Chapter Seventeen
A riadne awoke, finding Lia and Tia perched on either side of the bed, watching her anxiously.
“You’re awake!” Tia cried. “Finally. We have been waiting forever.”
“Not that long,” Lia amended. “But we are eager to hear about last night.” She looked at her twin. “And no interruptions. Ariadne must speak freely.”
She pushed herself to a sitting position, stacking her pillows behind her for support. Her sisters were very dear to her, and she would not disappoint them.
For an hour, Ariadne told them about the Treeleys’ ball in great detail. She described how the ballroom was decorated. The different songs the musicians played. She elaborated on the midnight buffet and the incredible variety of foods available. She also told them about many of the gowns she had seen other women wearing, going into minute details of several dresses and the variety of colors.
All the while, her siblings sat, enraptured, their entire attention focused on her and her experiences.
Finally, Tia sighed. “It all sounds so wonderful, Ariadne, but what of the gentlemen you met? Were they handsome? Kind? Interesting?”
“Did you favor a particular one?” Lia asked.
“The ballroom was crowded with many people,” she began. “You can ask Val to estimate how many were in attendance because I cannot venture a guess. Val and Con—and Mama—introduced me to a good number of the guests. Lia was right. My programme filled quickly, and I did dance every set, but only with someone Val and Con approved of.”
“You did not answer my question,” Lia said. “Did you feel a special kinship with anyone?”
“This will be hard to believe, but you really do not converse much,” she revealed. “That was a little disappointing.”
“Well, if you were dancing every dance, I suppose you would not have time for talk,” Tia pointed out. “Dancing takes a lot of effort and concentration. I rarely say much to my partners when we go to the village assemblies.”
“Exactly,” Ariadne agreed. “A gentleman might comment on something as he took me to the dance floor, but the rest of the time, we were dancing. Then he would escort me from the floor, where another partner awaited me.”
“What about at supper?” Tia demanded. “Surely, you conversed some then with others.”
“My partner for the supper dance was a friend of Val’s and Con’s from university. He led me to their table, where another two gentlemen also sat, along with their supper dance partners. I actually spent more time talking with a few of the ladies, and I believe I will be friendly with a couple of them.”
Lia frowned. “Then how are you supposed to get to know a man, much less decide if you might wish to wed him?”
“I suppose that takes place this afternoon. Mama has told me I am to make myself available each day between two and four o’clock. Guests will call then on me. I hope I will be able to have a decent conversation with a few gentlemen at that time.” She paused. “That is, if anyone shows up.”
“Oh, they will,” Tia assured her. “You were so beautiful last night. I think our drawing room will be crawling with eligible bachelors.” Her bottom lip turned out in a pout. “I only wish we could be there, too, so we could meet some of your beaux.”
“You know Mama has forbidden us from doing so,” Lia said sternly. “She would send us packing tomorrow if we tried.” Shuddering, she added, “I have learned not to cross Mama.”
Ariadne took both their hands and squeezed them. “I will tell you everyone who comes and what we talk about.” She chuckled. “If I can remember their names.”
“Oh, you will eventually,” Lia assured her. “You will be going to events daily for the next several months. You will see the same people over and over again.”
“You are right. I am going to return to my bedchamber now and ring for Tally.”
“Oh, Mama said you would not eat breakfast downstairs with us,” Tia said. “That you would eat it in your room as she does since you will be sleeping later.”
She hadn’t known that. Rising from the bed, she said, “I will decide that for myself.”
When Tally appeared, though, she carried a tray with a covered dish.
“Brought you your breakfast and some tea, my lady. I hope you slept well in another bed.”
“It was fine. Will you always be waiting for me in my room when I return from an event late at night?”
“Yes. It will be easier than you having to ring for me. I hope you don’t mind if I doze off, though.”
“You may sleep in my bed if you wish, Tally. I would not mind.”
Her maid’s eyes widened. “Oh, no, my lady! I could never do that. The chair will do just fine. Now, eat something and then I’ll dress you. You’ll need to go see your flowers. They have been arriving all morning.”
“Flowers? From who?”
“From the men you met last night,” Tally said, laughing. “It’s something they do if they like you. They’ll come to visit you this afternoon, too. We need to think about what gown you should wear.”
The maid went to the wardrobe. “How about this mint green?”
That was one of her favorites which Madame Laurent had made up. “Yes. The green will do.”
“Then eat your toast points and eggs. I’ll go fetch some hot water for you.”
By the time Tally returned, Ariadne had finished eating and set aside her tray. She washed with the hot water and then allowed Tally to dress her.
“Keep the hair simple for daytime today,” she instructed, and her maid twisted her copper locks into a neat chignon.
By now, the twins had returned, clamoring for her to come to the drawing room.
“It is filled with bouquets, Ariadne. Filled!” Tia said enthusiastically.
“If every arrangement indicates a caller, you will be busy all afternoon,” Lia told her. “I have told Tia we should sit at the window and watch your suitors arrive.”
She accompanied her sisters to the drawing room, finding Mama there. Her mother went from one bouquet to the next, reading the cards, nodding to herself.
Seeing her daughters, she looked at Ariadne. “You have done well, Child. I will wager no other girl receives as many arrangements today than you have. Despite your red hair, I knew you would be a diamond of the first water.”
Having never heard the phrase before, she assumed it meant that she was popular. Ariadne walked from one arrangement to the next, reading the cards, trying to see if she could picture the gentleman who had sent these particular flowers. By the time she reached the last card, she squelched her disappointment, seeing none had come from Julian. She didn’t know why she had held out false hope that he might be responsible for one of the bouquets, especially since he had not even bothered to claim a dance last night.
Her sisters had followed behind her, reading the cards, and Tia now asked, “Why didn’t Lord Aldridge send you flowers? I assumed he would.”
“Why would he?” she asked. “We barely spoke last night. In fact, we did not even share a dance.”
“I thought he liked you,” Tia said. “I saw him looking at you when we went to Gunter’s and would have sworn that he did.”
“There is to be no swearing in this house, Thermantia Worthington,” Mama chided. “You and your sister need to go upstairs. Now.”
The twins knew better than to argue and quickly vanished. Mama turned to her.
“I have the same question, Ariadne. I would have thought the marquess would have been one of the first men to have signed your programme last night. The fact that he didn’t—much less that he did not send you flowers—gives me pause. Did you say something to alienate him?”
She sat in the closest chair, folding her hands primly in her lap, trying not to fidget.
“I think we both came to the same conclusion, Mama. That we would not suit one another.”
Her mother’s lips thinned in disapproval. “But he is a marquess, Ariadne. It does not matter if you do not suit. He is quite wealthy. As a duke’s daughter, you are expected to wed a man with his qualities.”
“Lord Aldridge was the one to tell me that we did not suit, Mama,” she said quietly, hoping that would keep her mother from speaking about him. “I cannot force him to be interested in me.”
“Pish-posh,” Mama declared. “You must try harder. Why, I saw the man dancing last night with girls who are the biggest of wallflowers. Plain girls with no figure and no spark. Surely, you can catch his attention again and change his mind.”
Sadly, she shook her head. “I do not think he is a man to change his mind once it is made up, Mama. I will admit at one time, I was interested in Lord Aldridge, but he made it evident he is not interested in me.”
Her mother sniffed. “Well, the Season is in its infancy. You have plenty of time to attract a worthy man. And if a suitable one does not distinguish himself from other gentlemen, we can always arrange for you to be found alone with Lord Aldridge.”
“What?” she cried. “What are saying, Mama? You would wish me to trap him into marriage?”
Her mother shrugged nonchalantly. “It would not be the first time. Aldridge seems of good character. He would not see you ruined. And no eligible dukes are looking at the Marriage Mart this year, so a marchioness is the highest rank you could attain.”
“Forget such a thought, Mama. I forbid you from trying to arrange anything of the kind. I will not be forced into a marriage with Lord Aldridge or anyone else.”
Her mother marched toward her, jerking Ariadne from her seat. “You will do whatever I tell you to do.” She paused. “How do you think I caught a duke?”
Horror filled her. “You... forced Papa to wed you?”
“He had shown interest in me. I was the daughter of a marquess. Meant to make an excellent match. When Millbrooke’s attention began to wander to one of my rivals, I made certain it was drawn back to me.” Her mother’s triumphant smile made Ariadne sick to her stomach. “He was caught kissing me by my mother and her best friend. Naturally, Millbrooke did the honorable thing and wed me.”
She jerked away from Mama, who said, “Oh, wipe that judgmental look from your face, Child. I brought him a healthy dowry. I gave him a son whom he worships. I have turned a blind eye to all his indiscretions for years. I have allowed him to lead his life, while I led mine.”
Ariadne had always known her parents had little to do with one another and had guessed their marriage had been an arranged one. What she hadn’t guessed was that Mama and her mother had done the arranging, trapping Papa for life. She would never participate in such a scheme. She cared too much for Julian to do something so vile.
“I would rather be gossiped about than force any man to wed me,” she declared.
Her mother’s eyes narrowed. “You say that now, but gossip flies like the wind and can cut deeper than you can ever imagine. You have a duty to this family, Ariadne Worthington. You are the daughter of a duke and will wed accordingly. I will not have you gossiped about.”
She started to retort with harsh words, but Mama added, “Remember—your conduct will reflect upon Cornelia and Thermantia. If Polite Society rejects you, they will do the same to your sisters.”
The words gutted her. Ariadne could never endanger her sisters’ chances of making a good match.
“I will never act in a manner which will reflect poorly on my family, Mama,” she said quietly. “At the same time, that means I will not conspire to force a man to wed me. I will behave honorably. Val has been charged by Papa to assist me in finding a husband. I trust him with all my heart.”
A light knock sounded, and Parsons entered the drawing room. “The first of Lady Ariadne’s callers are assembling downstairs, Your Grace.”
“How many?” Mama asked the butler.
“Half a dozen, Your Grace, which means more will follow.”
“Bring up the three who arrived first,” Mama commanded.
Once Parsons left, Mama said, “Suitors usually spend about a quarter-hour when they stop by. The larger the arrangement they sent to you, the stronger their interest is in you.”
Mama reeled off five names, stating those were the men who had sent the most expensive bouquets. “You are to be polite to everyone, naturally, but especially those five gentlemen. Do you understand?”
“I do,” she said dully, knowing she was going to hate this afternoon.
And the rest of this Season.