Chapter 2
After a wonderful soak, Emma felt rested and found herself becoming anxious as she prepared for the ball being held in her honor. She sat on her dressing room chair as her cheerful lady’s maid styled her hair into an elaborate chignon, adorning it with small flowers and curls framing her face.
“You look beautiful, miss,” Peggy said, taking a step towards the dressing table and picking up a small tin. “Would you like some rouge for your cheeks?”
“Yes, please.”
After applying the rouge, her red-headed lady’s maid stepped back. “You’re quite fortunate that you don’t need to add color to your lips. They are such a naturally vivid crimson.”
Emma took a moment to look at her reflection in the mirror.
With her oval face, creamy white skin, dark brown hair, and green eyes, she was pretty enough, but certainly not exceptional.
She had noticed that she stood out amongst the blonde-haired beauties at the social gatherings and suspected many people found her to be a rather peculiar-looking girl.
Her brother often told her that she was beautiful, but she had always cast his compliments aside, not daring to believe them.
Thinking of David caused her mood to turn melancholy.
She had been given this life at the expense of her brother.
Her brother had been assigned to guard Rachel when she was forced to flee to Scotland.
During that time, David had sent many letters home detailing his assignment and had predicted that Luke and Rachel would eventually fall in love and be married. She smiled at that thought.
But so much secrecy still shrouded David’s death.
Neither Luke nor Rachel would share the full details behind his death.
She only was privy to knowing he died saving Rachel from four despicable men on the shores overlooking her uncle’s estate.
Luke had shown her the cave where the attack happened, but she never had the strength to venture inside.
The image of her brother’s body sprawled out on the cave’s floor always gave her pause.
Perhaps it would change when they confided the rest of the story to her.
“Are you all right, miss?” Peggy asked with a worried frown.
“I am,” she replied. “I’m afraid I was just woolgathering again.”
Peggy grinned as she walked over to the gown laid out on the bed. “Are you ready to put on your gown?”
“Very much so,” Emma said, rising.
A short time later, she was dressed in the most beautiful muslin gown, with a net overlay of the palest pink, and Peggy was fastening all the ornate buttons that ran down the back.
“If you don’t mind me saying, Miss Cosette did a wonderful job designing your ballgown,” her lady’s maid commented.
Holding out the sides of her skirts, Emma admired the elaborately embroidered pattern of flowers, and she couldn’t even comprehend the time that went into making this dress. “Miss Cosette is very talented.”
Peggy had just finished the last button when a knock came at the door. She opened it, revealing Rachel and Luke on the other side. Then, she curtsied and exited the room quietly.
“You look beautiful, Emma,” Rachel gushed as she approached her. “Your dress is exquisite.”
Taking a moment to admire Rachel’s green high waisted gown, with puffy sleeves, she replied, “You look quite fetching yourself.”
Rachel smiled at her. “It doesn’t matter what I look like tonight. You are the belle of the ball, and all eyes will be on you.”
“You are going to make Emma more nervous than she already is,” Luke chastised her lightly.
With humor in her voice, Rachel instructed her, “You have trained for this moment for two years. Keep your head held high and enjoy the evening. But for heaven’s sake, don’t drink more than one glass of champagne, avoid the usual subjects, and do not dance more than one dance with any gentleman.”
A playful smile came to her lips. “No counsel on my fan?”
“No fan!” Luke and Rachel shouted in unison.
Emma laughed. “I am not sure why I find it so complicated to learn how to communicate with my fan.”
“Fans can be a nuisance,” Rachel declared. “The common fan language is known to both genders, and specific fan movements are a way to convey messages about emotions and love.”
Emma walked over to the dressing table and picked up her ornate lace fan. She shut it fully and opened it slowly. “I believe this indicates that I would like to get more acquainted.”
Rachel sighed in exasperation. “Not at all. You just gave a promise of marriage.”
“What?” Emma asked, dropping the fan back onto the table. “In the country, we used them to fan our faces and to protect us from insects. Furthermore, my boarding school never had a class on fans.”
Luke chuckled. “I’m grateful that no courses on fans were ever taught at Eton and Oxford.”
Clasping her hands in front of her, Emma straightened her shoulders. “I won’t let either one of you down. I will be on my best behavior.”
“We know you will,” Rachel said with a tender smile.
Reaching into his black jacket pocket, Luke pulled out an amethyst rivière necklace. “Rachel and I wanted to give you something to celebrate this special occasion.” He walked up to her, showed her the necklace, and asked, “May I?”
Emma turned around, and Luke fastened the necklace around her neck. She fingered the purple stones tenderly as she turned back to face them. “It’s spectacular. I will return it after the ball.”
“No, you misunderstood,” Rachel said, her smile growing. “This is our gift to you.”
Emma started shaking her head profusely. “It’s too much. You’ve already given me so much.”
Placing his arm around Rachel’s shoulder, Luke responded, “You have been a delightful addition to our family, Emma. We wanted to give you something that would reflect how much we have enjoyed these past two years with you.”
“Thank you,” she said, attempting to stop the tears threatening to form in her eyes. “If you hadn’t taken me in when you did, my life would have been dramatically different.”
“It was the least we could do,” Luke remarked in a terse voice, but she swore she saw him blinking back tears. He started leading his wife towards the door. “It is time for us to make our appearance at the ball.”
As they stepped into the hall, Luke informed her, “Just so you know, I rescinded Lord Brisbane’s invitation. With any luck, you will never have to see that despicable man again.”
“I pity the girl that marries him,” she muttered.
Rachel looked over at her and smiled. “That may have been your first proposal, but I have no doubt you will receive many others. I suffered through the most awful proposals. Most of the men were just interested in my fortune and lacked the sense to attempt to woo me first.”
“I believe my proposal was rather forthright and inventive,” Luke remarked smugly.
“It’s true,” Rachel admitted, “but there was some groveling, too.”
Luke shrugged one shoulder. “There usually is when a man is trying to convince the woman that he loves to marry him.”
They stepped into the hall leading to the side door of the ballroom. Two footmen were standing watch by the set of doors, waiting for them to approach.
The doors were opened, their names were announced, and everyone turned to watch their entrance.
The domed room was flooded with light from mirrored wall sconces and three massive crystal chandeliers, each with hundreds of lit candles.
She saw the dance floor was chalked with the Marquess of Downshire’s crest. A full orchestra was warming up in one corner of the long, rectangular room.
Most of the guests were stationed near the white and gold walls, and a few women were already sitting on the chairs, fanning their faces.
Emma’s eyes scanned the crowd, hoping to see a friendly face, when she saw the Marquess and Marchioness of Lansdowne break through the crowd and approach them.
“I am so pleased to see you,” Emma admitted as they stopped in front of her.
Eliza smiled knowingly at her. “That bad?”
“I’m just fearful I will make a fool of myself,” Emma replied honestly.
Benedict chuckled. “You have nothing to fear. From what I heard, Luke has left nothing to chance, and he has already filled your dance card.”
“It’s true,” she answered. “I am dancing with you during the cotillion.”
“My brother can be rather…” Eliza’s voice trailed off, before saying, “cautious. After what happened in Hyde Park…”
“Luke told you about Hyde Park?” she asked, speaking over her.
Adrien, the Earl of Camden, spoke up from behind her. “Everyone knows about Hyde Park.”
She groaned. “I am ruined.”
Dressed in a rose-colored gown, the blonde beauty, Lady Camden, stepped up next to her. “Hardly. My first husband was a villainous man who made many enemies, and the ton still embraced me,” Kate shared.
“But you were the daughter of a duke,” she pointed out. “I’m just a ward.”
Eliza wore a look of amusement on her features. “Trust me, being Luke’s ward means something. With your beauty and connections, you are the envy of the ton.”
A servant passed by with a tray holding several ornate glasses. He stopped in front of her and extended the tray to her. “Champagne, Miss Pearson?”
She put her hand up to refuse it, but Benedict accepted it and handed it to her. “You should drink this. It will calm your nerves.”
Accepting the glass, Emma sighed. “I am only allowed one glass of champagne for the evening.”
“Have you ever had champagne before?” Kate asked curiously.
She shook her head. “Never. Luke ordered me not to. He says that alcohol can lower your inhibitions.”
“Women should never drink to excess,” Eliza warned, “but an occasional glass of champagne at a ball is permissible.”
Emma brought the glass to her mouth and took a large sip, not anticipating that she wouldn’t enjoy it. She made herself remain still for a moment before starting to cough. And cough. “It is bubbly, but very bitter.”
“Bitter?” Adrien questioned, looking at her in surprise. “Do you mean sour?”