“Are we ready?” Alison interrupted. “The carriage awaits, and I am excited to attend my first ball after the birth of Elizabeth. As truly wonderful as she is, her dancing skills are terrible, and I wish to dance!”
Jenny laughed aloud, unable to stop herself despite being told numerous times how unladylike it was, but Alison only laughed along with her, and they all made their way into the coach.
As Jenny’s twin, Luke had been fortunate enough to share many of her good features. His skin had always been flawless, and his straight, black hair fell foppishly over his forehead. His eyes were equally warm, the mahogany brown flecked with shades of black.
To her, he was her brother, and therefore not in the slightest bit handsome—or so she had teased him for the length of their childhood and beyond—but in truth, she could see what had so attracted Alison in the first place. Apart from the way he looked, he was a kind and gentle soul. He worked hard at whatever he was doing, always taking pride in his work, and though he was sometimes a little hard on Jenny—especially when she so struggled with her new way of life—she knew it was only because he cared.
The ball was to take place in Carrington Hall, just on the outskirts of London. It was the home of the Duke of Carrington, although the ball was being hosted by his adopted son and heir, Thomas—Jenny and Luke’s brother. He had thrown it, he said, in honor of Jenny particularly—a way to get her out into society and, hopefully, meet her future husband.
Jenny had felt the pressure to be what they wanted of her even more then, but she knew Thomas believed he was doing something good and exciting, and so she went along with it. Besides, it wouldn’t be too bad should she find a wealthy nobleman as a husband.Would it?
“Are you happy?” Luke asked, shoulders hunched and a grin spread across his face as he looked at Jenny opposite him.
“I…” she trailed off, unsure how much to reveal to her brother, but Alison nodded her encouragement, “yes, very much so,” she said.
And she was, to an extent. Part of Jenny’s problem was that she felt too much—of happiness and fear and excitement and dread. It all mixed into one until she didn’t even know where to look.
“Good,” Luke said. “I know it’s been a difficult year, and everything is so different to how it used to be.”
Jenny snorted with laughter, unable to stop herself. “Differentis putting it mildly, don’t you think?”
“Perhaps,” Luke said with a shrug, “but that doesn’t make it any less fortunate.”
“No,” Jenny agreed, “it does not.”
“And above all else,” Alison said, leaning forward in her seat so both siblings could see her, “we shall dance!”
Despite being well prepared for what was to come, Jenny still found a way to be shocked. She had worked many balls as a maid at the Salsbury estate, and so she knew exactly what to expect. Add to that the lessons Alison had given her, and it made no sense that she would be so overwhelmed.
And yet she was. When they were announced and led into the ballroom, Jenny’s breath froze in her chest. She looked around her, mouth hanging open, regardless of whether it was ladylike or not.
The noise was the first thing to hit her. Music floated from the string quartet in the corner, but the chatter of the room almost overpowered it. Jenny even heard the footsteps as they walked along the wooden floor.
As a maid, she had not really paid much attention, other than to her task at hand. As the sister of the host, however, all eyes landed on her and she could already feel the gossips circling around her. She could feel, too, the energy of those who surrounded her. There was an air of excitement, of happiness and an anticipation of the night to come.
And still, despite everything, Jenny felt as though she didn’t belong.
“It’s—” she trailed off, her head still turning to take it all in.
“Impressive?” Alison asked, leaning over as though to whisper to Jenny. “Lord Denninson always knows how throw the very best of parties.”
“Well,” Jenny said, not quite sure what she was meant to say, “shall we join the throng?”
They stepped simultaneously from the step that surrounded the ballroom floor, and Jenny looked around her curiously. The string quartet was placed in a corner at the far end of the room, and opposite them was an opening to which Jenny could only assume led to the garden terrace. Just behind them, on a raised platform, was a seating area around which servants moved seamlessly with trays full of champagne and fine wines. And then, between them and the far end of the room, lay the largest ballroom floor Jenny had ever seen.
Not that I have seen a great many.
“I shall go greet some friends and business associates,” Luke said. “I trust you’ll be all right?”
“Quite,” Alison said, smiling at him. “Go! But try to remember to havesomefun, rather than working all night!”
“I’ll try,” he said, a big grin on his face, and Jenny knew he had no intention of trying at all. Since taking on his new role within the world of investments, Luke had submerged himself entirely.
“Shall we sit awhile?” Alison asked, and Jenny nodded eagerly. “Perhaps I can pinpoint some of the more friendly people here.”
“Yes, let’s.”
