“A bride could cry if her groom decides not to show up,” one of the ladies said.
“Or if the groom decides that he is no longer interested in her and announces his engagement with another woman,” Lady Emily said rather loudly.
“The jilted woman,” one of the ladies that Callum recognized as Lady Emily's friend said. There was a moment of silence between the ladies before Lady Emily broke into laughter.
“Oh Lady Campbell,” she said to the dark-haired lady, “why would you say such a thing when you know that we have a jilted woman in our midst.”
A group of ladies who sat around Lady Emily laughed.
“I suppose I totally forgot,” the dark-haired lady said. Lady Emily laughed loudly and more ladies joined her in the laughter.
“I bet it must be an awful feeling to be jilted. But I would not know since I have never experienced it before,” Lady Emily said.
“I suppose Louise could tell us more about it,” the dark-haired lady said, turning to Louise.
Callum's heart went out to Louise and he could not help but feel sorry for her. Instead of cowering in defeat, however, Louise stood up straight and faced the ladies.
“I suppose I would know what it feels like to be a jilted woman. However, I would never know what it feels like to take my friend's intended. I would never know what it feels like to be the second option,” Louise said, holding her head up high.
Callum smiled at her confidence. He was proud of how elegantly Louise was taking it all.
“You might not be the second option but you were never the woman that the Earl got engaged to,” Lady Emily said, smiling.
Louise said. “Lady Emily, you can have him. I think you actually deserve each other.”
For a moment, Lady Emily's mouth hung open, too stunned for words.
Eventually, she gave a weak comeback. “He would never do that to me... His Lordship would never treat me that way.”
Louise shrugged. “I hope you find all the happiness in the world with him, Lady Emily.”
“How dare you, Louise!” Lady Emily shouted, “why do you keep attacking me even when I have done nothing but be good to you?”
Callum could not help but gasp. He had seen what happened and the only person who had attacked the other was Lady Emily.
“The only attacker here is you, Lady Emily. I have done nothing but defend myself,” Louise said
“Anne's charade was not even about you,” Lady Emily said.
Louise laughed, “Everyone here knows that that charade was meant to disparage and shame me.”
“That is not true,” Lady Campbell said, rising to her feet to face Louise.
Callum's protector's instinct jumped out then. While it was uncustomary to engage in a physical brawl at a party like this one, Callum knew that he could not put anything past Emily and her sycophants. He quickly approached them after he had penned a quick message on a paper for Louise.
“What are you doing, Callum?” Felington whispered behind him.
“Greetings ladies,” Callum said, putting on his charm. The tension among the ladies eased up immediately and a lot of them smiled at him.
“Are you all having a good time?” He asked.
“We would have an even better time if you joined us in our game, my lord,” one of the ladies said.
Callum smiled at her. “I would love to, ladies. However, I am quite in a hurry to get somewhere.” One of the ladies groaned. “I know. I am just as disappointed as you all are. You all know that I want nothing more than to spend my time with beautiful ladies. However, I have an important task to perform. Do you ladies need anything?” He asked.
“The only thing we could ask for is your presence,” another one of the ladies said. He, however, waited in front of Louise.
“Lady Louise, how are you?” he asked as he raised her hand to his lips and sneakily placed the note in her hand.
