Oz had been planning to hold off a bit on the sponsorship, though he had never seriously doubted that the ballet would eventually part him from his money. He'd thought that being coy might lead to further interactions between him and the lead dancer, but truthfully he hadn't been entirely sure how or why such a thing would occur. Then he'd unexpectedly come into a bit of money when one of his designs had been sold for a tidy sum to a manufacturer, with a promise of royalties from future sales once the product was for sale, and he'd thought well, why not? This was his money, even moreso than the allowance from the estate that collected in his bank account or the lines of credit at various businesses. He could spend it how he liked. He bought Thomasina a new cloak, and sent the rest to the ballet.
The response had been swift and exactly what he'd been hoping for. He couldn't have expected anything too explicit from Mrs. Voss at such an early juncture, but the encouragement to share opinions in person was as much invitation as he needed. She had received the flowers; she wanted to see him. Perhaps she would have said the same to any new patron, but he thought there was a touch of sincerity to the note. Even if there wasn't — there was time for that to develop.
He shouldn't have been at the first rehearsal offered — it would have been better to leave her lingering a while, wondering whether or not he would come. Unfortunately, he had prior engagements that conflicted with the others, and it wasn't as though missing it had ever crossed his mind. So here he was, at the first open rehearsal, watching the woman he had already privately begun to think of as his ballerina spin gracefully across the stage on pointe. Being the only one in the audience only made the feeling stronger. They may have been rehearsing here either way today, but he couldn't help but feel her performance was for him.
"Madam," he greeted with a coy twitch of a smile as she approached. "It was a different experience, but not so different as I might have expected. The core elements, I think, were already present."
She would know what he meant — the last time they'd spoken she had talked about the joy of the body being an integral part of dance.
The response had been swift and exactly what he'd been hoping for. He couldn't have expected anything too explicit from Mrs. Voss at such an early juncture, but the encouragement to share opinions in person was as much invitation as he needed. She had received the flowers; she wanted to see him. Perhaps she would have said the same to any new patron, but he thought there was a touch of sincerity to the note. Even if there wasn't — there was time for that to develop.
He shouldn't have been at the first rehearsal offered — it would have been better to leave her lingering a while, wondering whether or not he would come. Unfortunately, he had prior engagements that conflicted with the others, and it wasn't as though missing it had ever crossed his mind. So here he was, at the first open rehearsal, watching the woman he had already privately begun to think of as his ballerina spin gracefully across the stage on pointe. Being the only one in the audience only made the feeling stronger. They may have been rehearsing here either way today, but he couldn't help but feel her performance was for him.
"Madam," he greeted with a coy twitch of a smile as she approached. "It was a different experience, but not so different as I might have expected. The core elements, I think, were already present."
She would know what he meant — the last time they'd spoken she had talked about the joy of the body being an integral part of dance.
MJ is the light of my life <3