“Tragic for the rest,” he smirked. “But how very lucky for me.”
When the set finished, they drifted to the side. Maria spotted familiar faces near the edge. Her friends were here.
“I’m going to say hello,” Maria said.
“I’ll fetch lemon water and stand where I can see you,” Stephen nodded. “Don’t be gone for too long.”
“You don’t have to guard me,” she teased.
“I like to,” he said, and kissed her knuckles quickly.
She crossed to her friends. They drew her in at once.
“Look at you,” Temperance said, “You look gorgeous. Stunning, even.”
“She’s right,” Alethea murmured, fighting a smile.
“And those pearls, perfect. You must tell me where you found them. Or better, let me borrow them tomorrow. I’ll call it charity,” she continued.
Maria laughed, easy with them.
“You may both come and try them on. But you must bring cake.”
“Done,” Charity said at once.
They moved together along the edge of the floor, talking softly. Maria told them nothing of the worst weeks. It was no use worrying them, and it felt like that part of her life was so far removed now.
Truly, the last few months had been nothing but bliss, and she only wanted to celebrate each moment.
“Does everyone still stare?” Maria asked lightly, “I cannot decide if this is a good thing, or not yet.”
She had attracted a lot of curious gazes at the ball. It was only natural to wonder what their intentions were, even though she no longer felt self-conscious.
“Ignore them. You look happy,” Temperance said quickly.
“I am,” Maria said, and the words felt clean.
“We should visit you,” Charity said. “It has been a while since we all had the luxury of spending uninterrupted time together.”
“Yes, and I feel as though so much has happened in our lives,” she smiled at her friends. Some of them, she knew, were in courtship stages of their own. And she could not wait for them to blossom in their own love lives. However, she would not push them to reveal more than necessary.
“We’ll come next week,” Temperance declared. “I am in need of air and a change of scene, anyway, and you are always the loveliest of hosts.”
“And gossip,” Charity added.
“And some quiet time for me,” Alethea said, who was the only other one married apart from Maria.
“You may have all three,” Maria promised.
They chatted a little longer, but before long, she could see that Stephen was walking in her direction. He stepped in politely at the edge of the circle, set the lemon water in her hand, and bowed to the ladies.
“Forgive me,” he said. “I am a selfish man. I came to steal my wife.”
“Oh, take her,” Temperance said cheerfully. “Surely, we were not discussing anything of great importance.”
“Noted,” Stephen said. He glanced at Maria. “May I?”
“Of course,” she said to her friends. “You’ll truly come next week?”