Page 1 of Married to the Lord

Chapter One

If Augusta crossed her eyes just so, the dancers before her became a rather amusing blur of colors and movement. Their arms and their feet no longer seemed to move elegantly to the music, and glittering jewels and feathers appeared nothing more spectacular than something one would wear every day.

She uncrossed her eyes and glanced down at the jewels glittering on her wrist. Of course, she was not lacking in emeralds or flowers or expensive fabrics but what a waste they were. Henry was not even here; nor would he be. She was beginning to doubt her erstwhile fiancé would ever return for her, despite the promises of his family. Two years and no wedding date.

She blew out a breath. She was beginning to look foolish indeed. And the fact this was her friend Chloe’s engagement ball just made things worse. Only a few months ago, Chloe had been as much a wallflower as her. She was happy for Chloe, of course, but she couldn’t deny the news created this little gremlin of jealousy inside her that she wished she could rid herself of.

She was about to cross her eyes again when she caught Joanna Lockhart looking at her with a bemused expression. Augusta gave an apologetic shrug. “It makes watching the dancing a little less dull.”

Joanna’s lips quirked. She mimicked Augusta, crossing her eyes so that she looked mightily odd. She uncrossed them and grinned. “So it does. Though, Lady Thornbury just spotted me doing it and I do not think she is impressed.”

Augusta giggled. Joanna was beautiful and accomplished and had been snapped up as soon as she had debuted—and was certainly the least likely to cross her eyes. But while she was in mourning, there was no dancing for her—leaving her at Augusta’s side and likely horribly bored. Augusta was fairly used to not dancing but apparently Joanna had been popular amongst thetonindeed during her time.

To the left of Augusta, Chloe leaned in. “Are you laughing at Sir Percival’s dancing or was something else amusing you?”

Augusta had not even noticed Sir Percival’s dancing. She supposed that is what happened when one watched the dancing through crossed eyes. She turned her attention to the older man, whose arms and legs were as gangly as sticks and seemed to flail about like the ribbons on a maypole. Pressing her lips together as she watched him, she shook her head. “Poor Miss Humphries. It almost makes me glad I have not been asked to dance at all.”

“Should you not be dancing, Chloe? It is your engagement ball after all,” Joanna asked.

Chloe made a face. “You know I loathe dancing and Brook is with his mother at present. I’d rather be in the library.” She peered around. “In fact, I might escape soon. Far better than dancing.”

Augusta nodded vaguely but she was not certain she agreed. Though she did not much enjoy large gatherings, dancing could be fun and was a fine way to pass the time.

Unfortunately, it was rare she was invited to dance. Whether it was her engagement to Henry, her painful shyness, or her slightly plain looks, she was not certain. Perhaps it was just a culmination of them all. Either way, she lamented that this was what her life had become.

When Henry had proposed to her, she had envisaged a life much more exciting than this. If only she was a little bit braver. Then perhaps she could wear feathers and jewels and bright colors and attract the attention of someone else. Maybe that would teach Henry a lesson.

Joanna gave an audible sigh. Augusta grimaced to herself. If she thought her life was terrible, what did poor Joanna think? Her husband had died suddenly and without warning after a brief marriage only recently. No doubt she was missing him.

Augusta leaned over and tapped the back of her hand gently. “Would you like to talk about it?”

A gentle smile curved Joanna’s lips. “I feel I have talked of Noah’s death endlessly. Look, everyone is avoiding me as though I have some kind of plague.”

“Well, we are here,” pointed out Chloe.

Joanna gave their friend a look. “For now.”

Chloe did her best to avoid balls at all costs, which was why it rather puzzled Augusta how she had ended up with a man like Brook who seemed to enjoy them so much. However, he was clearly besotted with her and she with him. Somehow, it worked.

Unlike her and Henry.

At this point, she might consider joining Chloe too. Every time she stepped into one of these events, she felt every set of eyes in Hampshire upon her. Oh, how everyone stared. Poor Miss Snow. Abandoned by her fiancé who was goodness knows where, doing goodness knows what. Last she heard he was in Spain. Her only letter from him had come all the way from some country that she had been forced to look up on the map. Only since the war finished did anyone go on The Grand Tour but it was rare an engaged man did so. And never for more than two years. She was beginning to look extremely silly indeed.

“I would be better off at home,” Augusta muttered then clapped a hand over her mouth. “Forgive me, Chloe, I did not mean—”

Chloe snorted. “I would not blame you.”

Joanna cocked her head and eyed Augusta. “Why on earth would you want to be hidden away?”

“Because I can feel everyone’s pity.”

Joanna nodded. “I feel it too.”

Lord, here she was lamenting her own situation when Joanna’s was far worse. She really needed to stop being so silly. “Joanna—”

“It is well enough, I promise. It is getting rather tiring, everyone treating me as though I might shatter at the mere mention of my husband.”

“I very much doubt anyone pities you. You are both beautiful and accomplished women,” Chloe said determinedly.

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