Chapter 4
Chapter Four
“ A h, Lady Brimsleigh,” Eloise’s mother said cheerfully as they approached the hostess. “Thank you for inviting us. It is truly a splendid evening.”
Despite Lady Danridge’s attempts to maintain a facade of normalcy, Eloise could sense the undercurrent of tension in her mother’s forced smiles. If they had been alone, her mother would have been a mess by now, but somehow, she always pulled herself together wherever she made an appearance in society.
Lady Brimsleigh, a stately woman with a keen ear for the latest gossip, greeted them warmly. “Lady Danridge, Eloise, how delightful to see you. I was just speaking of you. My godson was here not long ago, but he seems to have slipped away. Have you seen him?”
Eloise glanced around the room, her heart sinking. She had no desire to see Felix Greystone. Now that she had set her plan in motion, she was far more eager to see Lord Mortcombe. Before Eloise could respond, her mother had already been swept away by another acquaintance eager to engage her in conversation.
Left to navigate the soirée on her own, Eloise walked over to the refreshments table. The vast array of delicacies was impressive, but her mind was too preoccupied to eat.
Marriage was the answer, she was certain of it, but she had no idea how to seduce a man. She was certain her mother and the other elder ladies had tried teaching her—after all, their main goal always seemed to be marrying off their daughters—but Eloise had never bothered to listen and was now regretting her lack of knowledge.
Eloise sighed, leaning against the table and wondering what on earth she should do when she once again came face-to-face with Mortcombe. She surely could no longer tease him about his lack of intelligence though he had not seemed to notice her mockery of him the last time.
She spotted Hannah standing beside the sparkling punch bowl and an assortment of pastries. Hannah’s presence was a welcome relief from the pressures of the evening. Eloise walked over quickly, her steps light despite the heaviness of her thoughts.
“Hannah,” she smiled. “You are a sight for sore eyes! You are positively captivating in that pink gown.”
“Eloise,” Hannah returned the smile cheerfully though her own eyes were full of curiosity. “How have you been faring? You seem a bit preoccupied.”
Eloise sighed and shook her head. “It is nothing. Just… managing the evening as best as we can. Mother is trying so hard to keep up appearances.”
Hannah’s expression softened with concern. “I can imagine. If there is anything I can do or if you simply need to talk, you know I am here for you.”
Eloise appreciated her friend’s support, but at the same time, she was acutely aware of eyes watching them from across the room. “Thank you, Hannah. I may take you up on your offer later. For now, let us try to enjoy what we can of this evening. Must keep up appearances and all that.”
Just as Hannah was about to reply, she was interrupted by the arrival of another lady.
“Ah, Lady Eloise,” the voice dripped with insincerity. “How nice to see you here. You and your friend, of course.”
“Lady Arabella,” Eloise replied, throwing her an equally insincere smile.
She had never liked Arabella, whose sharp tongue had struck down many a lady.
“I must say, you have quite the knack for captivating Lord Mortcombe’s attention. He was rather taken with you at the previous ball. It seems you have managed to monopolize his time.”
Eloise, taken aback by the directness of her remark, managed a polite smile while ignoring her jab about Lord Mortcombe. It did not surprise her that Arabella was jealous. The woman had a reputation for relentlessly hunting down all the eligible bachelors of the Ton, only to discard them without a backward glance once she realized they did not meet her exacting standards.
“How are you? It is always a pleasure to see you.”
Lady Arabella’s eyes gleamed with a mixture of envy and cold satisfaction. “I must say, your dress is simply divine. Quite a bold choice, considering the rather… trying circumstances surrounding your family’s finances. I have heard whispers about it, you know.”
The mention of her family’s financial troubles stung more than Eloise cared to admit. She had hoped to keep their difficulties private, at least until she could find a solution. Lady Arabella’s barbed comments were a cruel reminder of their precarious situation.
Lady Arabella did not stop there. With a smirk, she continued, “And your brother! It seems he is quite far away, and I wonder if he will be able to assist you before it is too late. Indeed, he has been gone for so long that I find myself wondering whether he even desires be of help. Perhaps there is good reason he ran away in the first place.”
Eloise’s smile faltered as she struggled to maintain her composure. “I do not know where you obtained that impression. He did not run away as you put it. I can assure you that my family has everything under control.” Eloise spoke through clenched teeth.
She only hoped that she had managed to speak with sufficient conviction to dissuade Lady Arabella from continuing that line of gossip.
She glanced at Hannah, who was trying her hardest not to snap back at Arabella. Eloise, feeling overwhelmed and needing to escape the suffocating atmosphere, took a deep breath. “I must excuse myself for a moment,” she added, her voice steady but on the verge of breaking. “I require some fresh air.”
She nodded politely to both ladies and immediately headed to the balcony.