Emily was happy for all her new friends, who seemed to be having such a good time visiting Rosemount. Emily had a smile on her face that night as she drifted off to sleep.
The day of the big finale dawned brightly. Lady Clara and Emily were congratulating themselves on the uncharacteristically good weather, as though they had conjured it themselves. The two women spent the morning consumed with final preparations for the gala that would be held at Rosemount that evening. Gentry from the surrounding area had been invited, and about fifty-five people were expected for the ball and second supper. A light supper was to be served to the houseguests before the ball.
The house was abuzz with excitement as the staff worked hard to ready the manor for the event. The silver was polished, the windows shined, rugs beaten, and floors waxed. The maids were excited to see everyone in their finery and were proud of their hand in everything. The footmen were busy preparing their own uniforms for the evening. Everything was to be perfect. Lady Clara was most pleased with how it was all coming together. Emily's presence in her home was turning out to be one of the best decisions she had ever made.
The houseguests were left to amuse themselves for a time. Lord Philip took the young gentlemen out riding in the afternoon, as they were getting restless and it kept them out of the way of the servants busily making preparations. The older gentlemen spent a quiet afternoon playing chess, while the ladies tried to enjoy their quiet, genteel pursuits. But to no avail. Most of the young ladies were too excited to sit still, so after taking a turn in the rose gardens, they ran tittering upstairs to begin their personal preparations for the evening. Their gowns had all been shaken out well in advance, but each girl spent painstaking hours on her hairstyle and any other beauty machination she could come up with. Finally the time to assemble for the light, private dinner arrived.
The drawing room was heavy with the perfumes and powders that had been applied so generously just minutes before. Emily could not help her wry smile as she realized that she too was caught up in the magical excitement of the event. Maggie had outdone herself coaxing Emily's curls into the fashionable style. The two girls had pored over the fashion plates to determine how best to arrange Emily's hair for the special event. Lady Clara had lent Emily an intricately stylish black necklace to offset the paleness of her high-waisted white crepe gown. She felt very elegant as she mingled with the gathered company. The first real ball of her life! Who wouldn't be excited?
Emily wondered why they had bothered planning a dinner for the guests, as most were clearly too excited to manage more than a couple of bites. Of course, some of the group would appreciate the sustenance to get them through the evening, she thought with an inner chuckle as she saw resignation upon the faces of Lords Sedgely and Fitzgerald. Doubtless they would prefer a good card game to a ball. She took pity on them and told them she had had a few tables set up in the small salon for those who preferred cards to dancing. She was delighted to see the sparkle return to their eyes.
Many of the other guests had already arrived when the houseguests left the dining room and converged on the ballroom. It was a less formal affair than a London ball, so Lady Clara and Lord Philip had chosen to forego the receiving line in lieu of mingling and speaking with each guest personally. This allowed them to spend a little longer with each one, and they were gracious enough to make everyone feel welcome.
When the band struck up the first song, Lord Philip led his mother out onto the dance floor. Lady Clara felt triumph in her breast as she thought of how the week could have turned out. She had been expecting to see her son leading out the Lady Maude for this special dance, and it was with a sense of profound relief that she realized Philip was not at all disturbed that things hadn't turned out differently. He did appear to be preoccupied, though, so Lady Clara asked him what was disturbing him. He replied that he was thinking about the matter the king had him working on, and he reminded her he would have to leave the next day along with the rest of the guests, as he had to return to his search.
Then, after a moment's hesitation, he asked her, "Mama, what is nobility to you?"
Lady Clara at first wasn't sure what he was getting at until he asked, "Do you think Father was wrong to place such emphasis on good bloodlines?"
The light dawned in Lady Clara's mind, but she contained her excitement and tried to answer his question diplomatically. "I do not think your father was wrong, Philip, but you may have misinterpreted things he said. However, this is a rather large topic, and I do believe this song is coming to an end. Let's discuss the matter later, shall we?"
Philip smiled warmly at his mother as he took her into the last turn of the dance. There was a polite murmur of admiration from the crowd before the band struck up the next song and other couples took to the floor.
"I guess I need to do my duty by the other young ladies here, eh, Mama?" Philip laughed as he bowed over his mother's hand before turning to Lady Julia and inviting her to have the next dance with him. Julia blushed and accepted happily.
Emily was delighted when Lord Fitzgerald appeared at her elbow and gallantly requested her hand for the next dance. He said he would "do his duty" before getting lost in the cards. He accompanied this statement with a broad wink, which brought forth a gurgle of laughter from Emily. He turned out to be a graceful partner, and they enjoyed their dance together, after which he went off to play cards. Emily was having a grand time and was thrilled to see that all the guests were enjoying themselves as well.
The young ladies were dazzling in their pastel colors. The mothers looked on in their deeper-hued gowns as their offspring paired up, then changed partners as each successive dance went by. It was becoming obvious to everyone that Lord Sutherland was courting Lady Jane when he stood glowering from the sidelines whenever she accepted an invitation to dance with any other gentleman. It was clear too that Jane was enjoying every minute of the attention she was receiving.
Emily's own joy was made complete when later in the evening Philip bowed over her hand and requested that she dance the waltz with him. She hesitated before accepting, afraid he would be able to discern her feelings during the intimacy of the dance. He misinterpreted her silence, thinking perhaps she did not know the steps. He had begun to apologize when she smiled cheerfully, took his hand, and accepted the invitation. They danced beautifully together. Many of the other guests stopped and watched as they glided gracefully around the ballroom floor as though dancing upon a cloud. The music and the crowd faded away. The lost themselves in the moment.
Watching them, Lady Maude thought her head would explode from rage. That Philip should seem to enjoy the company of this commoner more than he did hers! Despite her shame a few days prior and her realization that she had stepped over the line, she had expected Philip to continue paying court to her. Watching him enjoy his dance with Emily made her realize he had never seemed that content in her own company. She felt impotent and flounced away from the dance floor, refusing to watch such a spectacle.
Lady Clara, on the other hand, felt her joy was complete. Lord Philip couldn't still be professing feelings for Lady Maude if he was so obviously enjoying the evening apart from her, she reasoned. The music drew to a close, and the dancers drifted to the sidelines. Philip escorted Emily over to his mother and went in search of drinks for both women.
Lady Clara complimented Emily on her dancing. "Where did you learn the waltz, my dear? You perform it beautifully. You must have had an excellent teacher."
Emily blushed to her roots as she realized her faux pas. She grasped for an answer; she had come to love the countess dearly and couldn't bear to tell her more lies. But she dared not reveal her secrets now, least of all in a crowded ballroom. So she told the truth with a quiver in her voice. "My father taught me. He was a wonderful dancer. He and Mama loved to dance together at every opportunity."
Lady Clara didn't pursue the topic further, recognizing that the tears shimmering on Emily's lashes might tumble down and cause a scene. She patted Emily's h
and and said, "Well, he did an excellent job of teaching you, my dear. It was pure pleasure watching you dancing with Philip. Ah, there he is with some punch for us. Thank you, Philip. That's kind of you"
Emily soon drifted away to mingle with the guests. She kept an eye out for any ladies without a partner and quickly introduced a gentleman. She was determined there would be no wallflowers at this party. It delighted her to see that all the ladies, even the quiet or plain ones, were enjoying the evening.
In her meandering Emily came upon Lady Thorpe, who appeared lost in thought. She stopped to engage the lady in conversation. "Are you well, Lady Thorpe? Could I get you a glass of something from the refreshment table?"
"Oh, Miss Spencer, you are so sweet. No, thank you. I'm fine. I was just thinking about how much fun Lord Thorpe is having and missing my children. I feel so very torn. My husband has had such a grand time here at Rosemount that he really wants to go up to London for the Season this year. We have not been since we had our first child."
Emily pondered the subject briefly. Having neither husband nor children gave her very little experience in this particular subject, but she felt the need to help.
"Do you really hate London that much?" she queried gently.
"Oh, no, some of my best memories are of times spent in London, both as a girl with my family and then during my courtship and marriage with Lord Thorpe."
"So why couldn't you go now? Could you not take the children with you, even for a few weeks if not the entire Season?"
Lady Thorpe smiled brilliantly at Emily. "You are a smart girl, aren't you? I never really thought of that possibility." She laughed at her own silliness. "I was just so caught up in missing the children and enjoying Thorpe's amusement that I couldn't see past that to a solution. Of course, the thought of being cooped up in a carriage for three days with the little ones is enough to turn even the fondest mother into a lunatic," said the mother humorously.
"That is why you need two carriages," concluded Emily drolly.
Lady Thorpe was so pleased with the solution to what she had considered a huge problem, she linked arms with Miss Spencer, and they proceeded to the refreshment table for glasses of punch while discussing all the sights to be seen in London and what the children might enjoy. Emily had not yet been to London herself, but she had heard much about it as well as often reading the London papers, so she could add a few details to the conversation.
The rest of the night flew by as the revelry continued. Emily's hand was bespoken for nearly every dance. She was pleasantly surprised to be receiving such gallant attention from the gentlemen despite her lowly position, and she was determined to wring every drop of enjoyment from the evening. She had worked to make everyone comfortable throughout their stay, and evidently they wanted to show her a good time at the ball in return. Emily was passed from gentleman to gentleman with each tune the band struck. She glided around the dance floor with ceaseless energy and still found the time to check on the food and wine supplies. She even delighted the footmen by joining them in a country dance in the hallway after she had checked to see how they were doing. The evening was an unqualified success.
Emily stood just behind the earl and his mother as they waved off the guests not staying for the night. The houseguests were being tucked into their beds by their maids and valets when Emily, Philip, and Lady Clara sat down in the library to toast themselves and the success of their event.
Philip offered, "Mama, I must apologize for begging you to throw this party, but I must also compliment you on how well you carried it off. You made excellent choices on the guest list, and the entire week has been an unequivocal success. I did not realize what difficulties I was asking you to undertake, and I am impressed with how you managed so well. Thank you for doing this for me. It did not have the result I had expected, but that is apparently a good thing" He smiled self-deprecatingly.
Lady Clara was delighted by what he was saying but modestly replied, "I couldn't have done it without Emily."
Emily realized that the mother and son could use a few minutes of privacy, so she excused herself after suppressing a huge yawn. Philip and Clara laughed and bade her good night. Emily left the room and went to confirm that the front door was locked. She had not quite closed the door to the library, and as she passed by on her way to the stairs, she felt her entire world turn upside down.
In the days following as she looked back on that moment, she couldn't believe she hadn't cried out from the pain as she overheard his lordship speaking. "So I'll be off to visit Ridley again tomorrow. We need to get this matter cleared up about his missing cousin" The buzzing in Emily's ears blocked out whatever else he might have said, and she wrapped her tattered composure around herself like a shield as she ascended the grand staircase on the way to her chamber. She realized she had been right not to lay bare her soul to Lord Philip when he had been questioning her about her background. Rage came up into her nostrils as she contemplated what a fool she had nearly been. She had so wanted to confide in him. She was shocked and heartsore that someone she had come to care about so deeply was in league with that devil, Edwin. Emily felt the shards of her broken heart piercing the inside of her chest. She cried herself to sleep that night, unsure if she cared whether or not tomorrow ever came.
Emily glared at the sunshine streaming in through her window the next morning. It was shocking to her that the world did not reflect the tragedy she felt. But it was, she realized, only a personal tragedy. No one would really care, and in fact, no one could even know. She had been right not to trust or confide in anyone, and no one could find out how devastated she was because that would give away too much. So she donned her "happy" clothes, the yellow frock she loved so much, and tried to make herself look as decent as possible, considering how puffy her eyes were. Laying a cool cloth on them for a moment had helped a bit, and, looking in the mirror, Emily was surprised to see that no one could even tell that her heart had been broken the night before.
She went downstairs with a sense of gloom, hoping his lordship had already left so she wouldn't have to face the ordeal of bidding him farewell. Most of the guests were still abed, and Emily was happy to find the breakfast room empty. She did not want any witnesses as she forced herself to swallow a few mouthfuls.
Philip walked into the breakfast room. "Good morning, Emily. You're up awfully early after such a late night." He was delighted to see her, he had thought she would still be sleeping when he departed, and he wouldn't have a chance to say good-bye.
Emily felt the color drain from her face at the sound of his voice and struggled to maintain her composure. She took a deep breath and turned to him. "I am never very successful at sleeping late. Old habits, you know" She laughed self-consciously before turning back to her plate. She prayed he would not endeavor to engage in conversation but would instead bury his nose in his paper or else hurry through his repast. Her prayer was not answered.
"So, are you fully recovered from this ordeal?" Philip asked conversationally.
She almost spilled her coffee before she realized he was talking about the week of entertaining a houseful of company. She smiled wanly at him, popped a bite of toast into her mouth, and just nodded. Surprised at her quietness, Philip figured she was worn out by all the work she had undertaken on his mother's behalf, as well as the scrutiny some of the guests had put her through.
"You needn't make such an effort to impress my mother, Emily-Miss Spencer, I should say. She is terribly fond of you and thinks you are a godsend. You should relax for the next few days."
Emily was unaccountably touched at his thoughtfulness and felt the shards of her broken heart pierce her chest once again. She marveled that he could seem so kind and concerned when she now knew he was a friend of the evil Edwin.
"And I love your mother," she said, choking a bit. "I have not run myself ragged, my lord, if that is what you are implying. It is a great pleasure to serve the countess. Next to my own mother, she is the best, kindest woman I have ever
met"
Philip was impressed by her loyalty to her mistress. Everything he learned about her was impressive, yet he felt such conflicting emotions. He was disappointed to have to leave her for a while, since he so enjoyed her company, but he was conversely glad to get some distance to obtain a sense of objectivity.
Emily could feel his gaze upon her but forced herself to ignore him. She quickly choked down the last of her toast and stood up. "I wish you safe travels, my lord. Perhaps we will meet again" She made to leave but was stopped by Philip's soft but meaningful reply.
"You can be sure we shall, Emily."
Her startled eyes flew to his face before she spun around and ran from the room. She did not stop running until she locked herself in the remotest corner of the attics, where she had discovered a litter of kittens the week prior while the house had been a whirl of cleaning activity.
She wept bitterly for many moments, crying out her grief, mourning for her lost love and wishing her parents were there to guide and comfort her. But one could not remain depressed for long in the company of young animals, and the dear little creatures were able to coax a smile to her face once more. She stayed in the small space until she was able to see, by way of the little window, Philip ride away with Mr. Dale in tow.
She then made her way down to her chamber to wash the tearstains from her face and turn a smile upon the world once more. She was able to go through the motions of helping the guests pack and waving them off with Lady Clara. It had been a tearful parting with the Waddell ladies and Miss Fitzgerald. They all vowed to keep in touch. Emily was happy to have made some friends despite the difference in their stations.
There was an awkward moment when the Sedgelys were taking their leave of the countess. It was painfully obvious they were disappointed with the outcome of the visit. They had been hoping Lord Philip would declare his intentions toward Lady Maude during the house party, but it was abundantly clear that no offer was to be forthcoming. Cloaked in their own sense of worth, they seemed unable to blame their daughter for this eventuality and apparently deemed it was somehow the countess' fault that her son had not come up to scratch. The Sedgelys had stood in the grand entrance en masse, unsure what to say as they took their leave. Lord Garfield saved the situation with his ever-present charm as he stepped forward and bowed before the countess elegantly, kissing her hand with a flourish and making an amusing comment about the great fun he had had under her roof. Always pleasant, Lady Clara accepted his comments with good grace, and the family was able to exit.
Tempting the Earl Page 13
