A Loveless Marriage

Chapter 26: Harriet

I needed the London Season of 1912 to be a triumph. I needed to show the world that I was worthy of the Mordaunt name. If I successfully chaperoned Caroline Mordaunt in her first season out in society, if I orchestrated a good match, then perhaps Daniel would show me the respect I deserved. We could find a harmony and I could at last produce an heir.

It all depended on how his sister was received this season. Caroline Mordaunt was pretty enough to do well, the fact she did not yet have any suitors was due to her infuriating shyness and her inability to listen to me without tears in her eyes. There was no room for sentimentality in finding a husband.

The Mordaunts would blame me if she failed, I just knew it. There were already mutterings that I had not obtained the invitations needed to move Caroline into the right circles. Daniel's Aunt Penelope had stepped in and secured an invitation to the Anderson's ball, much to my humiliation. The most beautiful and fashionable ladies of London would be there, she assured me.

Everyone fussed over Caroline before we left, Penelope even going so far as to send her own maid to dress the girl before she was ready herself. This needless attention had quite inflated Caroline's self-importance and she irritated me with her incessant chatter in the journey over.

"Do remember, dearest," I said as we stepped into the ballroom. "That gentlemen do not want a woman who talks so much."

She went scarlet with embarrassment and I felt satisfied she would behave more appropriately.

The ballroom was a magnificent sight, I was glad that I had insisted on wearing the Mordaunt diamonds that night. Daniel had suggested that Caroline wear them, until I had reminded him that it was my father who had paid for them to be retrieved from the pawnbrokers. He had called me selfishness, but I didn't care. Now I did not feel left out among the glittering necks of the fashionable world.

Aunt Penelope was addicted to the society pages and could point out complete strangers and tell me details of their lives.

"That's Maud Waterhouse, she married last September and her entire trousseau came from Maison Poiret," Penelope would say behind her fan. "She looks rather splendid, doesn't she?"

I did not want this commentary in my ear. I felt as though I was peering through the window of a party that was happening without me. I wanted to be the one drawing admiring glances, to have people jealous of my beautiful clothes and perfect life. I wanted happiness.

Penelope let out a gasp.

"Oh Harriet, this is better than we could hope," she said. "The Three Graces."

She was pointing her fan over to three women who had their back to us. The red-haired woman was dressed in pale yellow, the blonde woman in pale blue and the brunette in pale pink. They must have planned to dress in complementary colours, to clearly stand out as belonging to one another. It was irritating.

"Who are they?" I said, feigning interest.

"Where have you been? That is the Marchioness of Mosely and her two dearest friends. They have become quite the talk of the town."

"Which one is the Marchioness?"

"She is the pretty brunette," she said. "American, you know. Disgustingly wealthy."

I watched with reluctant fascination as the three women laughed and fluttered their fans. The Marchioness moved to face her friends, her eyes bright and animated. We were not the only observers drinking in the elegance of the three women, their arrival had caused quite a flutter amongst the guests.

"Do you know her, Aunt Penelope?" Caroline asked with wonder.

"No, I do not," her Aunt said. "She must be here as a favour to Lady Boxworth, the lady in yellow. They are very good friends."