“I am not quite certain how I can force Lady Carroway to watch me dance,” Dora mused aloud. “But I shall do my best, I suppose.”
“Dora!” Auntie Frances said reprovingly. “Don’t be pert. Lady Hayworth has been awfully kind to you for that sort of attitude.”
Dora thought to point out that Lady Hayworth had barely spoken to her at all since they’d arrived in London—but thankfully, her instincts told her just in time that this would be a poor idea. She nodded instead. “My apologies, Lady Hayworth,” she said. “I am simply very anxious to ensure that things go well for Vanessa.”
“You are forgiven, dear,” said the countess. “But do watch your tone better once we enter the party. The ton can be merciless about those sorts of mistakes.”
I should probably keep my mouth mostly shut in that case, Dora thought to herself.
They arrived at Carroway House just after sunset. Normally, the countess said, they would have waited just a bit longer in order to be fashionably late—but since they’d been so personally invited, Lady Hayworth thought to take advantage of the early sparseness to chat with Lady Carroway and her sons. Everyone knew that the countess herself was eager to socialize more, after all.
As they were announced into the ballroom, Dora was struck by an uncanny sense of déjà vu. A great many candles glowed along the walls, flickering across the space. A quartet had started up some music, and already, two young ladies were dancing together on the floor, though the hostess had yet to officially open the ball. All in all, the image could have been plucked straight from the mirror in the magic shop.
This does not bode well for the state of my dress, Dora thought. And for my health as well, I suppose.
Lady Carroway was already crossing the floor towards them, with Albert on her arm. She was a shorter woman, with the same brown hair and kind eyes as her son, and Dora thought that the smile on her face must have been more than simply polite as she approached their gathering. Albert, for his part, was looking particularly dashing in an emerald green waistcoat and the same tall Hessians as before. He was wearing gloves this evening, so that the silver of his hand was covered.
“Lady Hayworth!” exclaimed Albert’s mother, releasing his arm long enough to take the countess’ gloved hands in her own. “It has been too long. I’m so glad that you were able to attend.”
Lady Hayworth exuded a polite warmth in return, though Dora thought that it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “You know I simply couldn’t stay away,” she said. “And Dora was so insistent that she wished to come. You had hoped to meet her, I believe? This is Miss Theodora Ettings. She is the previous Lord Lockheed’s only daughter.”
Dora thought that insistent was probably an overstatement of her enthusiasm towards the ball, but she tried to force some awkward cheer into her smile as Lady Carroway turned her attention towards her. Albert’s mother glanced almost immediately at Dora’s mismatched eyes, and her brow knitted lightly. But she made no comment on the obvious strangeness. “What a pleasure to meet you, Miss Ettings,” she said. “Albert has spoken very highly of you. I hope we shall get the chance to speak further as the evening goes on.”
This was all very positive news, so far as Auntie Frances and the countess were concerned. Dora rummaged up another smile. “I’m very flattered, Lady Carroway,” she said. “I shall try to live up to his praise.” She glanced at Albert, and added: “You weren’t too complimentary, I hope, or I shall have an impossible task ahead of me.”
Albert laughed and took Dora’s hand to bow over it. “I will measure my compliments in the future, Miss Ettings,” he said. “You are looking very lovely this evening. I hope you will do me the honour of saving me a dance.”
This was obviously only polite of him, given that he had ensured her invitation in the first place, but Dora knew that his words had only encouraged everyone around them to believe that they were somehow well-matched. The lines in his mother’s forehead smoothed away as she saw this exchange, and Dora suspected that she might already be making marital plans in the back of her head. She wondered if Albert was at all aware of the trap into which he had wandered.
“I would like nothing better than to save you a dance,” Dora assured Albert. “In fact, you may have your pick of dances, if you like.” It was a slight bit forward of her, but she hoped that it would convince her aunt and the countess that she was showing a proper interest in him.
“Please,” Dora added, “allow me to introduce my cousin, Vanessa Ettings.” This was also cheeky of her, but since Albert had already implied that he was willing to be introduced, it was barely permissible. “Vanessa, this is Mr Albert Lowe. I shall increase my praise towards him and say that he is handsome, polite, and charming, since he has apparently been setting high standards for me while my back has been turned.” Dora smiled serenely at Albert. “Turnabout is fair play, Mr Lowe.”
“I give you your point, Miss Ettings,” Albert told her. He turned now to bow over Vanessa’s hand. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Vanessa,” he said. “I would be most obliged if you would save a dance for me as well.”
Vanessa gave Albert a radiant smile of her own. The sincerity of the expression only added to her considerable beauty, and as Dora looked at her, she thought that her cousin must surely be the loveliest woman in all of London. “Dora has not exaggerated in the least, for her part,” Vanessa said. “How lovely to meet you, Mr Lowe. I look forward to dancing with you.”
The
