“It is not callous,” said Victoria with a shake of her head. “I wouldn’t wish for you to forgo your celebrations for my sake. I am overjoyed that my selfish actions did no damage to your courtship with Mr. Dosett.”
Phyllis stepped back to Victoria’s side, waving away the words with a tisk before taking her two friends by the arms. “There is no need for us to return to that tired subject. No harm was done, and I do not fault you for your actions. Had I been in your shoes, I don’t think I would have been so circumspect in snatching him away.”
Though she’d received such reassurances over the past sennight and a half, Victoria’s conscience would not leave her be. Whatever else, she wouldn’t allow this desperation to twist her into a heartless monster, even if the weight of it threatened to crush her. Steeling her spine, Victoria kept herself upright, her gaze traveling through the crowd for the eligible bachelors.
Chapter 32
“Good evening, ladies!” Lily Kingsley swept into their group with her usual smile and burst of energy. Light shone in her eyes, and she fairly danced in place when she joined Victoria and the others. “The ball is magnificent, Hettie. I’ve never seen such gorgeous decorations.”
Hettie’s lids lowered, and she nodded her thanks but remained silent. For her part, Phyllis looked at anyone other than the young lady standing before them, though her hold on Victoria’s arm tightened.
“You are in high spirits tonight,” said Victoria, her smile broadening; it was impossible not to smile when presented with such a picture of excitement.
“Tonight may be the most perfect night of my life,” said Lily with a sigh.
Victoria’s brows rose, though her grin did not falter. “That is a strong claim.”
Sucking in her lips, Lily bit them, her cheeks glowing cherry red. Her eyes sparkled and that frenetic energy threatened to lift her right off the ground. “I have an admirer.”
Victoria blinked at that announcement. It took far too long for her thoughts to coalesce, but releasing Phyllis’s arm, she swept Lily into an embrace, her heart lifting at the news. “Congratulations, Lily! You must tell us all.”
Once free of Victoria’s hold, Lily blushed again. “I’m not ready to speak of it. I had thought myself beneath his notice, but he left me a note and a token that spoke of his feelings. I have reason to hope he will renew his addresses in person tonight.”
“You must introduce us,” said Victoria, glancing around as though a mere look would produce the gentleman.
Biting her lips together in an attempt to control her beaming grin, Lily said, “You are already acquainted with him.”
Eyes widening, Victoria took Lily’s hands and squeezed them tight. “He is a guest of the Nelsons’?”
Lily’s lips twisted as she nibbled on them. “I’ve said too much already—”
Phyllis snorted, drawing Lily’s attention, who blinked at her friend with a twisted brow. For her part, Victoria chose to ignore it. The tension between her friends had been growing over the past weeks, and Victoria was heartily sick of it.
Victoria clung to Lily’s hands, wishing there were more ways to describe the joy she felt at that news. “I told you it would happen, Lily. It was only a matter of time before some special gentleman snatched you up.”
“So very special,” echoed Phyllis, though her tone held nothing but frost.
Lily’s gaze darted to Phyllis, her brows drawing tight together. “Pardon?”
But no reply came. With a narrowed look, Phyllis held her gaze as Lily shrank before their eyes. With a murmured excuse, the young lady scurried away, and Phyllis took Victoria’s arm again with a smirk. Pulling free, Victoria whirled around to face her friend.
“This has gone on long enough, Phyllis. Neither Lily nor her brother is at fault for what has passed between us,” said Victoria. “I will not stand by and watch you treat her so shabbily.”
“You cannot be serious. I never welcomed Lily’s company when we were children, and I did not say a word when you insisted on including her because you and Mr. Kingsley were courting. I suffered countless hours of listening to that incessant chatterbox go on about all the useless details of her life because of you—”
“Perhaps we ought to have this discussion after tempers cool,” said Hettie, coming to stand at Phyllis’s side.
“I am not in a temper,” replied Victoria. “But neither will I remain silent when you abuse my friend in such a fashion.”
“I am your friend!” said Phyllis, jabbing a finger to her own chest.
Victoria nodded but added, “And so is Lily.”
That was met with wide eyes and a wider gape as Phyllis stared at her. Hettie glanced between the pair, though Victoria wasn’t certain what the young lady felt. Locked in silence, the three stared at each other.
Then Mr. Charles Dosett approached with a deep bow and an appraising look for Phyllis, ignorant of the tension thrumming between the trio. “Miss Thompson. Might I be allowed to tell you how gorgeous you are tonight?”
Phyllis’s schooled her expression, and she turned to meet him with a coy smile. “I might allow it. This once.”
Mr. Dosett straightened, a hint of mirth gleaming in his eye. “If I am allowed to do so only once, then I must add that I hadn’t thought it possible for you to look any lovelier, but tonight you put Venus herself to shame.”
Offering up his arm to her, he asked, “Might I also be so bold as to claim this dance?”
Sucking in a deep breath, Phyllis took his arm with a sigh as though she was undertaking a great burden. “I suppose so.”
“And the next? And all the ones after it?”
Phyllis gave him a playful smack and shook her head, sending the dark curls framing her face bouncing as the pair wandered off towards the dance floor.
Once they were out of earshot, Hettie turned her attention back to Victoria. “You mustn’t be so hard on Phyllis. She is only defending you, and my own family, I suppose. It has not gone unnoticed that Mr. Kingsley began courting another so quickly, and it has set the gossipmongers in a dither. That it happened under our roof does not speak well of us.”
“Oh, Hettie,” said Victoria, taking her friend by the hand and squeezing. “I cannot believe I did not foresee that happening. I suppose I’ve been so consumed by my heartaches that I didn’t notice yours.”
Giving a shake of her head, Hettie waved the words away. “My family will weather the storm, and it is not a significant scandal by any means, but Phyllis is hurting for the both of us.”
Victoria sighed. “But there is nothing to hurt over. Nothing to be avenged. The courtship ended amicably because of a mutual decision.”
Pain flared in her temple, threatening to spread, and Victoria pressed a finger to it. She didn’t have the time or mental faculties to deal with such issues at present. Though she adored Hettie and Phyllis, there were such grander problems afoot than these petty squabbles. And why did it always feel as though she was playing peacemaker for their circle of friends? Victoria supposed she already had the answer, as Phyllis had already confessed her profound dislike of Lily.
Surely things could remain as they were for a few more hours. Tonight, the whole of Bristow society would gather in these four walls, and it was too great an opportunity to squander. Tomorrow, she would face the whole of it and decide how to heal the breaches in their friendships.
“Will you excuse me, Hettie?” asked Victoria, giving her friend a quick farewell before wandering to a group of gentlemen. There was no more time to waste.
***
Having never put much effort into her toilette, Sophie hadn’t understood how perilous each movement could be. Though Mama and her lady’s maid had given every promise that nothing would go amiss, it felt as though a gentle breeze in the ballroom might undo all their work. Surely it wouldn’t survive dancing. Sophie fought the fidgets whispering at her to retreat and straightened her spine, trusting that other ladies survived a night of merriment while more ornamented tha
n she. The maid’s magic fingers had turned Sophie’s coiffure into a riot of controlled curls, framing her face in golden locks and flowers that complimented the color of her gown.
And what a gown!
Sophie had seen the fabric in the shop some weeks ago, and she’d known she must have it. Large, multicolored butterflies flew across cream-colored silk with a golden sheen, making it look as though the wearer were swathed in the creatures. But between the bold print and the uncomfortably low décolletage Mama had demanded of the seamstress, Sophie had never thought to wear it. Truly, it was not as low as some preferred, but the feel of it dipping precariously set her on edge—even as she reveled in wearing such a lovely dress.
Strains of music and laughter wafted through this empty section of hallway, testifying that Sophie was well and truly tardy. The extra preparations had demanded it, and there was no more time to waste by standing about like some flighty young miss at her first ball. Forcing herself to stop tugging at the neckline, Sophie girded her metaphorical loins and stepped towards the ballroom entrance.
In a flash, she took in the general loveliness, though she remained ignorant of the details as her gaze swept the room, not pausing until she found him waiting at one side of the entrance, watching for her.
Men’s fashion dictated black for evening wear, leaving the fellows looking remarkably uniform, yet Mr. Kingsley stood out among the rest. The hint of red in his hair was striking against his dark jacket, and his smile brightened the somberness of his vestments, leaving him a handsome beacon among the dark crowd.
Mr. Kingsley remained rooted in place as his eyes examined every facet of her, and there was a power to be found in that admiration, but not as Mama described it. Seeing her feelings mirrored in his gaze filled Sophie with such profound joy. What good was a devoted slave? There was no greater power than to love and be loved. Sophie’s chest expanded, filling her with such lightness that she felt like a fluff of down on a breeze, floating through the ballroom as they approached each other.
Fighting the urge to take his hand as they so often did, Sophie curtsied as he bowed, their gazes holding through the slow movements. For all of her earlier fretting, the effort they’d taken on her toilette was well spent, as Sophie knew she would remember the look on his face for years to come.
“Might I have this dance?” His whispered question was barely audible above the noise of the ballroom, but his tender tone wrapped itself around her heart. There was no need to answer, for there was no other response to give. As she slipped her arm through his, the couple strode towards the dancers.
*
Pressing a hand to her corseted stomach, Mina allowed herself to revel in nostalgia. It was a useless thing to do, but she gave herself a moment to pine for the fashions of her younger years. For most ladies, the voluminous skirts and full corsets showcased their figure to best advantage compared to the demi-corsets and empire silhouettes of her youth, but it had the opposite effect for ladies with a fuller figure like Mina. Though a defined waist was flattering, the wretched undergarments needed to force her rounded middle into that unnatural shape were not as comfortable as simply hiding behind loose layers of muslin.
Such was life, and it did no good to bemoan the changes wrought by time and progress.
But her contemplations of fashions were cut short at the sight of two of her favorite people striding towards her through the crowd. Dropping Simon’s arm, she hurried forward and wrapped her sister-in-law in an embrace.
“You said you weren’t returning for another fortnight, Tabby! Were you able to finish your research so soon?”
Leaning on his cane, Mina’s brother strode up beside his wife, exchanging her embrace for his as the couple greeted his sister and her husband.
“The book can wait,” said Graham with a smile.
Tabby turned her gaze to the other guests like a huntress in search of prey and added with a scalding tone, “Do you think I could remain on the Continent when that woman has descended upon you again?”
“We only arrived a few hours ago, but Tabby insisted we attend tonight when she discovered the invitation among our post,” added Graham, threading his wife’s arm through his.
Tabby’s head swiveled about, searching the ballroom. “Where is that harpy?”
Graham’s blue eyes lit, and his lips pulled into a wry smile. “Tabby has spoken of nothing else since we received your letter. I wasn’t going to get any peace until we returned.”
Mina gave them a wry smile. “And much has happened of late, most of which I detailed in other letters you are unlikely to have received—”
But the conversation and the return of her dear brother and sister-in-law faded from Mina’s thoughts as she caught sight of a young lady entering the ballroom.
The year was 1844. Mina knew it. This was an unshakable fact. Yet, Mina’s heart felt as though it had returned to 1811 at the sight of Sophie Banfield striding into the ballroom. Fashions had changed from those older days, but strip away those surface changes, and Mina would swear she was staring at a young Susannah Banfield.
Blinking to clear her eyes of the image of the elder Mrs. Banfield’s face, Mina struggled to separate the young Miss Banfield and her mother. Their time spent together over the past sennight or so had shown the many, many divergences between mother and daughter, but staring at the same lovely features that had sneered at Mina in her youth made it hard to remember those differences.
Mina slipped her arm through Simon’s, and she felt the tension in his muscles. But even as her thoughts reeled at the surprise of Miss Banfield’s appearance, Mina forced herself to recall the young lady she’d come to know.
“It is of no matter, dearest,” murmured Mina.
Simon nodded. “Of course not. It is just a shock. That is all. I never realized just how much she looked like her mother.”
“Who is she?” asked Tabby, glancing between the younger pair by the doorway and the elder standing beside her.
“My daughter and their son’s sweetheart,” said Mrs. Susannah Banfield in that sultry tone that set Mina’s stomach in knots.
Chapter 33
When the group turned to face Mrs. Banfield, those cold eyes of hers raked up and down Mina, stopping on every flaw with calculating disdain. Having lived to three and sixty years, Mina was far too mature to feel belittled over that silent snub, but her heart pricked nonetheless.
Tabby glanced between the woman and Mina, her brow furrowing.
“She is so very like her mother, don’t you think?” asked Mrs. Banfield, nodding at her daughter, who moved to greet Mina’s son. “The resemblance is quite striking.”
A challenge flashed in Mrs. Banfield’s eyes as she turned her cool gaze on Mina, and again, Mina was transported back to yesteryear and all those little triumphs that woman had scored again and again. Was even her daughter a pawn in her machinations?
“No one desires your company, Mrs. Banfield, so leave us be,” said Simon.
Mrs. Banfield’s brows rose, and she shifted her shoulders in a subtle move that made the already low neckline of her gown slip into scandalous territory. Though Simon’s gaze never left her face, his eyes narrowed until Mrs. Banfield straightened her shoulders, drawing the décolletage back into its proper place.
“You think no one desires my company?” Her smile became cloying sweet as she attempted to hold Simon’s gaze, though he dismissed it by looking out at the dancers.
“Our husbands are not desperate men looking for a quick romp,” said Tabby with narrowed eyes.
Mina sputtered at that, while Graham and Simon’s eyes widened, but their reaction paled to that of Mrs. Banfield, who dropped the mantle of seductress to gape at Tabby’s audacious statement. Mina didn’t know if she’d ever seen the woman so discomposed, but she stood there like a landed carp, gasping for air while wondering what had just happened.
Straightening, Mrs. Banfield collected herself and turned an appraising eye to Graham, who merely gave a huffing chuckl
e and dismissed her with a casual glance away.
Though Mrs. Banfield had altered some over the years, growing more overt in her lures since her youth, Mina was startled to realize that gone was any subtlety. Every word and movement left her companions in no doubt that she would welcome either Graham or Simon into her bed. For a moment, Mina wondered what had wrought that change in her.
“I don’t believe we’ve been introduced,” said Mrs. Banfield, turning a tight smile to Tabby.
“Nor do I wish to be.” Tabby’s tone and smile were so sweet and genteel it was a long moment before Mrs. Banfield’s gaze darkened, her eyes narrowing. “I suppose I could stand here exchanging subtle jabs, meeting each biting comment with a parry of my own, but I’ve no patience for such ridiculous posturing. I lost my pretensions long ago, and being married to a naval man, I’ve found I prefer a more direct approach. So, I will simply warn you that Mrs. Kingsley is not without friends, and I will not stand by and allow you to treat her shabbily. If you wish to spar, then I am more than willing to go a few rounds, but it will not end well for you.”
Mrs. Banfield looked Tabby up and down, her brows pulled together as though trying to decide if the lady spoke figuratively or literally and calculating her chances of victory. Then, giving a haughty raise of her head (as though that would save her dignity), Mrs. Banfield turned on her heel and swanned away, leaving Mina all the lighter for her absence.
“Well done, my love,” said Graham, placing a kiss on Tabby’s knuckles.
***
This wasn’t her first evaluation of the ball’s gentlemanly offerings. Nor the second. Victoria stood to one side, scouring the crowd once more for any option to pursue. Yet not a one held any appeal. The few with fortunes were claimed, and the others of her generation were far too young to have amassed an income to meet the Caswells’ needs. To say nothing of their lack of conversation and ambition.
Hearts Entwined (Victorian Love Book 3) Page 23
