted, finding out a little of each other. Both there after persuasion of friends, both single, he divorced, she separated. She in her forties; he early fifties, they hit it off really well and the eye contact was great, she was definitely into this scenario. After 15 minutes or so of chatting & flirting, she said she had better get back to her friends and they made their way back through the French doors into the main room. They shared one dance together, before going their separate ways.
He caught glimpses of her over the next hour or so, chatting with people, dancing, it seemed she was really getting into the whole affair. He checked his watch it was approaching 10pm and he was becoming bored with the evening and began to consider making an exit. Just then he spotted Kelly standing near the French doors again, she was obviously going for a cigarette break he thought, then he realised she was beckoning him, curling her finger at him, inviting him outside, he was curious as to what she wanted.
He made his way across to her and as he got nearer, he could make out the curve of her hips under the dress, her blonde hair pinned up so he could see nape of her neck, the ribbons criss crossing over her back on her dress.
He stood next to her and was about to speak when she put a finger to his lips and said 'Follow me!' slightly taken aback, he nodded his agreement and followed her through the French doors.