“It’s good to see you, Charlotte.” I held my ground so as to not overwhelm her. Had she spent the past few weeks hating me? I hardly knew what she thought of my sudden marriage and the scandal that had caused it. If I were her, I would have had an abundance of questions.
Her pale brows twitched before she looked down at the floor. “It is good to see you, too.”
I studied her downcast eyes. Charlotte rarely looked down unless she was flirting with a gentleman. She was always looking up, lifting her chin and attempting to look confident. Was she ashamed of how she had acted on her last day in Brighton? I hadn’t thought my words had any effect on her—but perhaps they had.
Before we could speak further, my parents stepped through the doorway.
“Mama!” I walked forward, and she wrapped her arms around me. She smelled of sweet citrus and honey. Tears sprung to my eyes, but I blinked them away before she pulled back to look at my face.
“I cannot believe you’re here!” I squeezed her hands. Only a few weeks had passed since my wedding, yet it felt much longer than that. So much had happened, but the sight of my mother’s face stole away my worries—if only for the moment.
Her eyes twinkled with delight as she cast her gaze around the vestibule. “How is it that this house suits you so well? Look at the floors! They are just like ours.”
Beside her, Papa stepped forward, pulling me into his strong arms. A lump formed in my throat instantly. I had never known a safer place in the world than beside my parents. They had no idea how desperately I needed them today. After the incident on the beach the night before, I had been angry, confused, and hiding away in my bedchamber. I couldn’t do that any longer, though. I would have to hide my tears for my family’s sake and help Mrs. Linton and the other servants prepare for the ball.
Nothing could ruin Margaret’s special night—especially not me and my wayward emotions.
Not long ago, I had accepted my fate of a loveless marriage. But then, foolishly, I had begun to hope for something different. If I could somehow manage to transport my heart to the state it had been in before coming to Southcliff Manor—or Brighton—then I would learn to be happy again. I wouldn’t need Jonathan at all.
“Owen and Annette will be arriving later this afternoon,” Mama said as Edmund walked through the front door. He towered a few inches above Papa, which he had always been quite proud of. His dark hair was matted from wearing a hat all day, no doubt. I wanted to tease him for it, but instead I ran into his embrace just as quickly as I had Mama’s.
“Thank you for coming.” I smiled up at him. My brother would be the first to notice if any of my unpleasant emotions were showing through my expression.
“It’s strange to see you as the mistress of a house,” he said with a grin. His gaze lifted to the furnishings in the grand vestibule. “Are you happy here?”
I swallowed hard, giving a quick nod. “Of course. How could I not be?” I turned away before he could inspect my face for any more clues.
My heart leaped.
Jonathan stood at the top of the staircase, silently observing my family’s entrance down below. His eyes locked on mine, and I felt the blood drain from my face. My body told me to run as far away from him as possible, but it was too late—he was already coming down the staircase. Since the night before, I had been dreading the moment I would have to see him again.
I watched as he walked down the staircase toward us. He wore a dark jacket and white cravat, his hair neat and orderly. But there was something different about his face, a sense of reservation that made my heart sting. What if we could never interact the same way again? Not only had we fought, but his view of me was forever altered by the words I had spoken the night before.
I had confessed to falling in love with him.
Jonathan greeted my parents, Edmund, and Charlotte with a charm and friendliness that I had forgotten he possessed. No one would have known that something was so amiss between us. Our behavior could be just like it had been at church when we had pretended to be in love.
“I think my sister will be most comfortable if she meets each of you before the ball,” Jonathan said.
I shook myself of my worries, stepping into my role of hostess as I was meant to play it. I nodded my agreement. “After you’ve settled in your rooms, I will show you to the south wing where you might become acquainted with Margaret.” Accidentally, I exchanged a glance with Jonathan. We both looked away fast.
Mama seemed to notice.
So did Edmund.
Papa was not quite so observant, whistling a lively tune as he surveyed the paintings on the nearest wall.
Mrs. Linton stepped forward with a curtsy before leading each guest to their assigned chambers. Most of my family would be staying in the north wing with me, which would require an awkward explanation. I had never told Mama that Jonathan and I had planned to never share chambers…or even a corridor.
My family’s introductions to Margaret went well. Even Charlotte spared her a kind smile, and it warmed my heart to see it. I explained as much as I could about Margaret’s favorite pastimes, likes, dislikes, and personality. I couldn’t tell if Margaret enjoyed the attention, but my family seemed to like her immensely.
I spent the rest of the day helping the servants decorate the parlor and prepare for the start of the ball. Mama helped. We tied the blue velvet curtains in strings of seashells, hanging even more across the edges of the refreshment table. I could hardly wait to see how it looked with all the candles lit and withMargaret in her red gown spinning and laughing freely to the music. I hoped she liked the other instruments. All I had ever played for her was the pianoforte, but tonight she would also have violins and a harp—and all the jam and toast she could dream of.
When it came time to change for the ball, I trudged slowly up the staircase to the north wing. My feet were already sore from circling the parlor so many times, and the dancing hadn’t even begun.
The moment I was alone behind my bedchamber door, the ache in my heart returned. I swallowed hard against the sudden emotion. I didn’t want to think of Jonathan. Not tonight. All I wanted to do was see Margaret happy. I wanted to dance with my family and look more beautiful than my husband had ever seen me look before.
I tightened my jaw and tugged on the bell pull.
