Page 47 of A Marriage of Convenience with a Rake
Her first thought was that she had done something wrong. Her dress was too loud, perhaps, or the emerald pendant he had bought her was too ostentatious to be worn to a ball such as this one. She reached up, aware of its weight resting on her skin. She recalled finding it in her room just moments before she settled down to dress.
“The earl asked me to bring this to you, my lady,” Amy had murmured nervously as she approached the dressing-table.
“Oh! Thank you,” Eleanor said, turning to take the leather-bound box from Amy’s hands. It was the size of a small book, and she had thought at first that it was a book, until she noticed the opening down the front, fastened shut with a small gold clasp. She moved the clasp aside and opened the box, then gasped aloud.
“No! This can’t be for me.”
“His lordship said to give it to you, my lady,” Amy told her, sounding a little discomforted. “Did I do something wrong?”
“No, not at all,” Eleanor breathed. She rested her finger on the black lining of the box, touching it a little nervously. It was real. The pendant was doubtless also real, though in the light of the candles, the emerald stone looked almost too beautiful to be.
“Should I fetch your gown, my lady?” Amy asked.
“Please do, Amy,” Eleanor agreed. “And I will wear thisnecklace with it, I think. It matches almost perfectly.”
“Oh. Grand,” Amy replied, sounding a little flustered. She hadn’t seen what was in the box and Eleanor waited a moment longer, then lifted the pendant on its gold chain from the box, staring at it in the candlelight.
The emerald sparkled. The light dancing across the brilliant cut of the gem, which had been intricately faceted to create a radiant glow.
“Oh, my lady!” Amy gasped as she came in and saw the jewel. “Oh, my! It’s beautiful.”
“It is,” Eleanor said softly. “It certainly is.”
She swallowed hard. She had not expected that Sebastian would buy her anything. It wasn’t even her birthday or any special occasion to speak of. She put the pendant carefully in the box and looked at her dress. It was a shade darker than the pendant, in dark green silk with a fashionable high waist, a low oval neckline and brief puff sleeves. She drew in a breath, excitement mixing with nerves and making her stomach knot up.
“Shall I help you dress?” Amy asked.
“Please do,” Eleanor agreed.
She was already in her shift, her night robe covering it. She stood and Amy helped her into the gown, then buttoned it up behind her.
She had waited until her hair was styled before lifting the pendant and fastening it around her own neck. She had stared in the looking glass, almost unable to believe that the person who stared back, her squarish face alluring in a way she had never seen it before, her hazel eyes huge, was herself.
She had thanked Amy and then hurried downstairs to the ballroom.
She walked across to Sebastian, feeling shy. He was still gazing at her, and she cleared her throat, her stomach knottingwith fresh nerves.
“Eleanor,” he breathed. “There you are.”
“Sebastian,” she greeted him shyly.
He smiled at her, his eyes warm and lingering on her and she looked down at her feet, feeling overwhelmed and shy.
“Lord Glenfield!” A familiar voice greeted him. “A fine ball you have arranged.”
Eleanor spun around, surprised to see Miss Hatfield with her mother. She had thought they would never come to the manor, since they seemed so nervous of the earl. Now, she frowned in confusion as they greeted him.
“I did not arrange it,” Sebastian said tightly. “Lady Glenfield did that.”
“Oh! Lady Glenfield!” Miss Hatfield greeted her. “Charming. I thought you were working in the garden.”
Eleanor felt her spine stiffen. She wanted to glare at the woman, her cheeks heating with shame even as her body straightened with rage. How dare she?
She breathed in. Sebastian had taken a protective step towards her, and she could see the rage on his face. She looked at Miss Hatfield, seeing a frightened but spiteful girl.
“Not tonight,” she said mildly. “It’s too dark out there, you know.”
Sebastian roared with laughter. Miss Hatfield went red, and Eleanor pressed her lips together, trying not to laugh, too.
