Masquerade Ball
Before they exited the limo, Valerie placed a simple masquerade mask over her face. She got out of the limousine when the driver opened the door for them. She waited for Kylantha to exit the vehicle, and then lead her arm-in-arm through the front door of what looked like a large old theater built in the early Edwardian era.
Once they were inside, Kylantha found that they were standing inside of a lobby almost as large as her bookstore. It was crowded with patrons of the ball drinking and socializing around two large statues of a woman and man with their arms bound behind their backs in the center of the lobby.
On the other side of the statues was a double door with two ushers on either side of them dressed as though it were the thirties.
Valerie walked around the two large statues with Kylantha's arm still in hers, and as they came closer to the double doors Kylantha could hear an old waltz playing through them.
Valerie brings out two invitations from inside her business suit and handed them to the usher to the left. He opened and read them, went through the list attached to a clipboard in his hand, crossed off their names, and then both Ushers opened the double doors.
Kylantha gasped a bit as she stood before an elegant balcony and felt as though she had been transported to another time.
The patrons of the ball were dancing to an old waltz from the early Victorian era, all dressed from different times. There were women dressed in all forms from renaissance period garb, to Victorian, to Edwardian, to flapper girls. The men were dressed in the same fashion, and were their dancing partners varied, men with women, women with women, and men with men.
"Ladies and gentlemen," the usher that checked their invitation announced loud enough to be heard over the music, "Presenting Mistress M, and Miss Winters."
The large group of patrons in the ballroom turned to them and applauded as Valerie lead Kylantha down the red carpeted stairs to the dance floor.
As they walked across the dance floor the patrons began parting to make way for them both, until finally they move out of the way to show a man standing in the center of the dance floor.
His hair was of medium length and brown. He was of average height, and seemed to be of athletic build. He wore a three piece suit that was black. His necktie and the handkerchief in his breast pocket matched the same color as Kylantha beautiful v-line dress.
As she came closer she could see his piercing hazel eyes through his masquerade mask as they bore through her very soul, sending a chill through her. As Valerie presented he to the man he bowed to her, and for some reason she responded with a courtesy. Stood at about his chin, and smiled at the thought, usually she dated men a foot taller than her.
He took her hand in his holding it up at shoulder level, and then placed his other hand on her hip as she placed hers on his shoulder, And they began to dance as they stared at each other in silence.
"Lord G I assume," she finally said to break the spell he had on her
He smiled at her, and she felt something chilling yet charming about it.
"Yes," he replied, "Thank you for coming, I thought maybe you wouldn't show."
"Why is that," She asked with a puzzled smile.
"Oh I don't know," he replied still smiling at, "The fact that you don't know me I guess."
The music stopped and Lord G leads Kylantha off the dance floor, and they walked over to the bar to the back of the ballroom. There he orders champagne for Kylantha and a brandy himself.
"So," she said taking a sip from her drink, "What is it that you do Lord G?"
Lord G takes a drink from his glass.
"I buy failing businesses and bring them back up," he said as he drank from his brandy, "then give seventy percent back to the original owner. In my free time I hold a poker night every week and once a month I hold a masquerade ball as fundraisers."
They continue drinking and dancing then go back out to the dance floor.
"How do You like the bookstore business," He asked her.
"Oh it lucrative, with all things considering," she said.
They continued talking and laughing as they danced and drank for a bit. They talked about what they liked to do for fun and how they got to where they were.
Two hours into the night, Kylantha felt a slight tugging at her mind, and became a bit tipsy.
"Miss Winters," Lord G said as he held her up, "Are you okay?"
"I think so," she replied getting her footing again, "That's funny, I really didn't drink that much."
She smiled at him, and she realized his hands felt cold on her shoulders.
"Thank you for asking," she added.
"Do you need to sit down," Lord G asked as he gently took her hand.
"Yes please," she replied blushing at his touch, "Is there some place private we may sit for a bit Lord G?"
"Yes," he answered, "Of course."
He lead Kylantha towards the back right corner towards a clouded glass door in which Kylantha could see red lighting through. As they got closer to the door, Kylantha swore she heard the sound of moaning alternating between a man and and a woman coming from the other side of it,
"What kind of room is this lord G," she asked confused but at the same time wondering what was going on behind the door, "Are you sure its safe to go in?"
