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My Lover Isn’t Interested With The Female lead!
✽ CHAPTER 44✽
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Letticia stepped onto the dance floor with Kenneth.
Although Kenneth had barely mastered the basics after special training, dancing with her boring cousin was no fun. Thankfully, the quadrille they danced involved mixing with other people, which made it less awkward.
“Dancing with you is boring, Ken.”
Letticia complained after the dance ended.
Kenneth replied calmly,
“It’s always like that when you dance with your cousin. If I weren’t your chaperone, I wouldn’t have to danced with you either.”
“Then why don’t you dance with some other young ladies? My mother is here, so I’ll take a break during the quadrille. So go on, dance.”
“Are you trying to torture me?”
Kenneth glared at her, his eyes reflecting the chandelier’s light, making him look slightly intimidating.
“Fine. Just continue your role as chaperone and secretary. Okay?”
When Letticia withdrew her joke, Kenneth’s stern expression softened. Teasing Kenneth relieved some of her stress. She then stepped onto the floor with the Marquess Digby, her next partner.
The gavotte was a lively dance with skip steps performed by pairs. At the end, there was a rose exchange, and the servants handed out flowers to the dancers.
As the music started and Letticia prepared to dance, she saw the face of the woman opposite her and barely hid her surprise. Seraphina Eskis was her dance partner.
‘Why is she here? Of all places, why this ball?’
Letticia thought, wondering if it was fate that she kept encountering characters from the original story she was trying to avoid.
In this world, apart from the waltz, all dances involved switching partners during the dance and then returning to the original partner. The gavotte included steps where partners held hands and turned together.
Letticia, now forced to dance with the villainess from the original story, managed to keep a smile while feeling dreadful inside. She lightly skipped her steps.
‘I can’t tell what she’s thinking.’
As she released the Marquess Digby’s hand and skipped towards Seraphina, Letticia timed her hand to meet Seraphina’s, and they spun together. Seraphina wore a dress adorned with luxurious lace and embroidery, similar to her outfit at the royal ball.
Her stiff posture seemed more suited for a graceful minuet than the lively gavotte.
“………..”
“………..”
They briefly met eyes without speaking and then separated, but Letticia felt a gaze lingering on her back. To avoid any trouble, she deliberately didn’t turn her head and returned to the Marquess Digby.
When the final steps ended and it was time to exchange flowers, the Marquess regretfully handed Letticia a rose.
“I chose a pink rose fitting for a noble lady. I hope it pleases you.”
“Thanks to my undeserved nickname, I receive such beautiful flowers. However, it is now the season to give peonies, so please don’t take offense.”
Letticia handed over the peony she held throughout the dance, indirectly declining his courtship.
The social season is divided into an ‘exploration season’ in the first half and a ‘courtship season’ in the second half. It is customary to wait until the courtship season to express serious intentions.
Therefore, while flowers may be exchanged, typically peonies are given to indicate neutrality, while other flowers imply courtship.
‘Why do things have to be so annoyingly indirect?’
Letticia thought, feeling irritated as she left the dance floor.
The Marquess continued to make subtle advances even while escorting her.
“Your necklace is exquisite today. Though it pales in comparison to your beauty. If I’m not mistaken, it must be a top-grade emerald?”
“…Actually, it’s a green sapphire. I chose it because sapphire is my birthstone.”
“Sapphire, indeed. My mother also possesses an exceptional sapphire collection. I daresay her taste in jewels is unmatched in this country. I’d love to show it to you someday.”
Ignoring his mistake, the Marquess continued to speak rapidly, making unwelcome comments. Showing a lady his mother’s jewel collection is typically reserved for maids or potential daughters-in-law.
‘Is he indirectly proposing to me?’
Letticia wondered, feeling increasingly uncomfortable.
“…I’m sure someone will be lucky enough to see the Marchioness’s jewels one day.”
Letticia intentionally waited a bit before speaking to Kenneth upon arrival. After escorting a debutante, the chaperone can’t continue the conversation.
“Big brother Ken, Mother, shall we go get some lemonade?”
“Oh, please allow me to fetch it for you,”
Marquess Digby, stepping forward, but other men nearby were quicker to offer.
“Marquess, haven’t you already danced with Lady Sharon?”
“Indeed, you should let someone else have the chance to get lemonade.”
Letticia watched the men squabble over the chance to bring her lemonade with a sharp gaze. If they were all her customers, she would dance all night, but she needed to filter out those whose sole purpose was to flirt with her.
Like insects drawn to a flower, women rumored to be the best marriage candidates attract not only sincere suitors but also those intent on ruining their reputation. Some even resort to sabotaging a woman’s chances of marriage to force her into wedlock.
‘And I have to choose a romantic partner in this environment…’
With that thought, Letticia danced with about eight more men. Although Camilla and Kenneth had approved them, she didn’t have enjoyable conversations with any of them.
“I don’t know if you’ve heard, but I bought a new carriage from Phytes this season. Only 30 were made, and it’s usually hard to get one even by reservation. But I’m an important customer of Phytes, so they set one aside just for me. I had to harness my Granville horses to it, of course. Both are of the highest quality.”
“You seem very interested in horses. I enjoy riding too, but there aren’t many places to ride in the capital.”
“Are you enjoy riding horse? Have you ever ridden a Granville horse? Probably not, they’re wild and temperamental, almost like wild horses. In the capital, only my coachman can handle them easily. I’m quite particular about choosing my coachmen. Mine has been driving for 20 years…”
One man couldn’t stop boasting about his carriage and horses, no matter how Letticia tried to change the subject.
“My mother looks for etiquette and refinement in a daughter-in-law. After marriage, she will teach you the duties of the lady of our house and our family traditions.”
“Your mother’s consideration is truly remarkable.”
Another man confidently warned her about the strict life awaiting her in his household after marriage.
“It would be against the Countess’s intent to overly restrict a grown lady. As someone who found love herself, wouldn’t she want the same for her daughter? Ow!”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I must have stepped wrong.”
One even suggested sneaking away during the waltz, so Letticia stomped on his foot. She regretted not having a hefty book to use as a weapon.
If a debutante is found alone with a man outside the ballroom, it ends her debutante life in scandal. Even if she marries, the worst rumors can be avoided, but if she doesn’t, her future is ruined. It was obvious he intended to trap her into marriage.
After the dance, Letticia immediately made her excuses to Kenneth and informed him and Camilla of the man’s indecent proposal.
She encountered men who only complimented her appearance, others who boasted solely about their family’s wealth and status, making Letticia doubt if there were any decent men.
The highlight was her tenth partner for the gavotte.
“Count Holdsworth, I heard you study theology. Which field interests you the most—”
“Wait, why are you going this way?”
“Oh, I apologize, Lady Sharon! Truly, it wasn’t my intention—”
As the dance began, the count moved in the wrong direction and bumped into another woman. While he hastily apologized, Letticia frantically gestured for him to come her way.
“Count, come this way!”
“Yes, Lady Sharon.”
The count, who had been apologizing while standing still, finally managed to return to Letticia in time with the music, but he made frequent mistakes, leaving no room for conversation. Despite his blunders, he was eager to chat, even when he should have been focused on the dance.
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To Be Continued…
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