And so, because it sounded delightful and Charlotte had insisted that she need not worry about the details of proper etiquette, as the gentlemen at the ball would concern themselves with such matters, and because she felt even more intoxicated than after drinking the champagne, she agreed.
Mr. Carrington led her to the gardens through various passageways, and it seemed to grow hotter as they went, so she was feeling quite dizzy and almost ill by the time they reached the doors to the gardens. She had, as they hurried along through unoccupied parts of the great home, considered several times declining the gentleman’s offer, and returning to the ball, but she was feeling so odd and could not think clearly of how to make such a request without causing offense. Not only that, she was sure the fresh air might make her feel better.
The garden was lit by a few solitary lights and the light cast from the windows of the great ballroom. No one else appeared to be outside, which was something she found to be different than she had expected: she had assumed a gentleman like Mr. Carrington would, as Charlotte advised, ensure that all propriety was adhered to. The cool night air did not have the effect she had hoped for, and one of the last thoughts she had was that she had made a terrible mistake in judgment.
She was turning to Mr. Carrington to explain all of this to him, and then, all was blank for an amount of time that seemed no more than the blink of an eye.
* * *
The next thing sheknew, she was lying down, and the earth was shuddering beneath her, and she could hear the sound of horses and the sharp voices of two women talking.
She would never be sure what motive—self-preservation, or perhaps years of practice pretending to be asleep while she was not—caused her to close her eyes as soon as she awoke, and feign the continuation of the fainting spell that had overtaken her. She was terribly confused, but she had enough sense to know from the tone of the voices, that something had gone terribly wrong.
“Surely you saw them leaving together, Elizabeth,” hissed a familiar voice, which took Lina a moment to realize was the voice of Charlotte, for it had such a venomous edge to it that it was rendered almost unrecognizable.
“Oh,” Elizabeth said, almost diffidently.
“Oh, surely, Elizabeth, you cannot expect me to believe that you didn’t have your keen eyes glued to Mr. Carrington’s every move. The entire world knows that you are looking to marry, and you are looking for wealth first and foremost and dashing good looks second, and that Mr. Carrington is whom you’ve set your eyes upon. You cannot convince me that you did not see him lead Lina away.”
“Oh, so what if I did?” Elizabeth hissed in reply.
“You knew well it was improper, and yet you said nothing, until it was too late. In fact!” Charlotte cut herself off, and there was a curious silence. When she spoke next her voice had lowered to a scathing whisper. “It wouldn’t surprise me if you were the one to alert the guests to the scandal.”
There was no response from Elizabeth.
“You are a miserable little... brat. I do so hope you get what’s coming to you.”
“And perhaps I shall, Charlotte. You could learn a thing or two about looking out for your own fortunes. Caroline is a commoner and a bastard and an ill-bred...tart! She does not deserve to marry into such a large fortune.”
“I think,” Charlotte hissed, “that you were simply jealous that Mr. Carrington, the miserable man, took a shine to Lina instead of you, and now you’ve gone and ruined absolutely everything for everyone!”
“I?!” Elizabeth almost shrieked. “I’ve ruined everything?!She’sthe one who was strolling in the gardens in the dark alone with a man, not I! She’s the one who had so much to drink that she became... incapacitated!” Then, with almost a snarl, she added, “If indeed that is what happened.”
Charlotte hissed at Elizabeth, and Lina decided to open her eyes when no more was said for several minutes. She sat up, holding her head, which hurt terribly, and blinked to clear the blurriness from her vision.
Charlotte leaned toward her and grasped her hand. “Lina, my dear, however are you feeling?”
Lina shook her head. Her throat felt dry. “I don’t... I don’t know. What happened?”
Charlotte glared at Elizabeth. She returned her gaze to Lina and held a finger to her lips. “Say nothing until we arrive home, for I cannot be certain what this viper will do with anything she overhears.”
Elizabeth glared at her sister, and Lina’s eyes grew wide. “But I really haven’t any recollection,” she complained. “I was... walking to the garden with Mr. Carrington, and then—”
“Shh!” Charlotte insisted.
Elizabeth jutted her chin and folded her arms. “She can’t incriminate herself any more than she already has,” she said, with a haughty smirk.
“Say no more, Lina,” Charlotte whispered. “I promise you I shall tell you all I know,” she looked over disapprovingly at Elizabeth, “and all Isuspect,when we have a free moment.”
Lina’s eyes welled up with tears, and Charlotte shook her head sharply to stop her from saying anything further. The remainder of the voyage took place in silence, the tension between the two sisters palpable in the air.
