Chapter Fourteen
A riadne cried, “Lia! Tia!” as her sisters were handed down from the carriage.
She ran toward them, embracing them both at the same time, tears of happiness running down her cheeks.
“We missed you so, Ariadne,” Lia said, tears welling in her own eyes.
“We want to hear about everything you have been doing,” Tia added.
“I have been beside myself without being able to see you every day,” she told the twins. “Come inside. You need some tea after your journey to town.”
She looked to Parsons, who stood nearby, and the butler nodded. “I will see to tea at once, my lady.” He looked at her siblings. “It is delightful to have you here with us, my ladies. If Mrs. Parsons or I can do anything for you, please let us know.”
They entered the foyer, where Mrs. Parsons greeted them, saying, “I have prepared a large bedchamber for you, my ladies. Her Grace suggested that you share one.”
“We are used to doing so,” Tia said. “In fact, we prefer it.”
“We have always shared,” Lia confirmed. “Thank you, Mrs. Parsons.”
They went to the drawing room, her sisters pointing out pieces of art and furniture they remembered along the way.
“It has been many years since we have been here, Ariadne,” Lia said. “Have you seen anymore of Con? Your last letter mentioned how much you have enjoyed talking with him.”
They took their seats, and she said, “Our cousin is wonderful, like another brother to me already. I can see why he and Val have been the closest of friends all these years.”
“Where is Val?” Tia demanded. “I thought he would be here to greet us. Mama, too. How on earth did you ever convince her to allow us to come to town?”
“I missed the both of you terribly and told Val so. He is the one who persuaded Mama to have you come for a few weeks to be with me. Val said it would not hurt to have the two of you see a little of what a Season is like. Of course, you cannot accompany me to any events. Mama also said you will not be allowed in the drawing room if I have any suitors call upon me.”
“It does not matter to me,” Tia declared. “We are here. In town. It is so nice to be somewhere different for once.”
She looked to Lia. “What of you? Are you happy to be here?”
Lia smiled. “I am happy to see you and Val.”
“Is your governess coming?” she asked.
Tia’s nose crinkled. “Miss Nixon is coming in the next carriage, along with a maid to care for us. She has said we will have our lessons in the mornings, but we will be free in the afternoons to ride or walk and see a bit of town.”
Tea arrived, and Ariadne poured out for them.
Lia said, “You will soon be doing this in your own household. Are you excited about finding a husband?”
It was on the tip of her tongue to tell them about Julian, but Ariadne decided to hold back for now. She assumed at some point the twins would meet the marquess, and she would seek their opinion about him after they had done so.
“Papa has let me know his expectations are that I should be betrothed by Season’s end.”
“That does not seem fair!” Tia cried. “What if you do not find any of the eligible bachelors amenable to you?”
“The assumption is I will find a husband—or one will be found for me.”
She watched both her siblings shudder at that thought and wanted to reassure them.
“It is not as bad as it sounds. Val and Con are already thinking about gentlemen they are friendly with, and they will introduce them to me. In fact, Papa has told Val that he will be the one responsible for helping me to find a husband.”
“Our brother will not let you down,” Lia said, patting Ariadne’s hand. “He has always been protective of the three of us.”
“And if Con is helping him, that makes it all the better,” Tia added.
Once they finished their tea, the twins went to their room, with Ariadne telling them to be in the foyer in half an hour because they were to go to her modiste’s appointment with her and Mama. That news excited both twins.
Ariadne made her way downstairs, finding Mama already waiting in the foyer.
“I was not in favor of your sisters coming to town,” Mama said bluntly. “I have enough to worry about, launching you into Polite Society, without having to worry about them.”
“They will not be a bother to you, Mama,” she reassured. “Val only wanted them to see a little of what they can expect for their own come-outs next spring. They will be leaving in a few weeks. Val and I will take responsibility for them.”
“Do so then,” Mama said dismissively.
Sometimes, Ariadne wondered why her mother had even borne children since she never seemed interested in them. Then again, the only child she did seem to care about was her son, the heir apparent. She supposed when her parents tried to have the obligatory spare, they had been disappointed when three girls followed. One time, she had overheard Mama speaking with one of her friends, saying birthing the twins had almost killed her and that the doctor had told her there were to be no more children after that. Ariadne decided her mother’s disappointment in not providing another son was why she treated her daughters so callously. It caused her to vow to treat her own sons and daughters as equals, loving them no matter what their gender.
She only hoped she could find a like-minded husband who would not favor his sons over his daughters, at least overtly.
That caused her to think of Julian again. Because he had not been brought up in the world of the ton , she believed he might be different from other men. She only wondered if they were meant to be together.
Tia and Lia came downstairs in high spirits but tempered them once they saw Mama’s frowning disapproval.
In the carriage on the way to Madame Laurent’s, Mama told them, “You are to be seen and not heard while we are at the modiste’s shop. It is only because Valentinian insisted you be here that I had the goodwill to allow you to come to town for a short while.”
“Yes, Mama,” the twins said in unison, casting their gazes downward.
Once they arrived, however, Mama saw one of her friends and abandoned the three of them. The woman was choosing fabrics and insisted that Mama assist her. That left them on their own, and they went to the rear of the shop as Giselle fitted Ariadne.
Lia looked at the rack of gowns which her sister would be trying on. “These are beautiful,” she said, wonder in her voice. “The materials are so luxurious.”
Giselle aided Ariadne in slipping from her gown and then placed the first of the ballgowns to be fitted on her.
“Oh!” Tia exclaimed. “You look like a princess from a fairytale.” She looked to her twin. “Just think, Lia. This is what we shall be wearing this time next year.”
Tia began dancing about the dressing room, causing the others to laugh.
An hour later, Giselle helped Ariadne dress again and told her, “You may come for a final fitting for these in a few days, my lady. I have already started cutting the material for the next round of gowns.”
“The next round?” Lia asked, round-eyed. “How many gowns are they making up for you, Ariadne?”
She thanked Giselle and led her siblings from the dressing room and said, “It is an obscene number, Lia. Do you know that I will only wear each of those creations once?”
“No!” both twins exclaimed.
“I had no idea that was how things worked,” she confided. “Apparently, it is a great sin to wear a ballgown more than once, and Polite Society looks down upon you if you do so.”
Lia nodded in understanding. “That would lessen your chances of making a good match because others would speak ill about you. Gossip spreads quickly, and it might reach the ears of your suitors and their families.”
“Exactly,” she confirmed. “While I am unhappy about the expense and waste, I do understand that is how Madame Laurent and Giselle earn a living. Mama has emphasized that more eyes are upon me than most girls who are making their come-outs because I am a duke’s daughter. It will be the same for the two of you.”
They returned to the center of the dress shop, where Mama was still sitting with her friend and Madame Laurent.
Mama glanced up. “Are you pleased with the gowns, Ariadne?”
“Very much so, Mama. Madame Laurent and Giselle have done a fine job. I will be superbly dressed this Season wearing their creations.”
“You may take the carriage straight home,” Mama said. “Lady Charworth still requires my advice. Have it sent back to me.”
“Yes, Mama,” she said, surprised that her mother would allow them to return home unescorted. Then again, they had both their driver and a pair of footmen who would see to them.
She instructed their driver to take them home and then return for Her Grace. As they journeyed through the streets of town, Ariadne began pointing out different sights to her sisters, and the happiness her siblings experienced spilled over to her. She decided once she wed, she would have both Lia and Tia come stay with her for a while. Perhaps the girls could spend Christmas with her and her new husband.
Their vehicle turned into the square, and she saw a hansom cab pulling up in front of their own townhouse.
“I see Val,” Lia said enthusiastically.
“Is that Con with him?” Tia asked. “And who is the other gentleman?”
Her heart sped up as she tried to calmly say, “Yes, that is Con with Val. He is the one in the midnight blue coat and buff breeches. With them is Lord Aldridge. He is our neighbor and has held his title less than a year.”
As their carriage made the circle and pulled up to their townhouse, Lia said, “Lord Aldridge is quite handsome. Have you met him, Ariadne?”
The vehicle came to a halt. “Yes, I have. He has become friendly with Val and Con and been to tea.”
The door opened, and she saw that the three gentlemen waited for them on the pavement. Tia bounded from the carriage first, Val stepping forward to hand her down and embrace her. He then assisted Lia before taking Ariadne’s hand and bringing her down.
Con was hugging Tia, and he glanced to Lord Aldridge, who averted his gaze. Ariadne wondered if he did so because Val had frightened the marquess with his stern warnings about kissing his sister.
Or worse. What if Julian had changed his mind about the kisses they had shared and no longer had feelings for her? Or he wanted to avoid future conflict and had washed his hands of her?
She swallowed her dismay at that thought and smiled brightly at her cousin as Val made the introductions.
“Con, you met Tia and Lia when our families were together, what eight? Nine years ago?”
As Con greeted the twins, he told them, “Just as I told Ariadne I recalled her copper hair, that is how was able to tell the two of you apart,” their cousin revealed. “You favored one another so much in the face and still do, but I remember Lia’s auburn hair and Tia’s strawberry blonde shade. I am glad Val was able to convince Uncle Charles and Aunt Alice to have you come to town for a while.”
Val said, “This is Lord Aldridge.” Pointing to the townhouse at the bottom of the square, he added, “The marquess resides there and is our neighbor. May I present my younger sisters, Lady Lia and Lady Tia Worthington?”
Ariadne couldn’t help but smile to herself as Julian stepped forward, now knowing how an introduction worked. He bowed and took Lia’s hand, kissing it, saying, “I am happy to meet you, Lady Lia.” He did the same with Tia. “I will be off now and let you become reacquainted with your cousin.”
She looked to her brother pleadingly, and Val nodded. “It is teatime, Aldridge. Would you like to come in for it?”
Julian seemed torn about the invitation, but Con slapped him on the back. “I know you favor the tarts here, Aldridge. Come inside with us.”
It would have been awkward for Julian to refuse the invitation after that, and so the marquess said, “I would be delighted to join you.”
They went to the drawing room, and Val asked, “Where is Mama?”
“She stayed at the modiste’s shop, helping to advise a friend about her wardrobe for this Season,” Ariadne told her brother.
The teacarts were rolled in, and Parsons came to her. “My lady, His Grace sent word that he will not be at tea this afternoon. He is taking it with Lord and Lady Marley.”
“Thank you, Parsons. I shall pour out for our guests.”
She had had numerous lessons in serving tea to others and felt comfortable now as she did so. With only the young people present, it was a lively teatime although she noticed Julian barely contributed to their conversation.
“How long will you be in town?” Con asked the twins.
As always, Tia took the lead. “Val told Mama it was only for a few weeks, then we will be banished to the country once more.”
“Tia, that is unkind,” Lia chided. “You love Millvale.”
“I do,” Tia responded, “but I love the idea of an adventure in town more. We have spent our entire lives in the country, Lia. I want to go places.” Then her eyes lit up. “We must go to Gunter’s,” she declared.
“Ah, I remember all three of our families going there the one time we were all together,” Con said. “I have not been to Gunter’s in ages.”
Val looked to Ariadne. “Do you have any engagements for tomorrow?”
“I am seeing the milliner again tomorrow morning, but my afternoon is free.”
“Then we shall make merry at Gunter’s tomorrow afternoon,” he proclaimed. “How does one o’clock sound?”
Everyone nodded in agreement, but she saw Julian remained quiet.
“You are welcome to come with us, my lord,” she told him.
His gaze finally met hers for the first time that afternoon. “I would not intrude upon a family outing.”
“Have you ever been to Gunter’s?” she asked.
“No, my lady. I have not.”
“Then you must come with us, Lord Aldridge,” Tia encouraged. “Everyone should go to Gunter’s. I insist, my lord.”
Ariadne saw Julian could not turn down her sister without seeming rude. “If it will not be a burden to the rest of you, then I would be happy to accompany your party, Lady Tia.”
“You are never a bother, Aldridge,” Val said. He looked to the others. “We shall depart from here at half-past noon. I will ask if Papa needs the carriage or not.”
“Mine is available to us,” Julian said quietly. “It will seat all of us with room to spare.”
“Excellent,” Val declared.
Tea ended, and the marquess thanked them for the invitation, saying he had another engagement.
After he exited the drawing room, Tia said, “It will be so much fun getting to know more of you, Con,” she told their cousin. “Lord Aldridge is very quiet, though.”
Lia spoke up. “There is nothing wrong with being quiet.”
Her twin laughed. “That is because you are one of those quiet ones. Perhaps you and the marquess will make a match during next year’s Season. Unless he is already wed,” Tia amended.
The thought of Julian wed to anyone else, much less her own sister, made Ariadne nauseous.
Val quickly said, “The two of you do not need to worry about matches at this point. Con and I will see that Ariadne is taken care of first. Then we will turn our attention to the two of you.”
“And Lucy,” Con said. “My sister is to make her come-out next spring.”
Tia clapped her hands in delight. “Oh, that will be ever so much fun, doing so with our cousin.”
Con took his leave, and Ariadne went to her bedchamber. She worried now what her relationship would be like with Julian.
Had that unexpected kiss changed it for the better—or the worse?