Michael’s heart trembled with anticipation at the thought. He had been planning this for far too long, years of painstaking detail all leading to this very night.
At last, the beginning of the end.
Chapter Four
Elaine was entirely unprepared for this.
The room buzzed with sound. The incessant chatter mingled with the soft strains of music, making it nearly impossible for her to think clearly. It felt as though the grand room she had entered was shrinking by the minute, crammed with fan-wielding ladies and waistcoat-clad gentlemen, their voices weaving together into a vibrant tapestry of sound. The man standing by the staircase continued announcing more guests with seemingly no end in sight.
She was hot and she lamented the fact that she did not have a fan on her person. Thankfully, she’d spied a set of terrace doors when she’d arrived. If she needed a reprieve, she could head there.
For now, she tried to be content with standing awkwardly by a large potted plant, pretending she didn’t want to hide behind its broad leaves. This environment overwhelmed her senses, making her silent home seem like a monastery.
“Ah, there you are!” Lorna’s approach immediately brightened Elaine’s mood. They’d arrived together but Lorna had dragged James off to meet one of her friends and her daughter. Judging by the scowl on James’ face, he was not very pleased with the interaction.
“Darling, you shouldn’t hide in the corner like this,” Lorna went on to say, putting a hand on the small of Elaine’s back to guide her forward. “You look as beautiful as a blooming flower tonight. You should be seen! Shouldn’t she, James?”
James crossed his arms, his gaze fixed ahead. “I have noticed a number of gentlemen looking your way since we’veentered. I would not be surprised if they soon begin approaching to write their name on your dance card.”
“And I hope that when they do, you will make yourself scarce?” Lorna asked with a raised brow.
James frowned at her. “Why would I do that?”
“Because your scowl will only frighten them away,” Lorna said patiently.
“If they are so easily scared away then good riddance. That will only make my job easier.”
Lorna sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. Elaine bit her bottom lip to suppress a laugh.
“It is as James says, Aunt Lorna,” she said, rushing to her cousin’s defence. “I doubt any gentleman who truly wants my company will be deterred by James’ presence.”
“You are the last person who should be agreeing with him,” Lorna sighed.
“I only see the merit in his argument, that’s all.” Elaine felt herself relax. Standing alone at a ball where she knew no one had filled her with tension.
At that moment, a hush fell over the ballroom. Elaine looked at the entrance to see a broad-shouldered man with greying temples and a sharp chin step through the door just as he was announced as the Marquess of Grovington. At his side stood a beautiful, blond-haired lady, smiling down at the ballroom like a queen addressing her court. She was introduced as his daughter, Lady Isabella.
The air in the room changed as if everyone was held in a trance. Even Lorna and James were looking as father and daughter descended the staircase to join the masses. Elaine couldn’t understand it. Clearly, they were important people, though she wasn’t certain why.
“It has just gotten far more competitive,” Lorna whispered to her. “Let us hope you will be seated beside a decent gentleman during dinner.”
“Dinner?” Elaine inquired curiously.
“Yes, did I not show you the invitation? There will be dancing, then dinner, then we shall all convene in the drawing room. It will be a long night.”
Elaine bolstered her resolve. It didn’t matter that the noise and people were overwhelming her. The more time she spent at this ball, the greater her chances of attracting a gentleman willing to wed her. She couldn’t waste this opportunity.
“Come.” Lorna took her by the arm. “I already have a few gentlemen I could introduce you to. James, you stay put.”
“I shall do no such thing.”
Lorna sighed, shaking her head but said nothing as she walked off with Elaine by her side and James on their heels. Elaine’s heart began to race as Lorna brought her to a group of gentlemen who immediately ceased their conversation upon her approach.
“Lord Penly, Lord Millbury, Lord Thornbush, please meet my niece, Lady Elaine.”
Lord Penly, Lord Millbury, and Lord Thornbush all seemed happy to meet her. They were kind, taking her hand individually to kiss the back of it and only Lord Millbury balked at James’ towering presence. They asked her simple questions about how her evening was progressing and questions about what she was interested in. Elaine entertained them with a polite smile, relaxing as the conversation wore on. They all seemed like decent gentlemen, she decided halfway through.
But she felt no spark with any of them. Lord Penly and Lord Millbury were handsome enough, Lord Thornbush bearing harsher features, but she didn’t care much about one’s appearance. Deep down, she harboured the hope that she wouldmeet a gentleman who made her heart skip a beat, who brought an easy smile to her lips, who made her feel at ease and protected. She felt none of that with these men.
