3rd October 1814, All the Gaiety of a Ball

"I would be as well."

Torrington stepped over to where the volunteers were gathered.

"Lord Gwydyr, Lord Worchester, Major Vickery ... I'm sorry, Captain ... Bernard, thank you - a pleasure to meet you, Sir - myself. Three more to go."

"Well, so far we have Horse, Foot... the Royal Engineers, if not the Artillery," Vickery looked around. There were enough officers in the room, after all, even if none of them had heard what had been said.

"If you will permit me?" a voice said from behind him. "Lieutenant Dalrymple, 37th Regiment, at your service."

"Perhaps I might be of service, Major?"

A solidly build man in the uniform of the King's German Artillery stepped forward and bowed stiffly, declaring in accented, though perfectly fluent English:

"Captain Augustus Sympher. May I be allowed to join you?"

"Danke schön, Herr Hauptmann," Vickery said. "That is to say, thank you," he added, for the benefit of those around him who doubtless had not a word of German between them.

Alconbury began to look slightly dismayed that volunteers were found so easily, but he still believed that with such a disparate set of officers, it was impossible to perform creditably in reasonable time.

Captain Burlingame of the 15th Hussars stepped forward as well. He had heard the matter explained moments ago and thought another cavalryman would most certainly benefit this little group. Since there was no limit on how many men came from one group he thought he had a chance for a spot. "I would like to volunteer as well."

A little further away Spanish was heard. Angry and upset, though in hushed tones and mixed in with Portuguese. It was Estefania and Maria, the future wife of a 15th Light Dragoon (Hussar)'s officer. The latter was arguing with the first on a subject of differences and the fact that the first had considered joining this farce, but Maria explained at length that this was England, and they would most certainly  not appreciate it let alone allow it. Estefania protested about how she most certainly did not care that the ladies here had never seen the point of a sword, except perhaps when an officer wished to brag or in ..other situations. It was a good thing though that they spoke in harsh tones of their own language and not English for thus at least too few could understand and with the words that were regional and thus not even taught by any teachers in England.

Alconbury said rather coldly:

"Would that not give rather an advantage to the hussars and your regiment in particular? I don't see any Guards officer or Food Artillery yet."

"An advantage against your choosing your own friends to ride with you?" Willoughby asked, arching a brow pointedly.

"Or is it that next, other men volunteer to ride, and we wait for the next seven before we may continue this dance. " He gazed in the direction where live music would again begin to play.

"..You may protest.. and the others could decide in your favour, I would only like to press the matter forward that I have challenged you on the account of your insults towards the hussars...an can claim to have the right for another spot in our group." He gazed at his fellow officer and added.

"Of course if there is a general agreement that it should not be so...and ..or Captain Burlingame chooses to change his mind..." He allowed the rest to be unsaid because it was quite obvious anyway.

Alconbury looked slightly shocked. He seemed to have not quite realized that he was supposed to lead an opposing team of civilians. Fortunately there were indeed some croonies he met occassionally to practice the finer points of dressage riding.

"Of course if everybody agrees, you might complete your set with Captain Burlingame. But while I only claimed the riding prowress of my friends and my own, you claimed it for all soldiers, so I thought some other regiments might want to proof your point", he replied, blustering to cover his position which got more and more precarious.

Willoughby nodded gazing at the others. He might not exactly have claimed the whole of the army knew how to ride well or dressage, but he was not going to argue the point now for it would only alienate him from the team that was supposed to prove the opposite.

If as much of the military as had been gathered could prove it, then there was no doubt that the remaining rest who had not volunteered yet, was quite capable as well. Which actually served his purpose even more and would be the perfect seal to Lord Alconbury's mouth. He just hoped that the men gathered volunteered because they had the prowess and not because they had the pride!

"The choice will be made by those that have volunteered so far...unless a new volunteer springs forward..." he nodded to his friend to wait, as he seemed quite willing to step down, should such be the case but also eager to prove Lord Alconbury wrong, should he have a chance.

Before Alconbury could protest, another smooth voice cut in.

"I'm sure the current volunteers will do quite nicely, Alconbury. After all, this is merely in good fun and to entertain the ladies, isn't it?"

The Earl of Gleve stepped forward, not to subtly reminding everybody that anything more would be grossly impolite towards their hostess.

"I believe three days should suffice to organize a suitable venue?"

He looked at Uxbridge, probably more asking whether the time was enough to practice, and the earl gave a curt nod.

Willoughby glanced at the men that had volunteered to perform. Three days, if starting tomorrow, would be a tall order but possibly, if the men had some experience of dressage, doable.  He smiled at Burlingame. Atleast he knew the skills of that one. They've practiced together, they've ridden together and that really kept his own nerves a bit calmer.

He smiled at Lord Alconbury, though it never reached his eyes. Waiting for Uxbridge to answer, he busied himself with debate on what he could do to enjoy this day. He would most certainly think no more of the quadrille competition, once they parted ways. Not today, tomorrow they would all need to meet at some point, get the horses together, see what they knew, what they were good at and more.

Today he intended to enjoy his time and the dance that he had been promised by Bella, he would also enjoy the feast and perhaps he was going to dance more. Hopefully his grandfather would not hear too early of this challenge. The last he wanted was to hear preaching all the way home.

"The footing is probably best in Hyde Park - although that is probably the most public arena we could choose in London," Vickery said thoughtfully. "I suppose we could always cross the Serpentine into Kensington Gardens?"

"Indeed, Hyde Park. I'll arrange for it", Uxbridge offered. "If the weather keeps, it will be quite a sight to see."

He seemed pretty sure that the soldiers would make a good showing, agreeing to such a public place. Gleve, a bit more concerned with giving everybody an opportunity to keep their faces, suggested:

"We might also take the courtyard of Gleve House or the gardens, if the riders wish for a more private setting."

Alconbury looked quite ready to take the last offer, though he tried to hide it, but without a good argument, pride kept him from speaking up.

Edward, not wanting to be thought to have an unfair advantage in any way, didn't say anything, but stepped closer to Vickery and Uxbridge to show his support for their suggested location.

Willoughby knew his grandfather would be throwing a fit when he learned what he had done. He made a scene - though others actually encouraged it by joining in - and if he learned that they chose the most public of places, he would probably be no happier.

"...With the options given, we might have a majority vote and see then, which of the locations suits us best?" He offered.

Sympher thought for a moment, then shrugged.

"I do not mind either place. Whichever is better suited to the practical necessities will get my vote."

Somerset raised a hand. "Hyde Park." He stated simply.

"I have no objections to its being in Hyde Park, if anyone else does not," Lieutenant Dalrymple put in, looking among the group.

"I am quite fine with Hyde Park." Burlingame answered, raising hand as well. Hon. Henry G. Bernard considered the options and then spoke: "I would perhaps prefer a more private affair, but should you all pick Hyde Park, I will not object."

Willoughby contemplated while others raised hands for one or the other option or answered in indifference to any. He almost wished to keep himself from passing a vote as adding that - Hyde park a public display, to his previous argument, why his grandfather would be livid! Pride though was not his friend as it made him a far too eager supporter of - show it off to as many as one possibly could - which of course would mean that when it was his turn to give the vote, he will probably cast it for the Park.

Mr. Fontsbottle-Wickenham, a dandy whose only saving grace was the fact that he could and would perform in Alconbury's set quite creditably, and had looked before as if something had died on the tip of his shoes, looked at Bernard with something close to approval.

"I would prefer not to put on a display for every milk maid and street sweeper, either. After all, we are not performers in Astley's amphitheater."

Uxbridge scoffed.

"Even in Hyde Park, I'm sure we can organise something better than a circus performance!"

"Or perhaps it is that you are not quite confident enough in your own performance, that you do not wish to do it elsewhere but in private so that you might not.. have others learn of this as well? Your words.." He added simply. Willoughby had not made a slight against any of them, but a mere speculation , which he too ought not have done. It was best that they quite soon would go and dance or else there will certainly be a duel between a dandy and a hussar, each with a pistol in hand. The world still needed at least a few live dandies so it would have been quite a pity too!

"Hyde Park is merely a short ride away from the more quiet openness afforded by Kensington Gardens," Vickery put in. "Shall we continue to make our arrangements at a later date - or perhaps move elsewhere? The ladies wish to dance again and we are taking up quite half the available floor."

Fontsbottle-Wickenham bristled, but before he could formulate whatever challenge or insult he was preparing, the Earl of Gleve cut in:

"None of the gentlemen here will have reason to fear the ridicule of the uninformed or spitful, which I take it is what Lord Gwydyr meant?"

His voice was calm and pleasant, but there was a steely undertone to it that said quite clearly that both Willoughby and Fontsbottle better agreed to this or face the consequences.

"I'm sure we can organize things better than that. Speaking of which: Major Vickery is right. I would propose that we nominate a commitee that will meet in private and see to the practical side of things, so that we no longer hold up the festivities tonight with our planning."

Indeed had the crowd, now that the most exciting part was over, slowly started to give them impatient glances, and Gleve was not keen on letting anything happen that would capture their full interest again.

"It seems that Hyde Park has the Aye, by the strength of more people outrightly voting for it, but we will see whether we can arrange for Kesington Gardens as a middle ground on which all parties can agree."

The Earl of Uxbridge, automatically including himself in the comitee, voiced his agreement and suggested meeting at White's tomorrow morning to discuss the particulars.

Willoughby nodded, the motion slow and emphasized. Earl of Gleve was the last man he wished to displease and he was quite grateful that the man was in a way assisting in the matter, for it made him as much involved as those who would eagerly ride before the eyes of spectators.

Bloodshed avoided, the dance would soon be able to continue as well. "We might need to settle the time and place for our group specifically as well to meet tomorrow, and have the three days in full, before the competition." He said.

"But...as you have said, we can most certainly discuss this where we do not cause a problem on the dance floor and when the ladies do not have the danger to suffer without their promised partners." Which meant, it would be discussed later, and not now as perhaps many of the men who volunteered also had dancing engagements and their dancing partners would be quite upset, if they missed them.

This of course meant that Willoughby could return to standing on the sidelines, as he had not quite found nor perhaps sought more partners before the date of this ball. His cousins were already promised for the dance as well.

"I should not think it would take more than two men from each side to make the arrangements for the rest," Vickery said. He was quite willing to let others make the arrangements, unless there was nobody else to volunteer for the military side.

The same naval officer who had jested about rowboats before stepped forward, offering his services as well.

"Let the riders concentrate on presenting their best. For all intents and purposes, we should be enough.", he argued. "If the sides want to nominate other representatives, then discuss it among yourselves and just send them to White's."