Fiona suppressed her disappointment. She’d hoped they could go their separate ways once they got there.
“Oh, Fiona!” Cassandra greeted her with a wide smile, and they clasped hands. “I’m so pleased to see you. What a fetching gown.” Her gaze swept over Fiona’s pale yellow dress.
“Thank you.” She looked a bit enviously at Cassandra’s vivid blue gown. None of her dresses were that dark in color. Lady Pickering had said she must wear light colors. She had one purple gown that was her very favorite. It wasn’t dark, but the color was lush and vibrant. She was saving it for a special occasion, not that she knew what that was yet—perhaps her first ball at the Phoenix Club, for she was intent on going to one. Which meant she had to find an alternate sponsor for it.
Cassandra linked her arm through Fiona’s. “Come, let us meander before the music begins.” She smiled toward Prudence. “Good evening, Miss Lancaster. I’m so pleased to see you again too.”
Prudence dipped a brief curtsey. “The feeling is mutual, Lady Cassandra.”
“Don’t be late for the performance,” Overton said from beside Aldington.
“We won’t,” Cassandra said jauntily, preventing Fiona from responding in irritation.
As they walked away, Fiona leaned close and whispered, “Thank you. I fear I would have said something obnoxious.”
“I saw the glint of annoyance in your eyes,” Cassandra said. “What has Overton done to earn your ire?”
“Only try to force me into courtship.” Fiona was perhaps exaggerating with her verb choice, but she didn’t correct herself.
“It’s to be expected, unfortunately. I shall hope for your sake that he will continue to refrain from presenting you a list like my father has to me.”
Fiona made a noise low in her throat that would have horrified Lady Pickering. It was probably good that she was unable to attend this evening. “I fear that won’t be far off. I believe I’ve persuaded him to give me at least a modicum of respite. This is all such a change for me after coming from the country without any expectations.”
“I can only imagine. I’ve been raised to do just this.” Cassandra raised her voice slightly in mock enthusiasm. “Have a sparkling Season where I dazzle a myriad of suitors before settling into marriage and motherhood.” She rolled her eyes.
“I suppose it’s worth it if you fall in love,” Fiona said. She couldn’t imagine marrying without doing so, but it seemed it wasn’t necessary. In watching Overton, she didn’t have the sense he was looking to find a love match. He was simply in a hurry to find any match. Or so it seemed. She really couldn’t claim to know him that well. Why would he tell her his plans or confide his intentions?
In fact, with whom would he discuss any of it? His friends, she supposed. Just as she had Cassandra.
“Love is a fairy tale,” Cassandra said.
“You don’t think it’s real?”
“I do, but I think it’s special and extraordinary. And I don’t think everyone is fortunate enough to experience it. My parents shared a mutual affection, but I would not describe it as love, and my brother didn’t marry for the emotion, nor has he found it since.” She glanced back toward where they’d left Overton and her brother.
This was only the second time Fiona had met Aldington, but she noted that his wife hadn’t been present on either occasion. “Is Lady Aldington here?” Perhaps she was somewhere else in the house.
Cassandra shook her head. “She’s still at Hampton Lodge where they spent the holidays. I expect she’ll arrive in the next few weeks. Or perhaps she won’t come at all. Con hasn’t said.”
“Why do you call him Con instead of Aldington? Do families address their siblings differently?”
“The story goes that when I was learning to speak, I couldn’t pronounce Aldington or Constantine, his Christian name, so I called him Con. He has been Con to me and to Lucien ever since. My father has only recently stopped flinching when I use that in the presence of others.” Cassandra grinned.
“Your father sounds rather terrifying.” Fiona almost hoped she never had occasion to meet him. She’d yet to meet a duke. But then she was going to meet the queen the day after next, so a duke shouldn’t be intimidating. A tide of anxiety tried to wash up her throat.
Cassandra gave her a reassuring nod. “He can be quite surly, particularly with me and my brothers, but he’ll be pleasant to you.”
Fiona thought of her own father, who’d died five years ago. He’d been involved in his studies, never having much time for her, but he’d always been kind.
They’d reached the end of the gallery where it was far less crowded. A door stood partially open, neither inviting nor dissuading them to enter.
Cassandra moved toward it and peered inside. Turning her head toward Fiona, who couldn’t see past her into the room, her eyes danced with anticipation. “It’s a ladies’ card room. Shall we?”
“What’s a ladies’ card room?” Fiona had heard about card rooms at balls and other entertainments, places where gentlemen gathered to play and wager.
“The same as a regular card room, except it appears this one is inhabited entirely by ladies.” She lowered her voice. “I wondered if there might be one here tonight. Lady Billingsworth is known for her gaming—her mother used to have a faro bank years ago.”
Fiona had no idea what that meant and didn’t want to ask at the moment. She wondered when she would stop feeling like such a provincial. Or if she ever would.
Cassandra reached for the door, and Fiona felt a hand on her arm. She turned her head to see Prudence watching her with consternation.
Taking her arm from Cassandra’s, Fiona murmured, “Just a moment.” She took a few steps away from Cassandra, and Prudence followed.
“Is something wrong?” Fiona asked.
“I’m not certain you should go in there.” Prudence glanced past her toward the gaming room.
“Are you truly uncertain, or are you trying to politely tell me to run
