Aleera chuckled and said,"Very well, [b]Alice[/b], it's a pleasure, it truly is."

"How rehearsed." Dalton snorted.

"Oh, shush it." Aleera retorted.
She then looked to Alice and spoke,"So, Alice, we are at a ball after all. Why don't you have a dance? Some wine perhaps? Or we could all sit and get better acquainted?"

"Uh-actually..."Dalton intruded,"I have something important to speak with you about, Aleera. Privately. Remember?"

"Oh, of course!" Aleera started, her low voice hitting a slightly higher pitch.
"Excuse us please,"Dalton said to Alice,"it'll only be a minute. Why don't you have a seat over at one of the far tables? We'll join you in a few minutes."

"Actually," Aleera interjected,"why don't you go meet our third party, Thomas Linder? He's that gentleman over there, in the skull mask." She pointed over to the bar, where sat the man in the black tuxedo with the black grinning skull mask. He sat alone on the far right end, a full glass of champagne before him.
"Don't be put off by the costume, he's quite a fellow," Aleera said,"go tell him your with us. He knows we were expecting Dalton to bring a fourth into our group."

"We'll find the two of you," Dalton said,"by the time you two have introduced yourselves, we should be finished talking and we'll join you."