Chapter 11
Indiana made her way back to Misty’s side. “What happened? I could see you looked distressed.”
“We were civil with one another,” Misty assured her friend, wanting to put the whole thing behind her as quickly as possible. The situation between her and Mrs. Mills was what it was. She did not want to spoil the evening by voicing her suspicions. “Please do not dwell on it. Everything is fine.”
Indiana did not look convinced, but she kept her thoughts on the matter to herself. To Misty’s relief, Indiana soon provided a distraction by pointing out various members of the town. Misty could not even begin to imagine trying to keep up at a ball in a larger city.
“That one over there is the town deputy.” Indiana nudged Misty to point out a rather large man. The man seemed to favor one leg as he walked, nothing overly obvious at a glance.
“How did he get that limp?” Misty asked, as her imagination started to run away from her. A fight with a bandit? A stampede maybe?
“He shot himself in the foot.” Indiana was so matter of fact that Misty was sure that she meant it figuratively. However, as she was about to ask for details, Indiana elaborated. “According to my husband, he was showing off some fancy twirling and whatnot with his pistol, and he did not have the safety on when he holstered it. Bang.”
Misty looked at her with a dubious expression. “Surely that has to be a rumor. They couldn’t possibly keep someone who would shoot himself in the foot in charge of the law?
Indiana shrugged, “Honestly, there were worse in leadership back in the city.”
Misty could not argue with that. The city political structure was rife with favoritism and incompetence. But at least here, it seemed to be a little less of the case. Or that’s what she hoped. It was still too early to know for certain.
Indiana pointed out a few more figures from the town, but it was like trying to catch mist. The names and faces simply refused to stick in her mind. Trying to learn a whole mob at once was an exercise in futility, but at least it distracted from more troubling thoughts.
Misty’s attention suddenly turned to one person in particular milling in the crowd. The gentleman was dressed in a fine suit that looked like it was custom fit just for him. He cut such a handsome figure, she could not help but stare.
Cody was always a handsome man. She had been attracted to him since he made his appearance in the city. Tonight, he could have been mistaken for a prince, or a young duke at the very least. He was dressed in a fine suit, every button and buckle shining with perfection. He could have come straight out of a fairy tale, if she believed in such things.
The prince in question seemed intent upon finding someone. He studied the crowd with a creased brow as he made his way around the groups, speaking or sampling the various foods available on perfect little silver platters. She felt a small pang of disappointment as his eyes passed over her. Someone else was on his mind at the moment, perhaps. A guest of Olivia’s? A friend? She knew she was not the only person he would need to spend time with tonight. Still, she could not hold back a childish twinge of jealousy over who might command his attention at this moment. Misty was torn between trying to catch his eye, and letting him hunt down the person he was seeking. Then their eyes finally met.
Cody stood frozen, scarcely seeming to notice the other guests as they brushed by him. He gazed at her from head to foot. She felt her face warm at the lingering stare as he assessed her.
Indiana smiled as she looked from Misty to Cody and back again. “I am going to find my husband.”
Misty felt a small wave of panic as Indiana excused herself. It was all she could do not to grasp her friend by the arm and hold her in place. She had held her own when she encountered Olivia, but she felt far from ready to be left unsupervised in the middle of a place like this, especially with a dashing man that seemed at a loss for words at her appearance.
Yet even as she turned to ask her friend to linger a moment more, Indiana had already disappeared into the crowd. She glanced back at Cody with a shy smile.
Cody regained his senses and quickly made his way toward her. “Miss Misty, I do apologize. I intended to meet you at the door, but I ran late getting here, I am afraid. Have you been here long?”
“Not so long.” Misty shook her head. He smiled, his shoulders relaxing at her denial.
“I shall make it up to you nevertheless. A gentleman should never leave a lady, especially one as lovely as you, waiting. I am surprised that no one tried to steal you away in my tardiness.”
Misty smiled at the exaggerated compliment. She did not think herself to be nearly so intriguing, especially in this company, but it was still nice to hear, especially from him.
“You were lucky,” she said with a smile, playing into the game just a little. “They didn’t have time to notice before you got here.”
“Then they must be blind. I scarcely recognized you. For a moment I thought you were one of Mother’s guests from out of town.” He brow furrowed slightly in remembrance as he regarded her. “Speaking of such—have you and my mother crossed paths tonight?”
Misty felt her smile become a little more strained at the mention, but she did her best to look nonchalant at the mention of his mother. “We had a brief chat, yes.”
“Is everything all right?” he asked, concern apparent on his face. “I shall talk to her.”
“No!” Misty said quickly, then gave a reassuring smile. “Thank you, but this is something we have to work out for ourselves.”
As much as Misty would love to have him ride to the rescue, she did not want to come between him and his mother. When it came down to it, Olivia would not accept her until she was ready to, if ever. Never was a very distinct possibility, and a worrisome one at that.
“Please tell me if things become too much,” he continued. I know she can be set in her ways.”
Misty shook her head. “Please, let us get used to each other at our own pace.”
Cody gave a brief nod, but Misty had no doubt he was not convinced. It made her ponder what he heard from his mother when Misty was not around to hear. He acted as if he’d had a struggle of his own to deal with in that matter.
They both paused as the music changed to a slow waltz. Cody tilted his head slightly to listen to the tune, and a smile spread on his face as he reached out a hand toward her. “I shall leave the matter in your capable hands. In the, meantime however, may I have this dance?”
Misty could not find an argument for that. She smiled as she reached out and placed her hand into his palm. He gently wrapped his strong fingers around her small hand and led her to the dance floor.
* * *
“You look lovely tonight.” he said, as they glided along the dance floor. The song had faded into another, or perhaps it was a third. She’d lost track somewhere along the line. He guided their steps masterfully, his hand resting gently but firmly on the small of her back. It was a comforting feeling. The crowds around them seemed further away. The voices were a faint drone just outside their corner of existence.
Misty wished that she could just stay here forever, stepping softly to the music in his arms. She had never felt so at peace as in this moment. Everything suddenly seemed a distant memory, her troubles with Mrs. Mills, getting accustomed to a new town, the ball—everything seemed so trivial compared to here and now.
“You dance beautifully.” Cody gazed down into her eyes.
She could stare into his eyes all day, given the chance. They were so warm, so kind. He pulled her in a little closer, and she rested her head softly against his chest as they moved. She knew the music should have drowned it out, but she could swear that she could hear his heart beat. A steady, soothing drum beneath the strings and flutes of a quartet in the back of the room.
All too soon the song ended. She was sorely tempted to pretend not to notice, and Cody seemed to feel likewise. They simply lingered in the dance floor in each other’s embrace, waiting for a new song that did not come. A few eyes watched them as they stood there almost past the time of propriety.
Eventually, they parted and walked from the dance floor arm in arm. Misty stole a glance at the handsome man at her side. Was this all a dream? If it were, it would kill her to wake up from it. She wanted to savor the moment forever.
“I am happy that you accepted the invitation. It was on such short notice, that I half feared that you would not make it.”
“Only half afraid?” she teased as he kissed the back of her hand, letting his thumb run across the knuckles of her fingers before reluctantly letting her go. She instantly missed the warmth of his touch, restraining an urge to rest her hand back in his a moment more. That brazen act would certainly go well past propriety.
“Perhaps more than half,” he admitted with a kindly smile. “Yet I am happy to be right. You are brightening up a monotonous night.”
She smiled, not bothering to deny the exaggeration. She never imagined that she would be so happy to be in such a position. Who knew a ball could have such a deep impact on someone?
“Allow me get you a refreshment,” he said with his charming smile, excusing himself once more. She suppressed a sigh as she watched him go, half tempted to grab him by the coat sleeve and follow him into the crowd. She managed to hold back her childish impulse, surprised at how many such impulses she had this evening.
Misty gazed over the crowd, seeing it in a new light after the dance. She could not help but feel a little closer to the town at that moment. She even found herself hoping that it would be home to her before long.
Maybe at the next ball I will be Mrs. Cody Mills. Misty shook her head at herself. She was never one to give into her fantasies. Until she had responded to his letter, she had never entertained such thoughts so brazenly! Maybe that was a good thing.
Misty froze as she saw a lady in the crowd glaring at her intently. But before she could get a good look at the person, she disappeared into the crowd like a ghost. Misty felt an unsettled feeling in the pit of her stomach.