She was hard at work, trying to think of a gentle way to mention to her friend that Charles might be interested in seeing her again soon, when her mother rose from the settee and said absentmindedly, “But where’s your father anyway?”
“Hmm?” Lavinia hummed, wishing to ignore the distraction and finish her writing.
“I have not seen him all day,” Charles replied.
“But surely he is around here somewhere.”
No sooner had Charles and the Baroness spoken those words than the door of the drawing room opened and a slight breeze stirred the air. Lavinia looked up from her correspondence and met Charles’s eyes, before turning her attention to the empty doorway.
Then, almost as if on cue, the Baron Crawford whisked through the door, holding a slender velvet box in his hand. “I am here now, my love,” he announced.
“Ambrose, dear!” the Baroness gushed.
He walked towards her, took her hand, and gently lifted it to his lips.
Lavinia watched in awe. Though she had only tried to distract her mother from nagging her about marriage, she genuinely hoped to marry for love. She had always wanted to experience a love like her parents’. Perhaps she was a keen follower of romance.
“Tabitha, darling, I know I promised I would be here as soon as the rooster crowed, but an important matter delayed my arrival.”
“You are forgiven,” the Baroness said at once, staring longingly into her husband’s eyes. Then, she tapped the tips of her fingers on the box he held. “Did you bring it?”
“It?” Lavinia and Charles mouthed in unison as they glanced between their parents.
Ambrose turned to Lavinia as he opened the box, smiling. “My sweet daughter, your mother and I planned to give you this on your wedding day, but we would rather you have it now, so we may admire it longer.”
Her parents often presented one another with extravagant gifts. The bangles that jingled on her mother’s wrists were given on an odd Tuesday night, when her father said the Baroness deserved a little treat.
Likewise, three months ago, for no reason at all, the Baroness had ordered a new silver pocket watch to be made for her husband. She had delighted in having him open the box at dinner one night so that he might show the trinket to the entire family.
Their generosity also extended to Lavinia and Charles. When Lavinia had made her debut in London Society, they had showered her with opulent gifts. She had ballgowns galore and so many pretty bonnets that she did not need to wear any of them more than once.
As for Charles, he never wanted for anything. He’d been gifted a pony before he was old enough to ride, and when he had asked for a bit of extra pocket money, they had granted the request most obligingly.
Lavinia looked down into the box now, stupefied. Never in her life had she seen a piece of jewelry that suited her taste so well. A diamond necklace lay there, snuggly nestled between folds of sumptuous aubergine velvet cloth. The daylight streaming through the windows made the diamonds glitter. Lavinia held a hand to her chest, letting the warmth fill her heart.
“This will look splendid on you, Lavinia,” her mother said as soon as Ambrose lifted the necklace and offered to clasp it around her neck.
At first, Lavinia hesitated. While she had been surrounded by opulence her whole life, she had never owned anything quite so extravagant before. She glanced askance at her brother, and he nodded encouragingly.
“Go on,” he urged. “Do not keep Father waiting.”
Lavinia turned and held very still as her father clasped the necklace around her neck. It rested heavily against her chest, and she could not resist the urge to lower her chin and admire it.
She marveled at the glittering diamond. She knew her parents carefully chose such beauty, always finding remarkable things to impress the ton, but this piece… this diamond… was incomparable. She had never seen anything like it.
“The guests will love it,” the Baroness cooed as she looked at Lavinia, who was still admiring the necklace.
“Speaking of guests,” the Baron said as he stepped away from Lavinia, “has anyone arrived yet?”
Charles laughed. “If they had, it would be abominably rude of us to stand in our drawing room, having this conversation, and leaving them to stand in the hall on their own.”
“Heavens!” The Baroness clapped a hand over her mouth. “I lost track of time. How silly of me.”
Quickly, the Baron pulled out his silver pocket watch and gave it a swift glance. “No need to worry, dearest.” He smiled jovially at his wife. “It is but a quarter past ten.”
“The guests will arrive at any moment,” she replied, still sounding fretful.
“Then we shan’t tarry here any longer.” Charles offered Lavinia his arm. “Come, Sister.” She tucked her hand in the crook of his elbow. “Let us go greet our guests and show off your new diamond necklace.”
