Mr. Melbourne’s affection toward Frances made Harriet miss her own father. She hoped Frances knew how lucky she was. Both her parents were kind.
“Very lovely,” Mrs. Melbourne said with a nod of approval.
“Thank you.” Frances touched her necklace. “And thank you again for the beautiful necklace.”
Mr. Melbourne chuckled, sharing a tender look with his wife. “Our pleasure.”
“Your gown is so elegant,” Harriet said to Mrs. Melbourne. The violet silk fit her figure perfectly, and the ecru fringe moved with every step she took. A daring neckline showed her diamond pendant to full advantage. “You look beautiful.”
“You’re too kind, Lady Harriet,” Mrs. Melbourne said.
“Thank you again for inviting me.” Harriet looked between them. “It has been a wonderful week.”
“We’re pleased you could come and keep Frances company.” Mrs. Melbourne touched Harriet’s arm. “I hope you’ve enjoyed yourself.”
Mr. Melbourne walked to the sideboard where crystal decanters gleamed in the candlelight. He poured three glasses of sherry and brought them over, handing the first to his wife before giving one to Frances and Harriet. “Are you young ladies ready to dance away the night?”
“Most definitely,” Frances said as she took her glass then looked at Harriet.
“I look forward to it.” Harriet didn’t mention that having more than a few dances would be a unique experience. She tended to spend more time visiting with her friends at balls rather than dancing, much like Frances.
Martin and his wife, Catherine, entered the room. Her gown was a golden beige satin which looked striking against his black evening attire.
“Apologies for our delay.” Martin tugged on his tie as if it were too tight. “I can never get these things straight.”
“It looks perfect, dear,” Mrs. Melbourne said as she studied his appearance. “You both look wonderful.”
Mr. Melbourne returned to the sideboard to pour one more glass of sherry and a finger of whiskey into two glasses and handed them to Martin and Catherine before lifting his glass. “The guests will arrive soon, but I thought we should take a moment to toast the success of the week. I have no doubt our guests had a wonderful time, thanks to all of you.”
“Here, here.” They lifted their glasses and drank.
“It has been enjoyable,” Martin agreed. “Everyone seems to have gotten along well.”
Reverend Henderson came immediately to Harriet’s mind. He was the only one who had made her uncomfortable. She wished she knew why he’d been invited. Did she dare ask?
“Will Reverend Henderson be attending the ball this evening?” she asked instead.
“I believe so.” Mrs. Melbourne raised a brow. “Why do you ask?”
“I was hoping he wouldn’t,” Frances said before Harriet could respond. “Did you see the way he glowered if anyone appeared to be enjoying themselves too much?”
Harriet hadn’t noticed that but was pleased Frances had.
“Now, dear,” Mrs. Melbourne began, “he’s a good friend of your aunt and uncle’s.”
That explained his presence. Now that Mrs. Melbourne had mentioned it, Harriet remembered seeing him speaking with the couple several times.
“Apparently, he doesn’t particularly care for Viscount Garland,” Frances continued.
Mr. Melbourne frowned. “He shared his concerns about Garland with me, though I must say I don’t agree.”
“You found the viscount to be likeable, didn’t you, Papa?” Frances asked, a hint of a blush rising in her cheeks.
The question squeezed Harriet’s heart—a blatant reminder that whether Harriet chose to believe it or not, her friend thought she cared for Joseph, too.
“I do. I found his business proposal of great interest and look forward to learning more about his plans. Of course, Henderson wasn’t happy to hear that.”
“That’s because if you invest in Garland’s plan, you might not donate to Henderson’s church,” Martin said dryly before taking another sip of his drink.