Many other guests were arriving at the same time, ascending the other side of the horseshoe staircase. We met in the middle, where the doors opened to invite us into the vestibule.
The walls were an earthy shade of pink, crowned with pure white plasterwork and stunning arches. Marble pillars upheld the grand ceiling, drawing my eye to the sparkling chandelier. It was already the most beautiful room I had ever seen, and I had only had one small glimpse of the estate.
Miss Lyons’s smile was more than a little predatory. She wanted this house, and I couldn’t blame her.
We followed the other guests until we reached the assembly room. I thought I had known what to expect when Owen had described its size, but the grandeur was far beyond my imaginings. The pastel green walls stretched up and up with elaborate mouldings, not an inch neglected. Gold trimmed all the windows, and even the railings of the mezzanine balconies overlooking the dance floor.
My senses were overwhelmed as all the gowns and musicians and feathered headdresses blended together. The glow of candlelight made everything shine and sparkle like the final moments of a beautiful dream, just before opening my eyes. It was fitting, for this was the final moment of the dream I had been living for the past several weeks. It was the grand finale—the final chapter—before the book was closed forever.
I recognized many faces from the garden party, but there were unfamiliar ones as well. The guests must have been shocked at receiving an invitation to Willowbourne, given the reputation Owen’s uncle had for being a bit of a recluse. It seemed they had all made a point to attend the ball wearing their finest attire.
I didn’t look too hard at all their faces. I was still far too afraid of seeing Owen’s among them.
Alice linked her arm through mine with a giddy smile. “Is it not breathtaking? What a perfect house at which to experience your first ball.”
The tension in my shoulders released and I nodded with a smile. “Indeed.”
“Not to worry, I will not leave your side until you are safely swept away for a dance.” She turned, and I followed her gaze to Mrs. Kellaway, who had just joined us. My stomach lurched with distaste as I saw who accompanied her.
Lady Pembury strode toward Charlotte with a smile, the feather in her hair stretching high with an elegant curve. She cast an indifferent glance in my direction as she passed, stopping beside her daughter with her back to me. Her skeletal shoulderblades poked out from the gold trim on the back of her gown.
Miss Lyons nodded discreetly when her mother said something, then they both glanced toward the center of the ballroom.
My heart gave a furious leap as I followed their gazes, and I looked away fast. Owen stood beside a few gentlemen, surveying the crowd.
“He’s coming this way,” Lady Pembury hissed. Miss Lyons stood up straighter.
Fortifying my heart and my resolve, I dared myself to look at him. Owen’s eyes found mine instantly, just as I had feared. I felt a tug on that blasted anchor he had dug into my heart, a connection between us that I had foolishly hoped our week apart would sever. A week was not enough to break it, not after I knew how it felt to kiss him. He was cruel to have given me yet another thing to grieve.
He wore a formal black jacket and white cravat, and his hair looked darker in the dim light. It was unfair how handsome he was, and how impassioned his eyes were tonight. I couldn’tname a single one of the emotions I saw, only that there were a great deal of them all blended together. He wasn’t smiling, and I found myself wishing that he would. It had been too long since I had seen his smile. I wanted it one last time.
He stopped a few paces away from me, but it was enough to make Lady Pembury frown.
“You came.” His soft voice pierced through my defenses. The admiration in his gaze made a blush creep up my neck.
I had to pause to collect my words. “I wouldn’t have missed it.”
He smiled, but I could see the pain behind his eyes. He must have wondered if I had read his letter. He hesitated for a brief moment. “May I have the honor of your first dance?”
My heart pounded. The significance of this being my first dance, at my very first ball, made it clear to me that there was no one else I would rather share it with.
“Yes,” I answered in a quiet voice.
I was likely a fool to indulge in such a forbidden thing. Our dance would haunt me forever, just like our kiss, his letter, and just like the broken pieces I saw in his eyes.
I sensed Lady Pembury’s dismay before I saw it written on her face. A wave of satisfaction made me stand up a little straighter.
“Dr. Kellaway,” Lady Pembury said in an abrupt voice, drifting toward us with Charlotte on her arm. “What a magnificent room this is! It competes with the very best in London and Bath combined.”
“I agree, my lady. My uncle was generous to share it with us all.”
She assailed him with questions about the other rooms of the house, all of which he answered politely. She strategically brought her daughter into the conversation, inching in front ofme in such a way that her large feather blocked me from Owen’s view.
I felt Alice’s gaze on the side of my face. I glanced at her, desperately hoping my cheeks weren’t as flushed as they felt. She wore the same curious look Edmund had displayed in the carriage, but without quite as much certainty. Her puzzled gaze shifted to Owen, then back to me again.
To my relief, a gentleman approached her a few seconds later, asking for her first two dances. I didn’t recognize him, but he knew her by name.
As they spoke, I backed away, tucking myself behind Mr. and Mrs. Everard. I didn’t want to endure Alice’s scrutiny; it would only make me more uncomfortable. She desired Owen for Charlotte, and if she knew I had been in love with him all this time, I would feel even worse about the entire situation.
