Tempted by Curiosity

by Angeleke Kaldis

  Marcella walked to the edge of her bed and then turned around to say to Rachel, “I promise to be a loyal friend to your sister. I’ll do my very best. Starting tonight, you’ll see a new Louisa. A more confident one.”

  “God willing.” Rachel commented and left the room with a saddened face.

  Hours later Marcella checked on Louisa, and she was thankfully in a better mood, until she saw her mother bringing in her ball gown.

  Louisa looked at it and asked with annoyance, “What happened to it?”

  Lady Pinkerton laid the gown on the bed, “Ms. Janice had a few other ideas for it, and I wanted to add some extra details of my own as well. We felt the gown was too plain for a ball, and you only debut once my dear. So, we decided to go all out.”

  Ms. Janice had added a bunch of gold lace on top of the buttery yellow skirts with a matching belt at the waist. It was pretty enough, but it was just far too much dress for Louisa to handle.

  Marcella kindly remarked, “It’s lovely. Just like summer’s final ray of sunshine.”

  Lady Pinkerton looked at Marcella and smiled, “Oh darling, that’s a very kind thing to say.”

  Louisa nodded in agreement with her mother, but she was still quite apprehensive. It was a lot of dress. Marcella’s own ball gown would be brought up soon enough as well, and she had an inkling that it was going to very different from Louisa’s gown.

  Chapter 11

  The pressure to do well tonight was of high importance to Marcella, the Pinkerton’s had vouched for her, and because of that she would be publically presented to London’s high society. That included dubious mamas, fortune hunters, and eligible bachelors who all needed to be thoroughly impressed.

  Luckily for Marcella, the ball gown would help her play the part. It was a wine-red ball gown with accents of white and black lace interwoven at the hem of the dress, and at the top of the bodice as well.

  A good majority of her hair had been pulled back from her shoulders and pinned up in a chignon away from her back. Anne strategically pulled a curl loose from the front of Marcella’s hairdo and placed it behind her ear.

  Anne then fastened a simple pair of pearl earrings on Marcella’s ears and said, “There, you’re almost ready.”

  Marcella then stood from the vanity table and went over to step into her ball gown. Anne then pulled it up and into place around Marcella. Anne then tightened the laces at the back of the dress very tightly, causing Marcella to gasp. Laces and corsets were another aspect of city life that Marcella hadn’t anticipated, nor did she care for.

  With the ball gown properly adjusted, all that Marcella had left to do was take a good look in the mirror. As she turned around slowly she came face to face with herself in the mirror, and was completely stunned. She looked like a proper, and a sophisticated lady. Her mother would be beyond proud.

  As Marcella left her guest room and walked out into the hallway she saw Louisa emerge from her room as well. The gown wasn’t as bad as Louisa had made it out to be. The belt that Ms. Janice had added actually accentuated her friend’s tiny waist.

  Louisa’s shiny blonde hair had been pulled back into a twisted bun above her head with cascades of curls coming down to frame her face. She looked beyond lovely.

  Lady Celia Pinkerton appeared from behind Louisa with a large plum ball gown on and a grand smile on her face. The lady of the house was glad to see Marcella all ready for the ball as well.

  “I’m so proud to be launching such a striking duo into London society tonight. You both look so wonderful, everyone will surely be green with envy.”

  Rachel came down from the upper stairs, and then paused at the landing as she saw them in the hallway. She was wearing a lavender ball gown with white and blue floral accents shimmering all over her bodice. She smiled hesitantly at them.

  Lady Pinkerton smiled sweetly back at her eldest child and then said, “You went with the lavender, good choice my darling. We’re all ready to go ladies, come now.”

  Rachel gleamed with hope as they all followed the eager Lady Pinkerton down the remainder of the stairs and into the main foyer to await the carriage and the Pinkerton gentlemen.

  Tonight was a very important night, not just for Marcella, but also for the Pinkerton family as a whole. The mourning period for Lord Davenport’s passing was finally over, and it was time for the Pinkerton family to join society once again.

  The Pinkerton men came out of the study and joined the ladies in the foyer as a footman came into the foyer and announced that the carriage was ready for them.

  They all filed into the carriage one by one, thankfully it was a rather large carriage.

  All they had to do was strategically maneuver their bodies, and especially their gowns, into comfortable seating positions.

  The carriage took off, and after quite sometime they arrived in front of this beautiful home in Mayfair.

  Lady Pinkerton leaned forward towards the girls and said, “Listen carefully girls. When our carriage makes its way to the front of the Stanton’s home, you will follow Lord Pinkerton and I up the steps. We’ll then greet the Stanton’s and thank them for their kind invitation. After that, we’ll be ushered into a line where a footman will announce us. Once that has happened, you’ll follow Rachel’s lead. Understood?”

  Louisa and Marcella nodded in unison.

  Alexander had said that her height would be an advantage in a large room filled with people, and she was starting to think that he was most definitely on to something there.

  Marcella giggled to herself, and Louisa looked at her with a questioning glance.

  Marcella shrugged, “I was just thinking about something funny. By the way, I hope you know that your brother has been staring at you the whole ride over here. You should look at him, at least once.”

  Louisa grunted, “Fine, but if he says anything cruel or unkind I’m done.”

  Marcella uttered under her breath, “At least give him a chance to apologize, then go from there.”

  Louisa looked up at her brother as he then mouthed, “I’m sorry. Talk, later?”

  Louisa nodded, but then looked away from him. She was doing her best not to cry in front of everyone right not, and Zachary became emotional as he realized that he had truly hurt his sister with his unkind words.

  He cleared his throat and spoke aloud to the carriage, “I’m truly surrounded by the most beautiful women in all of England. Especially you Louisa, you’re shining bright like the North Star tonight.”

  Lady Pinkerton pinched her son’s cheeks and then kissed them with affection, Rachel gave him a loving smile, and Louisa’s face just stayed blank. Louisa wasn’t used to flattery, so she didn’t know how to react.

  The carriage came to a halt. Then a footman who was clad in a sleek silver-satin livery opened the door and helped the ladies all out of the carriage one by one.

  Marcella did as Lady Pinkerton had instructed. She thanked the Stanton’s for their kind invitation, and then complimented them on their lovely home.

  Lady Stanton loudly spoke, “I’m so glad that you are debuting this season Lady Marcella, and at my ball too! You’re just as striking as your mother was at her own debut. Lady Rowena wasn’t as tall as you of course, but her hair was just as red. Any who, I hope you have a lovely time tonight. Welcome to London society!”

  Marcella curtsied to both Lady and Lord Stanton and thanked them once again for their kind words, she then happily followed the Pinkerton’s away from the Stanton’s.

  They stood in a unified queue, and waited to be announced into the ball.

  A footman took a card from Lady Pinkerton and announced in a regal voice, “Lord Gerard and Lady Celia Pinkerton of Surrey, Lord Zachary Pinkerton of Surrey, Lady Rachel Pinkerton of Surrey, and Lady Louisa Pinkerton of Surrey.”

  It was Marcella’s turn now. She walked right up to the footman and handed over her card to him just as Lady Pinkerton had done before her.

  He looked at her card and said, “You must be new. Goo
dness, you’re a tall one.”

  Marcella grinned at the footman nicely, and then simply motioned kindly to her card without speaking a word to him.

  The footman grinned back at her and then purposefully announced very loudly, “Lady Marcella Stansfield of Hertfordshire.”

  Marcella quickly looked around the room and saw that everyone was staring at her. She took a deep breath to calm herself a bit, because she couldn’t tell if these were good or bad looks. She hoped for the former.

  Rachel spoke then, pushing away Marcella’s fears, “Here are your dance cards. If a gentleman wants to dance with you, he’ll write his name by a dance on your card. That’s how it’s done. There are quite a few dances on there, so if you’re not comfortable with a particular dance then you can scribble an ineligible name by it. I used to do that all the time. Oh look, there’s that tart Lady Joelle Cornwall, I must go and say hello to her. I’ll be making my rounds all evening, but when I’ve finished those I ‘ll come and find you both. Good luck ladies.”

  With that last piece of advice, if you could even call it that, Rachel sauntered away from them and entered a crowd full of people who were dying to talk to her.

  Louisa began looking apprehensively around the ballroom, and then she started fidgeting with her dance card.

  Marcella slightly pat her on the shoulder and said, “You’re fidgeting, just breathe.”

  Louisa replied, “I had no idea that I was fidgeting. I’ve never been this nervous in my entire life Marcella. I need to sit down.”

  Marcella saw a corner of the room that was completely empty, “No one’s sitting over there. What do you think?”

  Louisa looked at the back corner of the ballroom and replied, “Yes, that actually seems like a grand idea. Let’s go.”

  They quietly sat and drank punch at their table together, they watched the ton drink and dance merrily. Louisa and Marcella admired the other ladies gowns, and how some of the gentlemen were actually quite handsome. They had a nice, and safe, view from their private little corner.

  It must have been half an hour later when Emilia finally showed up to the Stanton’s Ball fashionably late. She looked like the epitome of the word royalty. Her hair had been curled and set upon her head in such an intricate style.

  She was wearing an emerald green gown styled with a low black bodice in the shape of a V, with a flowing black underskirt and a pair of graceful sheer black sleeves attached to the bodice. She also wore a matching black-laced collar necklace with a huge rectangle emerald centered at her throat, and sparkly diamonds on her wrists and ears.

  Emilia caught sight of them from faraway and waved towards them excitedly with a big smile on her face, she then pushed her short self through the crowd. The people around her split like the red sea once they say that Emilia was trying to get passed them.

  Everyone was intrigued by her presence. The way the men looked at her was very unsettling, and the way the women eyed her was surprising. Marcella could see the pure jealousy in their eyes.

  Emilia finally made her way to their table, “Evening ladies. May I please join you?”

  Louisa nodded quickly, and Emilia sat next to her smiling as she asked, “How’s the evening going so far for you two?”

  Marcella shrugged nonchalantly, “The venue’s great, but the people aren’t as friendly as we’d hoped for. No one’s asked us to dance. What about you?”

  Emilia leaned into the table and whispered, “I’ve danced with one man, but he drove me mad the entire time. So, I ran over here to avoid him. I’ll tell you more about that later, but for now I think that our dear Charlotte needs some help.”

  Emilia subtly pointed over to Charlotte, who was trying to escape a Lord’s advances. She was wearing a royal satin blue ball gown that fell off her shoulders in a tasteful manner. Her hair was pulled back into a chic bun with a pearl choker necklace, and long black gloves.

  Charlotte caught sight of them and smiled graciously in their direction. She waved goodbye to Lord Graves, and made her way over to their table. Marcella motioned for her to sit next to her and Charlotte did.

  She then sighed happily, “Thank you Marcella, Archie can be a sweet man at times, but he’s also too much to handle.”

  Emilia snorted, “You can say that again. He likes to touch things that should not be touched. If you catch my meaning. That man is perverted.”

  Charlotte nodded in agreement, “I promised to dance with him at least once tonight. Perhaps you could all also dance with him as well. That way you can save me from being attached to him for too long. Please?”

  Louisa nodded hopefully, “I’ll dance with him. He is quite handsome.”

  Marcella cautiously asked, “Are you sure Louisa? From what Charlotte and Emilia said, the man definitely has rakish qualities.”

  Louisa shrugged, “I’ll have you three watching out for me, and if you wish to intervene you could save me from dancing with him, by dancing with him yourself.”

  Emilia tittered, “That sounds like fun sport. We’ll take turns dancing one quadrille with him. What do you say?”

  Marcella looked at her in disbelief, “No way! I’m not dancing with him.”

  Charlotte giggled, “I don’t think you have a choice Marcella, he’s coming right this way and he has his eyes set on you.”

  Marcella’s eyes widened, as she saw Lord Archibald Graves standing right in front of her. He had scruffy blond hair, and pale green eyes. He wasn’t super handsome, but he was indeed hauntingly attractive.

  He smiled down at her, “Good evening lovely ladies, I am Lord Archibald Graves. Charlotte’s promised me a dance tonight but I cannot help but wonder if the rest of you dazzling dolls would fancy a dance with me as well tonight.”

  Emilia snorted, “Oh Archie, are you asking us all to dance?”

  Lord Graves turned to Emilia, “Of course Emi. You know me too well.”

  He winked at her naughtily, and Emilia shook her head at him in pure disgust.

  Lord Archibald Graves turned away from Emilia and looked back to Marcella.

  “Who’s this rare redbird?” He asked.

  Marcella stood up and stared him right in his eyes, as she was about the same height as him, and said “Lady Marcella Stansfield, a pleasure to meet you my Lord.”

  Marcella then curtsied to him, and he bowed back. He then looked back down at the table and asked, “Who’s this fine lady?”

  Louisa stood up and curtsied to him, “I am Lady Louisa Pinkerton. What a pleasure to meet you Lord Graves.”

  He smirked, “Pinkerton? I recall Rachel having a beautiful younger sister. You prefer the country, don’t you lass?”

  Louisa’s cheeks turned pink, “Yes my lord, I do.”

  Graves looked at her with a pleased expression, “Rachel is pretty in an ethereal sort of way, but you Louisa…you are far more blessed in other delectable areas.”

  Charlotte gasped, “Archibald, you cannot go around saying such things to respectable young women like Louisa.”

  Louisa’s face turned a bright cherry red. Marcella tapped Lord Graves on his right broad shoulder, and the rake turned to face her.

  She faked a smile as she said, “Lord Graves, I’d like to dance this quadrille with you. What do you say?”

  Lord Graves was surprised, but then he answered, “I’d love to Lady Marcella. You country girls are such a breath of fresh air.”

  He offered his arm and she took it, but before they reached the dance floor Marcella said, “Oh, I forgot something. Just a moment my lord.”

  She rushed back to her friends and said, “Someone will come and interrupt my dance with him. Then that person will dance with him, and then that person will pass him off to another person. Understood?”

  Emilia nodded, “The faster we dance with him the easier it’ll be to get rid of him.”

  Louisa nodded, “Charlotte and Emilia will interrupt your quadrille. I’ll dance the waltz that comes right after.”

  Marcella nodded, “Go
od, that’s the plan. Don’t leave me alone with him for far too long.”

  They all nodded and Marcella rushed back to Lord Graves. She took his hand and they entered the quadrille with the rest of the couples dancing around them.

  It was going well, but then Marcella made eye contact with Lord Graves. She couldn’t help but realize that his eyes had no shine to them. They looked dead, as if there was no soul lurking within them. How odd.

  The fun part about dancing a quadrille was that it was easy for someone to enter and exit the dance without truly being noticed. Marcella saw that Charlotte was walking towards the dance floor, ready to take her place in the quadrille.

  She spoke to Graves quickly, “Look, its Charlotte! Grab her into the dance!”

  He nodded like an imbecile and pulled Charlotte heartily into the dance as Marcella found herself a quick exit out of it.

  Marcella made her way safely towards the edge of the dance floor, but she was on the opposite side of the room. She looked above the crowd and towards the back left corner of the room. She could see Emilia and Louisa laughing at their table. Emilia would be going to help Charlotte very soon.

  Marcella began walking at a faster pace, blindly seeing where she was headed, and that’s when she hit a wall.

  Well, what she thought was a wall.

  She put her hand out and realized that it was actually the back of a very tall man. As he turned around she could see that he was dressed in a double-breasted black tailored coat and fitted black trousers.

  As she looked up to apologize for her clumsiness she gasped.

  Alexander smiled back at her, “Hello Lady Marcella, don’t you look absolutely wonderful this evening.”

  She nervously smiled back, “Thank you Lord Westbrook, you look striking yourself. I didn’t mean to run into you like that.”

  “I know, I saw that you were distracted when you got off of the dance floor. Is Lord Graves that bad of a dancer that the tiny Dover girl had to swoop in and save you?”