Page 34 of The Best-Laid Plans

Friend.

He knew that was how she viewed him, no matter that he’d held her hand for a time. Their “courtship” was a ruse, after all, one he had agreed to. He’d gone along both as an entertainment and a favor. It had all been fun and harmless when they’d first begun.

It felt less so now. He didn’t want to abandon their scheme. He wanted it to be real.

Heaven help him, he wanted it to be real.

Chapter Thirteen

Ellie always felt a littlenervous when making her way to a Society function. She had spent far too many years listening to her family list the ways in which she had made a mull of her time amongst thetonto be unaware of the myriad mistakes that awaited her. Leaving for a ball in the company of Artemis and her brother and sister-in-law was an entirely different experience.

Her nervousness leaned more toward anticipation this time. She was excited and hopeful. Rose had taken extra time the evening before, helping Ellie choose a gown and decide on a suitable hairstyle. Artemis’s boldness lessons had continued in preparation for this first outing. Ellie felt prepared to make what was essentially a debut in Society. Never mind that she had attended many events before; she was finally attending one as her true self.

She stepped into Artemis’s bedchamber, where Rose was helping with the final ministrations.

“Have we overlooked anything? Anything we need to change?” Ellie watched the inarguable experts in these things, hopeful that she really was ready.

“You look a vision,” Rose said.

She was never effusive with her praise, but she was also never unkind. Ellie felt certain Rose would not tell her she looked well if she didn’t but, rather, would fix whatever was amiss. Artemis was equally dependable. The two really were remarkable. It was indeed a shame Society did not allow ladies to take up dressmaking and designing. These two could easily be the most sought-after mantua-makers in the entire kingdom.

Artemis was soon ready to leave, and Rose motioned them away before turning back toward the tools she had set out for fixing Artemis’s hair.

“Do you suppose Rose wishes she could go with us to these events?” Ellie asked. “It seems such a shame she did so much work but is not able to participate in the larks that her efforts made possible.”

“I have actually asked her,” Artemis said. “She told me there are times when she wishes she could go. She would like to see all of the ladies in their finery and observe for herself the intricacies and functioning of English fashion. She said she would also enjoy dancing or deep conversations about the matters of the day. But she also said she finds Society quite obnoxious and, therefore, doesn’t feel she’s being denied too much. She much prefers the company of her close friends.”

“Does she not consider you a close friend?”

“I hope that she does.” Artemis’s tone turned uncharacteristically somber. “That is a difficult thing to know, and not merely because Rose is, in many ways, quite unreadable. Our differing circumstances and the fact that she, if we are being quite technical, works for me, puts a barrier between us. I have seen others develop close connections to their abigails and valets. I have some hope that we can develop that as well.”

Ellie did not at all know how to navigate the complexities of human relations, but she wanted to understand them better.

They were attending the Fancy Ball at the Upper Assembly Rooms that evening. It was a familiar enough social event for her to not be overly worried about what would happen and what was expected. Unfortunately, her family nearly always attended. She likely would not be able to entirely avoid them.

Arriving in the company of the Lancasters was quite a boon to Ellie. People who had hardly noticed her before greeted her with deference. It was unexpected, unfamiliar, and absolutely welcome. When she felt a little intimidated, she called upon Artemis’s tutoring and upon pretending to feel confident even when she did not. She suspected she was doing well. No one seemed to look askance at her.

Within five minutes of each other, the Huntresses arrived and joined their group. Artemis’s brother and his wife had gone to speak with their own set. That was one of the joys of being part of Artemis’s band: freedom Ellie hadn’t ever known before.

“You look breathtaking,” Gillian said. “I suspect Rose had a hand in this transformation.”

Ellie smiled and nodded. Apparently, she was not the first to benefit from the expertise and generosity of that woman.

“Rose and Artemis are the reason I prefer a rounded neckline and will never wear pale pink,” Daria said with a laugh. “Imagine my horror upon realizing that I had, for two Seasons in a row, looked as though I had spent long hours bonnetless under a hot desert sun, thanks to that color choice.”

They all laughed at that, though not so loudly as to be inappropriate. Mother and Lillian would have declared any degree of laughter entirely ill-mannered. How grateful Ellie was to discover they were wrong.

They continued their circuit of the ballroom. Gentlemen stopped them now and then to request the honor of dancing with them. That was also an experience Ellie was unaccustomed to but found she very much liked. Only after having agreed to stand up for three sets did she cross paths with the one gentleman she truly wished to dance with.

Newton, as always, was there in the company of Charlie. Ellie had always dreamed of having a companion like that. She was so pleased that she finally had not merely one but three.

“You look beautiful tonight,” Newton said. “I wish I understood more about fashion so I could offer you a more detailed compliment. I feel all I am able to say is that you are quite stunning.”

The compliment was more effusive than Ellie had ever before received. It might even have been considered a bit too bold by the harshest of sticklers. She, however, loved it.

Newton requested the honor of standing up with her during the Roger de Coverley. She readily and wholeheartedly accepted.

“I do not know what the Lancasters are thinking, allowing Miss Lancaster and her guests to accept invitations from young gentlemen without requiring those invitations be approved by them first.” She cringed at the sound of her mother’s voice coming from directly behind her.

---