Cecily smiled, but her stomach was filled with butterflies. She was growing more nervous by the minute. Even though it was just a small dinner rather than a grand ball, she still worried about interacting with others outside of her family. It had been ages since she met anyone new in theton, since before she fell ill.
As Agnes and her mother began chatting again about the dinner, Cecily returned to her troubled thoughts. What if the Dowager Duchess was repulsed by her friend’s blind daughter? Cecily did not want to be the reason that her mother lost a good friend. She promised herself that she would do everything she could to try to pretend she was not blind, no matter how hard that might be.
After each choosing new hats for promenade outfits they had, the women left the milliner’s shop and returned home to prepare themselves for the dinner. Agnes helped Cecily to her bedchambers, then left Greta and Cecily to their preparations.
As soon as Agnes was gone, Greta led Cecily to her wardrobe. But before helping her select, she put gentle hands on her mistress’s shoulders.
“You will do beautifully this evening,” she said, not bothering to question Cecily’s pensive mood. “I know that you will. And I will see to it that you look especially beautiful, so that no one notices anything else.”
Cecily smiled warmly at her maid.
“You are too kind,” she said. She knew deep down that, even if she was the most beautiful woman in the room, no one would look past her knocking a crystal vase off a table. But her friend’s encouragement, along with her family’s support, was comforting to her, if only for a time.
After careful deliberation, Cecily chose her yellow gown. It accented the red in her strawberry blond hair and made her blue eyes appear as though they had tiny gold flecks in them. Greta styled her hair so that it was half up and half falling down her shoulders. Cecily could not see herself, but she imagined that she looked as lovely as any other woman in theton.If only I could keep from looking as though I am blind,she thought sadly.
“I can feel your fretting,” Greta said as she finished and linked her arm through Cecily’s. “I believe that tonight’s event will go better than you think.”
Cecily sighed.
“I hope that you are right, dear,” she said.
Greta kissed her cheek and then opened the door for her.
“I know that it will,” she said.
Cecily met her family downstairs in the drawing room. Agnes was the last to finish getting ready and, while they waited, their parents raved over how beautiful Cecily looked. When Agnes joined them, she gushed over her sister, too.
Cecily knew it was to help boost her confidence before the dinner. As with everything else her family did, she loved them for it. But she could not help wishing it was not necessary. Still, she put on the same brave, sweet smile she had tried to have every day since learning of the fate of her vision. She held out her arm beside her, where Agnes was standing and gestured with her hand.
“Let us be off,” she said.
Everyone, including the Earl, seemed excited as they boarded the carriage. For several moments after the coach pulled away from their home, it was impossible to decipher what any one of them was saying. Cecily smiled to herself. Her family’s happiness truly did bring her joy. She felt as though nothing in the world could be too terribly wrong, so long as her parents and sister were smiling.
“Oh, I cannot wait for you all to meet the Duchess,” the Countess said, at last discernable over everyone else. “This dinner is a celebration of sorts because her son has returned from the Far East. I am looking forward to meeting him.”
Cecily nodded, feeling her self-consciousness rise again. She bit her lip and tried to think of something positive to say. But before she could, Agnes snorted. It was a bitter sound, which was strange to hear from her younger sister. Cecily turned her head toward her sister, puzzled.
“I have heard horrid rumors about the Duke’s appearance,” she said. “They say that he is akin to a beast, with horribly scarred skin all over his face.”
Cecily’s mouth fell open and she failed to hide her wounded surprise. TheCountess gasped in horror, and everyone fell completely silent.
“Agnes, dear,” she scolded. “Firstly, you must remember that not all of theton’sgossip is true. And secondly, even if it were, you should know better than to judge someone.”
Cecily could feel her sister flinch beside her, but Cecily was too stunned to move or speak. She understood why some people of theupper-classmight react to such a rumor, or what they would think if it was true. But hearing her sister say such a thing sent Cecily’s mind reeling.
When Agnes shifted uncomfortably beside her, however, Cecily patted her hand. She could tell that her sister felt horrible about having spoken so boldly. She could never blame her sister for having such thoughts. After all, Agnes would never know the struggle of those cast out by society. And she knew that her sister had a genuinely good heart. She would never mean to offend anyone on purpose.
“Cece,” she said softly, squeezing her sister’s hand. “Please, forgive me for speaking out of turn. Mother was absolutely right. That was detestable of me to do such a thing. Can you forgive me?”
Cecily smiled warmly at her sister and hugged her.
“Of course, I forgive you,” she said, kissing her cheek.
A moment later, the coach pulled up in front of Archington Manor. She wished she could see it when she heard her family coo over it.As Jonathan helped them alight from the carriage,Agnes took her arm and told her that the mansion was a vast, pale stone structure, with wisteria climbing tastefully up the walls and rich crimson drapes in all the visible windows.
As the butler let them in and led them through the halls, Cecily breathed deeply. She could smell lemon cleaner, as well as a minty or piney scented oil. She could also detect the fragrance of fresh flowers, roses and gardenias, specifically. For a moment, she forgot her nerves and lost herself in learning the manor’s unique and delightful smells.
“Here we are,” Agnes whispered softly, tightening her grip on her sister’s arm. “Step slowly and carefully. I’ve got you.”
