Control man, you have a reputation as a beast to uphold.
Celestine’s eyes widened. “The necklace looks beautiful on you.”
“Thank you, Cedric.” Ariadne smiled while touching the principal emerald. “It is beautiful.”
Bowing, he said, “You’ll do it justice. Now, please, excuse me.” To her sisters, he added, “Ladies.”
He ducked out of the room as quickly as he could and headed down to the ballroom, already filled with lords and ladies. With a practiced disregard, he ignored the way women turned away from looking at him and men who looked over his shoulder ina way to disguise not looking at him fully, but to keep their manhood.
“I’ve got to say, for an unsociable curmudgeon,” Silas’ voice in his ear almost made Cedric jump. “You do throw a good bash.”
“Do that again, and there will be another sort of bash,” Cedric grunted.
“And that is why you’re a curmudgeon,” Silas swiped a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and drank. Dressed in a fitted suit with a blue brocade waistcoat, Cedric saw at least two ladies eye the earl.
The grand ball was truly a sight to behold—as it should be after an army of housemaids had scrubbed and polished and scrubbed every surface into a spotless condition.
The polished walnut balustrade of the entrance gleamed under the beeswax candles, while marble pillars towered over the ballroom, and mantels filled with what must be priceless statues lined the walls.
Light casting halos over the fifty guests, a number Cedric had been firm on, the champagne fountain was effervescent in the crystal flutes while the shimmer from ladies’ jewels flickered and glimmered.
In the distance, he heard the muted clicks of champagne glasses, the strings of the orchestra as they played muted music, and themerry laughter and chatting. A ball should be good fun, but he could not wait until it ended.
The butler announced Ariadne’s sisters, who barely made a ripple in the room, but then, there was movement at the top of the stairs. Both Cedric and Silas looked up, and Cedric’s jaw dropped. He was vaguely aware of the fact, but he made no effort to correct himself. Not that he could have if he had wanted to.
From somewhere far away, he heard Silas mutterbeautiful, but he could not bring himself to acknowledge that, either. All he could do was stare in amazement.
There, on the top step, stood Amelia, wearing a shimmering, cerulean-blue satin ball gown, stark white gloves, and his mother’s gems.
“Introducing, Her Grace, The Duchess of Holloway, Ariadne Greymont.” The butler said.
Cedric could not help staring dumbly as his wife descended the stairs. He had seen the gown before, but now, in this light, it looked so much more.
The blue of the gown looked as though it had been created as the perfect foil to her porcelain skin, and it turned her eyes into a vivid pool of liquid blue where green flecks shimmered in the depths.
Her cheeks were a soft pink, as were her lips, and the gloves fit so perfectly that his rings were perfectly visible. His heart raced, and, for a moment, all he could do was stand and watch helplessly as she descended the stairs.
A gentle nudge from Silas jolted him into motion. “Go get her, you dolt.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
He met her as she reached the bottom of the staircase, reached for one of her gloved hands, and kissed the back of it, not caring what others would make of it.
The waves of murmurs that crested through the room surpassed the crowd’s earlier response. Even those already on the dancefloor gawked shamelessly.
He closed an arm around her middle as he walked back to Silas. Bowing, Stromwell took her hand and kissed it, “You’re stunning, Your Grace.”
“Thank you, Lord Stromwell,” Ariadne replied. “I am glad to see you.”
“I wouldn’t have missed this for the world,” Silas said as the butler invited the gathering to enjoy the refreshments while the orchestra prepared for the first dance.
Lord Stromwell said, “The ladies that were introduced before you are certainly your sisters. The resemblance is uncanny.”
She smiled, “I must credit our mother for that. Father gave us our hair, but everything else is mother.”
“May I ask if your sister Celestine would like to dance with me?” Silas asked.
Looking delighted, Ariadne replied, “I know she would love to dance with you.”
