It took a few moments for everyone to be seated and there ended up being three or four empty places. Jenny went to the closest. The place card readThe Countess of Davenport.Jenny considered that to be far too grand a place for her to take, so she went to the next empty space.
Miss Caroline Winston.Now that seemed like a much more suitable place, and she sat.
She was seated between two gentlemen. On her left was an older man with a large walrus mustache, yellowed by smoking, she imagined. He had a rheumy eye which he kept dabbing at. He was already engaged in conversation with the lady on his left. On Jenny’s right was one of the young men who had placed his name on her dance card, but they had not danced yet.
The young man immediately introduced himself. “Gerald Brinkley, I believe we are to dance later.”
“Yes, I believe so, Mr. Brinkley,” Jenny said with a warm smile, happy that there was not another walrus sitting next to her.
The staff began serving dinner, and Jenny was amazed at how quickly the first course was brought out and served to such a large group of people. Everyone was eating within five minutes of the start of service.
Jenny was a little nervous about showing she did not know the order of service and which piece of silverware to use or which glass to drink out of. However, the footman poured the wine in the proper glass and Jenny watched to see which piece of silverware Mr. Brinkley used, and she followed his lead.
“Are you from London?” Mr. Brinkley asked a few moments after the soup was served.
Jenny answered, “No, I am a local. But it seems one of the few invited to the ball. It appears a great many Londoners are attending.”
“But I am not one of them,” he said. “I am from York.”
“My, that is a long way away.”
“My family is related to the Haddington’s—through my mother. So… here we are. And you? Are you from one of the local aristocratic families?”
Jenny hesitated to say. She did not want to lie and feel ashamed of her lovely family, but she also thought she might put the young man off if she told the truth. But she decided to tell the truth.
“No, my family are the bakers in the local village of Chatsworth. I do the pies, cakes, and pastries.”
Mr. Brinkley froze with his soupspoon in mid-air. “Bakers? And you are attending the Duke’s ball?” He did not seem to want to be rude, but he could not help himself.
“I am a personal friend of his Grace.”
“Is that so?” the young man said with a slight sneer.
Jenny decided she might as well go all the way. “Yes, I was to make all the pastries for this dinner, but my sister had an accident, and I was unable to leave the bakery to work here at Pemberton.” She found she was enjoying herself. “Yes, I think you would have been very pleased with my pear tarts.”
Mr. Brinkley choked on his soup, wiped his mouth with his napkin and turned to the lady on his right and started up a conversation with her.
Now, Jenny was left to converse with the walrus, but he paid her no attention, so she continued to eat in silence as the couple across the table from her were deep in their own conversation.
Chapter 24
After the dinner was over and the guests were streaming back to the ballroom, Grandmamma took Thomas aside and said, “I think the dinner went well.”
“Yes, I believe so. I will make certain to congratulate cook. It was a major endeavor and it was pulled off very effectively.”
But Grandmamma pursed her lips, hesitating only briefly before adding, “But Thomas you have not been adhering to your dance schedule. You have only danced with a few of the young ladies we agreed upon.”
Thomas took his grandmother by the arm and said, “But… I have been meeting a few young ladies whodointerest me. And that is something I know you want.”
“But do they have money? Thomas, you know we discussed this. The whole point of this ball is to meet someone who can bring a sizable fortune to Pemberton.”
“I do not disagree. But I am working in reverse of your plan. First, I find someone I like, and then I see if they have money. That works better for me.”
Augusta sighed. “Why do I have such a stubborn grandson?”
“Because I have such a stubborn Grandmamma,” he said with a laugh, and leaned over and kissed her cheek.
They followed the last of the guests back to the ballroom and, after a few moments, the orchestra started playing again, and the refreshed guests began to dance.
