"Mea culpa, mea culpa," Annabeth said when she found Piper kneeling by her bed, saying the rosary. "Mea maxima culpa."
Piper rose to her feet and smoothed her skirts.
"You know it's the polite thing to knock?" she replied.
Annabeth shrugged her shoulders.
"I thought I'd let you know that we're leaving in ten minutes."
Piper grabbed her cloak and bonnet and put her rosary beads inside of a handbag.
"You're bringing those with you?"
"Yes! So I can pray for your wicked soul. It'll need all the help it can get."
Annabeth always treated Piper's Catholicism like an eccentricity to be looked at with wry indulgence. Piper simply rolled her eyes and continued with her prayers.
It was her own self who Piper was praying for. She had done something she sincerely regretted and hoped that God would send tell her away to atone for it. Though Annabeth would never admit it, Miss Titan and Lieutenant Jackson's flirtation bothered her. And it bothered Piper as well. She had nothing against Miss Titan but when her friend's happiness was in jeopardy, she had to intervene.
A note and a misunderstanding had lured Miss Titan to the Guy Fawkes Day bonfire, thinking she would meet with Lieutenant Jackson. To her great same, Piper was behind both the note and the misunderstanding. It was a cruel, stupid thing to do and she hated herself for doing it.
She overheard two maids gossiping about how they had seen Miss Titan sneaking back into the house through the servants quarters. Such behavior would get the poor girl sent home in disgrace, her reputation destroyed. Piper vowed that she would do everything in her power to keep this gossip from spreading.

The Grace family's black, green, and yellow landau waited outside of the castle to bring them to Praetor's Assembly Rooms in Olympus.

Praetor's was Olympus's answer to London's fabled Almack's. Only the cream of the county were admitted into its hallowed halls. The Graces were at the top of the list of those deemed worthy enough to own a voucher to attend dances there.

Her Grace, the Duchess, was among the clique of local grandes dames who, like Almack's formidable patronesses, judged the pedigrees, clothing, and behavior of the guests.
Praetor's was located inside the grand Lotus Hotel, a brick building across the street from the beach.

"It's as grand as anything in London," Dona Reyna said as the carriage drove past the Lotus Hotel. She was sucking on a piece of horehound candy which was supposed to help with the lingering cough left over from her cold.
Dona Reyna had been bound and determined to recover from her cold in time for the dance. She was tucked up in bed with a warming pan for nearly two weeks. Piper often volunteered to bring whiskey hot toddies with honey and lemon, rose hip tea, and chicken broth up to Dona Reyna's room. The Spanish girl was usually in an irritable mood, as if her cold were an obnoxious inconvenience. But what did she expect after going out on cold, rainy night?
"What are on earth was she thinking?" Annabeth said. "I wonder if she was going to meet with someone."

They arrived at the Grace family townhouse by mid-afternoon which gave them plenty of time to prepare for the dance.
Piper's expectations for the evening were high. She had heard Praetor's compared favorably to Almack's and her head was filled with visions of the glittering assemblies which Silena described in her letters.

"I hope no one notices that I've worn the same gown twice," Annabeth said.
She stood in front of the mirror in the bedroom they shared, adjusting the bodice of her blue, striped zone-front dress. A blue stomacher and petticoat replaced the original white ones.

"So what if they do," Piper replied. "It's a lovely dress and you look lovely in it."
Annabeth smiled and twirled in front of the mirror.
"Enough preening. Can I get a look in there?"
Piper wore her white petticoat with a floral muslin round gown.

"You could show up in old rags and still be the prettiest girl there."
Someone knocked on the door and Annabeth went to answer it.
"Are you two ready yet?" Lady Thalia said, twirling her mother's string of black pearls around her finger.

"Almost," Annabeth replied. "We'll be down in about five minutes."
Piper noticed the brooch pinned to the bodice of Lady Thalia's gown. It consisted of an oval-shaped frame made from pearls which contained a miniature portrait of a blue eye.

"I wonder whose eye that is," Piper said when Lady Thalia had left.
"It's a man's eye," Annabeth replied. "Both her father and brother have blue eyes. The eyebrow above it is fair, so it must belong to her brother."
"Silly girl! You know it belongs to Captain Castellan."
"Of course. I'm the one who smuggled it into the castle for her."

A/N this is an actually thing 18th Century people did. They would wear a brooch containing a portrait of their lover's eye and people were supposed to guess who they were from their eye. 

Annabeth giggled.
"It seems as though everyone has a secret lover: Lady Thalia has Captain Castellan and Dona Reyna has whoever she went to meet on Halloween night."  
"It's quite a stretch to assume she went to meet someone."
"Why else would she go out at night in the rain?"
"She said she needed to think some things over."
Piper felt relieved that the gossip about Miss Titan's nighttime excursion had not reached Annabeth.
"Come. It's time for the dance."
She took Piper's hand and twirled her around.

When the carriage dropped them off at Praetor's, footmen took their cloaks and showed them to the ballroom: a vast confection of a space with pale blue walls and cream colored columns and moldings. Crystal chandeliers hung from the vaulted ceiling. The light from their candles glinted off the glass mirrors and gilded frames, making the whole room sparkle like a giant diamond.

Black japanned chairs stood up against the walls and along the upper gallery.
Piper entered the ballroom on Lord Skye's arm and the news of their engagement quickly spread.
"She certainly is stunning," a matron with a nose like a parrot's beak said, fluttering her fan. "Too bad her gown is so out of date."
Many of the ladies wore the high-waisted dresses which were fashionable in London and beginning to be seen at more provincial assemblies.
Piper had thought her gown was fine but now she was beginning to feel ashamed of it. 
Lieutenant Jackson spotted a red-haired girl standing by the refreshment table and went over to speak with her. She looked happy to see him and took his arm to go join the other dancers for La Boulangère.
"May I have this dance, Miss McLean," Lord Skye said, offering her his arm.
"I would be delighted," Piper replied.
Since Lord Skye was the highest ranking gentleman at the dance, they had the privilege of taking the spot closest to the orchestra.

A/N  La Boulangère

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Piper noticed that no one had asked Annabeth to dance. The poor thing had to sit off to the side in one of the uncomfortable looking japanned chairs like an old dowager.
"Annabeth looks too pretty to be a wallflower," she said to Lord Skye as they linked arms during the dance.
La Boulangère was a dance which required a fair amount of energy and Piper soon found herself out of breath. When the music finished, Lieutenant Jackson brought his red-haired dance partner back to the refreshment table and poured her a glass of punch.

The girl wore a stylish high-waisted gown in a pink shade with a floral print which her suited rosy coloring. A white turban bound up her mass of russet curls.

The two of them began to talk about something. Piper noticed that the red-haired girl had a rather brassy laugh.
Annabeth watched them from the sidelines with envious eyes.
"Do you know who she is?" Piper said as she sat down next to her friend, handing her a glass of punch.
"No," Annabeth replied. "But I have my suspicions."
The couple walked over to them. The red-haired girl cooled herself off using a pink fan printed with teal flowers and gold arabesques.

"Miss Chase, Miss McLean," Lieutenant Jackson said. "May I present Miss Rachel Dare."
Miss Dare curtsied to Annabeth and Piper then gave Lieutenant Jackson a knowing look.
"So this is the Miss Chase I've heard so much about," she said. "Percy, it was a damned shame that one of the prettiest girls here this evening had to sit the first dance out."
"Indeed," Lieutenant Jackson replied.
"Surely it is something no gentleman would stand for..."
Lieutenant Jackson took the hint and bowed to Annabeth.
"Miss Chase, will you do me the honor of being my partner for the next dance?"
Annabeth lowered her eyes.
"Well," she said. "I don't have any other offers so I guess I'll take you up on yours."
She took Lieutenant Jackson's arm and they got in place for the savage dance.

A/N  The Savage Dance

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Piper felt so exhausted that she sat this dance out. Lord Skye partnered with Miss Levesque.
Miss Levesque looked very pretty in a purple robe à la turque worn over a white petticoat. Her hair was covered by a purple and white striped turban.

"So that was the famous Miss Dare," Piper heard Annabeth say to Lieutenant Jackson as the dance brought them together, arm-in-arm. "She's every bit as lovely as her portrait."
"The portrait is a good likeness," he replied. "Rachel is a talented painter."
"Does she frequently come to Olympus?"
"She comes whenever there's a dance or a play or an art exhibition that interests her."
"Did you know she would be here this evening?"
"Yes. You wrote to me saying that she would be coming and was looking forward to meeting all of you."
Piper wasn't the only one who sat out that dance. Dona Reyna still felt too unwell for the exertion of dancing. Lady Thalia stood by the punch bowl, observing the dancers with a spyglass. Her gaze fell upon Lieutenant Jackson bowing to Annabeth and then Lord Skye depositing Miss Levesque at the refreshment table when the Savage Dance wrapped up.
For such a dainty little thing, Miss Levesque was surprisingly hardy. Two dances had not fatigued her one bit and she seemed eager for another.
"And now I send you back to Miss Dare with my compliments," Annabeth said, dropping a curtsy to Lieutenant Jackson.
She rejoined Piper by the left wall.
"I'm parched. Let's get some punch."
As they walked over to the refreshment table, Piper noticed that Lieutenant Jackson was watching them.
Annabeth poured a glass of punch and quickly drank it down. She then stood there for several moments, panting and fanning herself. After dancing in a crowded room lit by dozens of candles, Piper wasn't surprised that her friend felt so overheated.
A splendid figure in a red coat approached them from across the ballroom.
"Miss Chase," Captain Castellan said, bowing to Annabeth. "The next dance is about to begin- I believe it's the minuet. Would you care to stand up with me?"
"Of course," Annabeth replied. "I would be honored."
Annabeth usually skipped the minuets. She found them much too stiff and formal for her taste. Still, she took his arm and returned to the dance floor.
Miss Dare used her fan to cover a fit of the giggles.
"I believe that red coat has made off with your girl," she said, nudging Lieutenant Jackson.
He glowered as he watched Annabeth and Captain Castellan go through the slow, stately steps of the minuet. Annabeth floated like a pale blue butterfly and Castellan whispered into her ear when the dance brought them close together.

A/N Minuet

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Lady Thalia still surveyed the crowd with her little spyglass. She stood in the opposite direction from Annabeth and Captain Castellan but Piper had noticed that the spyglass had an extra lense on its side which allowed her to see behind her. Such a contraption was known as a jealousy glass.

Piper wondered what the pair were talking about. They looked as thick as thieves and could be plotting anything.
"At midnight," Captain Castellan said. "Come to the cloakroom."
"I will," Annabeth replied.
What in God's name are you doing, Annabeth Chase, Piper thought. She wanted to confront her friend about what was going on but knew that Annabeth would just deny everything and get defensive.
"Piper," Lord Skye said. "I believe you promised me the next dance."
"I believe I did," Piper replied.
She took his hand and he lead her to the dance floor. They passed Captain Castellan, who was bringing Annabeth back to her seat.
Piper and Lord Skye took their places among the dancers for Sir Roderick de Coverley.

A/N Sir Roderick de Coverley

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"Was that Captain Castellan with Miss Chase?"
"Unfortunately."
"How on earth did he get anywhere near a nice young lady like her?"
"He's been using her to get to your sister."
"Is he then? And you haven't done anything to stop it?"
"You know how stubborn Annabeth and your sister are. They never would have listened to me."
Their conversation had to be put on hold because the dance didn't allow them to come together very often. Piper watched Annabeth out of the corner of his eye to make sure she wasn't getting into trouble. Annabeth was perched in her seat, watching the clock and looking as innocent as a little doll
"She said she was going to meet him in the cloak room at midnight," Piper said as she and Lord Skye walked over to the refreshment table.
"The rascal," Lord Skye replied. "Why did they even let him in this evening?"
"It's a public dance. Anyone with enough money and decent clothes can get in."
Piper looked up at the clock above the entrance. "Midnight is ten minutes away. I have just the thing to keep her from meeting with Castellan."
She walked over to Lieutenant Jackson who was leaving the dance floor with Miss Levesque.
"Go ask Annabeth to dance."
"I was just about to," he replied.
She took him by the arm and lead him over to where Annabeth sat. Annabeth's grey eyes looked up at them.
"Annabeth, this gentleman would like to engage you for the next dance."
Lieutenant Jackson bowed.
"Miss Chase," he said. "Would you care to stand up with me for Upon a Summer's Day."
Annabeth looked up at the clock.
"Dancing with you a second a time wouldn't damage my reputation, so I can't see why not."

A/N  dancing with the same partner more than twice was considered bad manners. If a gentleman danced with a lady twice, it was considered a sign of romantic interest in her. When a gentleman payed a particular attention to lady at a ball, such as asking her to dance twice, he would be expected to visit her the next day, the equivalent of a calling/texting someone after a date today.

She took his offered arm and they went and joined the dancers. Piper returned to Lord Skye's side.
"And now we watch and wait," she said.
Annabeth held Lieutenant Jackson's hand and shuffled back and forth and side to side through Upon a Summer's Day.

A/N Upon a Summer's Day

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She appeared to be struggling to breath and on the verge of a swoon. When the clock struck midnight, she broke away from the line of dancer and bolted towards the door.
"Miss Chase," Lieutenant Jackson said, pursuing her. "Are you alright?"
"I just need some air," she replied. "It's so warm and close in here."
"Then may I come with you?"
"I'll be alright on my own."
Lieutenant Jackson rushed over to Piper.
"Something's wrong with Miss Chase," he said. "Would you go see if she's alright. She'll be more receptive to you."
"I will," Piper replied.
Piper knew exactly where Annabeth would be.
The cloak room was a closet behind a black velvet curtain in the hallway outside of the ball room. Two figures appeared to be hiding hiding behind the curtain.
"Bring this letter to Lady Thalia," Captain Castellan said. "It will tell her when and where to meet me. All the preparations have been made for the night after your play."
"I'll bring it to her," Annabeth replied. "I'm sure she'll be overjoyed to read it."
Castellan held back the velvet curtain so that Annabeth could exit the cloak room unhindered. Annabeth appeared to have recovered from her near swoon. The couple returned to ballroom in opposite directions, unaware that someone had seen them leave the cloak room: a red-haired young lady in a pink gown and white turban.

Back in the ballroom, a Scottish Reel was underway. No one appeared to have noticed they were gone.

A/N Scottish Reel

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Annabeth went to Piper and took her hands.
"I'm sorry to have taken off like that," she said. "I was feeling light-headed and needed some air."
"It's alright," Piper replied. "Are you feeling better?"
"Yes. A little fresh, night air was exactly what I needed."
Piper decided not to publicly confront Annabeth about her shameless behavior to avoid an even greater scandal.
Miss Dare entered the ballroom and went straight to Lieutenant Jackson. She whispered something to him and he turned to look at Annabeth. His face resembled a thunderstorm.

They left following the allemande.

A/N Allemande

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A maid brought a carafe of water mixed with honey, lemon, and ginger up to Annabeth and Piper's room. The two girls were encouraged to drink the whole thing to avoid a sore head in the morning.
"What are you playing at with Captain Castellan?" Piper said as she sat down to braid Annabeth's hair for bed. "Bringing messages back and forth between him and Lady Thalia is one thing but sneaking off with him to a cloak room during a ball is another."
"How do you..." Annabeth replied.
"Lieutenant Jackson was concerned when you ran off during the dance, so he sent me after you."
"Lieutenant Jackson should have minded his own business."
"I'm your best friend, Annabeth. You know you can tell me anything. I'm sure it's all perfectly innocent."
"He had another letter for Lady Thalia. His regiment is leaving later this month. The letter asks her to meet him one last time after we put on A Midsummer Night's Dream so he can tell her goodbye in person."
"Is that all?"
"That's all."