This day I was forced to leave my chambers, concluding it was unfit that I should ask Linguleth for a dancing lesson, and not be present, even if Maephaer should not attend; and so resolved to go by myself. Without much ado I arrived at the gathering place, and after a brief greeting and exchanging of pleasantries with Linguleth, we stepped into the hall, where I found good fires and candles ready, and Lord Tindir in a very tired condition from laying down an entire new floor, just for the occasion of the dance lesson!
It is a terrible squandering of money, and a double waste to spend three hundred gold for flooring that is to be used only once. However, Linguleth assured me it was quite necessary, and that Lord Tindir will reuse the broken tiling for some kind of mosaic; yet I say spending any amount on such a loud and busy pattern of tiling is improvident, and I should place the sum at over one thousand gold, an enormous sum, when all the lessons are finished, and the flooring is torn up and replaced with something more tasteful. If this great expense were incurred for something good and useful to the House, I should not mind it, but it seems a mere luxury, for which folly I am to blame, because I was the one who requested the lesson, but how was I to know this would require a new floor? I shall try to find some way to make up the difference in the accounts, even if I must give money out of my savings.
I was happy to see the Lady Himwen, looking as handsome as ever. To whom I replied only briefly, when she asked about Maephaer, and gave news short of what she expected I suppose, but I did not wish to discuss my unhappy love affair. Two gallants arrived, warriors of the House, Erdalir, and the other – well, his name escapes me now. We shared wine, and then Linguleth clapping her hands, announced the lesson was to begin. She pointed out our places, and Lord Tindir very genteelly went to the stage, and played a tune on his lute, and we set in to dancing. By and by Linguleth bade us pause, and broke us up into couples for the next step. I hoped to dance with Himwen, but Linguleth suggested that she dance with her husband, which is of course right and proper. As there was no balance of the company, I was paired with one of the gallants as my dancing partner, which vexed me; but there was only one lady present, besides our dancing instructor, so there was no help for it. I would not hold his hands as Linguleth asked.
After we had about an hour’s practice at the Star Dance, Linguleth said we had done very well, but we needed more practice, and it may be that we will find another evening, before the Ball, when we will gather again for another lesson. And so, it growing night, I went away, noting how Lord Tindir and his wife seemed perfectly content and happy with each other, and I envying them for it, and wondering if such good fortune would come to me, but then I have no such luck.
