“This is hard for you, isn’t it?” he whispered. She nodded, not daring to speak for fear that she’d cry. “Let me jump ahead to the carving station, Shvibzik, and we’ll get back to the table. I’m sorry. I should have thought this through better.”
Ana gave his arm a squeeze and lifted up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek and whisper in his ear. “I suddenly miss my family so very, very much. I am certain that when the dancing starts, I will be fine. Carmella is on her way back to the table, so I will join her. You fill your plate with delicious bits of everything and you can describe it all to me, especially the roasted carrot and mandarin salad, steamed mussels, and Yorkshire pudding. Now go. You are holding up the line.” She slapped his butt with her gloved hand to urge him forward, and she started back toward the table.
Jerry caught up to the person ahead of him and glanced over his own shoulder to watch Ana glide across the dance floor, proving that even walking could be full of grace and art.
DESSERT WAS DONE and they were on their second coffee when the small orchestra shifted from “In the Mood” to “The Blue Danube” waltz. Jerry scowled at Ana. “Did you have anything to do with this, missy?”
“What are you accusing me of, Mr. Powell? Collusion with the bandleader? Plotting against your desire to sit all evening, and deny me the opportunity to show these fine people what an excellent student you are?”
“Yup. Pretty much.”
“Then I shall not disappoint you.” She stood and nodded politely to their tablemates. “Excuse us, please, but Mr. Powell has promised me a dance, and I would so hate to have this beautiful gown go to waste and not get a chance to show off. Taffeta is such a naughty fabric, do you not agree? It simply cannot sit still and must be up and about and dancing the night away.” She grabbed Jerry’s hand and pulled until he got up, dropped his linen napkin on his place. “May I steal him away, please?”
Manny laughed. “He’s all yours, Ana. If he can dance to this old stuff, I’ll be damned impressed.”
“I may be playing my own trumpet by saying this, but I believe I am an excellent teacher. My sisters and I learned from the best. Come, Jeremy. Tonight we dance.” She tugged but he didn’t budge.
“Do I have any say in this at all?” He knew he didn’t, but he had to at least put up a little resistance. He hadn’t told Ana, but he was actually looking forward to dancing with her all dolled up in that incredible gown.
“None whatsoever.” And she pulled him onto the hardwood dance floor, which had emptied out quite a bit with the change of tempo. Within a few beats, Jerry and Ana were turning and stepping and dipping. The steps were simple, but Jerry managed to stay poised and confident. Ana was absolutely radiant, leading him around with simple pressure and weight shifts. She led, he followed, and he felt like they were dancing on air. He even impressed himself with how well he remembered the steps and kept up with her.
Lesser dancers moved off the floor to watch the half dozen pairs who remained with Jerry and Ana, and as word spread that the marvellous young woman in green was dancing, people got up from their tables and moved to the edge of the dance floor to watch. Except for the band’s impressive rendition of the “Blue Danube”, the Crystal Ballroom was silent. As the end of the song neared, five more couples dropped out to admire Ana and Jerry and the other couple who kept pace with the fairy princess and her partner. The music came to an end and the two couples glided gracefully to a final, brief, statuesque pose. The entire ballroom—staff and guests alike—erupted in enthusiastic applause.
Jerry took Ana’s hand and looked down into her eyes. “Wow. What was that?”
“It was marvellous, my Love.” She kissed him quickly.
“Did you… what did… I felt like you guided me from inside.”
“It was something like that. I simply… hush. We have company.”
An accented, male voice spoke from behind Jerry. “In all my many years, I have never seen such a beautifully elegant and natural presence on a dance floor. That was truly exhilarating.”
Jerry turned to find a distinguished man somewhere over fifty with thick, black hair, sunken dark eyes, and a black goatee peppered with grey. On the man’s arm was the second most beautiful woman in the ballroom—tall, tanned, and sparkling in a long, satin, canary yellow gown. The man extended his hand. “Professor Jakob Gervaise and Danielle Madeiros.”
Jerry accepted the offered hand. “Jerry Powell, and Ana…” He stumbled over “Romanova”, and decided on a compromise. “Ana Romanski.” He kicked himself, mentally. If he was trying to protect Ana, then Romanski was a pretty stupid choice.
The band slipped into “Pinetop’s Boogie Woogie” and the dance floor was once again populated. Ana gently pulled Jerry away and led him off the dance floor, Gervaise and his date close behind. Once they were clear of the dancers, Ana turned to Danielle, all smiles. “You were magnificent!”
Danielle beamed at the praise from the young woman who was obviously the centre of speculation and attention at the ball. “You flatter me, Ana. You were simply divine. You are a natural.” She extended her own hand to Ana, which was accepted gently, and the two women exchanged a two-cheek European kiss.
Gervaise cocked his head slightly and squinted in the low light. “Jerry Powell? The new man at CKVB, ‘The Best Folk ’n’ Oldies on the West Coast’?”
“How the h—” He caught himself. There was no need to be rude. “How did you know that? I’ve only been here a week.”
“I’m an avid reader of the Victoria Times Colonist and your station posted an announcement in the business section, welcoming you to town. We live in Vancouver now, but I taught at the university here for a few years and still have a few investments on the island. Congratulations on the new position, and welcome to the West Coast.”
“Thanks, Professor.” Something wasn’t right about this guy, Jerry thought. His reason for knowing whom Jerry was seemed too pat, too slick. And he barely looked Jerry in the eyes when he spoke. “Now, if you’ll please excuse us, my new boss at CKVB is waiting for us.”
Gervaise made a small bow. “It was a pleasure meeting you. Enjoy the remainder of the evening, and Happy New Year. Perhaps we shall meet again on the dance floor.” He smoothly guided Danielle away and to a table on the other side of the ballroom.
“That was strange.” Jerry shook his head and held his arm out for Ana. She linked her arm through his.
“It most certainly was. I do believe I have met him before, Jerry.”
“Here in town?” They strolled to their table in the corner.
“No, I do not believe so. Before.”
He looked down at her and she was as confused as he was. “How is that possible?”
“I am certain that I have no idea. As you said, it is very strange.”
Manny pulled a chair out for Jerry. “Sit, lad. Those were some bloody serious dance moves up there. Didn’t know you could do that.”
“I wasn’t sure I could do it myself, to be honest. Like Ana said, she’s a great teacher.”
Tom shrugged. “Lee-Anne keeps trying to get me to learn that stuff, but I’m a klutz. The look I saw on her face when Ana went spinning past, though, makes me think I should at least give it a try. For her.” He sipped his beer and glanced adoringly over at Lee-Anne. “She’s a handful, but believe it or not, that shawl was her idea, not mine. She even went shopping for a new dress this morning, saying that she had ‘nothing with class’ for tonight, but she came home empty-handed, which is a first. I guess the pickings were slim this close to the party.”