You speak with Sir Denton for a few minutes over dinner, inquiring into his affairs. "Oh, my boy, I've been quite well. I managed to bag a beast of a boar this past autumn, and my son is nearly old enough to become a page. The lands basically run themselves, I find."
After a few more minutes, you find yourself asking about important people at the party. "Well, there are a few other knights here, but they live in the next County over, so I doubt you'll have much interaction with them. I see you've already met the Duke's niece. The brunette is the Count's daughter, and the blonde girl over there is the daughter of a wealthy merchant from Folesden."
When you ask if the Duke or Count is present, he shakes his head. "Not at a function of this level. They certainly were invited, but graciously declined, lest they overshadow their host. It is quite standard, really."
You jokingly (but not really jokingly) ask him if he could teach you how to dance in an hour. He laughs quite heartily. "My boy, I was never much of a dancer. I imagine it will be some sort of group dance, so just try and follow along and do what the other men are doing, I suppose."
With that, you finish the dinner. The musicians return, and the tables are moved to the side of the room. Several young men line up on one side of the dance floor, and the young women do so on the other side. You manage to catch the Duke's niece glancing at you, but she quickly looks away and starts a conversation with her neighbor. Would you like to join them?