Chapter One
“The carriage is here!”
Helena Ayles looked at the clock on the mantle.
“Five minutes if you please, Chastity!”
That was all they had to spare until they had to leave for Lady Chapman’s Ball, the first ball of the London Season—and her younger sister Chastity’s first ball since she came out into society.
When no reply came from her sister, Helena pushed the already open door to Chastity’s chambers wider. She found her standing before the full-length mirror, her brows knitted, her shoulders stiff.
“You have forgotten your gloves, Chastity.”
“Sally has gone to press them; they were wrinkled.”
Helena’s blue eyes clouded at Chastity’s expression. She knew at once that something was amiss., Gone was the excited, exuberant young lady of just an hour ago.
She went to stand next to her sister. Their reflections looked back at them. Helena, with her blonde hair done up for the ball, was a contrast to Chastity, whose dark locks bore the signs of a halfhearted toilette. Both, however, had their mother’s cornflower blue eyes.
“And pray tell, how long have I been gone? I can hardly believe that in the time it took for me to get dressed and ready, someone has replaced my sister with this forlorn-looking thing.”
Chastity leaned her head on Helena’s shoulder.
“What if no one asks me to dance?” she said as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. “What if everyone finds me completely dull and unattractive?”
“Everyone?” Helena lifted an eyebrow, smiling teasingly.
“Oh, you know what I mean, Helena.” She wrung her hands, making Helena understand the reason behind the wrinkled gloves. “I shall be an utter failure and at only the first ball of the season!”
Helena stopped her sister’s movements. Tilting Chastity’s face to look at herself again in the mirror, she spoke confidently.
“How could you say such a thing? Just look at this young lady in front of you. I see intelligent eyes, I see a beautiful face, I see an amiable character.” She kissed her sister’s cheek. “You must not worry yourself, Chastity. Enjoy the night. I am sure you will have the most wonderful time!”
Chastity let out a breath, then smiled bravely, looking at her older sister in the mirror. She nodded as if also giving herself encouragement.
“Perhaps I shall fall in love tonight.” Her eyes brightened at the idea. “Or someone will fall in love with me!”
“Let us not be too hasty.”
“But it could happen!”
“It could, you are right. But we must make certain that you fall in love with therightkind of gentleman. Or that the right kind will fall in love with you.”
“With you beside me, Helena, I am sure that I will meet only the right kind of gentlemen.”
I shall certainly stand sentry. The ton is full of rakes. And as we all know, debutantes and rakes do not make a good combination.
“Here are your gloves, m’lady.” Sally, the sisters’ lady’s maid rushed into the room.
“Just in time, Sally.” Helena nodded approvingly. “Thank you.”
When the last of their preparations were in order, Helena ushered her sister out the door. As they descended the staircase, they saw their younger sisters—Faith, eighteen, and Grace, seventeen—waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs.
“Chastity, you look beautiful!” Grace exclaimed. She had constantly observed and studied Chastity’s preparations for the season, looking forward to the day she, herself, would also enter society. “I am sure you will have at least five dance partners at the ball!”
“And where did you get that number?” Faith asked her younger sister. “Lady Chapman’s guest list numbers in the hundreds, I believe. Assuming that less than half of the attendees are male, I would think Chastity shall still have more than merely five dance partners.”
“Really, Faith, must you be so literal?” Grace rolled her eyes. “I only meant that I am sure she will be dancing quite often.”
