The girl had an odd beauty about her; high cheekbones and a short mass of black curls with eyes that were close together and a face constructed of sharp and narrows angles. She wasn’t beautiful but she was certainly worth looking at. Bored of the same old doe-eyed beauties, he moved swiftly to her side, offering her his arm. “Ira Adler at your service.” He smiled as charmingly as he could.

“Sherlock Holmes at yours.” She muttered, raising a crystal glass to him before draining it of its contents. Sherlock, or at least that’s what she introduced herself as, ignored his offered arm and kept her eyes lazily flicking from one couple to the next on the ballroom floor.

“Care to join them? You’ll be able to stalk a bit easier if you’re with them.” His remark got her attention and she looked him over. The way her eyes scavenged him made him feel almost self-conscious. But not quite. He did feel uncomfortable though so he took the glass from her hand and set it down on the table before taking her by the waist and leading her to the dance floor.

“I don’t recall accepting your proposal, Mister Adler...” Sherlock mused, letting him take the lead as they started to move with the others. She held a certain air about her, a kind of superiority, that he was beginning to find more and more appealing. It was definitely attractive.

“Yes, but you didn’t decline it either, Miss Holmes, so as far as I’m concerned, it was an open invitation. But I must admit, your reputation does you no justice. Mister William Anderson declares you gave him the blackened eye he’s sporting tonight.” He caught a mischievous twinkle in her eyes and something else. Pride?

“However,” He continued on, leading her towards the table where she had once been standing as the music faded. “A lady with your class and poise could hardly muster together the complete and utter brutality the one requires to do such a malevolent act. Unless I am mistaken?”

“May I speak candidly, Mister Adler?” Sherlock asked, smiling sweetly at him.

“Oh, I truly hope you would, Miss Holmes. Though, I feel as if only dulcet harmonies would grace your soft lips, heavenly lips. Even in the worst situations.” He heard a sharp intake of breath from her and saw pure anger and darkness in her eyes before sweetness replaced it. Ira knew he had overstepped the boundaries the moment he saw it and she was probably likely to give him an eye to match Anderson’s, even if they were in public, but he was interested in who this ‘Sherlock; girl really was.

“Brilliant.” She breathed. “However, I feel that this setting is not at all proper for what I wish to speak. Will you grant me the pleasure of joining me on the terrace?” Ira felt himself nod and together they walked out to the gardens until they were hidden from the other students.

“Mister Adler, to speak candidly, you can go and shove off if you even think for one moment that I’m a silly, stuffed up old wishy-washy twit who cares only about getting married and being a lady our countess because I’ll have you know that no one involved in that hogwash is at all of interest to me. Present company included.

“I also do not care for scoundrels who take a lady to dance without her consent. Open invitation or not, am I to be understood? Because if not, I’ll gladly dumb it down for you. And-As for my reputation, I highly suggest you shut up about it because I’ve heard of yours an-”

“Do you ever stop talking?” Ira interrupted, a smug look playing on his lips as he resisted the urge to smile.