“You did?” I peered down at my beautiful white dress, surprised. This man looked more like a model than a designer.
“Frederick Frederickson the Third, head material goods,” Manon said. Wow. Head of material goods, at his age? “Everyone calls him Freddie.”
“I couldn’t escape the name Freddie if I wanted,” he said. “I know it’s a terrible name, but the middle name’s worse.” His cheeks flushed a light shade of pink. From behind him, I heard a woman let out a loud sigh. “I think that’s my cue. I… um… it’s lovely to meet you. We’re a legacy, the two of us. My grandfather made all your grandmother’s clothes.”
That caught my attention. His family knew Grandma, and if they made her clothes, they might know a thing or two about the necklace. “Can I meet him? I have so much to ask him.”
“I’m sorry to say he passed away a short time ago, though I am having a dance in your honor in a little over two months. If you would like, you can come early, and I’ll show you around the factories. We have a museum of dresses, and we have numerous outfits owned by your grandmother in storage and on display.”
Dresses worn by Grandma excited me but a ball in two months did not. With any luck, I would be home long before then. “Or earlier,” I suggested.
“Anytime,” Freddie said while the woman behind him cleared her throat, and I decided I didn’t want to meet her.
“It was nice talking to you.” I held out my hand for him to shake it, realizing only after he took it that we’d already shook hands.
“Thank you, Freddie,” Manon chimed in, and he let go of my hand and moved to the side.
Manon whispered in my ear, “He is only twenty-three and he’s already inherited the whole company from his father. Oh no, where did Cloverfield run off too? Excuse me for a moment, I’ll be but a second.” Manon left, and Enzo tailed after her, reminding her Cloverfield was not on the list.
Left alone, my nerves jittered once again. The impatient woman would have to wait.
I went to my toes and scanned the room in search of the ordinary man. All I had to do was see him and I’d feel better, but the swarm of nodding and smiling people blocked my view. My best choice was to move around the room. I politely smiled to everyone and stepped from the center, slipping into the clusters of guests. I knew I was being silly, stupid even. I shouldn’t be hunting down a random person, but this feeling in my gut told me I had to find this guy. I had to.
“Who are you looking for, dear?” An old woman sat in a chair against the wall. She rested her hands on a walking stick.
“Oh, I’m not. I’m just walking—”
She sighed. “I’ve known enough Merrics to recognize that expression, so lying is useless. I’ve seen that look on every young female Merric except for your grandmother, although from your presence, I deduce she met her anchor in your world.”
“My world?” I inspected the woman in pink and saw the dark gray eyes. I’d failed to recognize her without her hat, and I curtsied to Lady Poppy. She shook her head. “Rise. Official rules state I should bow to you. Excuse my impertinence of speaking to you first without an introduction, but my handlers had to help my husband to the bathroom.”
“That’s a stupid rule,” I said.
Lady Poppy smiled. “Most are.”
I looked around the room. Many guests had found me, and they stared in our direction, waiting for my next move.
“Can I sit with you?” I asked.
“Please do, but only for a moment. You have duties to attend.” Lady Poppy then added in a whisper, “They’ll come for you any second.”
I shrugged my shoulders. “This has been a shock.”
Lady Poppy nodded. “As it was for Helena.”
“So, you knew her? And you know the truth about where I come from.”
“Yes. Years and years ago. I know of your world, although few do. This side of the family keeps it secret for your family’s safety.”
“I have so many questions for you. Like, are we related? Am I even part of this family? Because according to my grandma, her real brother died in the war. Why was I brought here? What do these people want from me? And this ring...” I held it up for Lady Poppy to see. “Does it look familiar? Do you know where the necklace is that goes with it?”
Lady Poppy cupped her hand to her ear like she couldn’t hear me. Her other hand went over her mouth and she whispered, “My goodness child, we do not have time to talk.” She pointed to Manon and Enzo, who both were relieved to have found me. Lady Poppy then yelled, “Helena! Yes. A bright star in this bleak universe.”
“Will you meet with me and talk later?” I asked.
Lady Poppy turned her ear in my direction and yelled, “Huh? What did you say, dear? Everyone speaks so quietly nowadays.”
Manon and Enzo smiled and nodded, each taking one of my arms.
“Have a lovely evening, Lady Poppy!” Enzo called back to her.
“Poor thing is as deaf as they come,” Manon said, louder than she should. I turned to my great-great-great aunt, and I remembered what Enzo had mentioned at the opera about Lady Poppy being hard of hearing.
“Do you think you could schedule her with me, Enzo?” I waved to my great-great-great- aunt.
“I’ll see what I can do. Dear lord, Waverly. She’s deaf and even when she can talk it’s all nonsense,” As Enzo said this, I saw a flash of silver in Lady Poppy’s eyes.
Manon spoke up. “I’m sorry we left you. Henry Cloverfield was here and wanted to meet you, but he’s been called away on urgent business. He is a most interesting person although very busy with many things.” The crowd swarmed again, and Manon waved them on and said, “You
