Oliver’s brow knitted as they passed through a bazaar draped with billowing, jewel-toned silks, then climbed a wide, grand staircase to the second floor. “They think Father screwed them earlier this year with a large business deal—to the point they’ve made threats against our family.”
“Threats?” Grace asked, shocked. She could still see the anger that lit in a flame behind Mr. Gatewood’s eyes at her presence.
“I’m surprised they’re here, to be honest,” Oliver said. “They haven’t been as welcome in high society since that deal blew up and they defaulted some of their debts.”
Earnest came to greet them as they arrived at the top of the stairs. Dressed in tails, with a high white collar and bow tie, and carrying a dapper cane, he looked so much better than he had yesterday morning. His bruises had been covered over with a bit of powder so that they had almost vanished.
“Good evening, friends,” he said, smiling. He opened his hands wide, the right one still heavily bandaged. “Grace, I’ve never seen anyone lovelier.”
Grace curtsied. Her hearted lifted, and her eyes lit up to see him.
Theodore cleared his throat. “Mr. Allred,” he said, bowing stiffly. He stepped away from Grace and excused himself to greet someone else.
“It’s good to see you,” Grace said to Earnest warmly. Itwasrelieving to see him looking so much better, as though despite his dramatic fall from the sky and her being thrown out of her aunt’s house, they were survivors, and everything was still going to turn out all right. She felt a kinship with him as she scanned the room for Lillie. Immense chandeliers dripped from painted ceilings with crystals and lush white flowers. The lighting was turned dramatically low, save for the displays of cut glass set as centerpieces on tables. These were illuminated so that they almost appeared to be floating.
And in the center of the room was the Libbey Glass Company’s prized cut-glass punch bowl. It was 134 pounds of intricately decorated glass, shimmering with patterns of fleurs-de-lis that refracted the light. It was the largest single-cut glass object in history, and was accompanied by a sterling silver ladle with a matching cut-glass handle.
The Palace of Electricity shimmered beyond floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the fountains and boats studding the Grand Basin below. The floor beneath Grace’s feet had been covered in a thick sheet of black glass that reflected the candlelight, as though theywere walking across dark ice. It smelled like melting wax and unfurling flowers and smoke.
For a moment, Grace was overwhelmed. Most moments she lived melted away like snow on a fingertip. But a few seminal ones stayed. Captured in a globe, to be turned and examined from every angle.
Something in her sensed this night could be one of those.
“Allow me to introduce you to my good friend Copper,” Earnest said, bringing her toward where Frannie nursed a drink at a standing table.
“We’ve met,” Grace said.
“It’s good to see you again, this time in better circumstances,” Copper said, offering her a bow. His red hair was brilliant against his black tails. His eyes were a dark, striking blue.
Frannie was staring up at Copper with unmasked adoration. Poor Frannie. She always seemed to be hoping someone worthy of her fortune would notice her.
And this time, Copper turned and smiled at her. He bent his head to whisper something in her ear and she brightened. It was rare and then gone, like one of the flickering bulbs on the Palace of Electricity.
“Would you like to dance?” Earnest asked. A string quartet was situated in a dim corner, playing quietly as couples took to the dance floor.
Grace grasped his wrist, to avoid his bandages. His other hand slid around her waist.
“Where’s Lillie?” he asked, looking around the crowd.
“I’m not sure,” Grace said. “I expect she’ll be here soon.” There was a wistful look on his face that made Grace’s heart fall with the weight of a feather.
He must have noticed. “She helped me so much that night, you see,” he added gently.
“Of course. Do they know what happened yet?” she asked, studying his face.
“Surely you’ve seen the papers?” he said ruefully. “Bloody gossip Sam Whitcomb pretending to be a journalist.”
“We don’t have to speak of it, if it’s upsetting,” she said.
“I think it was a mechanical malfunction. Maybe a cracked cylinder in the engine caused oil to leak and ignite. Maybe the engine was overheated. But it’s possible it was sabotage. The police and my mechanic are looking into it. But with what’s left of the machine, I’m not sure we’ll ever know.”
At that moment, they both spotted Lillie.
She looked angelic, a vision in a silk and chiffon dress that glittered from shoulder to hem with iridescent beads. It was a shade between golden pink and peach, with a hint of shoulder peeking through the sleeve and gathers of delicate silk flowers stitched into the bodice. Grace felt the moment that Earnest noticed her cousin, and she should have known it was coming. As Grace stepped forward, she smelled something dark, pungent, and earthy. Something beautiful with a dangerous undertone. Something almost suffocating.
Aunt Clove stepped into her path, blocking her way. She wore a ball gown the color of green bottle glass with an elegant train and a furious look on her face.
“What on earth are you doing here?” Aunt Clove hissed.
