She smiled to herself, rehearsing a number of deft rejections if she needed them.
‘I don’t think you’re at all lame, Tenna,’ he said conversationally. ‘Especially if the station master let you take a run down to the Port. Care to have a go at the first Toss dance after all?’
His expression dared her.
‘We’ll see.’
Pause.
‘So, will you run on tomorrow?’
‘I’ll be careful with the wine in case I do,’ she said, half-warning him as she lifted the glass.
‘Will you make it to the sea from here in one run?’
‘Quite likely. It’s spring and there’d be no snow on the Pass trace.’
‘Would you still go if there were?’
‘No one said anything about snow on the Pass trace at the station.’
‘Keep your ears open, don’t you?’
‘A runner always needs to know conditions on the trace.’ She gave him a stern look.
‘All right, I’ve got the message.’
‘Fair enough.’
Pause.
‘You’re not at all what I expected, you know,’ Haligon said respectfully.
‘I can quite candidly say the same of you, Haligon,’ she replied.
The new musicians played the first bar of the next song, to acquaint people with a sample of the dance to come.
So, when Tenna felt his arm about her shoulders, she did not resist the pressure. Nor did she when both arms enfolded her and his mouth found hers. It was a nice kiss, not sloppy as others had been, but well placed on her lips, as if he knew what he was about in kissing. His arms about her were sure, too, not crushing her needlessly against him. Respectful, she thought . . . and then, as the kiss deepened with her cooperation, she didn’t think of anything but enjoying the experience.
Haligon monopolized her all evening, rather deftly, she realized. Always whisking her off the dance floor before any one else could find her. They kissed quite a bit between dances. He was far more respectful of her person than she expected. And she said so.
‘With the punch you can deliver, my girl,’ he answered, ‘you can bet your last mark I’m not about to risk my brother’s fate.’
He also found other chilled drinks for her to drink instead of more wine. She appreciated that even more. Especially when the music of the Toss dance began. The floor cleared of all save a few hardy couples.
‘Shall we?’ and Haligon’s grin was all the challenge she needed.
The ache in her right shin was really minor and her confidence in his partnering had grown throughout the evening otherwise she would not have taken his dare.
During the pattern of the dance, the female partner was to be swung as high as possible, and if she was very clever, she would twirl midair before being caught by the male. It would be a dangerous dance, but it was ever so much fun. Tenna’s older brother had taught her and given her enough practice so that she was well able to make the turns. It had ensured her partners at any Gather in the east once it was known how light she was and what a good dancer.
From the very first toss, she knew that Haligon was the best partner she’d ever had. There was great cheering for them when she managed a full two turns in the air before he caught her. In one of the rare close movements of the dance, he whispered swift instructions so that she was prepared for the final Toss. And able to execute it, sure he would be there to keep her from crashing on the floor. She was close enough to being missed so that the spectators gasped just as he caught her caught half a handspan above the floor. Another girl was not so lucky but suffered no more than the indignity of the fall.
Cleve, Rosa, Spacia, Grolly and most of the station crowded about them when they left the dance floor, congratulating them on such a performance. They were offered drinks, meat rolls and other delicacies.
‘Upholding the honour of the station,’ Cleve loudly proclaimed. ‘And the hold, of course,’ he magnanimously added, bowing to Haligon.