Ford had turned his attention with determination to the polka and the waltz; she hadn't answered the question about which was her favorite, but also hadn't indicated that she didn't want to dance them, so he supposed she liked these. He wasn't an excellent dancer (or at least he never would have claimed to be), but he knew the steps and could make it an enjoyable enough experience for the pair of them. There was the question of whether it was better to start at the edge of the dance floor or nearer the center — either had a risk, the edge of making it seem they were content to cling to the outskirts of society and be ignored by anyone who considered themselves too respectable, the center of being criticized for forcing themselves into the middle of things when really this night had nothing to do with either of them and they had no business taking up anyone's attention. With this conundrum on his mind, her soft protest caught him off guard.
"What?" he said immediately, as though he hadn't heard. Maybe he had misheard, because what she had said — he didn't need to look after her — was simply not true. What was he meant to be doing as her husband, if not looking after her? There were other things in the vows — love and cherish and honor — but really the main underpinning of the whole thing was that he was meant to look after her. And who else was meant to do it, if not him? No, it was his responsibility — so he could only interpret this comment from her to mean that she didn't want him to. That suffering through this ball alone was preferable to having him trying to look after her. He deflated at the thought.
"Oh," he said, crestfallen.
"What?" he said immediately, as though he hadn't heard. Maybe he had misheard, because what she had said — he didn't need to look after her — was simply not true. What was he meant to be doing as her husband, if not looking after her? There were other things in the vows — love and cherish and honor — but really the main underpinning of the whole thing was that he was meant to look after her. And who else was meant to do it, if not him? No, it was his responsibility — so he could only interpret this comment from her to mean that she didn't want him to. That suffering through this ball alone was preferable to having him trying to look after her. He deflated at the thought.
"Oh," he said, crestfallen.
Set by Lady!