Her grin was beautiful. “Let’s.”
The footman called her forward and she gave my hand a tight squeeze before she walked away.
“Good work, Clara,” Lady Mandeville said as soon as Lily and her mother and sponsor left the room. “Keep your enemies close.”
Lily Parker wasn’t my enemy, but I didn’t say so.
Finally, it was my turn.
“Lady Mandeville presenting Mrs. Edmund Hill and Miss Clara Day Hill,” Lady Mandeville said as we stepped up to the footman and she showed him her second card.
“Come with me, please.” He led us out of the room and down a long hallway to a set of double doors.
My heart was beating so hard, I thought I might faint.
Two pages came up behind me with long poles, so Lady Mandeville took my train from my arm and laid it on the ground. The pages slipped the poles beneath it and spread it out in a luxurious river of white silk.
When the doors opened, I had my first glimpse of the sumptuous drawing room with its red drapes and gilded furnishings. Lily was ahead of me with her mother and sponsor, curtseying in front of the queen. As she rose gracefully and moved aside, I wanted to cheer for her success.
Lady Mandeville handed the card to the Lord Chamberlain, and then we waited.
When Lily finished, the Lord Chamberlain said, “Lady Mandeville presenting Mrs. Edmund Hill and Miss Clara Day Hill.”
This was the moment I’d been working toward since I met Aunt Maude outside the Metropolitan Opera House six months ago. If I messed up now, all our hard work would be for nothing. We would be shunned from the social season in London and forced back to New York in shame.
I wasn’t ready—but Lady Mandeville and Aunt Maude were already walking forward, so I was forced to go with them.
The queen turned her attention to me as the other members on the dais shifted their gazes away from Lily. I glanced at the man next to Queen Victoria, who I presumed to be the Prince of Wales, and then to the woman beside him, who was probablyPrincess Alexandra. They were the only three on the dais up near the front. The others stood behind and were more than likely ladies in waiting.
There was some quiet chatter among the gentlemen flanking either side of the aisle we walked down. I wanted to look for Alec, but I didn’t dare turn my head to the left or right, afraid I might trip if I took my gaze off the dais.
Thankfully we didn’t have far to walk. Lady Mandeville curtseyed and then stepped back as Aunt Maude gave a low curtsey to the queen, placing her right hand beneath the queen’s and kissing it on the top. As she rose and stepped aside to curtsey to the prince, it was my turn to step forward.
Lady Mandeville had said that I shouldn’t say anything unless the queen addressed me first, but it was rare if she spoke, so I needn’t worry about what to say.
The queen was so much smaller than I had imagined as she stood on the dais. I stepped forward, my body shaking, as she extended her hand toward me. Slipping my right hand beneath hers, I curtseyed low, my knee almost touching the floor, and placed a brief kiss on her hand.
My muscles were sore, and I was shaking as I stood straight.
“You are breathtaking, my dear,” the queen said with the slightest smile softening her serious face.
Surprised, I didn’t know what to say, so I simply nodded my head in deference to her and then took a sidestep to the right and curtseyed before the Prince of Wales. When I stood straight, I found him staring at me with his piercing blue eyes.
I took another sidestep and curtseyed before Princess Alexandra, whose gaze looked mildly interested. Soon, Lady Mandeville was at my side again, drawing my train up to slip it around my left arm, so I could walk backward toward the exit, because no one must turn their back to the queen. This would be the most difficult part of my task, and took the longest, butthankfully, the next debutante’s name was called, and the royal family turned their attention to her.
All but the Prince of Wales, who continued to watch me as I backed out of the room.
When I finally reached the exit, Alec was there, and he guided us into the antechamber. A footman closed the door behind us, and I let out the breath I felt like I’d been holding the entire time.
“Well done, Miss Hill,” Lady Mandeville said with glowing eyes. “A compliment from the queen and a keen interest from the prince! You are well on your way, my dear.”
I was shaking so hard, Alec reached out and put his hand under my elbow to steady me. “Are you all right, Clara?” he asked quietly.
“I want to go home,” I said to him, my voice weak.
He studied me for a moment, as if he knew I meant New York and not Buckingham Gate and gave me a sad smile.
“Now for the duke,” Aunt Maude said.
