Juliet smiled and nodded. “A handsome Shetland pony from the islands. You’ll need to name him, and then he will come when you call to him.”
Bella stopped licking her fingers. “Pony for me too?”
“A pony for you both,” Juliet said. “You’re almost big enough to go riding, but we’ll have to return to Ardraigh Hall first for lessons.”
Yet Leith hadn’t made arrangements to return them to the country. She waited, though not impatiently, since to be beyond Virginia Street was to see him not at all, or so she feared. Then she remembered the Spierses’ ball invitation. And now Father was due any day...
The Spiers mansion seemed lit by a thousand candles. Nerves high, Juliet wished Minette hadn’t laced her so tightly. Or perhaps her breathlessness was simply the thought of facing so many Glaswegians for the first time, all who would undoubtedly be curious about Leith Buchanan’s American bride. Loveday, her constant support, remained at home with a miserable cold.
Footmen announced them at the front door and then again at the entrance to the drawing room. Being so new to marriage, Juliet always felt a little start at her new name. The man beside her was impeccably attired but markedly reserved as if he didn’t want to be here any more than she did. He’d said little in the coach when she’d craved a reassuring word, but she’d been equally tight-lipped, and now her faux smile seemed pinned in place.
Amid the dazzling candlelight, gowns and jewels were aglitter, a veritable rainbow of gemstones flashing about the huge, gilded room. Her pearls, always her preference, seemed out of place. She’d worn a blue gown to please Leith, but he seemed not to have noticed, hardly giving her a glance. Introductions began, but try as she might, she could not keep up with the flood of names and faces. Yet she did overhear a knot of older women pass by behind her who seemed distinct as a trumpet blast.
“She dresses regally despite being from a rebel backwater like Virginia.”
“I suppose she’ll soon be called the queen of Lanarkshire since he’s the king of it.”
“Given she prefers to associate with Glasgow’s poorest, even tolbooth prisoners, Mr. Buchanan must have forced her hand to appear here tonight.”
Stung, Juliet moved as far away from them as she could, though she sensed their eyes boring into her back. Leith had fallen into conversation with a group of men while Lyrica led her to the punch, her saffron silk skirts flowing about her as she walked gracefully.
The music and dancing moved from the opening minuet to country dances, and Juliet’s hopes of partnering with Leith were dashed. He’d not disregard protocol and dance with her here like he had at home, she guessed. Envy colored her dismay when a lovely young woman was the first he partnered with. Was Leith a faithful husband? She was certainly an insecure wife.
Before she could ponder the matter further, Euan intervened, bowing and proving himself as adept a dancer as Leith. But it was Leith she wanted, as this ball had a decidedly different feel from the warm, winsome one at the Virginia Street mansion, where the guests had been close relations and friends. Here they were simply business associates, as if the function was little more than another shrewd business transaction, lacking genuine feeling.
“So, what do you make of our society, Mrs. Buchanan?” Euan asked.
“I’m too bedazzled to form an opinion,” she replied from behind her fluttering fan.
“I hope your former indebtedness doesn’t keep you from appreciating our elevated entertainments. You wouldn’t want to jeopardize the Buchanan name or business interests by appearing less than grateful as an American.”
His harsh words were cloaked in a smooth tone. For a moment she lost her footing.
“I’ve never been accused of being ungrateful,” she said evenly.
“As a foreigner you must tread carefully. First impressions are everything.”
At which you are utterly failing.She bit her tongue lest she let that slip, relieved when the music waned. Her initial impression of the middle Buchanan, far from high, plummeted to her feet.
When Euan departed, Niall seemed to appear from nowhere, his obvious concern touching. Did he sense her disquiet?
“I hope you’re weathering this long evening well. Please don’t think me guilty of flattery when I say you Virginians could teach us Glaswegians a thing or two about dancing.”
She thanked him, assuaged by his gracious words. He had none of the stoniness of his older brothers. And truly, Virginians were some of the finest dancers on earth.
She gained a measure of confidence as she moved through the familiar steps across the polished wood with other partners. TheLady’s Magazinehad kept her abreast of what was happening on the dance floor here.
Niall waited his turn. Being the topmost couple, they chose a longways dance she had stepped countless times in colonial ballrooms.
Afterward, slightly breathless, Niall led her to a corner, brought her punch, and wasted no time inquiring about Loveday. “How fares your dear sister?”
“She regrets her absence.”
“Not as much as I do.” He brought a handsomely tailored sleeve instead of a silken handkerchief to his damp upper lip.
Juliet felt a beat of amusement. These Buchanans, despite their lofty business standing, were callused, practical men who would never be guilty of taking snuff from a tortoiseshell box or sporting pink powdered hair like Parisians.
“Her sincere hope is that she soon mends and enjoys your company again,” she said, sensing his uncertainty.
