“Think not of the cream buns, my dearest Olivia,” Leah said, with a sparkle of mischief in her eyes. “You were sorely missed at Lord and Lady Wallis’s ball, and not one of us enjoyed ourselves in your absence. So, tomorrow night—youmustbe in attendance.”
Olivia frowned. “Tomorrow?”
“It is the Sorceress’s ball! You cannot miss it!” Leah urged, reaching for Olivia’s hand and clasping it tightly.
“A sorceress? Is it the heat or have I taken leave of my senses? You are speaking in tongues, Leah,” Olivia said, baffled.
Anna chuckled. “It is the most unkind name that the scandal sheets have given her, but I think it has rather had the opposite of the desired effect. Every young lady is enchanted with her, no one can cease speaking of her, and so it is heralded to be the greatest ball of the season. We have all been invited, and I am certain you have too, though your mother will undoubtedly be hiding such things until you say you are ready.”
“But who is she?” Olivia dabbed at her perspiring brow with a handkerchief.
“The Countess of Grayling. The Sorceress. The Silver Widow.” Leah sighed as if she wished to be the woman. “Her very ancient, very unpleasant husband died just this year, without leaving behind any heirs. Naturally, there was a great furor about giving the title of Earl to some distant relative, but she petitioned the Royal Court itself, and it is not known what occurred during her audience with the Crown, but she emerged as the undeniable, unremovable Countess of Grayling in her own right.”
Olivia gasped. “My goodness.”
“Better still,” Leah continued, “there are gentlemen up and down the country, falling over themselves to try and woo her, and she will not entertain a single one. I believe she has done it to prove that it can be done, and I could not adore anyone more. She ought to be the leader of the Spinsters Club, though I do not know if a widow is quite the same thing.”
Anna pursed her lips. “I worry she must be very lonely.”
“If she hosts the most prestigious ball of the season every year, she will never be lonely,” Leah pointed out. “And I know I am not alone in my admiration of her. She will have friends in abundance, which is far preferable than another husband.”
Olivia listened to them bicker about the daring of Lady Grayling—Anna calling her brazen, Leah calling her marvelously bold—while she stared out across the emerald-green lawns, purple flowerbeds, and the perfect blue sky. Her mind wandered to the rose gardens at Westyork, and the fountain where Evan had kissed her for the first time. In the hazy summer light, the memory seemed even more like a dream: a perfect moment, never to be repeated.
What could it have changed, if I had allowed him to speak with me?she wondered, already knowing the answer. Society knew what had happened now, though not exactly the truth, and that was a guillotine to any hope of reconciliation she might have been clinging to.
“So, what say you?” Leah prodded Olivia in the arm. “Will you join us tomorrow night? Matilda and Phoebe are sharing a carriage, and there is plenty of room for you to share ours.”
Anna nodded eagerly. “Please, say that you will. It will be the very best medicine to be with us all, and we really did miss you at the Wallis’s ball. I have never been more bored at a society event, and you know how I relish them!”
“And if we could but gain an audience with the Countess, I believe we shall all be cured of any lingering attachment we have toward gentlemen who do not deserve us,” Leah added, resting her head against Olivia’s.
Strengthened by the presence of two of her dearest friends, encouraged by their words and by the fearlessness of this mysterious Countess, Olivia slowly began to nod her head. A week alone at Canrave Hall was quite enough, and she could not complain about the silence and tedium if she was not going to do something about it.
I have put an end to that brief chapter,she told herself, thinking of Evan and the note,so I cannot wallow any longer. I must begin again. What better day than tomorrow?
“I shall wear my finest gown,” she said, smiling.
Leah and Anna both yelped with excitement, smothering her in a giddy embrace that startled the butterflies from the swaying stems of lavender. And as Olivia held them in return, laughter bubbled up in her throat, true and pure and genuine. And she knew that, as long as she had her friends at her side, she could overcome anything.
* * *
“This is all tremendously exciting, is it not?” Olivia’s mother said, holding her reticule in her lap as the carriage inched down the long gravel drive toward the grand entrance of Grayling Castle.
Olivia smiled, swallowing her rising nerves. “It is, Mama. And such a beautiful residence.”
In the grand scheme of castles, Grayling Castle was not gloomy or austere or unwelcoming, but a rather pleasant structure of pale gray stone, with a curved turret at each of the four corners, topped with elegant spires. It was certainly the prettiest, most pristine castle that Olivia had ever beheld. A feminine, fairytale castle, in many ways, not least because of the blooming gardens that filled the air with a rich perfume.
“We are grateful you could accompany us,” Leah said, fidgeting with the lace that edged her capped sleeves.
Olivia’s mother wafted a dismissive hand. “It is my pleasure. In truth, being around you all, it makes me feel young again.” She sighed. “Everything is so different, these days. I do not know whether to envy you or be relieved that I do not have to navigate such times.”
“Have you any regrets?” Anna piped up, leaning so far forward on the squabs that Olivia worried she might tip all the way over.
Laura shrugged. “I do not think one has lived until one has experienced regret, but would I change what I have? No, not for a moment.” She reached for Olivia’s hand, squeezing it gently.
Olivia smiled back at her mother, seeing peace in the older woman’s face that had not been there in many a year. A contentment, as if she had just realized the truth in her words at the very moment that she had spoken them. It soothed Olivia, reminding her that just because she had stumbled with Evan, did not mean she could not be happy. And yes, her life as a dedicated spinster might look very different to that of her mother, but that did not mean it had any less value.
“Thank you, by the way,” Laura said, sniffling slightly. “I have not had the opportunity to show my gratitude for all you have done for my daughter in her most… difficult period. And I know that we have not always had the most… peaceable of relationships, but I assure you that has changed. The affection you have—all four of you—for my daughter, and that she has for you, is nothing short of magical. I am so very grateful that she has you.”
