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Esther turned to face her cousin. “Your mother has given you the belief that you ought to give up on the things you want,” she said gently. “You’ve been raised to think that good things are beyond your reach. But they’re not, Eugenia. The things we dream of are not out of reach for us.”

Eugenia looked anxious. “I don’t want anything,” she said. “I just want to have a good time at the ball.”

“That isn’t true,” Esther said. “You’re afraid to admit to the things you want, because you’re afraid that you might not get them. But youdowant things. I see the way you look around this place. You want to be courted. You want to find love and to marry.”

Eugenia’s eyes watered. “I haven’t thought about that.”

“That’s because your mother has made you believe it can’t happen,” Esther said. “She’s told you that the only acceptable gentleman for you is the Duke of Hallowbinder, and she’s also made you feel completely unworthy of him. But you ought to listen to your own words. There are dozens of gentlemen here. You should go and meet some of them.”

“They won’t want me,” Eugenia said.

“You don’t know what they’ll want until you try,” Esther insisted. “And I don’t know whether my chances with the Duke are at an end until I try.”

“I admire you,” Eugenia said. “You never give up.”

“I don’t know about never,” Esther said. “But I’m certainly not going to give up before I’ve even really tried. This is the very first ball of the Season, after all, and the Duke and I have only had one conversation. I’m nowhere near ready to abandon my hopes of being courted by him.”

“Well,” Eugenia said, “if you can muster up the courage to speak to the Duke again, I suppose I can do what you’re suggesting. I can try to believe it’s possible that there’s a gentleman here who might be interested in me.”

“That’s the spirit,” Esther said. “Put aside the things your mother has told you about yourself. You’re pretty, Eugenia, and you’re kind. Any gentlemen who spends enough time with you will discover those things about you, and he’ll be glad he did.”

Her cousin embraced her. “Thank you for saying such kind things,” she said. “If nothing else, I do really feel that you appreciate me, Esther.”

“Good,” Esther said. “Because I do. Now, go inside and speak to some gentlemen.”

“What? By myself?”

“By yourself is better. That way you can’t be overlooked,” Esther said. “Don’t waste your time on anyone who’s unkind or dismissive, though. Find someone who genuinely wants to have a conversation with you. I’m sure there are many gentlemen like that.”

“What if I can’t find someone?” Eugenia asked.

Esther hated that Aunt Tabitha had made Eugenia feel so insecure. “You will,” she said. “I have every confidence. By the time I return to the ballroom, you’ll be far too busy for me.”

“I don’t understand,” Eugenia said. “Where will you be?”

“I’m going to find the Duke of Hallowbinder,” Esther said. “I may have made a bad first impression on him, but I don’t intend to allow it to be the last impression he has of me. I’m going to replace his memories of me from this evening with more pleasant ones. Wish me luck.”

She turned and hurried away before Eugenia could call her back.

Chapter 10

“What in the world happened to you?” Charles, Baron of Lockwood, looked Hugh up and down, taking in the wine stain on his shirt. “You’re a sight.”

“I imagine I am.” Hugh permitted himself a grin. It was so good to be in the company of his childhood friend, the one person with whom he had always been able to be his true self. Even Charles’ mocking of his stained shirt felt like a friendly overture. “Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you?”

“Dancing with young ladies,” Charles said. “Itisa ball, after all. Not all of us are too grumpy to enjoy the festivities.”

“I’m notgrumpy,” Hugh protested. “You know what it’s like for me at these parties.”

“I know, I know,” Charles agreed. “Though I do think that if you relaxed and allowed yourself to have a bit more fun, you would get more out of them. What difference does it make to you if some of the young ladies have stars in their eyes when they look at you?”

“They’re all aiming to marry me, Charles. You know that.”

“And that’s a problem because…?”

“Because I don’t want to marry them,” Hugh said. “I don’t want to marry anyone unless it’s based on a genuine connection.”

“You want to marry forlove,” Charles teased him gently.