The countess and Vanessa were both sitting at the table along with Auntie Frances. For her part, Vanessa looked somewhat miserable, though she was wearing a brand-new gown in the latest style, and her hair was put up with a number of beautiful, opalescent butterfly pins. Her face brightened as she looked over at Dora’s entrance, and she hurried to pull out the chair directly next to her.
“Oh yes,” Dora said, since she expected that any sort of lie would eventually come undone anyway. “I met her son, Mr Albert Lowe, in a shop on Berkeley Square. He was ever-so-polite. I offered to introduce Vanessa to him, since Lady Hayworth had been speaking of how suitable Lady Carroway’s sons were.”
Auntie Frances blinked at her, as she walked over to take her seat next to Vanessa. That Dora had dared to venture out on her own, without any sort of proper escort, seemed to vex and astound her. But she could not possibly deny the usefulness of having such a personal invitation, and so she carefully limited her reply. “I was not aware that you had gone out, Dora,” Auntie Frances said. “I am sure you know that you shouldn’t have done that. But since you have done, it seems that we shall need to dress you up appropriately for Lady Carroway’s ball.”
“I’m quite fine with the pink muslin,” Dora assured her. “No one in London has ever seen it before, and it fits me very well.”
“Yes, well.” Auntie Frances cleared her throat. “We shall at least see that it is taken in for you more nicely. Perhaps we can sneak you into the shop today, in spite of the short notice.”
Lady Hayworth frowned lightly at Dora. “Did you say Mr Albert Lowe?” she asked. “Oh dear. Yes, I can see how Lady Carroway would be enthused at your interest. I’m afraid that Albert is the least suitable of her sons, and she has been having trouble finding him a wife.”
“Is he?” Dora asked, knitting her brow. “I cannot imagine why. He served against Napoleon with the Lord Sorcier, I’m told, and he is very charming.”
The countess sighed. “Yes dear,” she said patiently. “But he is not a whole man. He is missing an arm, for goodness’ sake. You cannot have failed to notice.” She narrowed her eyes in thought.
“Still,” the countess continued slowly. “I hear that Albert is a physician, which is more respectable than can be said of most third sons. And this is fortunate in its own way. It was Dora who received the personal invitation, so we shall have her set her cap for Albert. Lady Carroway will be pleasantly-inclined towards the family after that, I am sure, and we can aim to snare her oldest son for Vanessa.” She beamed at this bit of logic. “Why, you could be a viscountess, Vanessa, and the next Lady Carroway. Wouldn’t that be lovely?”
Vanessa set her lips into an unhappy line. But she was not prone to disobeying authority figures, and so she nodded silently, rather than contradicting the countess. She glanced over at Dora from beneath her eyelashes. “You said that Mr Albert Lowe served with the Lord Sorcier?” she murmured. “I shall have to see if he is inclined to arrange a meeting.”
Dora frowned vaguely at that. “I have met the Lord Sorcier,” she told her cousin. “He was there with Albert that day. Lady Hayworth is right, Vanessa, Lord Elias Wilder is quite terrible. You must forget him, please.”
For once, Auntie Frances nodded her head in agreement with Dora. “You see, Vanessa?” she said. “If even Dora can feel distaste for the man, then he is to be avoided. Please put the thought from your head. We have a chance to position you well with the next Lord Carroway, so focus your attentions on that instead.”
Vanessa narrowed her eyes down at her plate. “Yes, Mama,” she said obediently. But again, Dora got the distinct feeling that her cousin had not listened to any of them, and that she had some sort of plan in mind regardless.
“Well!” Lady Hayworth said. “This is a fine turn indeed, but it means that we shall have to redouble our efforts. Finish your food quickly. I expect I shall have to bully our way into an appointment to fix up Dora’s dress.”
Auntie Frances smiled at Lady Hayworth, and Dora swore that she could see the stars in her eyes as she did. It was clear that Auntie Frances thought the world of the countess. “We are so very lucky to have you on our side, Lady Hayworth,” she said. “I do not like to imagine what we would have done without you.”
Dora looked down at her food. It occurred to her only belatedly that the countess and her aunt had decided she ought to marry Albert, and never once consulted her on the matter. She wasn’t entirely certain how to feel about that.
He is quite kind, she thought. Though I only met him briefly. And it is a terrible shame that so many mamas and their daughters have been avoiding him only because of his arm.
But the idea that Dora was to be pawned off on Albert distressed her in a very vague manner. It did not seem right that he should be used in some scheme to snare his older brother. Besides which, Dora was quite certain that she did not have the capacity to properly feel love for anyone, and a man as sweet as Albert did deserve to be loved.
“Are you upset, Dora?” Vanessa whispered over to her. Obvious concern laced her voice. It was rare for Dora to feel anything at all deeply enough to show it on her face.
“My stomach is off,” Dora lied to her, in a soft murmur. She didn’t wish for Vanessa to worry too badly. “I did promise to introduce you to Albert. Please don’t let them make me a liar.”
Vanessa reached out to squeeze her hand, beneath the table. “I would love for you to introduce us,” she assured Dora. “I promise, I will make sure to speak with him.”
This comforted Dora somewhat, so she squeezed Vanessa’s hand back.
Good to her word, the countess swept them all away to the dress shop directly after breakfast. The poor dressmaker was clearly already overwhelmed, but the countess must have been an important woman indeed, for she managed somehow to browbeat her way into an appointment nonetheless. After one of the tailors had stuck a few dozen pins into Dora’s gown, they left it behind them for picking up later, and went down to Gunter’s for some of those ices which Dora had been so interested to try.
By the time they were done with ices, Vanessa’s back had straightened, and there was a strange new steel in her posture. She engaged with Auntie Frances and Lady Hayworth with a deceptive enthusiasm, asking questions about how she ought to approach Lady Carroway’s sons, and what she might do to charm the lady herself. But Dora greatly suspected that they had not heard the last of Vanessa’s insistent interest in the Lord Sorcier, and she quietly vowed to herself to corner the awful man and keep him well away from Vanessa, in the unlikely event that he did end up at Lady Carroway’s ball.
A few days later, once Dora’s dress had been returned, she found herself subjected to the most intense party preparations she had ever experienced before. The countess was determined that Vanessa’s first official appearance in London should be exceptional, and so all four of them spent the entire day getting dressed. Dora found she had to whisper requests to the servants to bring her and Vanessa snacks, as they were both so monopolised that they couldn’t get away.
When she was finally released from captivity and shown to a mirror, Dora found herself briefly arrested by the sight there. The pink muslin now hugged her as though it had been made for her; at Lady Hayworth’s direction, the dressmaker had lowered its neckline ever-so-slightly, so that it was just this side of daring. The countess had also deigned to lend Dora some proper pearls, which seemed to lengthen the line of her neck. The maids had pulled her hair into a rusted red bun, leaving only a few delicate curls to frame either side of her face.
But while the sight was a bit more appealing than usual, it was not this that gave Dora pause. In fact, there was a vague worry niggling at the back of her mind, and it took her a long moment to put her finger on just what it was.
I look like I did in the mirror at the magic shop, Dora thought. Except that I think I was bleeding terribly in that reflection.
She felt a moment of regret that she hadn’t asked the shop owner just what sort of spell was on
the mirror. But as Lady Hayworth rushed them all into a carriage outside, the thought soon darted away again, just as it had done at the shop.
“Lady Carroway favours what topics of discussion, again?” Auntie Frances quizzed her daughter, as the carriage took off for the ball.
“Embroidery and charitable works,” Vanessa answered dutifully. “And above all else, her children, of course.”
Auntie Frances beamed at her approvingly, before turning her attention to Dora. “And what must you do before the end of the evening?” she asked leadingly.
“I must dance with Albert twice,” Dora replied distantly. “As he will feel obliged to come calling upon me if I do.”
“Very good,” Auntie Frances said. Dora couldn’t help but feel a moment of pleasure at the rare praise, in spite of her continued discomfort with the idea.
“Do be sure that Lady Carroway sees you dancing with Albert,” the countess told Dora. “It will put her in a most favourable mood towards Vanessa and your aunt.”
“I’m not quite certain how I can force Lady Carroway to watch me dance,” Dora mused aloud. “But I shall do my best, I suppose.”
“Dora!” Auntie Frances said reprovingly. “Don’t be pert. Lady Hayworth has been awfully kind to you for that sort of attitude.”
Dora thought to point out that Lady Hayworth had barely spoken to her at all since they’d arrived in London—but thankfully, her instincts told her just in time that this would be a poor idea. She nodded instead. “My apologies, Lady Hayworth. I am simply very anxious to ensure that things go well for Vanessa.”
“You are forgiven, dear,” said the countess. “But do watch your tone better once we enter the party. The ton can be merciless about those sorts of mistakes.”
I should probably keep my mouth mostly shut in that case, Dora thought to herself.
They arrived at Carroway House just after sunset. Normally, the countess said, they would have waited just a bit longer in order to be fashionably late—but since they’d been so personally invited, she thought to take advantage of the early sparseness to chat with Lady Carroway and her sons. Everyone knew that the countess herself was eager to socialize more, after all.
As they were announced into the ballroom, Dora was struck by an uncanny sense of déjà vu. A great many candles glowed along the walls, flickering across the space. A quartet had started up some music, and already, two young ladies were dancing together on the floor, though the hostess had yet to officially open the ball. All in all, the image could have been plucked straight from the mirror in the magic shop.
This does not bode well for the state of my dress, Dora thought. And for my health as well, I suppose.
Lady Carroway was already crossing the floor towards them, with Albert on her arm. She was a shorter woman, with the same brown hair and kind eyes as her son, and Dora thought that the smile on her face must have been more than simply polite as she approached their gathering. Albert, for his part, was looking particularly dashing in an emerald green waistcoat and the same tall Hessians as before. He was wearing gloves this evening, so that the silver of his hand was covered.
“Lady Hayworth!” exclaimed Albert’s mother, releasing his arm long enough to take the countess’ gloved hands in her own. “It has been too long. I’m so glad that you were able to attend.”
Lady Hayworth exuded a polite warmth in return, though Dora thought that it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “You know I simply couldn’t stay away,” she said. “And Dora was so insistent that she wished to come. You had hoped to meet her, I believe? This is Miss Theodora Ettings. She is the previous Lord Lockheed’s only daughter.”
Dora thought that insistent was probably an overstatement of her enthusiasm towards the ball, but she tried to force some awkward cheer into her smile as Lady Carroway turned her attention towards her. Albert’s mother glanced almost immediately at Dora’s mismatched eyes, and her brow knitted lightly. But she made no comment on the obvious strangeness. “What a pleasure to meet you, Miss Ettings,” she said. “Albert has spoken very highly of you. I hope we shall get the chance to speak further as the evening goes on.”
This was all very positive news, so far as her aunt and the countess were concerned. Dora rummaged up another smile. “I’m very flattered, Lady Carroway,” she said. “I shall try to live up to his praise.” She glanced at Albert, and added: “You weren’t too complimentary, I hope, or I shall have an impossible task ahead of me.”
Albert laughed and took her hand to bow over it. “I will measure my compliments in the future, Miss Ettings,” he said. “You are looking very lovely this evening. I hope you will do me the honour of saving me a dance.”
This was obviously only polite of him, given that he had ensured her invitation in the first place, but Dora knew that his words had only encouraged everyone around them to believe that they were somehow well-matched. The lines in his mother’s forehead smoothed away as she saw this exchange, and Dora suspected that she might already be making marital plans in the back of her head. She wondered if Albert was at all aware of the trap into which he had wandered.
“I would like nothing better than to save you a dance,” Dora assured him. “In fact, you may have your pick of dances, if you like.” It was a slight bit forward of her, but she hoped that it would convince her aunt and the countess that she was showing a proper interest in him.
“Please,” Dora added, “allow me to introduce my cousin, Vanessa Ettings.” This was also cheeky of her, but since Albert had already implied that he was willing to be introduced, it was barely permissible. “Vanessa, this is Mr Albert Lowe. I shall increase my praise towards him and say that he is handsome, polite, and charming, since he has apparently been setting high standards for me while my back has been turned.” She smiled serenely at Albert. “Turnabout is fair play, Mr Lowe.”
“I give you your point, Miss Ettings,” Albert told her. He turned now to bow over Vanessa’s hand. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Vanessa. I would be most obliged if you would save a dance for me as well.”
Vanessa gave him a radiant smile of her own. The sincerity of the expression only added to her considerable beauty, and as Dora looked at her, she thought that her cousin must surely be the loveliest woman in all of London. “Dora has not exaggerated in the least, for her part,” Vanessa said. “How lovely to meet you, Mr Lowe. I look forward to dancing with you.”
The countess introduced Auntie Frances, and within moments she had smoothly redirected the conversation towards Vanessa, enfolding her into conversation with Lady Carroway. As the others talked, Albert offered out his arm to Dora.
“The Lord Sorcier has attended, in the end, despite his protests,” he said. “I will admit, I had to threaten to withhold my translation skills in return for his presence. I must go and confront him now, and I would appreciate a trustworthy companion at my back as I do so. Might I steal you from your family?”
Dora took the proffered arm. “You might do, yes,” she said. “I take it the Lord Sorcier is still grumpy?”
“He is almost always grumpy,” Albert admitted. “But if one can endure his profane behaviour, he is also quite a fascinating conversationalist. He has been a most loyal friend to me, and so I am determined to see him acclimatized to polite society in return.”
Dora pursed her lips as they headed away from the others. “May I be so bold as to ask why?” she said. “It seems to me that the Lord Sorcier has no love for polite society, and that it has none for him in return. Is there something you hope for him to gain from all of this effort?”
Albert considered this for a moment. “I appreciate the directness,” he said. “So I will speak directly in return. Elias is a terribly unhappy man. He wraps himself up in very serious matters, and rarely gives himself the opportunity to rest and enjoy himself. I don’t by any means expect that he shall suddenly fall in love with society balls. But perhaps a delicious meal and a dance or two shall do his heart good and blunt the worst of his miseries.”
Dora nodded at this, taking it in. “Then I will do my best to engage him,” she said, “if only for your sake. But I cannot promise that such engagement shall remain polite, if he is in his usual form.”
Albert smiled at this. “I trust you to handle him at your discretion, Miss Ettings,” he said. “And thank you. I take this as a favour.”
They were well out of earshot of the others, and so Dora thought to warn Albert about the sordid plans involving him and his oldest brother—but before she could do so, they came in sight of Elias, who was settled into a side chair with a painfully bored expression on his face. He was wearing the same white jacket and silver waistcoat that Dora had seen in the magic shop’s mirror, and this distracted her uncomfortably as she thought again of the crimson stain that might soon be found upon her dress.
“Elias,” Albert greeted him, as they headed closer. “I see you have already driven away Lord Ferring. I think that must be record time for you.” He released Dora’s arm, and gestured towards her. “I have brought you a greater challenge.”
Elias arched one white-blond eyebrow. “I see that,” he drawled. “And what is it you wish for me to do with your dog, Albert? Shall I take it outside for a walk? Need I fetch it some treats from the table?”
Dora tilted her head at him. “You could try and teach me to speak,” she said. “But I fear that my diction is already better than yours, Lord Sorcier.”
Albert laughed, already sounding pleased. “I thought that you might take Miss Ettings for the first dance,” he said. “As soon as my mother decides to start things off.”
Elias narrowed his eyes at both of them. “I am not fond of this conspiracy,” he informed them. “One of you at a time is already bad enough. Two is quite intolerable.”
Dora turned innocently towards Albert. “Le sorcier insinue que nous serions intolérables,” she observed. “Quelle ironie.”
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