However, it would have seemed peculiar if Dorothy had celebrated her debut without her father present. And the last thing Dorothy needed was the wrong sort of attention from the gossipmongers. As such, Thalia had reluctantly invited the wretch, half-expecting him to refuse out of spite.
Yet, there he was, standing awkwardly off to the side of Kenneth, looking remarkably sheepish.
“Father,” Thalia said crisply, with a cursory dip of her head.
Her father sniffed. “Thalia. Your Grace.”
“It is a pleasure to welcome you back on this auspicious occasion,” Henry said with a too-bright smile.
Swallowing a snort, Thalia pinched her husband’s waist; he was being naughty again. Indeed, over the past year, she had come to know his mischievous, playful side very well indeed. Adored it, in truth, but if Gibbs thought he was being mocked, there would be an argument, and there were too many people watching to risk such a thing.
“Yes, thank you,” Gibbs said stiffly. “It is a… perfectly good ball, I am sure. I have already seen several gentlemen that will be suitable for Dorothy.”
Panic flickered in Dorothy’s eyes, as she turned to Thalia.
“This way, Dorothy,” Gibbs commanded, walking off without bothering to see if anyone was following.
“He will hand me over to the first gentleman who asks for me!” Dorothy hissed, once Gibbs had wandered far enough away.
Thalia shook her head. “No, dearest girl, he will not. You have us: me, Henry, Kenneth. We will not let that happen,” she promised. “All you have to concentrate on is having the most fun possible, and if you should find love this Season—excellent. If not, that is also excellent. You never have to care about Father’s opinion again, because you have a safe haven here.”
Kenneth nodded. “He will not do to you what he did to Thalia.”
“You get to choose, Dorothy,” Thalia agreed. “No one is going to marry you off to a stranger.”
Henry’s hand tightened on her waist, as he murmured close to her ear. “And what, pray tell, is wrong with marrying a stranger?”
Swallowing a bashful giggle, putting on a serious face for her sister’s benefit. “I mean it, go and enjoy yourself. If Fatherbothers you, summon any one of us and we shall contend with him.”
“You swear it?” Dorothy said, biting her lip.
“I do,” Thalia said.
“As do I.” Kenneth nodded, offering his arm to his little sister.
And not a moment too soon for, just then, someone in the ballroom shouted out for the first dance of the night. Considering this was the first proper ball that Thalia had organized as Duchess of Holdridge, not counting dinner parties and tea parties and garden parties, she was expected to be on the dance floor with her husband.
“I believe we have been called to arms,” Henry said with a grin, as he took Thalia by the hand and led her down the hall to the ballroom, Kenneth and Dorothy following close behind.
Soon enough, they were standing opposite one another on the dance floor, in position as the lead couple. The Duke and Duchess of Holdridge: a love story that society had been gushing about all year.
“A country dance!” Henry called to the orchestra, who immediately launched into a merry tune.
Casting him a mock-withering look, for she was forever losing her footing during such dances, the whirlwind began:a complicated pattern of circles and hops and box steps and promenades and changing partners then changing back that never failed to leave Thalia dizzy.
But one look at Dorothy, dancing so elegantly, so perfectly, and it was all worth it. The beautiful young debutante would assuredly have no trouble winning the hearts of society’s gentlemen; Thalia just hoped there was a gentleman out there who was worthy of winning Dorothy’s heart in return.
“What is that smile for?” Henry asked, as they came together, palm to palm, turning in a circle.
Thalia laughed. “Many reasons.”
“Am I one of them?”
“Perhaps.”
It seemed strange that, just a year ago, none of this would have been possible. It was stranger still that she felt she ought to thank the wickedness of an ambitious man for the love that now filled her heart so completely.
In trying to harm her, James Brooks had brought Thalia and Henry closer than either could have imagined. His twisted scheme had allowed love in, had allowed Thalia and Henry to realize that what they wanted had been right in front of them the entire time, had made it so they were never separated again. Not for longer than a week or so, anyway.
