“Violet,” Jasper chided, moving closer to put a hand on her shoulder now, “there are much better men out there than Lord Kembertfor heavens sake.Take my advice, and forget him. You can find someone much more suitable and one who is actually interested in knowing you.”
“I believe I can make my own decisions,” Violet said, undeterred. The more people tried to discourage, the more resolved she became. And besides, they would see that she had been right when she finally made her match. “Now, please, if you will excuse me, I need to finish getting ready for the ball, and the lady’s maid is waiting outside for me to let her in.”
Jasper shook his head as though he knew better than to argue.
After all, Violet could be quite obstinate on occasion. Once she set her mind to something, it was rare that someone could talk her out of it.
“As you wish…” he sighed, walking out of the room. As he left, the lady’s maid walked in.
“Good. No more wasting time,” Violet said, turning back to face the mirror. She had to prove her brother—and her friends—wrong.
“Perhaps tonight is the night,” Isadora teased Violet as they made their way to the ballroom, arms interlocked. “Do you think he is finally going to ask you to dance?”
Violet nodded confidently, but it was nothing more than a facade. She had given both Daphne and Isadora the impression that things were going well with Lord Kembert and that he had been giving her subtle hints to indicate his interest.
Of course, he had not so much even looked in her way. But what they did not know wouldn’t hurt them.
“I think so. Do you like my dress?” Violet said, shifting the topic of conversation away to something other than Lord Kembert. The pressure was mounting on her, and discussing it only made her nervous.
“It is as lovely as you are,” Isadora grinned. “But it is not my approval you should be seeking.”
Violet straightened her back. “Yes, well…” she muttered, blushing already.
Daphne had outdone herself once again with the arrangements. The ballroom with glittering with the fancy gowns of ladies and the polished suits of gentlemen. It was a full house, and even at the start of the night, Violet could tell that there would be ample opportunities to mingle with a possible suitor.
But as the night stretched on, Violet mostly kept to herself. She remained in the background, not venturing out to the front where she might be spotted by a gentleman. In her mind, it was not only out of shyness that she chose to do this.Yes,it had something to do with her shyness. But also, because she was reserving her attention only for Lord Kembert. It was a pity that they had not gotten a chance to converse.
Yet.
“Well, well, well…” Leopold caught up to her. She was standing by the refreshments table, arms crossed in front of her. “Still lurking at the edges, I see.”
Beside him stood Jasper, his expression equal parts amused and exasperated.
“I was merely enjoying a drink,” Violet defended herself, hiding her burning cheeks behind her glass. “Don’t the two of you have anything better to do?”
“Better?” Leopold grinned teasingly. “What could be better than watching you skirt around the edges of the room, throwing wallowing glances towards Lord Kembert while he pays you no heed?”
“I have been doing no such thing,” Violet humphed. “You are imagining things.”
“Are you sure we are the imaginative ones here, or is it you?” Jasper jumped in. “We’ve been watching him all evening, and the man hasn’t so much as glanced in your direction. Are you certain this… interest isn’t entirely one-sided?”
“It is not,” Violet said firmly, lifting her chin. “Lord Kembert and I understand each other in ways you wouldn’t begin to comprehend. He’s reserved, yes, but I know what it’s like to be shy. It takes time to open up.”
Leopold snorted, earning a sharp glare from Violet. “Are you utterly convinced that something will come out of this?”
“Yes, because I understand the art of subtlety,” Violet argued. “If the two of you were more perceptive, then you would have noticed that there were plenty of instances where the Baron signaled his interested towards me.”
Jasper and Leopold exchanged an amused glance, and the latter looked as though he was barely managing to suppress a laugh, his lips twitching with the effort.
“Pray tell. What are thesesigns?”
“Well… for one thing, I caught his eye when he came to collect a glass of lemonade from the table. And then, we almost spoke at the dinner table last night.”
“Oh, Violet,” Jasper put a sympathetic hand on his sister’s shoulder. “I admire your dedication, if anything. I promise thatonce this house party ends, and we arrive back at Nightingale Manor, I shall find you a gentleman worthy of your affections.”
While Jasper’s intention had been good natured and brotherly, it had the opposite effect on Violet. “There shall be no such need, and I will prove it to you.”
She spotted Lord Kembert in the distance and waved off her brothers. He was by himself. He met her gaze, and Violet decided this was the perfect moment.
