“But if the reason these ladies accepted our invitation is because of Charles, I’m a little confused about how I’m going to miraculously become in high demand, especially when there’s a very good chance, what with how I’m all gussied up, that I’m going to stick out like a sore thumb once the other ladies arrive dressed in more appropriate clothing for dance practice.”
“If anything,” Camilla countered, “you’re going to be underdressed because, you mark my words, these ladies are going to show up wearing delectable gowns paired with, if I’m not mistaken, their best jewels.”
“I am not wearing that tiara I noticed was sitting on my dressing table.”
Camilla grinned. “Good, because I left that there for you to try with the gown from Worth I gave you for the ball that Bernadette’s still altering. And just as a side note—tiaras should never be worn except to a ball, or to an event where you might be presented to a member of royalty, but only if it’s an evening event.”
“I’ll keep that in mind, although I doubt I’ll be entertaining royalty anytime soon, unless that Lord Shrewsbury would happen to show up.”
“Lord Shrewsbury isn’t considered royalty and is currently gallivanting around New York with Ward McAllister as his trusty companion,” Leopold said, stepping into the room and presenting the ladies with a bow before he waved a telegram Camilla’s way. “This just arrived from the Accounting Firm. Says your old beau made it to the city. He’s obviously cozied up to Ward to get himself invited to all the right events once everyone travels to Newport,but the telegram says the firm has already put a tail on him, and there’s no indication he’s been making plans to search for you.”
“Did the telegram mention anything about progress in regard to the criminals who concocted Camilla’s abduction attempt?” Luella asked, rising to her feet and shaking out the folds of her gown.
“They’re still working on that, which means Charles and I won’t be relaxing our guard anytime soon, and Owen’s men will stay on high alert as well.” Leopold moved closer to Luella and smiled. “You do look delightful, my dear, but remember, you need to linger upstairs in your room until we send Bernadette to fetch you.”
“I’m not really keen on making a grand entrance,” Luella muttered.
“I don’t blame you,” Leopold said. “But Charles will be waiting for you right inside the doorway, so it’s not as if you’ll be on your own for long.” With that, Leopold held out his arm, Luella took it, and after telling Camilla he’d meet her in the ballroom once he’d escorted Luella to her room, they headed out the door.
Knowing she needed to make her way to the first floor because there was every chance guests would arrive early, Camilla pulled on a pair of kid gloves, thanked Bernadette for arranging her hair, then hurried down the hallway and then the steps, her lips twitching when she peeked into the ballroom and found Beulah holding a paintbrush and can of paint, touching up the frame of the French doors that led to the second-story balcony.
“I don’t think anyone would have noticed the few scuff marks that were left from wrestling the piano in here since they were obscured by the curtain,” she said, stepping into the room and drawing Beulah’s attention.
“It was bothering me that the doors got scuffed after Owen had to winch the piano up to the balcony and then had to muscle it in through doors that were barely wide enough,” Beulah said, stopping mid-touchup. “Besides, obscuring the scuffs is in everyone’s best interest since, even though I agreed to keep my rifle less than accessible, if Ada Mae, who is more nosy than you can imagine,saw the scuff marks and remarked on them, I couldn’t be held responsible if my rifle suddenly appeared, or if Esmerelda suddenly gained access to the house—by accident, of course—and then decided, on her own, with no encouraging from me, to have a go at Ada Mae.”
“I’ve taken the liberty of relocating the three rifles you brought with you today, Meemaw,” Owen said, stepping into the room and drawing Camilla’s attention, as well as a sharp intake of breath because the man was wearing one of his new suits, and to say he did justice to it was an understatement.
Drawing in another breath in the hopes of calming a heart that was turning all fluttery again, Camilla tore her attention away from a man who was definitely distraction-worthy and settled it on Beulah, who was looking rather disgruntled.
“May I assume you also relocated Esmerelda?” Beulah asked.
Owen grinned. “Of course, as one of the purposes of these dance lessons is to bury the hatchet with the Murchendorfers, but speaking of hatchets, I also removed the hatchet from your wagon, since our mission today would be a complete failure if that happened to come out.”
“Spoilsport” was all Beulah said to that before she gave the doorframe a last dab of paint and then sailed out of the room, saying she was off to freshen up and would meet them at the front door momentarily.
“She doesn’t seem too thrilled with you right now,” Camilla said, taking the arm Owen held out to her while ignoring the additional fluttering her heart began doing the second she got a whiff of his cologne.
“Thrilled isn’t a state Meemaw embraces on the best of days, but Mr. Timken sent me to fetch you because Nems sent word that carriages are already moving up the drive. That means further talk of Meemaw and her surly disposition will need to wait.”
Exchanging a grin with him, Camilla soon found herself standing in the entranceway, Mr. Timken having assumed the role ofbutler, something he’d been doing for the past week after he’d mentioned to Owen that he was at loose ends because his chaperoning skills weren’t in demand anymore, what with how Leopold and Charles were constantly accompanying her.
Owen, being a far more thoughtful and astute gentleman than she’d given him credit for at first, had evidently realized that, not only was Mr. Timken at loose ends, he was also itching to do something productive, especially when the lackadaisical running of the household was straining the state of Mr. Timken’s nerves. Owen had then presented a proposition to the butler, one where Mr. Timken would take on the daunting task of whipping his house into shape. Mr. Timken hadn’t hesitated to accept the proposal, telling Camilla more than once that resuming his role as butler had gone far to restore the state of his nerves.
“Prepare yourself because Ada Mae and her children are coming up the steps,” Mr. Timken said before he opened the door with a flourish, bowing Ada Mae, Sally, and a young gentleman Camilla assumed was Stanley into the room. Camilla stepped forward to greet them, with Owen at her side a second later.
“How lovely,” Ada Mae exclaimed, her gaze traveling around the entranceway before she proffered Owen her hand, which he dutifully kissed before he shook Stanley’s hand, although given that Stanley immediately took to wincing, it was evident Owen was still put out with the man who’d insulted his sister and might have taken to gripping Stanley’s hand a touch too firmly.
“You must be Stanley,” Camilla said, abandoning every etiquette rule there was by introducing herself but seeing no other option, given that Owen still had ahold of Stanley’s hand and there was every chance Stanley was going to be sporting a few bruises soon.
“You must be Miss Pierpont,” Stanley said, tugging his hand from Owen’s grasp and settling his attention on Camilla, his eyes widening a second later. “My goodness, but I see the rumors are true. You’re quite lovely.”
It was not an encouraging sign when Owen immediately released what almost sounded like a growl.
“Thank you, Mr. Murchendorfer,” Camilla said with an inclination of her head. “I have to admit that I’ve heard quite a few rumors about you as well.”
“Those weren’t rumors,” Beulah said, stealing up beside Camilla and narrowing her eyes on Stanley, quite like Owen was currently in the process of doing. “Dare I presume you’re intending on addressing those rumors at some point today, as well as making amends?”
Stanley looked to Camilla, then to Owen, then back to Beulah. “I’m certainly not opposed to speaking with your granddaughter to mend some fences, although if anyone needs to do some mending, it’s Luella. She did, after all, break my nose.”