Chapter 112: Founder’s ball VI

Chapter 112: Chapter 112: Founder’s ball VI

Claire disappeared into the growing sea of dancers.

Vivienne watched her go.

Then...

She found herself standing alone.

For a moment...

She simply remained where she was.

The ballroom had become livelier than ever.

Students laughed as they reunited with classmates from other departments.

Some hurried eagerly onto the dance floor.

Others gathered around the refreshments, animatedly discussing the opening ceremony.

The orchestra continued its elegant melody beneath the glittering chandeliers.

Vivienne quietly took everything in.

A small smile still lingered on her lips.

Without thinking...

Her fingers brushed lightly against the glove Anthony had held only moments ago.

...

She couldn’t help it.

The memory returned.

The opening waltz.

Just as it had in the novel.

Anthony Ashford...

Leading Lady Vivienne Beaumont onto the dance floor before the entire university.

One of the illustrations had even depicted that very scene.

She remembered staring at it for what felt like hours.

Back then...

She could only imagine what it might have felt like.

Now...

She no longer had to imagine.

She smiled.

Some things had remained exactly as the novel described.

Others...

Had quietly changed.

Because the Lady Vivienne Beaumont who had danced with Anthony tonight...

Was no longer the same one written upon those pages.

And somehow...

That thought made the memory even more precious.

--

Not far away...

Julian and Adrian finally made their way back to Damian.

"There you are."

Julian stopped beside him with an easy smile.

"We’ve been looking for you."

Damian inclined his head in greeting.

Adrian accepted a glass of champagne from a passing attendant before taking his place beside them.

For a brief moment...

The three simply watched the ballroom.

It was Julian who finally spoke.

"So..."

"What happened with Lady Catherine?"

"I declined."

The answer came as calmly as ever.

Julian nodded once.

"I figured."

"You’ve spent four years turning down dance invitations."

"I wasn’t expecting tonight to be any different."

A faint smile tugged at Adrian’s lips.

"Poor Lady Catherine."

Damian lowered his gaze briefly.

"I apologized."

"I’m sure you did," Julian replied with a quiet laugh.

"I don’t think anyone could accuse you of being rude."

Silence settled comfortably between them.

The orchestra drifted into another elegant melody as couples glided across the polished marble floor.

Almost unconsciously...

Damian’s gaze wandered across the ballroom.

It found Lady Vivienne Beaumont almost immediately.

She was still with Claire.

The two appeared to be laughing together.

Without another thought...

His attention returned to his friends.

Julian accepted a glass of champagne from another attendant.

"You’ve become rather popular lately."

Damian looked at him.

"I have?"

Julian chuckled.

"Not in the way you’re thinking."

"It’s the gossip."

Adrian gave a small nod.

"They’re still talking about Friday."

"The luncheon."

"The Literature Society."

Julian sighed dramatically.

"I swear this university survives on rumors."

Damian remained composed.

"There is nothing to discuss."

"I know."

Julian smiled.

"Try explaining that to three thousand students."

Adrian’s gaze briefly dropped to Damian’s pocket square.

"And then there’s tonight."

Damian followed his gaze.

The emerald pocket square.

"...A coincidence."

"So you say."

Julian laughed.

"Unfortunately for you..."

He gestured lightly toward the ballroom.

"Everyone’s comparing it to Lady Beaumont’s gown."

Adrian added quietly,

"It is the same shade."

Damian glanced toward Vivienne once more.

She was now standing alone.

Claire had evidently accepted a dance invitation.

His gaze lingered only briefly before returning.

Julian noticed.

He said nothing.

Instead...

He took another sip of his champagne.

"You know what’s amusing?"

Damian looked at him.

"They’ve practically convinced themselves you’re secretly courting Lady Beaumont."

"There is no truth to that."

Damian answered without hesitation.

"I know."

Julian shrugged.

"But gossip has never cared much for the truth."

Another comfortable silence settled over them.

The orchestra began another waltz.

Damian’s eyes drifted across the ballroom once more.

Lady Vivienne remained where she was.

Alone.

It was then that a young gentleman approached her.

He bowed politely.

Even from where they stood...

His intentions were obvious.

Adrian’s eyes followed Damian’s almost instinctively.

"...Someone finally asked her."

Julian looked over as well.

"Took them long enough."

He smiled.

"She’s been drawing attention ever since she walked in."

Damian watched quietly.

The gentleman spoke.

Lady Vivienne appeared momentarily surprised before offering him a polite smile.

Something tightened ever so slightly within Damian’s chest.

Not jealousy.

Not irritation.

Simply...

An unfamiliar sense of unease.

He frowned almost imperceptibly.

A thought surfaced naturally.

Vivienne was alone.

Perhaps I should greet her.

It wasn’t unusual.

They had known one another since childhood.

Recently, they had fallen into the habit of walking back together after their Friday physical activity club whenever their schedules aligned.

More recently, they had spent some days working side by side through the Ashford Foundation.

She serves as the project leader, while he’s her senior coordinator.

Between committee meetings, the community outreach, and the time they had spent working together...

It had become perfectly natural to stop for a conversation whenever their paths crossed.

Greeting her now was no different.

"I’ll excuse myself."

Julian looked at him.

"Now?"

Damian inclined his head.

"I’ll return shortly."

Without another word...

He stepped away.

His measured footsteps carried him through the ballroom.

Straight toward Lady Vivienne Beaumont.

Julian watched Damian disappear into the crowd.

Only after he was several paces away did he quietly speak.

"...Adrian."

"Hm?"

"Tell me I’m imagining things."

Adrian continued watching Damian.

After a moment...

He shook his head.

"You’re not."

Julian let out a slow breath.

"I thought so."

A quiet silence settled between them.

It was Julian who finally spoke again.

"...Did you notice?"

Adrian nodded slightly.

"The looking?"

Adrian swirled the champagne in his glass.

"Not constantly."

"And yet..."

"He always knows where Lady Beaumont is."

Julian thought back.

The ballroom doors opening.

Damian smiling without realizing it.

Lady Catherine speaking to him.

Even while they had been talking just now...

His gaze had continued to find Lady Beaumont.

Julian slowly folded his arms.

"...And then there was the timing."

Adrian looked toward Vivienne.

The young gentleman had barely finished bowing.

Moments later...

Damian had excused himself.

Neither of them spoke.

Finally, Adrian said quietly,

"...He didn’t move."

"Not until someone asked Lady Beaumont to dance."

He looked once more toward the dance floor.

"...Perhaps it meant nothing."

Julian watched Damian continue through the crowd.

A faint smile touched his lips.

"...Perhaps."

Somehow...

Neither of them found that explanation entirely convincing.