Oh God. She is right; I have never even been to a ball. I do not even have friends of my own age.
Her parents were both silver-haired with age, and when they died, the estate would pass to the next male heir.
There was no guarantee he would take her in or look after her. She could spend the rest of her life being shunted from one relative to another, always a burden and nothing more.
“What about breach of contract?” she blurted out, desperate for something that might save her from that fate. “We have been engaged for so long, and he has forsaken his word. Our betrothal carries legal weight; we could make him pay for damages, and I could?—”
“You only ever think of yourself. Of course, let us add more scandal to the fire.” Lady Brookes rolled her eyes. “Such things are beneath our station.”
“I only meant that he has wronged our family; surely, seeking recourse would be seen as reasonable?” Vivian looked between her parents.
And the money could be of use to me.
“Of course it would not. The man has married for love, and though thetonwill not be kind to him, they will be even less kind to us if we take him to court! Especially if it meant breaking up a love match.” Lady Brookes massaged her temples with her long fingers. “They will think us common and uncouth.”
“And it will only make thetonwonder what was so wrong with you that the man risked such damage to his reputation.” Her father arched an eyebrow at her. “More to the point, the woman he has married is the daughter of one of the wealthiest earls in the country. It is printed in the wedding announcement in that rag.”
“But surely the fact that he did not even have the decency to write to us will win thetonto our cause?” Vivian tilted her headtoward her parents, desperate to keep the hope and fear from her voice. “What kind of coward reveals such a thing in the press?”
Surely they will see that he has behaved abominably.
“There is every chance he wrote to us, and the letter has been mislaid.” Her father waved his hand as though dismissing a particularly irritating fly. “In fact, I am sure that is what has happened.”
And no doubt that is what the Viscount will claim.Vivian could not help but wonder if her father would have been so willing to find a justification for her. She pushed the uncharitable thought away and chided herself.
“What are we going to do, Bertrand?” Lady Brookes asked, her voice shaking with emotion. “Your business partners are all married, and most of their sons are either away in the war or married or betrothed.”
“You could seek out those bachelors in your own network. Did you not tell me that Lady Penwhistle’s eldest boy was looking for a match?” her father asked.
“He is spoken for.” Lady Brookes made a frustrated noise.
Vivian closed her eyes, letting her parents’ conversation wash over her. Her whole life had been planned. Every day had been lived according to that plan.
She had been promised to a viscount; she had had a future, and now… she had nothing but uncertainty.
Her heart pounded in her chest, and she tapped her fingers in a steady rhythm against her thigh. She focused on the sensation, using it to calm herself. Her shoulders relaxed, and she let out a breath she had not realized she had been holding.
Think, Vivian, think. Her mind raced as thoughts of her with the same gray hair as her mother, stooped with age and dependent on the kindness of relations, threatened to overcome her.
That will not be my future.
She drew in a deep breath and continued her tapping. “A husband. I need a husband, and I need to find one fast, especially if I want a decent one. This scandal will damage my chances, and I already have the disadvantage of my late formal entry into society. Perhaps there is a way I could use that mystery? No, that would only work if I were a man. Or exceedingly beautiful, and I am neither.”
She kept her voice low, not wanting her parents to hear her thoughts. There was something about talking through one’s ideas, even if it was only to oneself, that helped bring clarity.
“Now, where does one find a husband?” She opened her eyes and let them drift to the nearby table.
She pushed aside the newspaper that had revealed the precariousness of her future and picked up one of the handful of invitations. Her parents seemed unaware of her movements, and that suited Vivian.
“I shall never be able to show my face again! Oh, Bertrand!” Her mother’s voice sounded far away as Vivian picked up the invitations on the table.
She squinted as she peered through them, trying to recall who was who. And then she found one that caught her eye and read:
You are cordially invited to the Dowager Duchess of Caverton’s annual ball. The theme of this year is dress to impress! There will be rewards for the most interestingly dressed, and those deemed too dull will face consequences or be refused entry. We look forward to having you if you know how to liven up festivities.
Vivian knew enough of society to know that if anyone else had sent out such an invitation, thetonwould have been furious. The Dowager Duchess of Caverton, however, was an exception. The woman was one of the most eccentric in theton, wealthier than most dukes, and it was widely believed that she hosted some of the best parties.
“If there is anywhere that I will find a husband, that will be there.” Vivian nodded to herself.
