“That cannot be true.” Rosanna’s sharp voice cut through Katherine’s musings, and she glanced up at her siblings to find her sister staring at her. “Are you leaving on Thursday?”
“The deal has been struck, and the cottage is ready for me. Why would I wait?” asked Katherine as she frowned at the crooked stitches. Another sharp sigh, and she unpicked her work once more.
“But the Angleseys’ party is one of the best of the year. You cannot miss it,” said Rosanna with such horror, as though Katherine had announced she was joining the navy as a midshipman.
“Parties do not hold the same thrill for me as they do you.”
Rosanna’s expression crumpled, and she glanced between her brother and sister. “Could you not postpone one day?”
“Our hosts do not care if I am there, and I do not care to attend, so what does it matter?” asked Katherine with a raised brow.
Rosanna’s bright eyes fell to her lap, and her fingers worried the fabric she was mending. “I suppose I had wanted one party with you. With everything altering between us, I had hoped…”
Straightening, Rosanna shook her head and adopted a bright smile. “I do not mean to twist your arm, Katherine. Of course, you should do as you see fit. It is a small and silly thing. Of no importance.”
Had there been any artifice in those words, Katherine could’ve easily ignored them and done precisely as she pleased, but Rosanna’s disappointment was so genuine, and she tried so hard to hide the pain and simply smile. For once, Rosanna Tate wasn’t going to press the issue.
Which was how Katherine Leigh found herself trussed up in her best gown and doing something she’d sworn never to do again.
Chapter 40
“Really, Katherine. Why do you bother going places if you do not wish to make an effort with your appearance?” murmured Mama through gritted teeth as they stepped into the Angleseys’ drawing room. Despite the strain in her smile, the lady’s bright expression didn’t falter, looking for all the world as though she was speaking of the weather or the lateston dit.
“You enjoy filling the air with noise, my dear wife. It’s a pity it is never anything of value or sense,” muttered Papa as he freed his arm from her and strode to the far side, where the door to the card room stood open and ready for him.
Mama lifted her nose in the air. Though her eyes narrowed, she gave no other outward sign of her vexation bubbling beneath the surface. Turning that burning gaze to Katherine, she sighed.
“Must you always embarrass us?” asked Mama.
Katherine turned her own gaze to the people milling about, her thoughts supplying a slew of retorts (with varying degrees of wittiness), but she remained silent. Her time at Whitley Court had come to an end, and despite her desire to flee tonight’s “entertainment,” Katherine felt as though she could finally breathe. For the first time.
That weight had been an ever-present companion, and it wasn’t until her plans had finalized that Katherine recognized the sorrow because of its absence. With peace filling her, it was easy enough to simply ignore her venom. And it helped that Mama was still ignorant of that surprise to come.
“The only thing embarrassing us is your cruelty,” said Benjamin, stepping up to offer his arm to Katherine. She stared at it, and him, in turn. The gallantry was still so new that she hardly knew what to do with it. Sliding her arm through his, Katherine held fast to him, though her composure was harder to maintain when Mama shook herself from her surprise and patted her son on the cheek with a laugh.
“You are feisty tonight, my dear boy.”
Katherine slanted a look at her brother, giving him a knowing raise of her brows at their mother’s epithet, which served as the perfect punctuation for her entire statement. Benjamin drew in a deep breath and turned to lead Katherine away.
But Mama followed. “You really ought to have accepted Rosanna’s offer of a new gown. You’ve worn that old dress so many times.”
“I like this dress.” Katherine tried to stop it, but her hands couldn’t help but run down her skirts.
The pale blue flowers dotting the cream cotton were delicate enough to make even her feel graceful, and though the cut of the gown was rather plain, the fabric’s pattern kept it from being wholly boring—even if it wasn’t as ethereal or regal as those with flounces and sleeves so large it was a miracle the ladies fit through the doorway. And the gathers around her sleeves showed her shoulders to their best advantage. Katherine Leigh would not turn heads tonight, but she thought herself quite presentable, no matter what Mama said.
“What are you on about?” asked Rosanna, sweeping in to buss her mother’s cheek before bestowing another on Benjamin. Then she took Katherine in her arms, greeting her in a similar fashion, though Katherine was too stunned to return the favor before her sister shifted to stand beside her.
“Your sister could’ve had a lovely new gown,” said Mama.
“Nonsense. The dress she has on is fetching,” said Rosanna, giving Katherine’s outfit an appraising look. “It is simple, but there is beauty in simplicity. And the current fashion suits her figure to perfection. I fear the proportions do nothing for me, but Katherine has such lovely shoulders, and the sloping neckline shows them at their best.”
Mama scoffed and waved a hand. “Don’t be silly. It is not a poor choice for her, to be certain, but she is too mulish to accept a fine gift or remove her spectacles. I do not know why I bother trying to help her.”
“I am an absolute beast,” murmured Katherine in a low tone, but when Rosanna slanted a look at her, she realized her comment had carried. However, her sister’s gaze sparked with a hint of a smile.
What was happening? In such a short time, the world had turned itself on its head. Mr. Archer sent flowers and tokens of love at every turn, her brother defended her from their mother, and her sister appeared amused by Katherine’s mutterings.
“Mrs. Seward was asking after you,” said Rosanna, nodding off to the far side of the room.
