Mistborn Trilogy - Brandon Sanderson [107]
Vin flushed. “I’m sorry, my lord.”
“Ah, see, now I feel guilty. All for a cup of wine. Look, there’s plenty of room for two people here—just scoot over a bit.”
Vin paused. Could she politely refuse? He obviously wanted her to stay near him—did he know who she was? Should she try to find out his name, so she could tell Kelsier?
She stepped a bit to the side, and the man took a place next to her. He leaned back against the side pillar, and, surprisingly, took out his book and began to read. He was right: The lantern shined directly on the pages. Vin stood for a moment, watching him, but he seemed completely absorbed. He didn’t even pause to look up at her.
Isn’t he going to pay me any attention at all? Vin thought, puzzled at her own annoyance. Maybe I should have worn a fancier dress.
The man sipped at his wine, focused on the book.
“Do you always read at balls?” she asked.
The young man looked up. “Whenever I can get away with it.”
“Doesn’t that kind of defeat the purpose of coming?” Vin asked. “Why attend if you’re just going to avoid socializing?”
“You’re up here too,” he pointed out.
Vin flushed. “I just wanted to get a brief view of the hall.”
“Oh? And why did you refuse all three men who asked you to dance?”
Vin paused. The man smiled, then turned back to his book.
“There were four,” Vin said with a huff. “And I refused them because I don’t know how to dance very well.”
The man lowered his book slightly, eyeing her. “You know, you’re a lot less timid than you look.”
“Timid?” Vin asked. “I’m not the one staring at his book when there’s a young lady standing by him, never having properly introduced himself.”
The man raised a speculative eyebrow. “Now, see, you sound like my father. Far better looking, but just as grumpy.”
Vin glared at him. Finally, he rolled his eyes. “Very well, let me be a gentleman, then.” He bowed to her with a refined, formal step. “I am Lord Elend. Lady Valette Renoux, might I have the pleasure of sharing this balcony with you whilst I read?”
Vin folded her arms. Elend? Family name or given name? Should I even care? He just wanted his spot back. But…how did he know that I’d refused dancing partners? Somehow, she had a suspicion that Kelsier would want to hear about this particular conversation.
Oddly, she didn’t feel a desire to shrug this man away as she had the others. Instead, she felt another stab of annoyance as he again raised his book.
“You still haven’t told me why you would rather read than participate,” she said.
The man sighed, lowering the book again. “Well, see, I’m not exactly the best dancer either.”
“Ah,” Vin said.
“But,” he said, raising a finger, “that’s only part of it. You may not realize this yet, but it’s not that hard to get overpartied. Once you attend five or six hundred of these balls, they start to feel a bit repetitive.”
Vin shrugged. “You’d probably learn to dance better if you practiced.”
Elend raised an eyebrow. “You’re not going to let me get back to my book, are you?”
“I wasn’t intending to.”
He sighed, tucking the book back into his jacket pocket—which was beginning to show signs of book-shaped wear. “Well, then. Do you want to go dance instead?”
Vin froze. Elend smiled nonchalantly.
Lord! He’s either incredibly smooth or socially incompetent. It was disturbing that she couldn’t determine which.
“That’s a no, I assume?” Elend said. “Good—I thought I should offer, since we’ve established that I’m a gentleman. However, I doubt the couples below would appreciate us trampling their toes.”
“Agreed. What were you reading?”
“Dilisteni,” Elend said. “Trials of Monument. Heard of it?”
Vin shook her head.
“Ah, well. Not many have.” He leaned over the railing, looking below. “So, what do you think of your first experience at court?”
“It’s very…overwhelming.”
Elend chuckled. “Say what you will about House Venture—they know how to throw a party.”
Vin nodded. “You don’t like House Venture,