Chapter Sixteen #2
“Thank you,” Clarice said as her heart pounded, knowing one or both came from Samuel. She opened the one addressed to her in his smooth, looping handwriting.
My Dearest Clarice,
I don’t know whether to be worried or thrilled that you have arrived in Newmarket. I look forward to seeing you, but I’m also concerned. We must be very careful not to draw attention to ourselves.
You and Lady Rutherford can expect an invitation to a ball tonight, hosted by the Baron and Baroness Ramsbury, where I currently reside. I can’t wait to see you.
Always and Forever Yours,
Samuel
“Well,” Letita said as she stared at her excitedly, “is it from Stanton?”
“Yes. He says we should expect an invitation to a ball being held this evening.” Clarice broke the seal on the heavy cardstock of the second note and unfolded what appeared to be the invitation.
“It’s an invitation from Baron and Baroness Ramsbury.
The ‘Off to the Races’ ball starts at seven.
I have the feeling it’s a dress for the races theme. ”
“It sounds like it,” Letitia replied. “I’m sure Penny can take care of everything.”
“I’ll inform Kirkland that we need the carriage tonight.”
“Oh my,” Letitia whispered, “Greyson and his sisters are coming this way. I had hoped . . . but didn’t really think . . .”
“Take a deep breath and relax. You don’t want to seem nervous or overly excited.”
“I know, but it’s difficult. The man is so handsome and makes my heart flutter in song.”
“Song?” Clarice asked. “He makes your heart flutter in song?”
“You know what I mean. Oh my, he’s stopping.”
“Lady Rutherford, Lady Chesterfield, what a lovely surprise to find you here,” Greyson said as he nodded. “You remember my sisters, Lady Aurora and Lady Anastasia.”
“Yes,” Clarice and Letitia said in unison.
“Lady Chesterfield, does His Grace know you’re in town?” Greyson asked, looking concerned.
“Yes. We exchanged correspondence today.”
“Glad to hear it. Will we see you lovely ladies tonight at the Ramsbury Ball?”
“Yes,” Letitia replied, blushing.
“Well, then,” he dipped his head and grinned, “until this evening.”
Both Clarice and Letitia watched them walk away and sit at a table nearby.
Letitia leaned forward in her seat and murmured, “I can’t believe Greyson’s really here.
I had dreamed of running into him, but now I’m so nervous.
It felt as though I had a cloth tucked inside my mouth; it was so dry and hard to speak.
I don’t remember ever feeling that way before.
” She patted her hair nervously. “Indeed, when I met Rutherford, I was young and na?ve and overwhelmed with his kindness and generosity. I loved him deeply, and he made my stomach constrict and my heart pound. But Greyson, I cannot explain what he does to me, except to say it’s so much more than what I felt with my husband, and I hardly even know him. It makes no sense at all.”
When Clarice spoke, she did so as softly as Letitia, so neither Greyson nor anyone else could overhear their conversation.
You never knew when a busybody might be straining their ears, hoping to overhear gossip.
“I’ve never heard of anyone falling in love at first sight, but I believe that is what you did. ”
“I never thought it happened in real life, only in novels,” Letitia exhaled.
“Perhaps it is something else altogether. Perhaps I’m just attracted to him, and it is simply desire and nothing more that I feel for him.
It makes sense since it has been . . . well, you know what I mean.
Rutherford and I enjoyed the marriage bed.
” She touched her cheeks. “I’m blushing.
How embarrassing. However, if I can’t talk to you about it, who can I?
Anyway, as I said, perhaps it is a physical attraction and nothing more. ”
Perhaps what Letitia felt was only a physical attraction to Greyson, since they hardly knew each other. But Clarice believed it could, and would, if given the chance, develop into something much more. And she wished for both their sakes that it would.
They left their table and entered the hotel through glass doors leading into a spacious salon where guests could enjoy tea or simply relax and chat with friends.
On a long, narrow wooden table, the hotel had tea and biscuits ready at all hours, and Clarice and Letitia helped themselves to tea and sat on a settee.
“This inn is very accommodating,” Clarice said as she sipped her tea. “Not that I’ve ever stayed in an inn before, except for last night. And somehow, the Black Pigeon is nothing compared to here. Have you stayed in a large hotel or inn?”
Letitia giggled. “As far as large inns go, this is a first for me as well. Rutherford and I once spent time in Bath, but we stayed with friends and at a small coaching inns along the way.”
“I can see the appeal of a big inn if they are all as nice as this one.”
For a short while, they watched guests of the Red Lion Inn come and go.
Clarice recognized several people, but mostly they were strangers.
It was sad, really, that she never got to know many of the members of the ton close to her age.
Even sadder that she hadn’t become close to Letitia or Lady Hornsby until she was widowed.
And she’d only recently met Emmeline, Lilly, and their husbands.
She was thankful to have them among her friends.
Adding Mr. Hunter, Greyson, and his sisters, Clarice felt truly fortunate.
During her marriage to Chesterfield, she never thought she would ever be free of him or have friends of her own.
He never let her leave the house or entertain guests, which kept her from making friends.
So many years lost, trapped in her own home—a home that belonged to the new Marquess of Chesterfield.
Part of her was afraid of his arrival. Another part couldn’t wait, so she could move into a townhouse of her own and be free.
What troubled her was that he should have arrived by now, and she was worried for his safety.
She forced those maudlin thoughts of the next Marquess of Chesterfield away. “Shall we retire to our rooms and rest before tonight’s ball?”
“That’s a splendid idea,” Letitia agreed. “Sitting here has made me sleepy. I’m having trouble keeping my eyes open.”
“Oh dear,” Clarice chided. “We can’t have you causing a scandal by falling asleep in your teacup and then spilling it down the front of your pretty yellow day dress.”
Both of them stood and giggled. “No, we can’t,” Letitia replied.
Once inside her room, Penny helped her undress down to her chemise, then went into Letitia’s room to do the same.
Climbing beneath the soft coverlet, Clarice turned onto her side and exhaled.
It wasn’t until she mentioned to Letitia about resting that she realized how tired she was—both mentally and physically.
All the worry about sneaking off without her father’s knowledge and the two days of travel had caught up with her in the salon.
The door between her room and Letitia’s opened and closed, and she knew Penny had returned.
Before long, she felt herself drifting off and enjoyed the sensation of falling asleep.
It seemed only a moment had passed since she fell asleep, but she knew by the sun’s rays entering the room at a different angle that hours had gone by. She sat up and called out, “Penny?”
Penny ducked her head through the doorway from Letitia’s room. “Yes, my lady?”
“How long was I asleep?”
“About two hours. I’m helping Lady Rutherford dress and do her hair for the ball. If it’s acceptable to you, I will finish and then be right in. While you napped, I took the liberty of pressing your green gown with the cream trim.”
“The green gown is a perfect choice. Thank you, and take your time finishing up with Lady Rutherford.” It would give her time to clear her foggy mind and fully awaken.
She climbed out of the bed and found fresh water in a pitcher, a bar of floral-scented soap, and clean linens.
While she waited for Penny, she slipped off her chemise and washed her entire body, except for her back, which she couldn’t reach.
Feeling refreshed and wide awake, she went to the wardrobe, pulled out a clean chemise, and put it on.
She then sat down at the small dressing table, which doubled as a desk, and stared at her reflection in the fine-quality glass mirror.
Brown hair and brown eyes framed by nicely arched brows.
Nothing particularly unusual. Her skin was porcelain white with high cheekbones, a round chin, and a small, straight nose with a slight upturn and tiny earlobes.
Still, nothing extraordinary. No one called her a “diamond of the first water.” It didn’t bother her.
Samuel called her beautiful, and that was all that mattered.
As she examined her reflection in the mirror, trying to see herself as he did, she finally recognized her beauty.
Her eyes weren’t just brown, but had gold flecks in them.
Her hair wasn’t plain brown either, as red and blonde highlights shimmered depending on the light.
How had she never noticed she was anything but plain?
Maybe because she listened to Chesterfield call her plain.
His plain wife, with hair and eyes the color of mud.
Well, he was gone now, and it was time for her to start regaining her confidence and believing in her beauty, both inside and out.
Samuel saw it. Others might as well. But Samuel was the only one who truly mattered.
Oh, dear. Her hand flew to her stomach as it seemed to tumble down to her toes.
“My lady,” Penny said as she hurried into the room. “I’m so sorry to keep you waiting. Shall we do your hair first?”
“Yes, that would be nice.” As Penny worked her thick, wavy hair into an elaborate arrangement, Clarice was stunned by her talent. “If you’re so good with hair, why are you a housemaid?”
Penny blushed. “My husband, Mr. Peter Welch, works as an underbutler in your household. We wanted to stay together, and you didn’t need an abigail. I told Mrs. Jones I didn’t mind being a housemaid.”
“I apologize for taking you away from your husband for this trip. I had no idea you were married. Perhaps when we return, you can assist Mrs. Shelley. Besides being my maid, she takes on too much.”
“Thank you, my lady.”
Penny dressed Clarice in the gorgeous green silk gown with a high waistline and scooped neckline, complemented with a cream shawl.
The only jewelry she’d thought to pack was a simple gold locket given to her by her mother and engraved with two entwined hearts.
She had always planned to put likenesses of Samuel and herself inside and pass it down to their daughter someday.
Perhaps her plan would come to fruition.
They were still young enough to marry and have children.
“You are ready, my lady. You look beautiful,” Penny said. “Kirkland should be waiting outside the inn with the carriage to take you and Lady Rutherford to the Ramsbury Ball.”
“Thank you.” As Clarice was about to leave the room, Letitia entered, looking beautiful in a medium-blue gown with a matching shawl. “That dress looks stunning on you. Your blue eyes are practically glowing.”
“Thank you. Green looks gorgeous on you.” Letitia paused. “We are missing something to complete our outfits. We are supposed to be dressing as though we are attending the races, are we not? Penny, do you have the things I asked you to purchase?”
“Yes, Lady Rutherford, coming right up.” Penny disappeared into Letita’s room and returned with two hat boxes, which she placed on the bed. She then left and came back with two parasols—one blue, one green.
“Thank you, Penny. Your style is impeccable,” Letita said as she opened the hat boxes, pulled out the green and cream wide-brimmed bonnet trimmed with flowers and feathers, and held it out to Clarice.
“This is gorgeous. Thank you, Letitia.” Clarice put on the hat and tied the wide green ribbon to the side by her chin. “It fits perfectly.” The hat was cut out in the back to allow for a lady’s chignon.
Letitia’s hat was similar in design, but it was blue and white. Each parasol matched the hats in color and trim.
They exited the room and headed to the front of the inn and outside, where Kirkland stood at the carriage door, ready to assist them inside.