Completely taken aback by the way her daughter had stood up to her, Lady Wrexham stood in stunned silence as Reid guided Elise past her and into the ball room. Priscilla glided up to Elise and took her other arm, bracketing her in support. “Thank you for saying that,” Elise whispered.
“It needed to be said,” Priscilla responded. “I should have stood up to her a long time ago, and I’m glad I no longer see other women as opponents—we have to stick up for each other in a world that will never stand up for us on its own.”
Locating Fitz, Moira, and Angeline, Reid deftly steered them over to friendlier faces while Lady Priscilla returned to her mother to greet the remaining guests. “What happened?” Moira asked. “Everyone’s abuzz around the room, it seems we missed a show.”
“Lady Priscilla was magnificent,” Grace exclaimed, coming up behind them on Henry’s arm. “She gave her mother a lesson in hospitality.”
“With Henry’s help,” Reid added. “Thank you, friend, for throwing your ducal weight around.”
“My pleasure,” Henry replied with a small bow. “It does come in handy from time to time, though don’t get used to it.”
“What did you do?” came Sidney’s voice from behind the small circle. When he noticed Angeline among them, he stopped short. “Angie,” he said, surprised. “I didn’t know you would be here tonight. You look beautiful.”
Angeline blushed at the attention and quietly thanked him before turning toward Elise. “Do you think everything will be all right now? I do hope there is no more trouble or fuss for your sake.”
Just then, a commotion from the entryway interrupted the conversation. Lady Priscilla ran back toward them, grabbing Elise’s arm. “My mother’s collapsed. Please, we need you.”
CHAPTER35
Elise followed Priscilla through the crowd with Reid in tow as they made their way to the front of the house. A small group was gathered around Lady Wrexham who was sprawled on the floor.
“Please back away, allow her some air,” Elise commanded as she crouched down next to the woman. Feeling her pulse, it was weak but steady. Lady Wrexham looked flushed, but much of that could have been from embarrassment. “Can you stand? Let’s move you into a quieter room.” Reid stepped up to help, supporting the marchioness’ elbow as they made their way into the nearest drawing room.
“Priscilla, please find a glass of water,” Elise directed as they lowered Lady Wrexham into a chair. Without looking away from the lady, she calmly asked Reid to find her father and have him return home for her bag of supplies.
When Priscilla returned with the water, Elise encouraged Lady Wrexham to take sips, then asked, “Can you tell me what happened?”
“I’m not sure,” she said, now slightly pale. “I was at the receiving line and I started to feel warm and light-headed. The next thing I knew, I was on the floor.”
“I think most likely you were just overwhelmed and fainted. It’s quite warm with so many guests, and your emotions were heightened from our confrontation. I do apologize for showing up uninvited.”
Lady Wrexham let out a tired sigh. “It’s quite alright, my dear. I’m not sure why I was holding onto my ideas of propriety quite so tightly. It’s not lost on me that you are currently performing a similar service for me to the one I had you ruined for.”
Giving a soft smile, Elise said, “I only wanted to help then, just as I do now. Why don’t you sit up and we can loosen your stays while you finish that water.”
By the time Reid and her father reappeared with Elise’s supplies, she was no longer worried about Lady Wrexham. “I’m sure if you are anything like other hostesses, you have simply worn yourself out preparing for the soirée tonight. Be sure to eat and stay hydrated. And rest well tomorrow. If you get warm or feel dizzy again this evening, step away and get some air.” Stirring some herbs into hot water, Elise instructed her to drink the concoction for a boost of energy. When Lady Wrexham was ready to return to the ball, Elise walked out with her.
The marchioness held her arm, keeping her back before making an apology. “Thank you for your help this evening, I truly appreciate it and I’m sorry I disrupted your night. I will not halt your reentry to society, and I’ll praise you as the kind woman you are to all who will listen.”
“I appreciate that,” Elise said sincerely. “Let’s move forward and put the past behind us.” Lady Wrexham smiled and patted her arm before returning to the fray.
“You were marvelous,” Reid said, stepping up and kissing her temple. “You never needed us. You turned things around for yourself, just as you said you would. And you did so by being yourself.”
Closing her eyes, Elise soaked in his words. She was no longer nervous about anything tonight. The only real challenge to her presence had come from Lady Wrexham and after this incident, she would no longer be a problem. Others seemed to be accepting what Pricilla and their friends had been spreading and felt Elise had been maligned unfairly before, and they were willing to welcome her once again. And she had banished her own shame when confronting Dorsten, taking her power back for herself. Knowing she would no longer be a problem for Reid, she could marry him understanding nothing would hurt them ever again.
“I couldn’t have done any of this without you,” she told Reid. “Thank you for believing in me and fighting for me, even when it was hard for me to see past my own fears. I love you.”
“I love you too,” he said before kissing her. “Come, let’s find our friends.”
Rejoining the group, everyone was curious as to what had happened. Elise filled them in before Grace asked, “Are you alright to stay this evening? It’s already been quite eventful.”
“Oh, I think she will be just fine,” Reid said before pointing behind her. “Look.”
Elise turned and saw that several of the guests were lining up to approach her, and all of them had smiles on their faces. Overwhelmed, she clutched at Reid’s arm as tears welled in her eyes at their acceptance.
* * *
The night was a triumph, and Reid could not be happier. After what seemed like hours, the constant stream of people wishing to greet Elise and welcome her back had finally ebbed. It was astounding how well their plan had worked in the end. Yes, Lady Wrexham had made a fuss before her incident, but he thought that came more from the woman wanting to save her own image, being one of the people to speak out so strongly in condemning Elise in the first place. Rather than potentially be seen in the wrong, she had doubled down on her position. It seemed, however, that the issue had already swung too far in the other direction prior to the ball for her to make a difference even before she had changed her tune after Elise tended to her. Not only did most of the peers and their wives make a point of greeting Elise, but many also apologized to her as well for not taking her defense four years before.
