“It will take me one minute to please you,” he promised. “I’ll need four minutes to fix your dress.”
With flushed cheeks and a grin that could have illuminated the eventby itself, Seth helped Cassandra from the carriage in front of General Martin’s manor twenty minutes behind schedule.
They stopped briefly to greet General Martin and his wife, Heather, already deep in conversation with other guests. The scent of flowers, perfumes, and combined musk of too many bodies crammed into one area steeped the air. Hundreds of candles adorned the crystal chandelier above, and silver candelabras lined against the walls. The flames flickered dangerously close to emerald green drapes framing tall windows.
Seth watched each candle intently, and Cassandra placed her hand on the crook of his arm. His boots clipped over marble flooring as she navigated them past well-dressed aristocrats in black tailcoats and gowns of every color, but Cassandra was the only lady audaciously dressed in red. Before, she might have felt humiliated by the attention, but now, the haughty expressions of those they passed meant nothing compared to the adoration in Seth’s eyes.
They followed the sound of cellos and violins to the ballroom. Seth leaned in. “Cooper is in the corner alone.” He pointed to Matthew, and then to the other side of the room. “The Dorchesters are over there, but they have a crowd around them. Who should we greet first?”
Cassandra swiveled her gaze from one side of the ballroom to the other. As she considered his question, she caught sight of Lady Worthing standing in the corner opposite Matthew, also by herself. There would be no avoiding her in the future. There was no better time to face this problem than now, and no better way than head on.
“You go talk to Matthew, I’ll meet you there in a moment.” She made a face. “I need to talk to Lady Hon—LadyWorthing,” she corrected.
“If she slaps you again, I’m not going to apologize for my actions.”
“Go.” Cassandra pushed him.
“I’ll be right across the way. Remember our self-defense lessons?Duck low, elbow to the stomach.” He jabbed the heel of his palm skyward in a sharp thrust. “Straight up to the chin.”
She glared at him, and he smirked.
With her chin up and shoulders straight, Cassandra approached and curtsied to the woman who had once knocked her to the ground.
“Good evening, Lady Worthing.”
Lady Worthing’s gazed raked over her from head to toe, unimpressed.
“You can skip the small-talk, Mrs. Reeves. We’ve been seen in public together and I didn’t assault you. I’ll smile at you.” She smiled with her mouth only. “You’ll smile at me.” Cassandra returned the gesture, and Lady Worthing waved her fan. “Now you can leave.”
Cassandra’s gaze shifted to Lady Samantha and Miss Georgiana. Each glided through the ballroom on the arms of attractive potential suitors, laughing as they danced. Occasionally, they glanced over to where they stood before promptly looking away.
Lady Worthing’s face hardened.
“They won’t even speak to me now,” she bit out. “No one will. I’ve received no calls, no invitations. I have been snubbed in every room that I have been in for months. Not that it’ll matter soon, as I’ll be in confinement.” She scoffed. “I’m expecting, but I suppose everyone knows that.” Her eyes traveled back to Cassandra. “Are you?”
With as amorous as Seth was, it could be any day. And Cassandra was ready to take that next step with him. She smiled at the thought. “Not yet, but hopefully soon.”
An uncomfortable silence passed between them, and Cassandra considered leaving Lady Worthing to her misery, but the sadness in her eyes kept her planted where she stood. It was the same expression she had seen months ago, in the mirrors at Cooper House.
The look of a girl without options.
“May I ask you a personal question?” Lady Worthing asked aftersome time.
“You may.”
“Is Mr. Reeves…” She looked to the floor and whispered, “Is he gentle with you?”
Cassandra’s face fell. A lump formed in her throat. Swallowing around it, she fought the urge to reach out and hold the other woman.
“Oh, Honora—”
“Don’t pity me,” she snapped. “I wouldn’t have if it were you.”
“He’s gentle,” Cassandra said. Across the ballroom, Seth grinned while he goaded Matthew. Everything was back to normal, and yet so completely different. She wasblessedto spend every night with a husband who respected and appreciated her. Her heart broke for Lady Worthing, laying in her bed alone at night,prayingthat she would birth a boy.
Cassandra would pray for that, too.
“I apologize for what I said at the modiste,” Cassandra said. “That was cruel of me.”