When Margaret finally tired of dancing, she sat on a pink velvet chair in the corner of the room. Her smile still stretched wide as Alice played another piece on the pianoforte. When the song ended, she rotated on the bench, facing me with a smile. “I have an idea.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
ALICE
“Ithink we should plan a private ball for Margaret,” I whispered. “She is sixteen, after all. Most young ladies attend their first ball around her age.” I couldn’t stop the grin on my face.
Jonathan tugged his cravat away from his neck. All his dancing had left a sheen of sweat on his brow. I had never seen him so lively before, with such easy smiles and laughter. But at the proposal of my ‘idea,’ his brow creased.
Drat. I knew that look well by now.
His gaze shifted in his sister’s direction. “She seemed content enough with the ball we just held.”
I followed his gaze. Margaret didn’t seem to be observing the conversation, at least not with her eyes. She might have been listening, though. Her hair was tucked behind her ears, eyes flickering over the ceiling as she sat in her pink velvet chair.
Jonathan spoke again, pulling my attention from Margaret. “I don’t know who we could invite. I would never include the neighbors in such an invitation. If they did attend, they wouldonly do so to make themselves appear charitable.” His scowl deepened.
I shook my head. “Not the neighbors. Heavens, no.” I still hadn’t met any of them, but by the way Jonathan spoke of their gossip about Margaret, I knew I never wanted to befriend them. “I thought I might invite my family.” I waited, my heart in my throat.
Jonathan’s scowl smoothed over, but only a little.
“My mother, father, and Edmund, of course. I’m fairly certain Owen and Annette would also be able to attend. You might also extend the invitation to Penelope and Joanna before they leave Brighton. It isn’t so very far from here.” My excitement was making me speak too quickly. I caught my breath, casting him a cajoling smile. “If Margaret understood the event was in her honor, would she not be touched? Every young lady deserves to attend a ball. I can assure you that my family will receive her with nothing but kindness.”
Jonathan didn’t seem entirely comfortable with the idea, but he seemed open to it, at least. “Very well.” A slow smile curled his lips upward. “We shall plan a ball.”
“Truly?” I jumped to my feet.
His smile grew, and the softness in his gaze set my heart pounding again. To distract myself, I walked to Margaret instead. “Did you hear that? We are going to have a ball, just for you, at Southcliff Manor.”
Margaret’s gaze darted to my face. “Dance?”
“Yes, we will dance all night.”
“Jon.”
I nodded. “Your brother will dance with you for as long as you’d like.”
She smiled.
There. Now there was no possible way that Jonathan could change his mind. He looked slightly nervous, standing therewith his arms crossed and a crease between his eyebrows. It must have been difficult for him to imagine introducing Margaret to so many people at once, and to believe what I had said about how kind they were. But he didn’t know my family like I did.
Gratitude surged up in my chest. Even though it had been difficult for him, he had still allowed it.
He had trusted me just a little more.
Suddenly overwhelmed, I squealed with delight. This would be the first ball I had ever hosted on my own. I wanted it to be perfect for Margaret’s sake. With her uncle’s fortune, there was no reason it couldn’t be the most extravagant event Southcliff Manor had ever seen. I was already imagining the variety of shells with which I would decorate the ballroom—perhaps we could use the parlor? Without furniture, there would be plenty of room for dancing. I pictured the refreshment table lined with bread cut into various shapes, with red, purple, and orange jams. Other colors too.
Anything Margaret could dream of.
I took three large steps forward. “Thank you, Jonathan.”
“Of cour?—”
Without thinking, I rose on my toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek, stopping his words. My eyes widened as my heels returned to the ground.
What on earth had possessed me to do that?
He turned to me in apparent surprise, but I had already rotated toward the door. I didn’t dare examine the look on his face. My cheeks burned as I took my leave to my bedchamber. There were endless details of the ball to discuss, and a long list of matters to plan. I wanted to start straight away.
