“Theodora, are you ready? We are leaving for Lady Humphrey’s ball in twenty minutes.”
Theodora groaned. “Must we attend?”
Her mother’s eyes narrowed. “Yes. You have avoided enough events this Season.”
“I have not avoided them,” Theodora argued. “I simply… reprioritized.”
Her mother crossed her arms. “You will go. You will smile. You will dance. And you will not embarrass us.”
Theodora bristled. “I am perfectly capable of not embarrassing you.”
Her mother gave her a pointed look.
Theodora sighed. “Fine. But I am only attending because you insist.”
She stood, smoothing her new gown, though her heart was pounding for an entirely different reason. A part of her, the part she refused to acknowledge, wanted to go because she was certain that Alexander would be attending and Theodora had questions for him.
She paused and looked down at her stained fingers. Theodora grabbed her silk gloves and slipped them on. She looked at her reflection and suddenly felt conscious of her appearance. Her fingers trembled as she pinned a loose curl back and turned towards her mother who was smiling gently at her.
“You look beautiful, darling.”
“I…I am only making certain that I do not embarrass you,” she lied.
Her mother nodded and ushered her downstairs, where her father waited by the door, already scowling and impatient. The carriage ride was painfully silent as her parents sat stiffly across from her. Their expressions were carved from stone. Theodora stared out the window, wishing she were anywhere else but there. She never understood their silence, and she wondered if it was something they were accustomed to. But Theodora did not find it normal or comfortable enough to be described as love.
“Theodora,” her father said roughly.
She turned to him slowly. “Yes, Father?”
Lord Dowell looked uneasy and Theodora was hopeful that he was going to confess to her mother.
“Your mother and I were discussing that perhaps it is time you found a husband.”
Theodora could not hold back the laughter that burst through her in an unladylike manner.
He truly wants to get rid of me.
Her parents frowned at her as she calmed down. “I apologize, Father, but I am truly enjoying my time studying. I am in the middle of conducting research right now and?—”
“Science will get you nothing. You need to stop being afraid of commitment and secure yourself,” her father hissed.
Afraid?
Theodora’s eyes darted to her mother, but Lady Dowell kept her gaze lowered and her mouth sealed. She felt tempted then to tell her the truth about the man she married andlovedbut she simply could not be the one who broke her mother’s heart. Instead, she turned to her father.
“Father, perhaps you should accompany Mother to Bath next time. I hear warm water helps with tension. And heaven knows the two of you could use some quality time together.” She smiled sweetly.
Her mother gasped. “Theodora!”
Her father glared at her. His jaw tightened so much that she thought it would pop right off. “You will hold your tongue!”
She lifted her chin defiantly. “Do not give me a reason to use it then.”
An icy silence followed just before the carriage finally stopped in front of Lady Humphrey’s grand townhouse. Theodora didn’t wait for the footman. She pushed the door open and stepped out, ignoring her mother’s sharp call of her name.
I am done with them! Done with their lies and farce of a marriage.
She did not know what she needed but she was looking forsomethingas she walked ahead and glanced around at the multitude of guests.
