Joy nodded, her smile growing as she recalled the strange incident which had seen her waltzing with a handsome – and clearly concerned – gentleman.
“Yes, Lord Yarmouth asked me to dance with him. Or, what I should say, is that he begged me to dance with him and I could not refuse.”
Miss Fairley’s eyes widened.
“Good gracious, whatever happened?”
Briefly, Joy told her what had taken place, laughing when she saw her friend’s eyes grow even wider than they were already. She had known that it had been a very strange circumstance butclearly, it had been made all the more unlikely given that she was a wallflower.
“Though no one appears to have noticed that it was I who was dancing with the gentleman,” Joy finished, with a small, somewhat sad smile as her shoulders dropped just a little. “Even my own mother did not notice.”
Miss Fairley’s lips pursed, and she shook her head.
“It is the difficulty with being a wallflower, I think. We are not taken notice of and since our names are not well known within society, it is easy enough to ignore us on the rare occasions when wedostep out.”
“And the gentleman did not ask my name,” Joy added, as Miss Fairley clicked her tongue. “Clearly I was only present to solve his problem, and he did not need to know much about me at all, save for the fact that I would be willing to dance with him without the proper introductions.”
Miss Fairley smiled softly.
“It must have been wonderful to dance the waltz, however. Did you enjoy it?”
Joy considered this, remembering how she had felt being swept into the gentleman’s arms, spinning around and around the dance floor with him. Lord Yarmouth had been eager to converse and, though the situation had been a little overwhelming, she had found herself delighting in every moment. The way he had held her hand so tightly, the other at her waist as his green eyes had held her gaze had certainly ignited some excitement within her heart, but that had soon faded once she had stepped out of his arms again.
“It was enjoyable, yes,” she admitted, quietly, “but it was over much too quickly. I suppose it will not be repeated again soon either.”
Miss Fairley sighed gently and looked out across the room. From where she stood, Joy saw the hope shining in her eyes and, with a sudden resolve, turned and gripped Miss Fairley’s hand.
“I do not think that I am satisfied with being a wallflower.”
Her friend blinked, her eyes rounding in surprise.
“Nor am I, but what can be done?”
“We must dosomething,” Joy stated, with more emphasis than she had used before. “Listen to me, all of you.” Turning, she waved one hand, garnering the attention of the other wallflowers. “Here we are, all standing here at the back of the ballroom without hope of stepping out to dance, without the expectation of good company or the like – and for what reason? None of us have done anything worthy of condemnation. We have been pushed aside by society, but that does not mean that we have to remain as we are.”
Lady Alice frowned.
“I do not understand what you mean. We are wallflowers. What more can we expect?”
“We do not have to do as society expects of us,” Joy said, emphatically. “They state that wallflowers must stand at the back of the room, silent and unimposing. I say that we donothave to do as they demand. Instead, we might walk, two or three together, about the ballroom, in amongst the guests, and seek to be seen and to be noticed. It might not change a great deal about our situation, but it will make us feel more significant, will it not? It will make certain that we are not forgotten! Even if society thinks we ought not to do anything akin to such a thing, why should it matter? We are already wallflowers. Do we truly wish to act as they demand? Do we wish to shrink back, to hide ourselves away and sink back into the darkness?”
The other ladies looked at one another, though Lady Alice had begun to nod, and a smile was forming across Miss Simmons’ face.
“We could stand together and converse as so many others do.” Coming a little closer, Miss Simmons’ voice filled with excitement. “We do not have to hide here, do we? We could stand in amongst the other guests and talk together if no one else wishes to talk to us. What could be wrong with that?”
“There isnothingwrong with that,” Joy stated, firmly. “It will take courage, certainly, but I, for one, am quite determined to step out and behave just as I please. Society might continue to call me a wallflower, but I will not behave as one.”
There were a few murmurs as the ladies looked at one another and Joy held her breath, aware that her forward manner and determination might not be as any of the other wallflowers had expected. Some of them, having already been pushed into this position by society, could be a little too afraid to do anything of the sort, whereas others, such as Lady Alice, were eager to return to society in whatever way they could.
“I do not know what my mother would think.” Miss Simmons’ lips pursed, her gaze a little unsteady. “I fear what she would think.”
“My own mother might also have something to say on the matter,” Joy acknowledged, her heart a little heavy as she glanced around her, realizing that her mother had stepped away from her again. This was becoming a more regular occurrence and seemed to happen to almost every wallflower. “Though she is not here and might not even see me walk about the ballroom – but even if she did, then what of it? I am not alone, I am not without company. There can be nothing said against that in terms of propriety.”
Miss Simmons nodded slowly, though she did not immediately appear enthusiastic. “That is true.”
“My father would be most displeased.” Lady Frederica bit her lip, her eyes downcast. “Though I confess I have had thesame determination as you, Miss Bosworth, but as yet have been unable to find the courage to do such a thing.”
“Then let us do so together.” Joy held out her arm and, with a lift of her eyes and a smile, Lady Frederica came closer and took it, slipping her arm through Joy’s. “Would anyone else wish to join us?”
