Daughter of the Rebellion

Chapter 23

Richard wasted no time getting plans for the ball up and running again. A week later, I wore the light purple dress that Charlotte had visualized, and sat nervously as Tammy pinned each freshly curled piece of blonde hair precisely on top of my head.

"You're just beautiful, Miss," she said. "You'll surely be the most lovely lady there!"

"Thank you." I didn't quite believe it, but I knew that Tammy meant her words sincerely. Glancing in the mirror before me, I had to admit that she did make me look good. This was probably the best I'd ever looked in my life actually, but there were bound to be many beautiful ladies at this ball, including Charlotte. She was much prettier than me, and she didn't have to worry about bumbling around, trying not to embarrass herself in front of the guests the way I did.

"If the general wasn't already, he'd surely fall in love seeing you tonight," she gushed. "And I bet a bushel of other men will join him!"

I smiled and didn't respond. Was Richard in love with me? The way I was with him?

I couldn't deny that he loved me. The way he cared for me and acted toward me would have proven that much, even if his mother had not told me so. But there were different kinds of love. He loved his mother and Charlotte and Sophia. He loved his horse and his career and many other things, but I wanted him to love me in a different way than all of that.

Maybe it was unrealistic considering how we met. After all, who fell in love because they were forced together?

Other than me, I mean.

Obviously Richard accepted that I would be his wife, but mainly he treated me much the same way he did Charlotte - kind and familiar, serious at times, and more lighthearted other times. Of course sometimes our relationship was very different from his relationship with his sister, but was that how he saw me? Just someone that he was fond of? Someone who he planned to care for out of obligation and some affection? Someone he saw as a good option concerning the matrimonial requirement?

Even if that was the only way he ever saw me, it was still much better than I could have hoped for. But was it selfish to want more?

I tried not to let my thoughts show as Tammy finished with my hair and added touches of powder to my face and color to my lips. She was so proud of her work, I didn't want her to feel as if she'd done anything wrong.

She finished by clipping on the lavender necklace and positioning a few small lavender flowers in my hair.

"Just perfect," Tammy breathed and stepped back, admiring for a moment.

I felt my cheeks warm at the attention. I would never get used to being fawned over this way.

"Is there anything else I can do for you, Miss?"

"Only if you'd like to attend this thing in my place," I said with a hand to my stomach, hoping to quell the nervous fluttering.

Tammy giggled. "What would I be doing at a ball? 'Sides, I think the general may have an issue with your absence, seeing how it is in your honor."

I groaned, and the girl giggled again. "You certainly are the most unusual lady I ever had the pleasure of waiting on, Miss."

A knock sounded from the door and Tammy scurried to answer it.

"General, Sir." She curtsied toward the open door.

"I've come to fetch my fiancee," Richard said, still in the hallway and out of my line of vision.

"Miss," Tammy said, turning to me. "The general is-"

"I'm ready." I stood and tried not to think as I went to meet Richard. Silly as I felt doing it, I curtsied when I stood before him. It was the correct protocol, I'd been told, and I needed to do everything perfectly tonight.