Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
“Imust admit I am rather anxious, isn’t that foolish of me?” Thomas chuckled as the carriage trundled through the countryside.
“There’s no reason to be anxious. Rose has the matter well in hand,” Margaret said, reaching over to squeeze Rose’s hand. Rose offered a small smile, although it did not reach her eyes as she was focusing more on the knot of worry that kept tightening in the pit of her stomach.
Thomas’ laughter faded as he stared at Margaret.
“I hope the two of you haven’t concocted some plan. I haven’t forgotten about the conversation we had. There shall be no scandal here,” Thomas said, making his voice as sharp as a razor, while raising his finger to point it at Rose.
The thing about her father was that he had never been all too good at being stern. Rose knew that his ire would cool quickly, and she just needed to wait him out like a passing storm, although his anger was never that intense.
“Certainly not, Father. I would never dream of such a thing,” Rose said.
“But I am sure there will be opportunities for you and His Grace to spend some time together over the coming days, whether it’s a walk under the moonlight in the gardens, or you may find yourself in one of the many rooms of his estate.
It might be an opportune time to speak about the future beyond the remaining promenades,” Margaret said airily.
“I would not seek to pressure him, Mother.”
“Nor should you seek to be alone with him. That is how rumors begin, and I shan’t have my daughter become subject to the ton’s sharp gossip,” Thomas said.
“Oh, Thomas, you do fret unnecessarily. This is a party, and we shall enjoy ourselves. All I am suggesting is that at some point during the event, there might be an announcement made, a happy announcement, for why else arrange such an extravagant party if there is no occasion to celebrate?” Margaret said, clearly implying that a proposal would be forthcoming.
“I do hope you are right, Mother,” Rose said, although she shuddered as she lied. She thought back to those moments when she last saw Edmund, how he caught her in his arms, how she had kissed him on the cheek, but had almost been tempted to target his lips instead. What dangers awaited her?
If he sensed any warmth, he might well end their arrangement, and she would not be able to enact her plan at all. She still had a front to put on for everyone in attendance, but there was a fine line between convincing others and still keeping Edmund at a distance.
The sooner this is over, the better.
She tried not to think about dancing with him or standing beside him, but for a moment, she imagined the terrifying possibility that he might actually propose. The music would stop, he would draw everyone’s attention, and then he would kneel, leaving her no choice but to accept.
This might happen at any point during the next few days, and she wasn’t sure if her patience could take being on edge for so long. But the thought of Edmund proposing to her elicited a most surprising reaction.
Her heart fluttered, and her breathing became intense. She had to remind herself that Edmund would not do such a thing.
Then again, he was unpredictable, and she expected to be on edge all night.
“My, there are so many people here,” Thomas remarked as the carriage came to a stop in the courtyard of Stonewood Manor.
The carriages were arranged in straight lines, with footmen chatting congenially as they hauled luggage inside.
Guests flowed into the Manor, each of them stopping to gasp in awe at the ice sculpture standing outside the entrance.
It depicted two swans. Their heads were pressed together, their necks bent to form a heart. This was a great source of joy for people, and when some noticed that Rose was nearby, they pointed and whispered, assuming the swans represented her and Edmund.
“I think you might be right, Margaret. This event could be momentous indeed. His Grace has spared no expense,” Thomas said.
Rose tore her gaze away from the ice sculpture, trying her best to pretend they had melted already.
When the butler announced them to the room, everyone turned to look at Rose. She had never been under such scrutiny before. She smiled, blushed, and waited for Edmund to approach.
“Ah, the guest of honor. It has felt like an eternity since we last met,” he said, taking her hand and kissing it quickly. He then turned to Margaret, kissed her hand, and then offered Thomas a firm handshake.
“I am so honored you could attend. The party can begin in earnest now. Please feel free to wander about the house. We have amusements in every room, music, food, cake, and all kinds of things! This is an event that will be long remembered,” Edmund said.
Margaret nudged Rose in the ribs, quite sharply, making her gasp in pain.
“Is everything well, my dearest?” Edmund said, offering a beseeching smile.
“Of course, I was simply marveling at the house. It looks wonderful,” Rose said, and indeed Edmund had made a great effort to make this memorable.
Huge tapestries were draped along the ceiling, and servants made their way through the crowd, offering food and drink.
There was a low hum of conversation that was interspersed with a lively burst of laughter.
The throng of people undulated, making it look as though Rose was standing before a great sea where the tide was churning. Everything seemed to glitter, as though somehow Edmund had made the stars fall and captured them in his home.
“Please, you must meet my family. Allow me to present my sister, Lady Lydia Stonewood, my sister, the Duchess of Winthrop, and her husband, the Duke of Winthrop. It is my honor to introduce you to the Lord and Lady Bolton,” Edmund said.
Greetings were exchanged. Rose shared a quick smile with Lydia.
“It is a pleasure to see you again,” she directed to Charlotte. “Is Luke not with you?”
“No, we left him with the nanny tonight. The party would be far too overwhelming for him, although he will be joining us tomorrow, and I am eager for it. Every moment spent apart from him feels like an eternity,” Charlotte said.
“It is indeed too much,” Nathaniel muttered, casting his gaze around the room, an irritated expression coming upon his face. He was holding himself rigidly. Edmund placed a hand on Nathaniel’s shoulder, which only made him more irritated.
“Oh, don’t be like that, Nathaniel, you know I have even thought of you tonight. That is why the ice sculpture is outside. I wanted to make sure that there is something even colder than you here,” Edmund grinned.
Thomas and Margaret shared an uneasy glance with each other, unsure if they were supposed to laugh.
Nathaniel’s eyes widened, and he was about to make a retort toward Edmund, but before he could say anything, Edmund was already turning away and pulling some more people into his orbit, introducing his grandmother, Agatha, Nathaniel’s mother, Beatrice, and a third person who was unknown to Rose.
A young woman, pretty in the way that princesses in fairytales were supposed to be pretty.
“This is Amelia Whitfield, the Earl of Alderley’s daughter,” Edmund said.
“It’s a pleasure to meet all of you,” Amelia said with a radiant smile. Her enunciation was perfect, and all of her movements were exact. “When Aunt Beatrice insisted I attend this party, I was thrilled. It’s an honor to be among such fine company.”
Everything about her seemed precise, even her strands of hair. Rose subtly ran her fingers through her own hair, making sure that it was not untidy compared to Amelia’s.
“And fine company it is indeed,” Agatha said, linking her arm with Beatrice’s.
“It’s been far too long since we’ve had an event like this.
Why, this reminds me of a ball I attended back in, well, the year isn’t too important,” she tittered with laughter.
“But I can tell you it is a night I will never forget. Now, who was there… let’s see… ”
“Grandmother, why don’t you show the Lord and Lady Bolton the cake?” Edmund said, grinning with pride.
“Oh yes, you must see the cake,” Agatha said, beckoning Thomas and Margaret to follow her.
Amelia stood quietly beside Nathaniel while Charlotte and Lydia exchanged a few words.
Edmund turned toward Rose, and even though they were surrounded by people, he had a way of looking at her that created a sense of intimacy—almost as if it were possessive.
“You look wonderful tonight. I am glad you did not fall. I tasked the servants to make sure the ground by the ice would not be slippery.”
“Then you must compliment them for me, although I must admit I was not expecting so much tonight.”
“Then you must learn to expect the unexpected from me. It shall be a fine event, and I have many surprises planned,” Edmund said, winking at her.
Rose clasped her hands tightly together, once again fearing that a proposal would be one of the surprises.
It went against everything they had agreed upon, but how could she ever be confident that he would not change his mind?
This was a special event, and all his family and friends were present. If he ever decided to propose to her, tonight would certainly be suitable. She thought about whispering to him to ease her worries, but before she could, he was already turning, waving to others.
“Forgive me, Rose, but I must get the attention of my cousin, Mary. I shall return momentarily,” he said, and left her.
“I am surprised you agreed to this,” Lydia said, sidling up to Rose.
“What makes you think I had a choice?”
“That has never stopped you before. Or has a miracle happened? Are you actually looking forward to this party?”
“I… I have found that Edmund is a most intriguing man, and it would be remiss of me to refuse such a gesture of his affection. I am flattered that he went to so much trouble for me.”
“Indeed, it surprised even me. He does not usually put this much effort into things. It does make me wonder…”
“Wonder?”
Lydia sighed. “I must confess something to you, Rose. When this all began, I did feel some tension because I feared it might be one of Edmund’s little games and could directly affect our friendship. I even exchanged some harsh words with him.”
“Harsh words? Why, Lydia, I wasn’t sure you had it in you.”
Lydia wore a bashful smile. “I am protective of the people I care about. But it seems as though this is doing you both some good. Are you ready to admit that perhaps there is some merit to the way I view the world?”
“Why? Has Edmund said anything more? My parents believe he is going to propose,” Rose said. Her voice became quicker. Lydia smiled, and Rose thought she might assume that the tone of Rose’s voice had changed, not due to nerves, but excitement.
“Edmund tends to keep matters like that to himself, but I do hope he does. Then grandmother will be right, and nobody will ever forget this night. And more than that, it will make us sisters rather than mere friends! Wouldn’t that be wonderful?” Lydia said, clasping Rose’s hands.
“Of course it would,” Rose forced a smile on her face.
“Excuse me, I don’t mean to interrupt, but I wanted to greet you properly,” Amelia approached them with gentle footsteps and a kind smile.
“Of course. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Rose said.
“The pleasure is all mine. You are an example to ladies like me,” Amelia said.
“In what way?”
Amelia smiled bashfully. “Well, it is my first Season, and while Aunt Beatrice tells me that I shall have no trouble attracting a suitor, it is natural to doubt. But to see a success story is an inspiration.”
“Oh, well, that is flattering, but I should mention that His Grace and I are not engaged yet,” Rose said.
“But surely it is only a matter of time,” Amelia said.
“Your life is an example of the life I wish to have, and it is inspirational to see it taking shape before me. It gives me a better sense of what is possible, and I do hope to emulate you soon,” Amelia said, before she was called away by Beatrice.
“I hope to speak with you again soon,” she added before she departed, seeming to glide rather than walk.
“She seems… nice,” Rose said.
“She seems perfect,” Lydia replied, her tone becoming harsher than normal.
“Is that a hint of envy I detect, Lydia?”
“Of course not,” Lydia wore a look of indignation. “But she has been called the diamond of the Season, and anyone like that is more competition for me.”
“I am sure it will not be long until you find someone, Lydia. I just hope that you are not allowing your ambitions to color reality.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, and please take this in the spirit in which it is given, as a friend. I just worry that you have thought about romance so much that nothing can live up to your high expectations. Our lives are not stories, of course, and the romances we read about are fantasies. It will be hard for any man to live up to the examples that exist on the page.”
“I am not a fool. I know how to separate reality from fiction,” Lydia said, narrowing her eyes.
“I did not mean to imply anything otherwise. I apologize if I caused offense.”
“There is nothing wrong with hoping for the best. And these stories do happen in real life. It happened to my parents, it happened to Charlotte, and it may well be happening to you. Why should it not happen for me as well?”
Rose believed she would not be able to get her point across properly.
“You are right, Lydia, of course it should. I was only expressing my concern because, like you, I wish to protect the people I care about, and I trust that we can have an open and frank relationship where we hold each other to account.”
Before Lydia could reply, Rose felt someone tugging at her dress. She looked down to see a girl with an impudent look on her face staring up at her.
“Are you going to marry Edmund?” she asked. Rose did not expect such a blunt question from one so young, and for a moment she was stunned.