Free Laurie Brown by Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake

the only limitation being the size of the
     hall.”
    “Or the endurance of the dancers.”
    Josie heard Deverell’s voice, but when she looked around he was nowhere to be seen.And no one else appeared to have heard
     anything out of the ordinary.
    Cecily did look to her left down the row of women, but she simply signaled for them to straighten up the line before continuing
     her lecture. “In its simplest form, the dance is rather like Follow the Leader.”
    “I always preferred a game of cards,” Deverell said, his disembodied voice causing goose bumps on Josie’s arms.
    “The first couple executes a series of moves; then the other couples repeat them.Then the first dancers go to the ends of
     their respective lines, and the second couple presents their series of moves. This continues until the first couple returns
     to the starting position. If the lines were long, this could take up to an hour.”
    “Reason enough to avoid dancing with someone you do not fancy.”
    This time when he spoke, Josie saw him. Only faintly, rather like an unfocused photo seen through frosted glass, but that
     deep smoky voice could belong to no other.Yet no one else noticed him seated on the chair directly opposite her.
    Josie squinted, trying to see him more clearly. Knowing what distress his sudden appearance in front of the servants, not
     to mention in front of her friends, would cause Amelia, she whispered,“What are you doing here? Go away.”
    “Beg your pardon?” Cecily stepped forward and looked directly at Josie.
    “Are you speaking to me?” Deverell asked.
    Josie ignored him and spoke to Cecily. “Sorry. My foot fell asleep.” She shook her leg for emphasis. “Please continue.”
    Deverell stood and stepped toward her. “You were speaking to me.That’s strange.”
    Very strange, since no one else seemed to see or hear him. Either that, or they were ignoring him, a strategy Josie decided
     to adopt because the other alternative brought up questions she wasn’t ready to ask...or answer.
    “Can you see me? How many fingers am I holding up?”
    With some effort she refrained from looking in his direction.
    “Josie has a valid point,” Cecily continued.“This system left many of the participants idle when they wanted to be dancing.
     The next evolution came when a series of moves became fixed and could therefore be learned in advance and danced by everyone
     at the same time. But enough of my chatter. Ian and I will demonstrate a move, and then we’ll all do it together.”
    Josie learned how to single , double and cross-over , chassé, do a gip , and do a mad robin . And Deverell became more difficult to ignore as he chose to take the role of her partner and personal dancing master. His
     presence become clearer and clearer, at least to her, until she saw him distinctly with only a bit of shiny aura around the
     edges. Almost like a full body halo. But he was no angel. His caustic comments became increasing difficult to let pass without
     a response.
    “Step lightly. You’re dancing, not stomping grapes.”
    “Graceful arm movements. Not like you’re chopping wood.”
    “The floor is even and smooth.There is no need to look at your feet.”
    “Don’t slump. Good posture must be maintained at all times.”
    “Dainty steps.This is not a gallop.”
    “Enough!”
    “What?” Emma asked.
    Josie realized she’d spoken aloud and had to cover her faux pas .“I was just telling Raoul I’ve had enough of his stepping on my toes.”
    Emma giggled.“My Colin is a wonderful dancer.”
    “I never stepped...oh, I understand. It’s a metaphor,” Deverell said.“Point taken.” He bowed his apology.
    Josie curtseyed her response.
    “So you can see me. Curious.”
    “Now we’ll dance a complete set,” Cecily said, saving Josie the necessity of a confirmation.
    The Sir Roger de Coverly reminded Josie of the Virginia Reel from her childhood.They managed from beginning to end with only a few reminders from Cecily,