The invitation to a tea in MissRaught’s back garden is a lovely surprise.
Catherine wishes she weren’t so anxious. She’s still riled up just thinking about that moment in the water closet last week. Was Lady Rosalie really leaning in? She felt something. Something tingly, and confusing, and exciting. She doesn’t know quite what to call it, other thanwant.
But she hardly knows if Lady Rosalie felt the same way. They haven’t seen each other since. And it’s not likely there will be a moment to pull her away at this tea.
What would she even ask?
“Were you about to kiss me in the cloakroom?”
“Do you like to kiss girls?”
“Would you like to kiss me?”
“You’ll need to lose him.”
“What?” Catherine asks, blinking across the carriage at Mother as they trundle toward the Raught house.
“Mr.Sholle. I want you to distance yourself from him. I think Mr.Dean may think Mr.Sholle’s intentions are serious and might be backing off in deference. You need to make it clear that you’re not interested.”
That seems a bit cold. Mr. Sholle is perfectly nice. But perhapsavoiding him would give her more time to suss out what’s going on between her and Lady Rosalie.
“And don’t spend all your time with Lady Rosalie. Clearly the side-by-side comparison isn’t helping us either.”
Catherine sucks on her cheek. “Thank you.”
Mother scoffs. “Don’t be daft. You are the most stunning girl around. It’s simply that we cannot compete with her wealth. I’d rather he see you amongst a group so you can shine properly.”
She’s not sure it’s much less of a slight, that she must look shabby next to Lady Rosalie. But Catherine keeps her face blank and nods.
Perhaps she can convince Mother to let her go on a walk with just MissRaught, MissLinet,andLady Rosalie? And then maybe Lady Rosalie might come up with some clever reason to send MissRaught and MissLinet off together to give them time to talk. Or... whatever.
The idea ofwhatevermakes Catherine hot around the ears. Mother’s too distracted to notice as they arrive, looking around the Raughts’ lovely back garden, which has been set up for tea and lawn games.
It’s not as picturesque, nor as grand, as Lady Jones’ garden, but clearly MissRaught, her mother, and their staff have worked very hard to put together a charming and inviting spread for MissRaught’s friends, their mothers, and their sons.
A prickle of guilt eats at Catherine. Some dedication to friendship she’s showing, planning how to manipulate MissRaught into giving her alone time with Lady Rosalie.
“I’ll go speak to the mothers, see what suggestions they can make for good outings. You should go mingle,” Mother says conspiratorially.
Catherine smiles tightly, even as she wants to scream,Can we just give up on this already?
Catherine doesn’t want a man who falls asleep at the theatre, and only seems interested in talking to other men. Catherine doesn’t know if she even wants a man at all—no, no, there is so much more time lying awake at night to grapple with that thought.
But it’s hard to ignore when even now, Mr.Dean is just standing in a cluster of other young men, ignoring the ladies, who have clearly worked so hard to look beautiful.
It’s hard to want to want a man—any man—who cares so little.
Catherine let MissTeit do her up in her best tea gown with her prettiest green bonnet rimmed with pink ribbon. She secretly wondered the whole time whether her outfit might make Lady Rosalie’s eyes go that littlest bit dark again, her cheeks so prettily pink.
She spent not a single second thinking about Mr.Sholle or Mr.Dean.
But Lady Rosalie probably won’t notice. The thing in the cloakroom probably didn’t mean anything to her and—
Lady Rosalie is staring straight at her, ignoring something poor MissRaught is saying while they stand over by the hedges in the back garden. Her eyes areincrediblyhungry and—
“Back straight,” Mother whispers before pulling away from Catherine.
Was she saying something just now?
