by Finch, Fanny
Emma smiled wide. “And you look beautiful, as always, Camilla. I am so pleased you are here. I have been quite bored waiting.”
“You arrived early,” Camilla said in her defense, her smile never wavering. “How is your father’s health?”
Emma lost her smile and shrugged gently. “He is not well, Camilla. It is quite unfortunate. I will dearly miss him when he is taken from us.”
“Yes, I know you will. I will, too. He has been like a second father to me.”
“He has informed me that I must have a husband by the end of the season. I must say…” Her voice cracked a little and she looked up so the tears would not fall. She did not want red eyes. “I do not know if he will make it till the end of the season.”
“Oh, Emma, I am so sorry.”
Emma nodded, gaining control of her emotions. “I will survive, Camilla. Thanks to you and my aunt and uncle. I am dreading the day but he will be so much happier in Heaven.”
“Yes, he will.” Lady Camilla nodded in agreement. “Oh look, here come the Duke of Andryse and his cousin. You know they will be asking for a place on our cards. Get yours out of your handbag. Have it at the ready. My mother says they are quite eligible and both have a purse that is not to be sniffed at.”
Emma reluctantly removed the card from her handbag. The Duke of Andryse and his cousin, Mr. Bonds, were both handsome men and said to be excellent in business dealings. They treated others fairly, such was the word, and could be trusted when asked for advice.
But she was not looking to fulfill a business transaction. She wanted to find a man to love and cherish, one who would return her passion. A man who would make her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world. She hoped it was not too much to ask for.
She would know that man when he came along.
She was sure of it.
The Duke of Andryse stopped a few feet from the two ladies and bowed at the waist. “Lady Wentworth, Lady Fielding, may I introduce my cousin, Lord Reginald Bonds. He has come to South London for the season. May we have a place on your dance cards?”
“My lord, how do you do?” Camilla dropped into a small curtsy and handed him her card as he was closer to her. She glanced at Emma expectantly, prompting Emma to hand her card to the Duke of Andryse.
“Yes, oh, here…” Emma stammered, her face flushing in embarrassment. The Duke of Andryse pressed his lips together to hide a grin, taking the card from her. He placed his name at the top of the card but for the second dance. She took it back from him, looking down at it.
The second dance. He did not want to open the dance with her. She pulled in a silent breath and smiled at him. “I will see you later then, your grace.”
The Duke of Andryse kept his eyes on her as he took Camilla’s card and placed his name on it for the third dance. Before moving away from the ladies to mingle some more, he stopped in front of Emma and leaned down slightly so he could speak in a low voice and only she would hear.
“I am spoken for to another for the first dance, my lady,” he said. “I do not wish for you to believe I am not willing to open the ball with you. You are a fine dancer and a fine young lady. It will be a pleasure to acquaint myself with you again this year.”
He moved on as soon as he was finished with his short speech, not giving her time to respond. She watched him go, the tips of her lips turned up in a pleasant smile. The Duke of Andryse was not unfamiliar to her. He had danced with her for several of the past seasons. They got along well but there had never been a spark between them.
So, her search continued. She swept her eyes over the room and spotted two men coming in that she did not recognize. She leaned closer to Camilla. “Camilla, do you recognize those two men there?”
She turned her eyes in the direction of the men, not willing to point, which would have been terribly impolite. Camilla looked over at the men. Without looking back at Emma, she shook her head. “I do not know either of them,” she whispered, barely audible to Emma. “But they are certainly fine on the eyes!”
Emma could not hold back her smile. “Yes, they are.”
She would do her best to flirt as she was supposed to. To be the refined young lady they wanted her to be. But she desperately hoped to find a man with some personality. She wanted to be in some control of her life, and to be able to paint and grow her favorite flowers in the garden. She didn’t want a dictator. She wanted a man more like her own father.
Her father had always treated his women with the highest respect. He had chosen two fine women to love, marry, and have children with. Emma respected her step-mother and younger half-siblings. They were kind to her and she returned the favor. She didn’t consider her step-mother’s forceful ways to be unkind, though at times, she felt the duchess was a bit too harsh.
She knew the woman behaved that way because they shared a love for her father. The Duchess of Corning could be dictatorial in her methods. Emma believed it was because the duchess wanted Emma to marry a wealthy, well-bred man worthy of her status as the eldest daughter of a duke. She sometimes wondered if her behavior would stay the same once he was gone. Would the duchess still give her the same respect and love?
She hoped so. If she was to sacrifice her life and marry for money, the duchess had to treat her with the respect she deserved. If she did not, Emma would make it very difficult for her, providing only a small allowance to live on.
After all, it is her husband who would be providing the money to her to give to the duchess. In the end, it would be his decision how much the family would receive. She would be sure to have great influence over the decision. The Duchess of Corning herself had no money of note. She gained her status as duchess only because of the Duke of Corning. Her late husband had only a title in the military, having reached the rank of second lieutenant before his death. He left nothing behind for her.
For months, the Duke of Corning had struggled with his business accounts. As his health failed and he became more ill, he did not function the way he had when his mind was clear and he felt no pain. He had lost clients, deals, and a great deal of money in a short period of time.
Only the duchess, Emma and Katherine knew that the money was slowly being depleted and they would soon feel the need to start selling valuable possessions to continue their lifestyle.
The two men were making their way across the room. Emma could tell they were not moving quickly and had no intention of coming directly to her and Camilla. She strained her ears as they moved closer, trying to hear an introduction. As they got closer, she was sure she heard the word “Duke.” She did not know to which man the word was directed.
Finally, they were just a few feet away, chatting with another man, someone Emma recognized by appearancebut could not come up with a name for.
She felt Camilla grip her elbow tightly, signaling the men were coming over. She did not need the prompting. She was well aware of their approach. She braced herself and cleared her throat softly. She smiled as they got closer.
“My ladies,” one of the men said, bowing. “May I introduce myself. I am Lord Baldwin, Duke of Lox. This is my closest companion, Lord Christian, Duke of Rabney. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
“Likewise, I am sure,” Emma said, using her most pleasant tone. She curtsied, bowing her head respectfully. “Your grace, I am Lady Emma Wentworth, daughter of Duke Wentworth of Corning.”
“My lady.” He took her hand and bowed to her. She moved her hand to the Duke of Rabney, who took it and also bowed.
“I am Lady Camilla Fielding, daughter of Duke Fielding of Cooksey.”
“A pleasure, my lady,” the Duke of Lox bowed to her. The Duke of Rabney also repeated the motion.
As soon as the men introduced themselves, Camilla was holding her card in anticipation of being asked for a dance. Emma was a little embarrassed for her cousin. The look on her face betrayed her attraction to the two men. Emma hoped the same look was not on her face. She would not worship a man as if he was a god. That was th
e look Camilla was giving them.
“Lady Fielding, may I place my name on your dance card this evening?”
“Yes, thank you, your grace.” Camilla immediately held out the card, smiling at the Duke of Lox.
Emma could not help it when a streak of jealousy passed through her. She wanted him to sign her card but Camilla was much too quick with hers. Amusement followed the jealousy and she handed her card to the Duke of Rabney. He smiled and took it from her.
The men switched cards and placed their names on both before handing them back to the ladies.
“It will be a pleasure to get to know you better,” the Duke of Lox said, smiling as he and the Duke of Rabney tipped their heads and moved on to the next group of people, both clasping their hands behind their backs.
“I wonder where he came from?” Camilla said, excited. She was staring at her card, obviously enamored. Emma looked at her and then down at her card. A chill ran through her. The Duke of Lox had signed up for the last dance. It was the longest of them all and most people believed the last dance was the highlight of the evening.
There were other open spots on her card. The fact that he chose the last dance was significant.
“Camilla, do you have the last dance taken?” she asked, moving her eyes to her cousin’s card. Camilla looked down at it.
“Yes. It was that man, the Duke of Rabney. He signed up for it.”
Emma grinned at her cousin. “The Duke of Lox signed up for my last dance.”
“Oh, Emma. This is exciting. Two fresh faces to South London during the height of the season, obviously eligible suitors. Where have they been hiding themselves?”
It was a fair question. Emma had heard of both provinces Lox and Rabney but had never been introduced to someone from either place before.
“Would it not be so exciting if we were to be courted by the two most handsome men in all of the ton?” Camilla’s voice was so high-pitched, she sounded like a much younger girl. Emma kept up the effect, giggling like a child.
“Oh, Camilla, it would be so wonderful. The Duke of Lox is such a handsome man! What if he should turn out to be the man I marry?”
“I am praying for us both, Emma!” Camilla said, still excited. “I really am!”
“Lady Wentworth!”
Emma turned when she heard her name. She smiled at the newcomer, a dancing partner for her for at least the last three seasons, Lord Archibald Van D’Obson, Earl of Carne.
“Sir Archibald! How lovely to see you here. I did not expect you at the ball tonight.”
She leaned in and gave her friend air kisses on both cheeks. “I did not expect to be available this evening, Lady Wentworth. But here I am. You look stunning.”
“Why, thank you ever so kindly, my lord. You do remember my cousin, Lady Fielding?”
Lord Archibald bowed at the waist. “I do, yes. Quite. It would be difficult for one to forget such a beautiful young lady who only serves to accentuate the beauty of her constant companion, Lady Wentworth.”
Emma giggled, opening her hand fan and sweeping it in the direction of her face. “Oh, my lord, you are so complimentary! I do thank you!”
“It is always a pleasure. May I have a dance with you this evening?”
“Of course, yes. I would be so honored.” Emma handed him her card. “How is your Lady Bonneville this evening?”
She noticed his eyes went directly down to the bottom of the card. He scowled for only a moment when he saw the slot was taken. Emma saw the look and knew that he wiped it off his face as quickly as he could. He was smiling when he looked back up at her.
“Thank you, my lady. She is not feeling well this evening and has chosen to stay home from this event.”
“Oh I do hope she feels better very soon.”
“Thank you, I will tell her of your good wishes. I will see you just after intermission. That way we will both be quite rested.”
“Yes, quite.”
As the lord walked away, Camilla gave her cousin a wide grin. “I did not know you were so close to Lord Archibald.”
“I do not consider myself to be close to him,” Emma replied. “We are only friends.”
“He seems quite fond of you.”
Emma looked at her cousin with her eyebrows raised. “You came to that conclusion in less than five minutes?”
Camilla giggled. “Emma, I have been coming to the dances with you since we first began attending. I have seen you dance with him before. You and I have met him in the street while shopping. I can see it when he looks at you and I know you can see it too. Do not try to fool me into thinking you do not see what I see.”
Emma just smiled at her cousin. “I do not know how he feels but I do know that we are friends. Only friends.”
Camilla gave her a skeptical look that she chose to ignore. Lord Archibald was an earl but he was poor and it was well-known he would rather spend his time in front of a canvas, painting some odd object with obvious skill and talent, than hold a job that would put pounds in his accounts. It wasn’t that he was lazy, he just never seemed very grounded to Emma.
Plus, she saw a resemblance in some of his behaviors and speech that reminded her of her step-mother’s authoritarian ways. She did not want a husband who would treat her more like an employee than a wife. She wanted love. That was the only thing that would make her happy.
Lord Archibald lived in the east wing of a huge mansion just outside of London owned by his patroness and benefactor, Lady Bonneville, whose advancing age was known to all in their small area of England.
Do you want to read more?
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http://fannyfinch.com/AmB005
Also by Fanny Finch
Book 1: Saving Lady Abigail
Book 2: Engaging Love
Book 3: A Forthright Courtship
Book 4: A Love Worth Saving
Book 5: Love Letters to A Lady
Book 6: The Duke’s Cautious Governess
Book 7: A Lady’s Choice