Chapter Five
“Can you believe you are reentering Society?” Clarice said to her friend, another widow her age, Letitia Fernsby, the Marchioness of Rutherford, who lived one street over, as they traveled to the first ball of the Season.
They had both been widowed for nearly two years.
Clarice had attended several house parties during the last Season, and she had been rumored to be having an affair with one Mr. James Caldwell. However, they had only been friends.
“It’s strange to think of it,” Letitia said with a smile. “I have no idea what to expect, and I’m shaking with excitement and trepidation. The only time I attended Society functions was on my dear late husband’s arm.”
Clarice found herself giggling nervously.
“Yes. I feel excited and anxious.” Letitia and she had many things in common, except that Letitia and her deceased husband had adored one another.
Letitia also had a son to keep her busy during long, lonely days and nights.
As for Clarice, her marriage had been the kind that nightmares were made of.
While her friend had been devastated by her husband’s untimely death, Clarice was, and please forgive her for this, thrilled to be free from her husband and tormentor after five long years of marriage.
But Clarice had another reason to be nervous and apprehensive about this Season.
What if she happened across her father? Her mother had sadly passed away the previous year.
And from what she understood, her father, at the advanced age of sixty, was looking for a young bride to provide him with an heir.
She already felt bad for the poor girl, whoever she turned out to be.
“You turned somber. Are you worried about the Westport Ball?”
Clarice toyed with her pretty, blue reticle that matched her dress.
“No and yes. I suppose I’m worried I might see my father.
I hear he’s looking for a young wife. Please stay as far away from him as possible.
He may be handsome and appear charming, but underneath that exterior is a selfish, spiteful, and downright despicable man. ”
Letitia leaned forward and clasped her hands. “I know, and I’m sorry for what he did to you. If you see him, pretend he doesn’t exist. Come to me, and I will help you escape.”
“You are a much stronger person than I, Letitia. Thank you for being my friend.”
“It is my pleasure, and you are a fighter for what you endured during your marriage to Chesterfield. You are stronger than I am. I would have run away or drowned myself in a lake if I found myself married to someone like Chesterfield.”
Clarice gasped. “No, you would not have. And please remind me how strong I am when Chesterfield’s great nephew and heir arrives.
I don’t want to live with him and I’m too young to retire to the dower house.
I will essentially be without a home.” Her entire being chilled at the thought of it.
Just then, their carriage came to a stop.
She didn’t want to think about her father, or her dead husband, or anyone from her past. She wanted to go to the ball and enjoy herself.
Letitia had insisted on using her carriage, believing it would attract less attention than the one with the Chesterfield emblem on the side.
She hoped her friend was right. A footman helped Letitia down the stairs and then assisted her in exiting the coach.
When Clarice stood and looked at the line of elegantly dressed members of the ton waiting to enter Westport Hall, she almost jumped back into the carriage, telling the driver to take her back home.
The only thing that stopped her was that she wasn’t a coward. Not anymore, at least. She had endured a lifetime of misery during her five-year marriage, and she was ready to face whatever the future might be.
Letitia wrapped her arm through Clarice’s. “My goodness, all the gowns are gorgeous!”
“They are.”
“We were so fortunate to run into the Duchess of Blackstone and the Countess of Langford at Gunter’s. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have been introduced to Madame Serena.”
Clarice had a modiste but had been hoping for an introduction to Madame Serena. No other modiste created such beautiful gowns. “Do you think they will be in attendance tonight?” Clarice asked as they moved quite quickly up in the queue, which surprised her.
“I hope so. I’ve never met either the duke or the earl, and I’d love to see the duchess and countess again.”
“I met the duchess last year before she married the Duke of Blackstone.” By now, they had reached the butler, who relieved them of their cloaks. They went up the exquisite marble staircase faster than Clarice could believe, and they found themselves before the elderly Duke and Duchess of Westport.
Clarice curtsied. “Your Graces, thank you for inviting me into your lovely home.”
The duke bowed, his eyes lowered to her chest, and Clarice fought not to bristle at his leering. His Grace was certainly no gentleman, and the rumors she heard about him were obviously true. “The pleasure is all ours, my dear.”
The duchess smiled at her, saying, “We are thrilled you came. Please enjoy yourself.”
Clarice waited until Letitia finished with the receiving line before she moved to the large opening of the ballroom where the master of ceremonies stood introducing the guests.
When it was their turn, once again, she wanted to turn around, run down the staircase, and hide inside the carriage until the ball was over.
Yet she managed to take a deep, calming breath and stiffen her spine as she handed the master of ceremonies her invitation.
“The Most Honorable, the Marchioness of Chesterfield.” When her name was announced, many occupants of the ballroom turned and gawked at her, freezing her in her step, so she waited for Letitia to be announced.
“The Most Honorable, the Marchioness of Rutherford.”
Letitia wrapped her arm around hers. “That was quite unnerving, having all these people stare at us. I feel like a lion in a zoo, being seen for the first time.”
“Indeed,” Clarice murmured, afraid to speak loudly in case people were eavesdropping. “Do you see anyone you know?”
“Let’s take a turn around the room. With any luck, we will see people we know and want to see.”
They promenaded behind mostly couples. However, several women were taking a turn with either their companion, family member, or friend, as they were.
“Thank goodness,” Letitia breathed. “The Duke and Duchess of Blackstone and the Earl and Countess of Langford are over by the open double doors leading to the veranda.”
Moving her eyes to that area, she saw the two ladies they had been hoping to find.
The duchess had black hair, and the countess had light hair.
Both of them were standing, smiling at their handsome husbands.
Clarice’s insides unclenched. Even though she was only briefly acquainted with them, it was comforting to see familiar faces among the hundreds of guests.
“Let’s make our way over,” said Clarice.
When the greetings concluded, Clarice found herself intrigued by the four people in front of her.
She had briefly met the duke and duchess last Season, had seen the duchess and the countess at Gunter’s, but had never met the earl.
Even though they knew little about Clarice, they treated her kindly, including her in the conversation.
The Duke of Blackstone kissed his wife’s cheek. “Langford and I saw Hollingsworth just arrive with his wife. We’ll be back soon.”
Once the men left, the Duchess of Blackstone smiled at her.
“You two remind me of the countess and me when we first arrived at the Westport Ball two years ago. Except we did have my mother with us, even though she disappeared the moment we were announced. I knew several people, since I’d had a Season when I was seventeen.
But much happened in the following ten years.
” She paused, and a sadness flickered in her eyes for a moment before passing.
“Lilly, the countess, knew not a soul but my mother and me, unless you count Langford.”
“We must count him,” the countess said, smiling brightly, “even if I hated him at first. He did eventually redeem himself,” she added, blushing.
“Yes, he did.” Her Grace lowered her voice, and everyone leaned closer.
“Lilly was married to Langford’s uncle, Henry Weston, who was my cousin.
When Henry died,” she paused, then continued, “Edmund, Lilly’s current husband, inherited the earldom from his uncle, Henry.
Lilly was already the Countess of Langford.
So it was only fitting she marry the next Earl of Langford, even if the start of their relationship was strained. ”
Clarice listened carefully and believed she had the relationship between the current earl and countess correct. “I think I understand.”
“Well then,” Lilly began with a smile and a softness in her voice, “it’s only fitting if I tell how Blackstone and Emmeline came to be married.
During Emmeline’s first Season, two gentlemen vied for her favors.
Mr. Aiden Fitzpatrick and the Earl of Quincy, who is now the Duke of Blackstone.
Quincy bowed out, and she married Aiden.
After four years, Aiden died in a horse riding accident.
It was six years before Blackstone and Emmeline saw each other again.
” She twirled her hand around. “Love at first sight again.”
The duchess hid her laughter behind her gloved hand. “Not love at first sight, but we did get there. Anyway, I can’t believe it, Lady Clarice. May I call you Lady Clarice?”
“Yes,” Clarice replied. “If I recall, I insisted you call me that last year when we met for the first time.”