A Season of Masks and Masquerades

Chapter 31: The Packwood Ball

Reuben ran his eyes around the room properly for the first time and Esther was not wrong. "Rebecca should be here. She was supposed to attend. Must be somewhere in the crowd."

"You should go find her," Esther suggested emotionlessly.

"Pardon?"

"I assume you should go look for her. She must be just as lonely, I have hardly seen her interacting with anyone but you three men." 

Reuben knew his sister was no kid. She did not require being looked for, however, the way Esther insisted it almost seemed she was trying to get rid of him. Certainly, she was not the fondest of his company, not after her father's warnings and Lord Sherborne was not wrong in the slightest. Any father who knew better would like to keep his daughters away from him.

The best Reuben could do for her was to rid her of his tainted acquaintance. So did he.

Now alone and annoyed, Esther decided to calm her nerves with some walking. The Packwood Ballroom was bigger than most of the ballrooms she'd ever visited. It had way more pillars styling countless curtains to hide behind. There were a huge number of restrooms, a library of size bigger than most community libraries equipped with books about cultures and traditions around the world and love.

The idea of love in books disgusted her, not in general but the night was so. However, spending the night reading about the dance and music of nations across the seas and beyond did not seem too bad an idea. Much better than circling the ballroom, watching couples dance. 

She looked around the room to spot Florence blushing at something Leonardo had said. The man was never good with words, as far as Esther knew, she couldn't imagine how he managed to keep Florence so entertained. But again, love teaches you things and also makes you ignorant towards many, Esther hoped the latter was not the case.

Slowly she walked into the crowded part of the hall after taking a deep breath. Her chin was high as it should be and she was attracting eyes, male and female. After thanking all the generous gentlemen and laudable ladies for complimenting her beauty she reached Miss Lewis. 

"Esther, where is the Marquess?" was Florence's first question and she did not sound merely curious, she sounded annoyed. 

"He's gone to find his sister, do not concern yourself with him." Esther calmly replied waving the subject away.

"His sister?" Florence scowled, "I haven't seen her sister around." 

"Hence the search." 

"Don't kid me, Esther. I barely think she is here tonight. She only attends when the Duke does." Florence stated the obvious. "Don't you tell me he used this excuse to leave you alone so he could flirt with-"

"No, Florence. Calm down." Esther grumbled clutching her wrist to keep her from attracting any more ears. "I sent him away. I am better off, trust me."

"But you should have danced-" 

"I would rather not. In fact," Esther stopped to take a deep breath, "I am headed to the library now. Merely here to inform you." 

Florence watched her with a painful expression. She could tell Esther was not comfortable. In that dress, in that ballroom, with those people around. "Do you want to go home?" She asked considerately.

"What? No. Of course not. Aren't you listening? I want to read." Esther chuckled lightly slapping her arm but that was far from enough to blind Florence.

"Alright then," she sighed, "go ahead, read the evening away. I shall find you there when the dance is over."

"Sounds perfect." Esther smiled and swooping a curtsy towards Leonardo Radcliffe, she walked back towards the fringes of the hall.