“I accidentally twirled us into a suit of armor, and it fell on him and crushed his foot,” she said sheepishly. “I am a bit wild with my dancing. He kept saying I was trying to lead, but I swear I wasn’t. I was just so nervous that I lost all sense of time and space and… Well, we crashed into things.”
A small laugh burst through Felicity’s lips. She could imagine the exact situation Pandora described. They began rolling out their dough, and she tilted her head, studying the girl from the corner of her eyes.
“What is it you like about dressage?” she finally asked.
The girl frowned at her rolled out dough. “I…suppose I like the connection with the horse. How we act as a unit. The challenge of making our communication as subtle as possible. It is like our own secret conversation. And I just like horses in general. They do not judge me. They accept me.”
The girl said it so plainly, like it was a mere fact that people judged her, a common occurrence. And while she didn’t show a hint of upset at the notion, Felicity was upset on her behalf.
Felicity wished she could follow Pandora around when the girl made her debut and slap each paper skull who spoke poorly of the girl. Felicity’s heart constricted. IfThe Planworked, she most likely wouldn’t see Pandora very often afterward.
She cleared her throat and the melancholy heavy in her chest. “You know, what you described sounds a lot like dancing Pandora.”
“It does?” She looked up at Felicity, something akin to hope glowing in her eyes.
“Yes, what you speak of—the communication, working as a team, the connection—that is all imperative in dancing. That is the challenge in it,” Felicity said. “Perhaps if you started with mastering the skills needed for dancing with those you felt comfortable with, you could branch out to others more easily. I would be happy to practice with you. As would your papa or your brothers, I’m sure.”
Felicity pursed her lips. “There is something…invigorating when you finally find a partner who can communicate fluidly with you. I am sure you know that feeling from working with your horse.”
Pandora seemed to think that over, her head tilting from side to side absently. “That does sound less intimidating. Is that how you felt dancing with my brother? Is that how you knew you wanted to marry him? That feeling?”
Felicity kept her smile plastered on her face even as a painful knot twisted in her stomach. A leaden knot. Colborn was fine to dance with, but it wasn’t the magic she had fancifully dreamed of.
She had never had a choice with Colborn. She was paraded out, and he had pointed to her and saidmine. And that was the end of it. Her future decided. And when that future slowly looked more and more grim, did she have any say, any control over changing it? She barely kept her cynical laugh inside.
“Your brother is a very accomplished dancer,” she finally settled for.
Pandora looked up and smiled at Felicity, oblivious to Felicity’s inner turmoil. “It would be fun to dance with you. As long as you wouldn’t fear for your feet.”
“Perhaps we choose somewhere far away from suits of armor,” Felicity said, letting out a huff of laughter.
The girl jumped up and down.
“But—” Felicity lifted a finger, and Pandora stilled, though her frame visibly vibrated. “You have to wear a dress.”
Pandora wrinkled her nose. “Fine, you have a deal.”
Felicity reached for Pandora’s hands and clasped them between hers. Pandora looked up at her, blonde brows puckering. This lovely girl…Felicity wanted to help her, protect her, give her the small semblance of control a woman in their world could have.
“You will not enjoy learning nor doing everything that life necessitates of you, Pandora. That fact is not unique to us, it is something that applies to everyone in this life. But instead of looking at it as a negative, I challenge you to look at it as acquiring another strength, another tool. And I will admit, I do not enjoy many ladylike behaviors either.” She leaned forward and whispered, “I hate wearing dresses, too. Dresses are not very convenient for climbing trees.”
Pandora’s lips parted, her eyes growing wide in silent question:really?Felicity nodded.
“But all the skills I have developed have given me power. When I am in the comfort of my own home, when I am with confidants”—she winked at Pandora—“I do as I want. But when I am out in society, I can equip myself with whatever skills necessary to assist me through the particular situation I am in. If I need to act the part of a future duchess”—she popped a shoulder in a shrug—“I can. If I want to make myself a lemon pie, I can. I guarantee many duchesses can’t do that.” She wiggled flour-covered fingers playfully at the young girl.
“If I need to make an appearance in Hyde Park, I can take a leisurely side-saddle ride. I can also best my brothers in a full-out gallop on our estate riding astride. It is never a bad thing to acquire more knowledge and more skills. To then use to your advantage. To take away another’s ability to use something you lack against you.”
Pandora chewed her lip. “That makes sense. But some things are just so dreadfully dull.”
Felicity tweaked the girl’s nose. “Sometimes you just need to look at something from a different angle, like dressage and dancing. And sometimes you will discover learning certain things you didn’t find interesting before, become interesting when you have the right company.”
Pandora stared up at her and then nodded once matter-of-factly. “I think you are exactly right, Felicity. Like baking with you. I never thought much of baking, but I would always bake with you.”
Oh heavens, what was this bloody substance blurring her vision? This girl truly couldn’t be any sweeter. She hid the emotion building her chest with an overbright smile. “And I never thought I’d ever desire shooting a pistol. But I am quite excited to try now with you.”
“And Father,” Pandora added and turned back to cutting her dough. “He is a crack shot.”
The girl suddenly hopped up and down. “Papa!”
