“Do you honestly think so?” Helen asked. “When you’re known to turn everyone down?”
Her sister did have a point. After the musicale incident, Louise was wary of walking onto a dance floor because what if she suddenly lost her sight again in the midst of a reel? What if she crashed into other dancers or tripped and fell to the floor? She’d make an even bigger spectacle of herself then – the sort she feared she’d never live down.
“If you want to marry,” Kimberly said, “you’ll have to accept the attentions of men.”
“You make it sound so simple,” Louise murmured, taking an instinctive step backward. She’d still not forgotten the comment Lady Deidre had made. Worst of all, Louise didn’t think she’d been wrong to question Louise’s ability to make a good match.
Yet another reason for hesitation.
“And if the man you choose to marry cares for you, he’ll overlook your need for spectacles,” Helen added.
Louise shook her head. “No man will want to saddle himself with a woman who might lose her sight at any second. I’d be a danger to his reputation.”
Kimberly placed a calming hand on Louise’s arm. “Your condition is fixable, Louise. And every time your sight is restored, it lasts for years.”
“There’s no guarantee it will though. If I lose my sight again, the procedure might only last a day, a week, or a month. I’ve been incredibly fortunate so far to have it last in such long increments, but it might not keep doing so.”
“I still think you should talk to Mr. Fairbanks,” Helen said. “You’ve been in love with him for so long the very idea of him marrying anyone else would be highly unpleasant.”
Louise smiled on account of her sister’s kindness. “You’re a romantic, Helen. Of course you’d say that. But that doesn’t mean Mr. Fairbanks deserves to be burdened by me.”
“Stop it,” Kimberly admonished. “You’re a wonderful catch for any gentleman lucky enough to get to know you.”
“Only if I’m able to keep my eyesight.” A horrible thought struck. “Can you imagine if I were to lose it while walking up the aisle at our wedding? I’d likely trip and get tangled in my gown. It would be disastrous.”
“I suppose that is a legitimate concern,” Helen said.
“Agreed.” Kimberly gave Louise’s arm a squeeze before letting go. “I’d be worried about that too if I were in your position.”
“And it’s not just that,” Louise told her sisters. “It could happen while I’m hosting a dinner, or during a ride, or while I’m watching our children.”
“You probably ought to refrain from riding,” Helen said in a pensive tone.
Louise cut her a glance. “I already do.”
A pause in the conversation followed while chatter ensued around them. The music guiding the dance Mr. Fairbanks had been participating in began to fade, and Louise invariably sought him out as he bowed to his partner. A flutter fanned out within her breast as she watched him step off the dance floor. Impeccably dressed and with almost black hair and classically handsome features, he cut a striking figure in his evening attire.
“No risk, no gain,” Kimberly whispered near Louise’s ear.
Heat filled her cheeks. She swallowed. “Quite right.”
“Then talk to him,” Helen urged. “We can come with you, if you like.”
“No.” That would only make her feel more like a coward. If she was going to do this, she’d do it alone. Because in spite of her fears, her sisters did have a point. If she wanted to marry, she needed to make a match sooner rather than later. At twenty years of age, her chance to do so would soon be gone, and she could only use her eye surgeries as an excuse for so long. Plus, Mr. Fairbanks had proved himself to be a good man. He wouldn’t laugh at her or treat her cruelly if she approached him. She was certain of it.
“I’ll simply inquire about his wellbeing,” she said, more to herself than to anyone else.
“And we’ll be waiting for you right here,” Kimberly said, her voice full of encouragement. “Take as long as you need.”
Grateful for the support, Louise made her way through the crowd toward the man she’d been dreaming of since he’d saved her from being overlooked. Her stomach tightened as she drew nearer, and then he was suddenly there, his attention focused upon…
Louise sucked in a breath and prayed she might turn invisible. She seriously pondered the idea of taking a sharp left turn to avoid Mr. Fairbanks completely. Because the last thing she wanted was to have to greet him while Lady Deidre gazed at him as if he were some magical creature who’d promised to make all her wishes come true.
And then, as if things couldn’t possibly get any worse, Lady Deidre’s gaze swept toward Louise. A smile curled her lips.
“Lady Louise,” Lady Deidre said, obliterating whatever hope she’d had of being ignored so she could escape into the crowd and pretend her life wasn’t one long series of awful moments. “It’s so good to see you again.”
Louise froze. She stared at Lady Deidre, balled her hands into fists, and straightened her spine. She did her best to offer a smile in return. “Likewise.”
