Young Mr. Kingsley tensed, glancing between Sophie and his family as though that might provide some answer. When none arrived, he gave a curt farewell and led Sophie away. Her heart withered in her chest as she cast a parting glance over her shoulder to see the others relax at her departure.
Chapter 35
Sophie’s chin trembled, but she took in a breath to dispel. Holding tight to her Mr. Kingsley, she whispered, “Have I done something to offend them?”
“Nonsense. I don’t know what is going on, but if they think I will stand by while they treat you with such coldness—”
Sophie shook her head, pulling him to a stop to face him. “Leave it be, Mr. Kingsley. I do not wish to cause a rift in your family.”
His brow furrowed in a hard scowl as she attempted to smile. Glancing around him, Mr. Kingsley took Sophie by the arm, leading her to a quiet corner of the ballroom. With a particularly large arrangement of flowers sitting to their left and a wall to their right and at Sophie’s back, they were as alone as the situation allowed.
“You needn’t defend them, Miss Sophie, and neither must you suffer their rudeness,” said Mr. Kingsley, taking her hands in his. Despite the gloves, Sophie adored the feel of his hands wrapped around hers, and memories of touches supplied the sensation the fabric muted. “I don’t know what has transpired, but give me a moment to speak with them.”
Sophie’s shoulders fell, and though she attempted to keep hold of her expression, there was no hiding the disappointment in her eyes. “I thought they’d grown to like me.”
“You were not mistaken in that, dearest.” The endearment slipped out as though Mr. Kingsley had spoken it many times before, but Sophie’s pulse raced at the sound of it. There was a light in his gaze as he spoke it, leaving her in no doubt that it was no slip of the tongue. “Surely it is a misunderstanding.”
Nodding, Sophie clung to that hope and the assurance that his family’s welcome would not disintegrate so quickly. Giving no heed to the others in the room, Mr. Kingsley brushed a thumb across the back of her hand and then placed a kiss there.
“I will be back shortly,” he whispered, giving her a bow before striding back to his parents.
Sophie wished her fears could be so easily dismissed. Thinking back on the time they’d spent together, she wanted to believe Mrs. Kingsley’s kindness and warmth wasn’t feigned. She did not seem the sort of lady to mislead another. But then, she did not seem fickle, either.
Having passed every free moment with the Kingsleys, Sophie had seen more of Mrs. Kingsley than her own mother of late, and each interaction had been pleasant. More than pleasant if Sophie were to be entirely honest. There was an easiness to the Kingsleys that had her anticipating every opportunity to mingle among them.
A snickering laugh from the other side of the flower arrangement drew Sophie’s attention. As the massive display stood on a pedestal that held the blossoms at eye level, there was no way to see who stood on the other side, but the impediment did not keep her from overhearing the two young ladies. Ignoring them, Sophie continued to muse over the sudden shift among the Kingsley ranks, but at the sound of Lily’s name, Sophie’s attention drew back to the pair.
“…ridiculous! As if she would catch his eye,” said one.
“That is unfair,” replied the second voice. “Though I will admit that Lily and the rest of her family deserve to be humbled, she is not wholly unappealing to a man.”
A scoff. “Some men are not discerning, but anyone of taste would flee from that pudgy fright who is more likely to bore a beau to death than win his heart.”
A spark of anger flared in Sophie’s heart, and she leaned closer, attempting to peer through the foliage to see just who deserved to be eviscerated for those scathing remarks.
The second young lady gave a muted chuckle. “That is a tad harsh, Phyllis, but you do have a point. Even though I spoke with her about it, she still cannot keep hold of her tongue. She is forever speaking of the most uninteresting things. It is a wonder she thinks he’d show an interest in her.”
With one of the young ladies identified, it was not difficult to believe the second to be Miss Hettie Nelson, and Sophie had the strongest urge to shove the flower decorations the hostess had so lovingly prepared and watch the mess cascade over the callous pair. Of course, such violent sentiments were profoundly unhelpful, though Sophie indulged in a few fantasies nonetheless.
Outside of her Mr. Kingsley, Lily was one of Sophie’s favorite people, and hearing her denigrated in such a fashion by supposed friends was enough to drive Sophie to foolhardy actions. But before she could act on any of those promptings, the pair’s conversation shifted into territory that wrapped Sophie in ice as though she was lost on the Yorkshire moors amid a winter storm.
“Lily Kingsley is so desperate to believe she could attract a beau that it didn’t take much convincing. The fellow hasn’t noticed her once, yet with a single note and paltry posy of wildflowers, she thinks herself on the verge of matrimony,” said Miss Thompson with malicious glee. “She has been in alt all evening, constantly hanging around the poor fellow, waiting for him to declare himself.”
Miss Nelson sighed. “It has been funny to watch her swan about like a lovesick fool, but do you not think this is a tad cruel? And to sign his name to your notes? It puts him in a difficult position.”
“A bit of discomfort on his part, but the majority will be on Lily’s plump shoulders,” said Miss Thompson. “And she deserves every bit of it. We have little power over Mr. Kingsley, but do you think his sister should go unpunished for his callous behavior towards Victoria? He threw over one of the dearest people I know for a strumpet.”
Sophie didn’t need to listen any further. Not that she cared two jots about their opinion of herself—she harbored no high opinion of the young ladies, either—but there was nothing more to be gained from hearing their poisonous chatter. If they were to be believed, they’d laid a trap for Lily, and Sophie would not allow her to step into it. But what could she do? And who was the false sweetheart they’d used in their plot?
Scanning the ballroom, Sophie searched for Lily, hoping she might locate her before Miss Thompson’s plan came to fruition. But as her eyes darted through the sea of silks in search of Lily’s pale green, Sophie’s gaze fell to Miss Caswell’s fiery crimson and gold.
Without thought, Sophie emerged from her place, weaving through the crowd directly to Miss Caswell, who stood with Mr. Dixon to one side of the room. It wasn’t until she arrived in front of the young lady that Sophie realized how awkward and uncomfortable she ought to feel. Sophie halted before the pair, lost in the feeling of a thousand anxious spiders crawling along her spine.
But this was not about herself or Miss Caswell.
“What is the matter?” asked the young lady before Sophie could think of how to broach the subject.
Sophie cast a look at Mr. Dixon; she didn’t know how to explain it with him present.
“I give you my promise Mr. Dixon will not say a word,” said Miss Caswell, casting a glance in his direction, and he emphasized her words with a dip of his head. “But you must tell me what has you in such a dither. Is Mr. Kingsley unwell?”
Miss Caswell’s brows pulled low, her gaze filling with anguish as Sophie relayed all she’d heard. Her words could not come fast enough, and as she spoke, Sophie’s heartbeat picked up its pace.
“I do not know where Lily is, nor do I know who they’ve unwittingly used in their plans to humiliate her—”
“But we must discover it before she does and stop this,” said Miss Caswell, her gaze swinging away from Sophie as she scanned the crowds. “Do you spy her, Mr. Dixon?”
The gentleman shook his head.
Miss Caswell let out a burst of breath and rubbed her temple. “What have they done?”
“We will sort this out,” murmured Mr. Dixon, and the young lady gave his arm a light squeeze before nodding.
“Can you not speak to Miss Thompson and Miss Nelson?
They shan’t listen to me,” said Sophie, and Miss Caswell stilled, blinking at her for a heartbeat.
“Of course…” The young lady was moving before she could finish her thought, hurrying to the pair with Mr. Dixon and Sophie trailing behind her.
“What have you done to Lily?” demanded Miss Caswell.
Miss Thompson cocked her head, staring at Miss Caswell as though she couldn’t understand the clearly worded question, while Miss Nelson’s gaze fell to the ground, her cheeks pinking. Miss Thompson began defending herself, and Sophie’s attention turned to the crowd. There was nothing for her to do with the culprits, and her muscles tightened at the thought of what might’ve happened to Lily.
A hand at her back had Sophie jumping, and she turned to see Mr. Kingsley standing there with a silent question in his eyes at finding her in such company. With a few quiet words, she relayed all that had happened, and Mr. Kingsley’s eyes darkened, turning a burning fury towards Miss Thompson and Miss Nelson.
Before he could say a word in defense of his sister, Miss Thompson launched into a litany of reasons why the whole situation was his fault, and though none of their voices rose enough to be heard by the general populace, the tone of their conversation carried enough to draw the curious looks of a few groups nearby.
But Sophie gave the others no notice, only focusing on a quick twist of Miss Thompson’s lips as her gaze slid beyond their party. Following it, Sophie spied Lily approaching Mr. Peter Dosett; though her smile held a hint of apprehension, Lily met him with squared shoulders, her eyes growing brighter as he turned to greet her.
Gripping Mr. Kingsley’s arm, Sophie drew his attention to his sister, and the others all turned their gazes in Lily’s direction. There was nothing to be done at this distance. No intervention to be made. No manner in which to halt the coming blow. All they could do was watch as she flirted with the younger Dosett son. Lily nodded towards the dancers, and the fellow’s brows rose with a hint of a sneer. With a quick step, he backed away and gave a curt bow before scurrying in the other direction.
Sophie raised a hand to her mouth and clutched her stomach with the other, as though that might calm the bile churning inside her. Lily fought to keep hold of her composure, but even at this distance, it was impossible to miss the pain in her eyes as they filled with tears, and Sophie’s own heart broke in two.
Mr. Kingsley stepped forward, and Sophie moved with him, leaving Miss Caswell to deal with the pair. But before they made it halfway there, Mr. Dixon outpaced them, waving them away as he strode towards Lily. Taking the fellow’s cue, Sophie pulled Mr. Kingsley to a stop.
“Let him handle her,” she said as he tugged against her hold.
“But she needs—”
“Having her brother step forward to rescue her would only add to her humiliation.”
Mr. Kingsley frowned. “But—”
“Watch,” she said, nodding at Mr. Dixon as he bowed to Lily.
Though the young lady attempted to blink away her tears, there was no mistaking their presence as Lily watched Mr. Dixon with a wary eye. With a sweep of his arm, he nodded to the dance floor with a smile, though the accompanying invitation was lost to Sophie and Mr. Kingsley in the noise around them. Lily’s chin trembled as a hint of a smile eased into her expression. Taking the gentleman’s arm, she allowed him to lead her into the dance.
Sophie’s heart ached for the poor young lady, who grasped her decorum by the barest hold. Lily’s tender soul had been dealt a blow few would easily forget, and yet she tried to feign indifference before Mr. Dixon said a few things that elicited another timid smile from the young lady. Wrapping her arm around Mr. Kingsley’s, Sophie held onto it as though that movement might lend Lily some strength.
Chapter 36
Oliver’s heart pounded as though trying to break free of his chest, and his muscles tensed while fretful energy pulsed through him. With eyes fixed on Lily, Oliver watched every dip and twist of the dance, looking for any sign of her pain. There was no mistaking the effects of the blow she’d been dealt, but with Mr. Dixon’s attentions, she seemed to gather her strength once more.
Miss Sophie said a word or two, but Oliver only heard the thumping in his chest and Phyllis’s shrill voice. His lungs sucked in and out, his nostrils flaring as his conscience begged him to bring justice down upon that hag’s head. But even as he wished to do all that an older brother ought to, he had little power when it came to women.
Oliver could not call her out. No matter how his fists wished to deliver a punishment on his sister’s behalf, no amount of righteous anger could justify a physical altercation with Miss Thompson. And there was little else he could do, for the harpy had already made it known how little she cared about his opinion and how low he stood in hers.
“Mr. Kingsley…”
He knew Miss Sophie had been speaking, but Oliver struggled to pull his thoughts away from his sister. Miss Sophie stepped closer, the faint wispy scent of roses and lilacs wrapping around him as she stepped into his view and pulled his attention to her. The young lady’s bright eyes shone with all the concern that churned in Oliver’s heart.
“Lily doesn’t need your anger,” she whispered. “We cannot undo what has happened, and railing against it will not help. She needs your love and support.”
Oliver’s brows drew together, his heart sliding downwards, the weight of it pulling lower and lower in his chest.
“They hurt her because of me,” he whispered back. “They were retaliating on Miss Caswell’s behalf—”
Miss Sophie shook her head, the golden curls bouncing with her vehemence. “They are cruel creatures who cannot stand the thought of others being happy. This is not the first time they’ve hurt Lily—”
“What else have they done?” Oliver straightened, the blood pumping through his veins like fire. He turned towards Phyllis and Hettie, but a tug on his hands had him looking back at Miss Sophie.
“Lily doesn’t need justice. She needs understanding,” said Miss Sophie. “Besides, I have a feeling Miss Caswell is giving them a heaping portion of punishment right now.”
Glancing at the young ladies, it was clear the trio was in the midst of an argument. Their voices did not raise enough to draw attention, but the contention was unmistakable to anyone who glanced in their direction.
“Mr. Kingsley,” murmured Miss Sophie, tugging on Oliver’s arm to draw his attention to the dancers. In the intervening minutes, the music had ended and Mr. Dixon was escorting Lily in their direction with all the gallantry of a knight and lady of old.
“Thank you for honoring me with a dance, Miss Kingsley,” said Mr. Dixon as he released her arm and bowed low over her hand. “You are truly delightful.”
Lily blushed and gave him a watery smile. “You are too kind, Mr. Dixon.”
Waving that away, the gentleman stepped closer and whispered, “Remember what I said. Don’t give those arrogant fools power over your happiness. You are a gem.”
With another bow, the gentleman took his leave, though not before meeting Oliver’s eye with something akin to a challenge, as though warning him to take care of his charge.
“I fear I am quite overheated, Lily,” said Miss Sophie. “Might I persuade you to take the night air with me?”
“That sounds delightful,” came the wobbly reply, and arm-in-arm, the pair strode towards the doors that led outside, leaving Oliver to follow at their heels.
*
“How can you say such a thing to me?” Phyllis’s pale complexion was flushed, her eyes narrowed and burning.
Victoria held onto her temper by the barest of threads, though that was unraveling quickly. If not for the crowds around them, she might let loose more than a few choice phrases she ought not to; as things stood, it was difficult not to allow her volume to rise.
“How can you do such a thing? And in my name?” said Victoria.
Phyllis gaped at her, and her gaze bounced between Victoria and Hettie. “I did what a friend ought to do.”
“I have said again and again that there is no need to defend my honor. There is no need for retaliation. I hold no ill will towards any of the Kingsleys,” replied Victoria, barely holding back a juvenile stomp of her foot. But this whole conversation felt entirely too childish.
“Perhaps we might take a moment to calm ourselves—” began Hettie, but Phyllis spoke over the top of her.
“If not for your sake, then for Hettie’s, they deserve to be put in their place,” said Phyllis, setting her fists on her hips. “To have caused such a scandal—”
“Not that old discussion yet again,” said Victoria. “This is not the first time we have spoken of this, but I hope it will be the last. There is no scandal. There is no heartbreak. There is no need for retribution!”
Phyllis dropped her arms, her spine straightening as she looked down her nose at Victoria. “How can you speak to me in such a fashion? I have only ever been the best of friends to you, and you are repaying that by siding with that irritating pig of a woman—”
“Do not speak of Lily like that!” Victoria clenched her jaw tight, speaking through her teeth to keep from shouting.
Leaning back, Phyllis looked at Victoria with a sneer, though her brows were pulled tight together in confusion. When she spoke, her voice was low, her words barely audible above the music and chatter.
“How can you speak to me like that? We’ve been friends for years.”
Victoria’s shoulders dropped. Some of the fire and fury dimmed, leaving her feeling quite empty. “Yes, we have, but can you not see that your actions were aimed at someone wholly undeserving of such maliciousness? And even if Lily had earned your ire, your retaliation was beyond cruel.”
“She was only doing what she thought best, Victoria,” said Hettie, taking Phyllis by the arm. “Perhaps it was a little severe, but would you punish loyalty?”
Hearts Entwined (Victorian Love Book 3) Page 25