For all her experience, she was a dunce of the highest order. She was done with Mr. David Archer. If he did not want her, that was his prerogative. However, she needn’t prostrate herself before him, begging him to see her as something more than a chum. No, thank you.
Katherine Leigh may be unwanted and disliked by the vast majority of people, but she had learned long ago that one’s value was not determined by worldly acceptance, and she wouldn’t allow anyone—even Mr. Archer—to diminish her. And she was done feeling anything towards the man.
“There you are, my dear sister.”
The endearment once again set Katherine’s teeth on edge, and she drew in a deep breath and adjusted her spectacles before turning to face her brother.
“I’ve been looking for you,” said Benjamin with a vapid smile.
“Shocking though it may be, I am busy assisting with the concert that is about to begin,” said Katherine, moving to step around him. Mrs. Garrison may not welcome that aid, but there were others who might.
“That is good of you, but surely you have a moment,” he replied in a dismissive tone that so utterly reminded her of Rosanna that Katherine couldn’t help the way her jaw tensed.
But was it any wonder that he waltzed about life expecting everyone to attend to him immediately when Rosanna and their dear baby brother were the favored children? The beautiful daughter and the son who could break the entail. The rest of their siblings had no value; their lives were like dandelion fluff, dancing about on the breeze with no purpose or meaning. After all, the very world itself ground to a halt when Benjamin and Rosanna were not about to witness it.
Drawing in a sharp breath, Katherine forced her thoughts to calm. It was not an easy thing to do, but she allowed air to fill her lungs, calming the heat that seared her veins. Her foul mood wasn’t Benjamin’s doing, and it was not fair of her to treat him as her whipping boy.
But that was when she spied a gentleman at Benjamin’s back, and her eyes narrowed.
“The concert is about to begin,” she said, “and I still need to place my music on the pianoforte, as I am accompanying the first singer.”
“Ah, well, we shan’t keep you then, but I do wish to introduce Mr. Edward Tryck,” said Benjamin, motioning for the gentleman.
For all that Katherine wished to simply ignore the interruption, she paused at that name. Having never met him, she couldn’t know for certain that it was the same Mr. Tryck of whom she’d heard, but the name wasn’t commonplace.
“I was speaking to your brother concerning the wretched state of the decorations,” said Mr. Tryck, glancing at the door leading into the drawing room. Though it was closed at present, he wrinkled his nose as though he could see the offending objects. “Such drab things wouldn’t have been tolerated in London, I tell you. Even the poorest of families would’ve managed something grander than a few scraggly arrangements of flowers.”
Benjamin tucked his hands behind him and glanced between the pair with bright eyes and a smile that held more than a touch of eagerness.
“But then, what can one expect from such a backwater town? When one associates with frogs, one is bound to get wet. I jest.” Mr. Tryck laughed and held up his hands in placation as though it was only a lark, but the ruthless quality of his observations rang truer than his claim that they were witty.
Brow wrinkling, Katherine swung her gaze to her brother whilst nudging her glasses up her nose. But Benjamin merely blinked back at her and gave a subtle nod at Mr. Tryck as though she ought to encourage a conversation with such a snide gentleman.
“Please excuse me, gentlemen, but I must see to my music. And you ought not to be here. This room is for performers only,” said Katherine, turning away and moving towards the side table, upon which she had left her portfolio of sheet music.
“Katherine, a moment,” said Benjamin, following after.
“I haven’t the time, Benjamin.”
Chapter 19
Snatching up her music portfolio, Katherine slipped into the drawing room and edged around the gathering to where the pianoforte sat on the far side. Bunting draped the wall around it, framing the area in which the performers would stand.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats,” called Mr. Garrison.
Katherine stiffened, turning her wide eyes to their host. Gripping her sheet music, she hurried to the piano, but there was no time to adjust the seat. Why had she allowed herself to be distracted? And why did the Garrisons insist on beginning without consulting the performers first? There was a flurry of activity from the staging room, and the pulse of frenetic energy spiked through the air as others were caught unawares as well.
Flipping open the portfolio, Katherine snatched her music out and placed it upon the pianoforte, but her hurried movements caused one sheet to fall to the ground. The resulting snickers from the audience made it clear she was not going unnoticed, even as their host began to wax poetic about the joys of the evening.
“My dear Miss Leigh, would you please surrender the stage?” asked Mr. Garrison with a deceptively light tone.
For all that she preferred to simply leave, Katherine refused to allow herself to be cowed. Only when she had assured herself that the sheets were placed in the proper order did she move to take her seat amongst the other performers along the edge of the stage.
Curse Mrs. Garrison for being such a stubborn mule, curse Benjamin for stalling her, and curse Mr. Garrison for beginning without warning. She fought to keep her expression passive, but an anxious glance from the lady to her right made Katherine soften the frown pulling at her lips.
Why did people always laugh at her? What was it that they found so irritating? Though not silly enough to believe herself without flaw, Katherine didn’t think herself so wholly offensive that people should throw aside all sense of decorum or kindness and openly mock or deride. Though when her own family—those who ought to know her best—believed her irritating, was it any wonder that those who never deigned to speak to her directly would think so as well?
The answer clung to the back of her thoughts, whispering dark taunts. When one possessed siblings with such charm, it was easy enough to see the truth. Humanity existed on spectrums, and if there existed people with natural talents for drawing people near, then the opposite must exist as well.
