A plan that felt more and more dishonest with each passing day.
Thirty minutes later, I left my bedroom and entered the upper gallery. It was half past ten and the wall sconces burned bright. Conversation mingled with laughter from below and the stringquartet played a soft melody. The dance would begin at eleven, dinner would be served at one, followed by more dancing. It would prove to be a long and arduous night, but I’d attended enough balls to know what to expect. I didn’t hate them, but I would prefer a quiet parlor with a handful of guests.
My dress was heavy and difficult to move in, but it was sleeveless, which made it cooler for the warm ballroom.
I stood for a moment, taking a deep breath as my gaze slid across the gallery to Alec’s bedroom door. Every time I walked out of my room, my eyes searched for him, though I knew he was in Newport.
Tonight, my heart galloped, wondering if this time I would see him emerge.
I waited—a minute. Two minutes. Five.
Perhaps he was already downstairs.
With a light step, I walked to the top of the stairs and saw all the guests assembled below in the large hall. I scanned each face, looking for Alec, but found unfamiliar gazes turning toward me.
Strangers intermingled with a few people I’d met or come to know the past two months.
George stood at the foot of the stairs and glanced up at me with a smile.
I forced myself to not feel disappointed and returned his smile.
Everyone turned to watch me walk down the stairs. The lights were bright, and the scent of fresh-cut flowers made me want to sneeze. Floral garland was attached to the railing, making it impossible to use as I tried to maneuver in the massive gown. My heeled shoes were a little taller than I was used to and while I should have been focusing on my steps, my gaze continued to scan the crowd.
It felt like it took an hour to descend those stairs, but I was eventually at the bottom, and I was joined by Aunt Maude and George.
“You look stunning tonight, Miss Hill,” George said as he bowed over my hand. “A dream in gold.”
“Thank you,” I said as I allowed him to kiss my gloved hand.
“Will you allow me the honor of the first dance?” he asked. “I’ve been waiting here since I arrived, hoping to be the first to speak to you.”
Where was Alec? Why wasn’t he waiting at the bottom of the steps for me? I had wanted to save the first dance for him, but it would be rude to tell George to wait for my answer. Instead, I looked at Aunt Maude, who gave me a slight nod. George was a nob, and he would do quite nicely for her purposes.
“I would like that,” I told him, though my heart longed for someone else to ask me.
He grinned and wrote his name at the top of my dance card.
Aunt Maude pulled me away from him to introduce me to the rest of my guests. My mind whirled with names and faces as I tried to focus.
My dance card filled quickly, and with each penciled name, my disappointment mounted. If Alec didn’t appear soon, I would have no dances left for him.
“Where is Alec?” I finally asked Aunt Maude when I had a moment to breathe.
Aunt Maude’s features hardened. “He was unable to make it tonight.”
“Why?” I shook my head. “He must know how important this evening is to all of us.”
“Put a smile on your face and pretend all is well, Clara. We will talk about it later.”
More pretending. More secrets.
At exactly eleven, George appeared at my elbow and offered me his arm.
He escorted me onto the dance floor while the rest of the guests assembled along the edges of the ballroom. All the wallshad been opened to allow the three rooms to become one. And though I was familiar with the house, it felt like I was in another world.
What would Aunt Orla and Uncle Charlie and my cousins think if they saw me now? What would Imogen say? I wished she could be with me, knowing how much she appreciated fine and beautiful things.
I wished my mother and father could see me now, too. I wanted them to know I was worth something—perhaps not to them, but to Aunt Maude and George Vanderbilt.
