Peter, who had been tapping his foot to the beat, looked at her in suprise. But he grinned. "Sure." He took her hand. "What dances do you know?"

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Evelyn laughed, then said, "Swing, 'course."


[I've danced '40's swing - it's FUN!]

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(I've done a bit.)

Peter smirked. He lead her around the room trying not to step on her feet. It had been a long time since he had danced. Actually the last time was before the war. He moved her into a spin.

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Evelyn laughed and followed his lead. She enjoyed dancing...it allowed you to do something fun with someone without being laughed at, and let you move so squickly that you got that feeling that your stomach was left two feet behind you. But in her case, she didn't need to be spun to feel her heart jump into her throat - it happened whenever Peter's eyes met hers. She grinned constantly. She had always been light on her feet.

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[lalalala...]

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Edmund heared movement and went to find out what was going on. He walked around, finding his brouther dancing. "How can you dance at a time like this? We should go out their and fight along with Dad. His fighting out their for people lives, and yet your dancing." This sickend him, but he dident know what was going on. He knew why he was sent here, but why was he miserable, and Peter wasent. Peter had someone to talk and have fun with, not him. He felt he need to fight to get back home.

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Evelyn missed her footing and slipped back as Edmund came in. When he told them off, she felt ashamed of herself. Her face went warm, and she felt her eyes warm and moisten. She brushed out of the room without a word, going straight back to her room. She closed the door behind her and took out her book, vowing never to dance again until the war was over.

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Lizzie continued to explore the house a bit, avoiding Mrs. Macready as best as she could.

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Peter was enjoying himself. Ev was a fun partner. He caught her before she slipped and then quickly stepped away from her. His eyes became sharp and narrowed. His lips turned into a thin line. He watched as Evelyn left the room and then his head quickly snapped back to Edmund. "Edmund! Just because you can't enjoy yourself for two seconds doesn't mean you need to ruin for everyone else. Just because there is a war doesn't mean life ends," he shouted. "Do you think dad would want us sitting here and moping? He is fighting for your life Edmund so you can live it!" He pivoted and marched out of the room. How can Edmund be so selfish?

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Edmund shouted back at his brouther. "We should be outheir with him! You and me ar more than cabible to go out their and fight! Everyperson counts out their, and when you can go out a fight, I found you dancing!"

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<i>WHAT an idiot,</i> thought Evelyn. <i>Could I have BEEN any more STUPID? Every part of me agrees with what Edmund said...he was so right! And me, what did I do? Get all stupid and start dancing. I KNOW that this is no time to do so...what is WRONG with me?!</i> She got up and left, going the opposite direction from where she, Peter, and Lizzie had gone. Everyone would expect her to be in her room, but the mansion was so big, she could easily lose them...she hoped.

She made twists and turns and went up staircases, down hallways, and through doors. Finally, she came upon a mostly empty room with a large....thing...in the back, covered by a sheet. She made a face, then closed the door and kept walking. She finally found another reading room and went inside. She searched the shelves for anything interesting....

<i>Egyptology,</i> by John Ford. Well, it would have to do. She opened it and began to read, sitting by the window and praying no one would find her.

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Lizzie heard shouting, and she sighed softlly, before starting to move toward it. She stopped when she saw Peter leave, and Edmund. She backed up, hoping that Edmund wouldn't notice her, since she would embarass herself in front of her crush.

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Evelyn sat there for about two hours, just reading. When the sun sat, she turned on the lamp. The illustrations....the stories....it was <i>fascinating!</i> She sped through the pages until twilight, when she had read five chapters. She dog-eared the page and put it away, then started down the staircase and toward her bedroom.

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Peter went into his bedroom and locked the door. If Edmund was going to be a snot then he wouldn't be welcome in the room. He sat on his bed and started reading a history book. He turned to the section about the American Revolutionary War. It was fascinating. Although he was British, he couldn't help but side with the colonists as he read the stories.

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