• “May I have this dance?” a man asked her holding out his hand. She stared at the open palm for a moment, she was holding another tart in one hand which she handed or rather pushed into my hands, before taking the mans and allowing herself to be led out onto the ballroom floor.

    I took the opportunity of Alice’s distraction to walk out for a bit of fresh air.
    I walked out into the cold, pulling my left glove off of my hand I let it rest on the stone railing.

    “Maybe she’s right, maybe I am falling-” “Not enjoying yourself” he said suddenly stepping out onto the balcony where I was standing. I smiled turning to him, “Its not that, it’s just that large groups of people in small spaces-” “Suffocate you” he finished smiling. I nodded, “Would It be alright if I asked you something?” “Depends on what it is” my mystery man said stepping beside me.

    I watched him title his head towards mine, as he waited for my question. “Something has been bugging me all night” “What?” “I don’t know your name, and I would really like to. I mean, I cant even recall if the announcer called it out”. “He didn’t” he answered quickly, his brow furrowed but was suddenly replaced with a broad smile, “Not knowing my name has bothered you” I nodded “Why?” I turned away from his questioning gaze, “I don’t know exactly, it just does”.

    He turned away from me, looking towards the garden that spanned below us. “If you don’t want to tell me, I’d understand” I whispered shrugging my shoulders. “Its not that I don’t want to tell you, it’s just that I can’t.”

    I nodded smiling as best I could to hide my mixed emotions. “I should probably go back inside before my father realizes I’m gone.” “No, wait the next song is about to being, dance with me” I looked up at him, “Please, allow me to dance with you” I nodded allowing him to take my hand in his and led me back inside.

    “You don’t look any different” I said to him as the song began. “What do you mean?” I touched my hand to his “I remember your face so clearly from when I first saw you, And now four years later you look exactly the same.” We moved apart from each other, “You’ve seen me before?” he asked when we came together again, “Yes, four years ago to the day”.

    His eyes widened as he realized when It must have been, we danced away from each other “That’s impossible, four years ago you had to be-” he said quickly “Twelve” I said placing my hand to his once again. He nodded, we moved to our opposite sides of the floor, he bowed to me before I could say another word.

    “I must take my leave” I heard him say to my father who stopped him at the door. I stood dumbfounded on the floor not fully understanding why he had just up and left. I walked to my father, determined to find out more about him.

    “Do you know that man?” I asked my father gripping his arms with my hands. He nodded “He is Sir Otello” “Sir Otello” I repeated “In what way is he affiliated with us?” I asked, staring up at my father. “Why, he is the son of the Viscount” I looked up at him not understanding.

    “He is not related to us in anyway but he lives within our social circle.” “Odd the boys been missing for nearly four years and then suddenly he turns up here.” a man standing beside my father said “He’s been missing” I asked, the man nodded “Four years ago his father told him that he’d have to marry soon and prepare to keep up the family title. And from what I hear the boy became a tyrant, yelling ’bout he wasn’t go to marry until he was ready and what not. Well it seemed that he left in a huff, and wasn’t seen until a few hours before you’re here birthday Missy. Some say he was seen carrying a large case on his back ‘bout the size of a child. But no one knows for sure, all we do know is that he was last seen here. Before he went missing,”.

    I felt an icy cold shiver move swiftly down my spine, as the words sunk in. “But I wouldn’t get my pretty little head all tangled up in worry over this Miss. You should go and dance, it is your birthday after-all.” I nodded, smiling at the man and my father I turned, leaving to find Alice.

    “You don’t understand Alice, they made him sound like a criminal” I wrapped my arms around myself out on the balcony. “Well maybe he is, I mean honestly Emily. Do you think that any gentleman would run off the way he did?” “He might” I said trying to convince myself more then here.

    “You’re blinded by your infatuation with him.” she said tiredly, “I’d better be going, my mother is going to be looking for me to go.” she said hugging me tightly. I watched her leave before turning back to the forest that surrounded my home. “Who are you really?” I asked the wind.