Page 9 of An Offer for a Spinster
“Now, if that’s everything…?” Mrs. Ruth asked, and Katherine nodded, dismissing her.
Then there was nothing left to distract her from her own reflection and her own worries.
This evening was not the apex of the Season, not by any means, but somehow it felt more important than any of the other balls Katherine had intended.
She, and her brothers too, would have to go through tonight looking in earnest for a marriage mate. One year. One year really wasn’t enough time, not to meet a new acquaintance, become sure of them, pursue an understanding, and thenmarriage! Oh, it scarcely bore thinking about.
Katherine closed her eyes, hoping to shut out her own image. Her maid, Sally, had put her in a deep mustard-coloured silk dress, simply cut but flattering, tightly bodiced and with a neckline that just skimmed the edge of daring. Her hair wasdone up, piled in loose curls on her head, the chestnut lights glimmering in the candlelight. Her skin was darker rather than lighter, but Katherine had long since given up wanting fair skin. Let the blonde ladies boast themselves as fair beauties if they liked.
The woman staring back at her seemed unfamiliar now, a mercenary lady on the hunt for a husband, at all costs.
If I don’t marry, none of us will get a penny,she thought, for the thousandth time.Everything rests on me.
The thought had provoked a sharp pang of cold fear to start with, something icy and prickling, but now she was numb to it. It almost didn’t feel real anymore, as if it were a line she’d read in a novel. A favourite novel, perhaps. An L. Sterling.
Don’t think about books, or else you’ll curl up on bed and read instead of going down to face your guests.
“There,” Sally remarked, putting the last touches on Katherine’s hair. “You look beautiful, milady, if I may say so.”
“Thank you, Sally,” Katherine said, flashing a tight smile. She’d have to do better than that throughout the evening. It would be nonstop smiling.
“Just in time,” William remarked, as Katherine carefully descended the stairs. The ballroom, dining room, and surrounding hallways were all prepared for the ball, decorated with flowers and garlands – paper, silk, and real – and lit with countless candles. Like fairyland, hopefully. That, as far as she could tell from the gossip columns, was the highest praise a ball could get.
“Did you think I’d be late for our first ball after our mourning?” Katherine remarked. “You look very fine.”
The four of them had chosen different colours, all designed to flatter their olive skin. A deep green for William, a burgundyfor Alexander, and royal blue for Henry. It was, in Katherine’s opinion, a good way to get noticed.
None of them had discussed much their plans for finding marriage mates.
It’s alright for them,she thought sourly.Their marriage need not change their lives at all.
William offered an arm, gesturing for them to go through to the ballroom.
“Mr. and Mrs. Ruth have done a fabulous job. Nobody will be able to fault our decorations or food tonight, at the very least.” He glanced pointedly over at Henry, who had thrown himself into a chair in the corner of the room, one leg thrown languidly over the arm. “I do hope you’ll put that book away when our guests arrive, Henry.”
“What of it?” Henry responded, not taking his eyes off the page. “So what if I don’t?”
William pressed his lips together. “Don’t, Henry.”
“Don’t what?”
“You know what. Not tonight. Society will be especially sharp with us.”
Henry sighed, and pointedly turned a page.
“Leave him,” Katherine murmured. “Henry always said that he wasn’t sure if he’d like to marry at all. Having the choice taken away from him would certainly be smart. Henry enjoyed having control over his life.
Well, don’t we all,Katherine thought bitterly.And our dear father neatly took it all away from us.
“I’m going to greet the guests as they come in,” William said. “The three of you stay here to talk when people enter. Find Alexander, won’t you, and take Henry’s book away.”
“I will.”
Tonight wasn’t going to be fun for anyone, then. William half turned away, then paused, and turned back.
“Oh, and my friend is coming tonight. Timothy Rutherford, do you remember him?”
Katherine blinked, and conjured up an image of a quiet, bespectacled young man she’d seen from a distance. “Vaguely, yes.”
