Chapter 3
Chapter Three
“The sight never fails to amaze me. It is quite beautiful.” Christine nudged Isabella, drawing her attention to the view of Everthorne House before them.
Looking out the window, Isabella nodded.
In just two weeks, she’d visited the mansion a total of twice—today was the third visit—and each time felt like the first time she laid eyes on it; although, this time, her appreciation of its beauty was limited because of the nerves that took flight in her stomach.
The week had passed by quickly, and all Isabella had taken with her was the excitement at having something to focus upon.
She’d done research, brainstorming, and planning, and she’d spent most of her days in the library.
The day before, she’d gathered her family and forced them to listen to what she had come up with.
They’d all praised her, but she couldn’t quite believe their words because she was sure they’d only said those good things because they were obligated to as family.
Still, she’d felt good about it as she went to bed, then awoke with an onset of nerves.
“You know, frankly speaking, there haven’t been any of your ideas that did not amaze me. You put in so much effort to come up with that beautiful presentation. And dare I say it, if Lady Kendrick knows what she’s about, she won’t refuse you,” Christine announced proudly.
Isabella couldn’t be more grateful for those words because even without knowing, they were exactly what she needed to hear to get by with the journey to Everthorne House.
Inside the mansion’s waiting room, Isabella couldn’t help but notice the confident expressions on all the ladies present.
They’d all been instructed to stand in a straight line, facing the mamas and chaperones present, including Lady Kendrick.
The other ladies spoke amongst themselves, each sharing with the other snippets of their presentation, while Isabella simply stood there, gripping the edges of her presentation paper behind her, feeling out of place.
She had no friends amongst them, that much was obvious. She had Georgina, the Duchess of Windermere, and Beatrice, of course, but they both had husbands and children now, who took up their time.
Yet, Isabella couldn’t let that deter her. So what if she had no friends? In recent years, the absence of unmarried friends weighed as much as a feather in her mind.
Besides, when the club began its sessions, she was bound to find a new one; shared interests always brought people together. Perhaps she’d find an unmarried lady she hadn’t met before. So, she squared her shoulders and listened intently as the ladies began their presentation.
Lady after lady, the same or similar words rolled off their tongue in rehearsed grace, following timed mannerisms—the pauses, the smiles, the subtle dreamy gasps of excitement. They were all one and the same.
“How delightful would it be to have a club full of like-minded ladies where we’d all learn proper tea etiquette, embroidery, and even attain new skills like scent pouch making?
I believe having the honor to join a club founded by Lady Kendrick would also mean having top-tier elegance, which cannot be attained by merely existing with the knowledge from our fathers’ houses.
” Lady Amelia’s eyes blazed with determination as she spoke, occasionally smiling wider whenever she caught her mother’s raised thumb.
Applause filled the room from her mama and her friends, yet the one person who should’ve been impressed was anything but.
Lady Kendrick had been entertained at first, truly, she had been. However, after applauding for a few performances despite their similarities, she’d grown tired, or perhaps bored, and was in no mood to do so again.
When Isabella was finally called upon, she sighed before stepping forward, hoping her presentation would at least be what Lady Kendrick sought.
“When Lady Kendrick awarded us the opportunity to make this presentation for the club, I contemplated within me if I should present what I thought the lady would be delighted to hear or to present what I’d like to see in a club.
I chose the latter,” Isabella began, feeling the nerves that earlier had woven themselves into her system crumbling down.
She straightened herself with dignity. “I would like to suggest that the club be a safe haven for ladies of the ton, young and old, to explore unconventional pursuits, not typically found in parlors, like fencing, literature beyond romance novels, science… any activity that sharpens the mind and body alike.”
There was a long, brittle silence as multiple pairs of eyes stared back at Isabella as though she had grown a second head. Then the silence broke with a crack of laughter. Ladies and their mamas alike snorted, trying to stifle their giggles.
Isabella’s eyes crossed paths with Christine’s, which were full of pride yet coated with worry.
Shaking her head slightly, Isabella attempted to reassure her that she was beyond intimidation. She raised her chin, pushing her chest out to show her confidence.
“I see no harm in expanding one’s mind and refining one’s skills, considering I believe we women, all of us, are capable of so much more.” She used one arm to gesture around the room.
The ladies felt silent again, and Isabella smiled.
“Thank you, Lady Isabella, for your presentation.” Lady Kendrick smiled, nodding warmly at her.
Isabella curtsied then hurried back to her seat, her chin still high.
I will not allow them to bring me down.
Whispers still lingered around Isabella, even after the last of the young ladies had delivered their presentations, each more traditional than the last, dancing precariously on familiar, safe topics.
When the final young lady stepped down, Lady Kendrick rose, gliding to the center of the room with a smile that reached her eyes, though it was tempered by the hint of fatigue.
“Ah, my dear girls,” she began, her voice low and rich, carrying easily through the hall, “it is abundantly clear how much time, thought, and, dare I say, sweat you have poured into these presentations, all to entertain this old lady. For that, I am exceedingly grateful. And to the mothers who accompanied you, well done for surviving it with your sanity intact!” She gave a mischievous wink that sent a ripple of quiet laughter through the audience.
Isabella found herself smiling; there was something utterly delightful in the way Lady Kendrick spoke, a hidden, easy warmth which was rare among the ton.
“After hearing every proposal,” the Dowager continued, sweeping a hand theatrically across the room, “I have reached a decision regarding the young lady whose idea captured my fancy.”
Every pair of eyes fixed on her, the tension in the room nearly tangible.
“And that young lady,” Lady Kendrick said, pausing just long enough to let the suspense build, “is none other than the brilliant Lady Isabella!”
The words hung in the air; everyone, including Isabella.
“How could she win the presentation?” One of the young ladies closest to Isabella gasped.
“Unbelievable.” Another rolled her eyes in disappointment.
“I don’t see how anyone would go for Lady Isabella. I bet it’s because her father is a duke.” A third and saltier young lady turned up her nose.
Isabella could hear them well, not that they tried to hide their contempt. She didn’t let them get to her.
“You did it!” Christine took Isabella’s hands in hers, squeezing them softly with an even softer smile on her face.
“I can hardly believe it myself.” Isabella returned the smile, pulling Christine in for a hug.
Finally, she would be a part of something that she genuinely would enjoy, something other than tedious and repetitive ton events.
“Thank you, my dear girls, for your spirited participation! Once the club is officially underway, it shall be open to each and every one of you. I should be absolutely delighted to have you all join me in what promises to be a most diverting and splendid enterprise!” Lady Kendrick beamed.
The ladies and their mamas began filing out of the parlor, each of them more annoyed than the last. Yet even with their persistent grumbling, Isabella paid no mind to them, focusing instead on her excitement and on Christine, who somehow seemed more excited than Isabella herself—at least up until Lady Kendrick walked up to them, that warm smile still lingering on her features.
“Your Grace, if you don’t mind, I’d like to have a private word with Lady Isabella,” She asked warmly.
Christine smiled, her eyes darting from Lady Kendrick’s to Isabella’s, then she nodded.
“Of course. Please, take your time. I shall be waiting in the carriage.”
And with that, Christine exited the room, leaving Lady Kendrick, who took Isabella’s hands in hers.
“Allow me to offer my most hearty congratulations on winning this little contest!” she exclaimed, clapping her hands together with delight. “I cannot deny it: when I heard your ideas, it was as if life itself surged through my very bones! I can scarcely wait for us to begin our club!”
“What club?” a deep voice thundered from the doorway.
Heat rushed to Isabella’s cheeks as her pulse began to race. Turning slowly, she held her breath. .
The Duke of Everthorne.
His tall, muscular figure filled the doorway, blocking the butler from view as his grey eyes scanned the room. If she had thought his entire being an impressive sight in the dark, it most certainly was more impressive in the light of day.
His eyes suddenly fell on her figure from the door, lingering for a moment as he took in her form. His gaze went lower and lower, briefly pausing on her hands intertwined with his grandmother’s before raising his eyes to meet hers again.
Isabella knew it, then and there, that he would surely misunderstand the situation, confirming his earlier belief that she was a liar.
“Marguerite. Explain yourself,” he grunted to Lady Kendrick, and Isabella was surprised by how he addressed his grandmother.