Chapter Twenty-Nine
The ballroom at Rosemore Hall had never been so full of smiles and laughter, not since Nathaniel had taken up residence. From what he gathered from the stories he heard, the late duke also did not entertain much, but when he did it certainly looked nothing like this.
The room itself was marvelous, but it was not the splendor of the ballroom or the arrangements of flowers that captured Nathaniel, but the radiance of the people within.
The entire village of Rosemore crowded into the vast room, making it feel half its usual size.
Noblemen and Gentry from neighboring estates, as well as those that made the journey from London, also congregated in clusters.
Their bright and colorful ballgowns were a stark contrast to the simple, yet meticulously maintained, frocks of the townspeople, but the women of Rosemore still rivaled every jewel drenched lady in attendance.
The wildflowers that had finally come into bloom adorned their hair, and their smiles out shone every diamond in the room.
Nathaniel sighed contently at the sight of his worlds merging into one.
Charlotte had been right, however strange this night might be, he could not imagine a more suitable way to celebrate the coming new season.
Nathaniel’s eyes scanned the room again, there were so many people, he was unsure how he was meant to converse with anyone—not that he wished to—but the idea seemed a little less daunting when surrounded by people he cared for rather than those who only demanded to be impressed.
The sitting rooms on either side of the ballroom had been cleared of their furniture to make more space. Tables of refreshments lined nearly every wall, and a small orchestra was settling into place near the open doors that lead out to the lawn.
Outside, stood a pristine white tent with patterned rugs, and lanterns to give people even more space to gather and converse. Rosemore Hall was buzzing with excitement, but all Nathaniel could feel was anticipation.
Charlotte once again had her way, and convinced everyone that Emilia needed to make a grand entrance. So instead of turning the room with his wife on his arm, Nathaniel had been anxiously awaiting her arrival as he greeted their guests alone.
“Kenswick!”
Nathaniel smiled as Oliver and Grace pushed their way through the sea of people to his side. They arrived only a few short hours before the rest of the guests, so he had not had a chance to speak to his friend until now.
“Oliver,” Nathaniel bypassed his outstretched hand to pull Oliver into an embrace. It was quick, nothing that would have drawn attention, but when he pulled back he could see the overwhelming emotion pooling in Oliver’s eyes.
“What have I done to earn such a greeting from His Grace?” He teased, though there was a slight hitch in his voice.
Grace laughed softly beside him. “I do not believe it is anything you have done, dearest.” She smiled when Nathaniel offered her a small bow.
“Lady Blackburn, I am so glad you were able to make the journey from London. Oliver mentioned you had been feeling poorly and were unsure if you could attend.”
“I would not have missed this for the world.”
Oliver gave his wife’s hand an affectionate pat as a teasing glint filled his eyes. “It is also her last chance to socialize before I am forced to hide her away for the next few months.”
Grace’s cheeks flushed, though she regarded her husband with a tender smile.
Nathaniel’s eyes grew misty as the realization settled over him, leaving him momentarily at a loss for words. His mind flashed to years past—to the image of a broken Oliver mourning the loss of his wife and unborn child.
Nathaniel had once believed there could be no healing from such a wound. Yet here Oliver stood, perfectly whole and undeniably happy. The life he and Grace were building together was proof that beauty could rise from even the darkest of ashes.
Nathaniel let out a breathless laugh, his throat thick with emotion. “There are many reasons to celebrate tonight.”
Oliver nodded, his eyes brimming with tears of joy. “There are indeed, my friend.”
Before Nathaniel could offer a word of congratulations, his attention was imperceptibly drawn to the balcony above.
The upper level doors opened and the music slowly faded into silence.
Briggs turned to the crowd below, unable to keep the smile from his face as he gave the long awaited introduction.
“Her Grace, Emilia Eaton, the Duchess of Kenswick.”
Nathaniel could feel the rush of excitement around him, but the roar of the room was nothing but a faint whisper in his ear as Emilia appeared at the top of the spiral staircase.
Her curls shone with brilliance, softly arranged at the top of her head, with loose tendrils framing her face.
The dress she wore was so similar to the red gown she had worn to the Langley ball, but this one was a deep sea of green, the color making her hazel eyes burn like an emerald gem stone, even from a distance.
The fall of the gown made her appear as though she were floating, with every step down the stairs. The outer skirt of the dress was an even darker shade of green, embroidered with silver threads that made her as bright and radiant as the starry night sky.
Charlotte followed a few steps behind, adjusting the train of the dress as Emilia descended the stairs, her smile nearly as bright as the one Nathaniel felt stretching across his own lips.
Nathaniel felt Oliver’s presence press in closer as he whispered over his shoulder. “I assume it would be pointless to invite you to join me for a game of whist that has just begun in the drawing room?”
Nathaniel brushed off Oliver’s comment with a mere shake of his head. “My wife has just entered the room,” he said, his eyes never leaving Emilia. “I’m afraid I am completely incapable of focusing on anything else at the moment.”
Oliver’s deep chuckle resonated in his ear as Nathaniel made his way to the bottom of the staircase. Villagers and nobility alike were pressing around the duchess offering hands of greeting and well wishes, but they parted like the sea for Nathaniel’s tall frame.
Emilia’s eyes met Nathaniel’s and her smile immediately brightened. He dramatically bowed over her hand, pressing his lips against the soft silk of her ivory gloves. When he met her gaze again her neck and cheeks were flushed his favorite shade of pink.
“You are enchanting, my love.” He whispered against her ear as he tucked her hand into his arm, pulling her to his side.
“Thank you,” she replied. “You are quite distracting yourself.”
“Did I not tell you her entrance would be grand?” Charlotte’s beaming face appeared at Nathaniel’s other side, and he could not help but laugh.
Affection for his sister swelled in his chest as she slipped her hand into the crook of his free arm. Her black curls were neatly styled into controlled ringlets, pinned near the nape of her neck.
Her dress was layers of robins egg blue and ivory, in a swirl of satin skirts that looked like the foamy banks of the river on a bright spring day.
If it wasn’t for the mischievous twinkle in her eye, she would have looked perfectly proper and tamed.
But the joy that radiated from her smile had Nathaniel secretly hoping that her spirit would never fade.
“You look lovely, Charlotte,” he said, making his way across the room with both ladies on his arm.
His sister looked up at him with a start. “Truly?”
The shock in her expression tugged at his heart. He slowed his steps and looked at her fully. “Truly,” he said softly.
There was the sparkle of a tear in her eye, but it disappeared quickly under her teasing grin. “I took extra care to ensure my dress was not the same color as Emilia’s. It would be quite unfortunate for the same mistake to happen twice.”
Nathaniel laughed a full laugh, the feeling warm in his chest. “Thank you,” he replied. “I appreciate your consideration.”
Charlotte removed her hand from his hold, dipping into a curtsy before hurrying off to find Oliver and Grace.
The music was a lively swirl around them, the ballroom suddenly becoming a din of laughter and cheer as men and women from the village performed the steps of the first dance with unrefined perfection.
Emilia watched the scene unfolding around them with amusement, but Nathaniel only had eyes for her. She glanced up to catch him staring, a slow smile tugging at her lips.
“You must stop looking at me that way,” she scolded. “It makes the desire to kiss you far too tempting.”
Nathaniel furrowed his brow in confusion, “I do not see that as a problem.”
“Everyone is watching,” she laughed.
“My love,” Nathaniel turned to face her fully, his hand grazing her jaw as he leaned close to whisper in her ear. “If I truly wanted to kiss you, all the watchful eyes of England could not keep my lips from yours.”
He felt a slight shiver run through her as he pressed his hand against the small of her back. “But at the moment,” he continued. “I would simply like to dance with my wife.”
Emilia smiled and nodded. “I would like that very much.”
Nathaniel took his hand in hers as he led her to the center of the room. The music slowed as the musicians began to play the first few notes of a waltz.
Nathaniel chuckled, “Why do I have the feeling Charlotte had something to do with this particular selection.”
Emilia blushed. “I requested that a waltz be played this evening,” she admitted with a tilt of her head.
“I know they are not traditional in London ballrooms, but nothing about this night is traditional.” Her voice lowered as she stepped into his hold.
“I was hoping for a moment like this with you.”
Nathaniel placed his hand on her waist and took her other hand in his, pulling her closer than the dance required.
He dipped his head so only she could hear him. “You are my wife Emilia, you need only ask.”
He was rewarded with another flush of her cheeks as he led them around the floor.
∞∞∞