Part 16 (2/2)

The barn had been decorated with long swags of greenery. White-clothed tables held serving dishes piled with food and several punch bowls filled with a deep rose colored drink.

He noticed her surveying the barn and leaned down again to say, ”Manning hung the boughs. I swept the pigeon p.o.o.p. I think I should get more points for tackling such a job.”

She turned, laughing. His face was close to hers, and he looked happy, relaxed. ”Gold star, definitely.”

The band at the front moved in time to the music, three older African American men who let out an occasional hoot to go with the dancer's directions. A tiny woman, stooped with age, waved a hand and called out dance terms in a breathy whisper into the microphone. Her feet moved to the song and Caroline grinned at the idea of this little woman dancing her whole life to these ancient tunes.

The reel finally ended and the couples bowed to each other, then clapped for the musicians. Most were in costume but there were a few T-s.h.i.+rts and shorts mixed in.

Blanche appeared next to her. ”Honey, you look perfect! Look at the st.i.tchin'!” She leaned down to examine Caroline's dress.

”Did you order your dress, Blanche? It's a beautiful color.” The deep purple stood out in all the whites, creams, and pinks.

”No, I made this myself.” She held out an arm. ”See that velvet trim? Hardest thing I ever did try.”

Her eyes went wide. ”I had no idea you could sew. This must have taken ages.”

”Not really. Brooks told me you all were havin' this party a month ago. I did work it all the way up to this afternoon, but I could have done it sooner if I hadn't been running all over the state with my grandson.” She winked at Brooks.

Caroline c.o.c.ked her head. Running all over the state?

”Grandma, are they going to go another round? I think I see the-”

”Oh, you didn't tell her about going up to Oxford?” She turned to Caroline. ”He went lookin' for your Stubbs china. We found the place, alright. Packed full of good ol' family antiques.”

She turned to him, questions on her lips. His cheeks had gone pink.

”I didn't want to bring up a painful subject. I wanted to know... what he had done with them.” He darted a look at his grandmother that clearly was meant to keep her quiet.

The fiddlers played a bar of music and the guests cl.u.s.tered at the front. The tiny African American lady held up a hand for attention. ”This here's a favorite o' mine. I want my friend in the back to come up here. And bring the pretty gal with you.”

Brooks opened his mouth and shut it again.

”Resistance is futile,” Caroline said, laughing. She tugged him by the hand, all the way up to the front of the barn. Guests parted to let them through. Debbie Mae stood next to Manning, looking as beautiful as on her wedding day. Tiny rosebuds dotted her up-do. She patted Caroline as she pa.s.sed and whispered 'good luck'. Murmurs reached her ears as they pa.s.sed.

”... real sweet.”

”Isn't that fine!”

”Just like a movie...”

Frank appeared to the right and she waved, delighted to see him in full costume. His brown eyes were bright with laughter.

Brooks introduced Caroline quickly to Jennie. The old woman looked her up and down. ”Yup, I see how it is, son. I see how it is. There's no blamin' you.”

Caroline shot him a glance and her shrugged, his face a little pinker. She spoke up, worried about the ruining the dance. ”Ma'am, I haven't had any practice. Maybe we should pair Brooks with another girl.”

”No, you'll do. It's not hard to learn. You just follow your man, hear?” She clapped her hands and moved to the front. ”We're a-goin' to dance a little ditty called 'A Sure Thing'. Everybody try a few allemandes and a few turns.” She winked at Brooks and walked to the front. The guests faced each other, moving in unison, laughter peppering the air.

”Brooks, I really don't think I can-”

”Here.” He took her hand and moved her to the side. A short, dark man in a T-s.h.i.+rt that read 'Swingers Do It Better' nodded h.e.l.lo and grabbed her hand, swinging her back to face Brooks. ”See, there's one move down.”

She started to laugh. ”But I can't just let you do all the work, pa.s.sing me back and forth.”

”You could.” He smiled, his dimples deepening.

The couples started to line up and Jennie called partners to the right. The fiddler started, slow and sweet. Then the others jumped in after a few bars. The dancers were bobbing their heads and smiling across the line to the folks on the other side. Debbie Mae waved and grinned from her place two dancers down.

”Men allemande half to the left,” Jennie called to the beat, counting steps in between. ”Left one half and half a hey. Ladies chain and circle right. Do-si-do and make it right, back to your man and face each other.”

Caroline was giggling by now, stumbling over her own feet, desperately trying to keep track of Brooks. Other dances moved in and out of her view, hands grabbed hers and swung her around.

Brooks was back in front, his eyes bright. ”Good to see you again,” he said over the music.

And then he was gone, turning left and a woman appeared. She had a beautiful pin of a dragonfly pinned to her s.h.i.+rt and she lifted a wrinkled hand to Caroline. All she could do was mirror the woman's movement and she watched in fascination as they turned smoothly together, almost as if they were both partic.i.p.ants, instead of Caroline b.u.mbling through the moves.

Brooks came back again, and all the men bowed to their partners. Jennie called out ”Gypsy turn” and she saw his mouth go tight. It wasn't such a hard move after all, though. He held up his hands and she put her palms to his. They did a full turn on the spot and she craned her neck to see what the other guests were doing.

”Look here, at me.” His voice was soft, as if he wasn't sure whether to instruct her or not.

Jennie called out another gypsy turn and then went the other direction. She locked eyes with him, feeling the heat of his hands against hers. For just a moment, she felt the room s.h.i.+ft and the guests faded away. It was only the two of them, and the music. But it wasn't Brooks and Caroline any longer but some other couple, from long ago and in another place. A couple that couldn't drag themselves away from the music and movement and heat of the dancing.

Then he was gone and the short African American man was back. He gently guided her right hand to his, turning her toward his partner. The woman smiled broadly at Caroline and called out, ”You're doin' a real fine job!”

Back they went, ladies chain and circle right. Brooks appeared and her gaze sought his without being told. She didn't want to look at her feet. She wanted to look into his eyes, to know the man beside her in a way only a dancer can know another.

Jennie called out, ”Court'sy turn!” Brooks took her left hand in his and put his right arm around her waist.

”Give me your other hand,” he said.

She reached for his right and they stood shoulder to shoulder, moving in a complete circle. He let her go and she went blindly to the next movement, the next dancer. Her heart was in her throat. Jane Austen really was a genius. A pretty turn, some handsome men, and she didn't even know where she was anymore.

The song ended with a long formation of hand-offs, until finally they were face to face one more. The last notes sounded in the barn and Brooks bowed, his expression inscrutable.

”That was amazing!” Debbie Mae grabbed her arm, excitement in every line of her face. ”Isn't this fun? Aren't you having a great time?”

Caroline nodded, feeling as if she was coming back to herself after a long time on a good book. ”I'm a little... thirsty.” It wasn't what she was but maybe a cold drink would help shake the fog from her brain. It was a good fog, but she felt off-kilter.

”I'll get you something.” Brooks strode off toward the punch table.

”Having fun?” Manning stood behind Debbie Mae, glancing over her outfit. ”You look real nice.”

”Thank you. And you're the second person in two minutes to ask me if I'm having fun. Of course I am! You should be worrying about Brooks.”

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