His hands were warm through her dress as he guided her, the music swelling around them, each step almost felt like flying as she dipped and spun. She was on her toes as he guided her up into the air, his words and amusement making Malou herself smile back. "Thank you." She murmured before the next pause and spin.

The dance itself left little room for conversation, which Malou did not mind. With Mr. Prewett guiding her, spinning her, lifting her. With the music dancing around them she felt lighter than she had been in years. She forgot her worries for the moment and allowed herself to smile, to relax, to follow the lead in steps she had learned as a very young girl.

When the last strains of music ended Malou was smiling widely, something which had yet to happen at a society event - at least to the best of her memory. Although with a curtsey and a bow Malou felt beret from the warmth and guidance of his hands, their sturdy warmth. "Thank you." She smiled geinuely at him, adding guilessly, "It has been a long time since I have danced." In truth she was very rarely asked being of the variety of wallflower that mothers and sisters had to nudge a gentleman to ask out of pity. Indeed until this fall she had mostly avoided society functions at all, attending the occasional concert or ball with the reward of at least listening to music.