“Perfectly comfortable, thank you,” Sybil replied, not taking her eyes from the window. “I find the countryside quite absorbing.”
“Indeed,” Hugo said dryly. “Particularly the same stretch of countryside you’ve been studying for the past hour.”
He speaks! Will wonders never cease?
Sybil turned to meet his gaze directly, noting the challenge in his amber eyes. “I find repetitive scenery soothing. So much more pleasant than repetitive conversation.”
Take that, Your Grace.
Hugo’s mouth tightened almost imperceptibly. “How fortunate that you’ve been spared such tedium.”
“Isn’t it just?”
Rosalie looked between them with growing concern. “Perhaps we might discuss the evening’s entertainment? I confess I’m rather nervous about my first London ball.”
Nervous. Poor darling has no idea what awaits her.
“There’s nothing to be nervous about,” Sybil said, her voice softening as she turned her attention to the girl. “You’re beautiful, accomplished, and charming. London society will adore you.”
“Will they?” Rosalie’s voice held a note of uncertainty that made Sybil’s chest tighten. “I’ve heard such stories about theton. About how cruel they can be to anyone who doesn’t meet their exacting standards.”
Cruel. If only she knew how accurate that assessment is.
“Some people can be unkind,” Sybil admitted carefully. “But most are simply ordinary people trying to navigate the same social complexities you are.”
“But what if I make a mistake? What if I say the wrong thing or dance with the wrong person or commit some terrible social error?”
What if you trust the wrong man? What if you believe pretty promises that turn out to be lies? What if you let someone convince you that reputation doesn’t matter?
But she couldn’t say any of that. Not directly.
“Mistakes are inevitable,” Sybil said instead. “The key is learning from them without letting them define you.”
“That’s rather philosophical,” Hugo observed though his tone was less sharp than before. “Do you have specific advice for avoiding social pitfalls?”
Specific advice. Like warning her about charming men who make promises they don’t intend to keep?
“Be cautious about private conversations with gentlemen you don’t know well,” Sybil said, choosing her words carefully. “What seems like harmless flirtation to you might be interpreted quite differently by observers.”
“What sort of interpretation?” Rosalie asked.
“The sort that leads to whispers and speculation about your character,” Sybil replied. “Even the most innocent interactions can be misinterpreted by malicious tongues.”
“How so?” Rosalie asked.
“Well, I once heard of a young lady who trusted a charming gentleman’s promises,” Sybil said carefully. “She believed his declarations of devotion, thought his attentions were honorable. By the time she realized his true intentions, it was far too late.”
If only it were just a story I’d heard.
“Too late how?” Rosalie’s voice was barely above a whisper.
“She found herself in an… unfortunate situation,” Sybil said delicately. “Ruined, abandoned by the very man who had sworn to protect her. When she needed help most, he simply disappeared.”
And when our parents discovered her condition, they threw her out like refuse.
“How dreadful!” Rosalie exclaimed. “Surely her family would have helped her?”
Sybil’s throat tightened. “Not all families prioritize their daughters’ welfare over their own reputations.”
