Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“He’s looking at you again,” Penelope said, unable to keep herself from smiling.
“He is not!” Barbara cried, pretending to be upset by the notion, even if Penelope could see how thrilled she was.
“Take a look for yourself – careful!” She was holding Barbara by the arm as they walked, and she clutched it, forcing the young woman not to turn suddenly. “Do not be so obvious about it.”
“I…” Barbara stuck her tongue out. “Yes, subtle. Like this…” She affected a yawn, stretching her arm over her head and turning back so she could glance quickly over her shoulder.
Her eyes widened when she did, and she was back to looking ahead.
“I saw him! I… you were right. He was looking right at me!”
“I told you so.”
“What do I do? Do I… am I expected to go over and speak with him? I don’t think I want to.” Her body turned stiff, and she reached over with her spare hand, clinging onto Penelope.
“For now, you do nothing,” she said rightly. “In fact, do not approach him at all tonight.”
Barbara looed relieved… only to turn it into a frown. “But I thought… am I not supposed to…”
“He will approach you,” she said. “And if he does not, well, I have ways of making sure that won’t be a problem.”
“What do you mean? What are you… what are you planning?”
Penelope winked. “Just you wait and see. But you have to trust me, Barbara. Do you trust me?”
“I do, Penelope.”
Penelope beamed. “Good girl. Oh, this is going to be fun!”
The evening ball was in full swing, and Penelope walked through its center with Barbara clinging to her arm.
It had started thirty minutes ago, but Penelope insisted that she and Barbara be the last to arrive.
They had spent those extra thirty minutes together in Barbara’s room, putting the final touches on their gowns and checking that their hair and make-up were all in order.
The purpose for tonight, as Penelope explained, was not to waste time socializing and expending effort by speaking to as many people as possible.
Rather, it was to stand back and let the outfit do its work.
To be seen and admired and force those who dared to come to you.
And as things looked so far, it was a plan destined to success.
Penelope was dressed in a purple gown hemmed in silver.
It was tight fitting from top to bottom, with a high neckline, the crystal necklace she wore tying the ensemble together.
Barbara was dressed in deep blue, her gown flowing, sleeveless and showing skin – to which Barbara had protested – she looked stunning and confident and brave.
Indeed, as they walked across the busy ballroom, Penelope could feel people watching them. Ordinarily, she was not such a fan of that, but tonight she figured it was not so bad. Really, it was just nice to see how much Barbara was enjoying herself.
“Look at you!” Evelina swept toward them, her eyes wide and sparkling as she took the two of them in. “You look… well, Penelope, you look fine. But Barbara!”
“That dress!” Margaret came in next, taking Barbara by the hands and holding her back to get a good look at her. “Stunning.”
“I wondered why all attention was pointed this way.” Next came Alexandra, a huge smile across her face as her eyes roamed over Barbara. “Now, it makes perfect sense. You look beautiful, Barbara.”
“Oh… stop it…” Barbara was blushing furiously.
“Told you so,” Penelope told her. “See what you have been missing.”
Barbara scrunched her face into a tight ball to stop herself from smiling. “I don’t like how everyone is looking at me. It feels… weird.” She started to rub her arm.
“Even young Nicholas Wood?” Evelina asked with a cocked eyebrow. “I thought you would have liked that.”
Barbara’s eyes widened even further with embarrassment.
As Penelope’s sisters took hold of Barbara, fussing over her gown, she took a step back so she could better see the ball. She did, after all, organize the entire thing herself.
There were two score of guests here this evening, all of which she had met briefly earlier today.
That was not to say that she knew any of them, as she’d spent most of the day in hiding.
But to look at them now, a mass of colorful gowns and smart suits, laughing faces, cheerful smiles every which way, she was pleased to say that the ball was getting off to a fine start.
The theme was spring, and the colors that adorned the walls and hung from the ceiling were made to match. Music drifted lazily over the throng of guests. Waiters walked among them with drinks and nibbles. It was as good a ball as she had been to, so far nothing to cause worry.
But the night has only just begun…
Despite her best efforts, she did as she knew she was going to and looked for her husband. And when she did, she felt a stabbing pain in her chest that she did not want to feel but was not surprised at because as was the case for most of today, he was in the company of the young redheaded woman.
“Ah, I was wondering when you would notice.” Evelina came in beside her.
“Who is she?” Penelope scowled.
“Lord Kenbrook’s daughter.” Evelina scoffed. “Honestly, is she not embarrassed? The way she follows him about like a lost puppy.”
“It doesn’t look as if he means to stop her.”
Penelope’s insides squirmed when she registered the name. It was a dim memory, but was Lord Kenbrook not the one who Dorian had insisted that she invite all those weeks ago? She had not understood why at the time, but was this the reason? A desire to meet his daughter and… the sickness grew.
She pulled herself from that line of thought, not daring to consider such a thing. Even once she turned away, she was unable to stop looking over her shoulder, always finding the two of them together.
It should not have bothered her.
Even now, as she dared another glance, she took note of an older lord approaching her husband and the young redhead, who must be his daughter. To most, it would look simply like he was entertaining his friend’s daughter, nothing at all alarming or worth paying attention to.
Besides, Dorian had already made his feelings for her known, anyway. So even if that was not the case… I should not care! Not one little bit. But that she did was further confirmation that Penelope was still not past her feelings for her husband. Even if she very much wanted to be.
“Penelope!” Barbara was on her, grabbing her by the arms, eyes wide with panic. “Say it isn’t true.”
Penelope frowned. “What… what’s wrong?” She looked at her sisters, who were a mass of giggles. “What did you say to her?”
“Nothing,” Alexandra laughed. “We were just telling her what you had planned for later.”
“I don’t have to do it, do I,” Barbara begged. “I… I don’t think… please don’t make me.”
“For later…” Penelope frowned, not sure what they were speaking of. That was until she was. “Ohhhhh…” She grimaced at Barbara and then smiled awkwardly. “Surprise.”
“But –”
“You wish to speak with Nicholas, yes?” she cut her off, eyebrow raised in question.
Barbara pulled back, jaw clenched into an unsure grimace. “I… I think so…”
“This is the best way,” Penelope assured her.
“Believe me, if he approaches you beforehand, his father or your brother will be there – which might sound nice,” she cut Barbara off before the woman could interrupt.
“But if you really want to get to know him, it is best that the two of you have some time to talk alone.”
“Talk about what?” she swallowed nervously.
Penelope shrugged. “Anything. And if it is truly a terrible time and you have nothing in common, then at least that way you will know that it is not meant to be. Barbara…” She took her hand and met her eyes. “You said that you trusted me, remember.”
“I… I do trust you.”
“Then trust me in this,” she easer her, sensing her begin to relax. “You brother assures me you are quite the dancer, and there is nothing to be afraid of.”
“Easy for you to say,” Barbara muttered. “You are not the one being forced to –”
“On the contrary,” she spoke over her. “I will be there. As will my sisters.” She looked at them and widened her eyes so they would know this was not a conversation. “We will all be there, and if any of us sense the worst is going to happen…”
“We will make a scene,” Evelina promised here. “I will… fall and pretend to twist my ankle.”
Margaret laughed. “And I will cry out as if I have been stung by a bee.”
“It will be perfectly fine,” Alexandra assured Barbara. “It is just a dance. Once dance. What harm can it do?”
Barbara still did not look so sure. But she did not argue with them, and Penelope could see her slowly coming around to the idea. Again, a sign of how much the young woman was changing. And how much she wanted this.
With a word to the musicians, Penelope organized a waltz for the middle of the ballroom.
Mostly, the couples were comprised of husbands and their wives. For those who did not have that option but still wished to join in, Penelope had paired together names she thought might work together. With the help of Dorian, of course, as this had been organized days ago.
She’d also made sure to leave Barbara’s name as a spare, as well as that of a few men who Dorian had noted he wished for her to meet. Now that she had done that, Penelope would pair Nicholas with Barbara and give the two a chance to talk.
“It will be fun,” she assured Barbara who was slowly coming around to the idea, not shaking as she had been. “Trust me. It is just the one dance.”
“Who are you dancing with?” she asked. “My brother?”
Penelope very nearly said yes, out of instinct if nothing else. But before the words left her lips, her eyes widened as the realization of what they meant struck her.
I was supposed to dance with Dorian, just like every other married couple here.. Only now… she grimaced, looked to find Dorian still speaking with the young redhead, and scowled.