A Secret Ambition

XXIII

***

The opening ball of the Season was a glittering extravaganza of diamonds and flowers and music and compliments. Lily had already quite forgotten the name of the host, but not five minutes after being greeted by them, Lily's dance card had already been written upon four times.

She wasn't allowed to refuse a dance. Unless she was genuinely incapacitated or otherwise engaged, one simply could not turn down a partner.

Jackie, likewise, was inundated with suitors who seized her dance card mere seconds after having been introduced.

Lily felt much like a fox in a room filled with hunters and she had nowhere to run. Of course, she knew exactly where she wanted to run, but it was no place for a fox. Not anymore.

"My Lady Cecily, how do you do this fine evening?"

Lily heard her name, her society name spoken behind her by a familiar voice. She was still on the arm of her grandmother, and was closely followed by her parents, and the entire party turned around.

Joe stood behind them dressed immaculate in a dark coat adorned with gold buttons. His breeches were ivory, and he appeared to have recently had his hair cut. And if Lily had not known that Joe had only recently returned to Ashwood, then she would have truly believed that man standing before her was her brother-in-law.

How was it that Lily could tell the twins apart so easily? Lily certainly could not, and it was only on fact alone that she could smile, and say, "Ed, I didn't know you were coming to London for the Season."

"How are you this evening, Your Graces?" Ed greeted Adam, Grace, and Cecily with a bow of his head, before giving them all a warm and familiar smile.

"Well, thank you, Ed. Like Lily remarked, I had not realised you were joining the festivities," Adam commented.

"I enjoy a party every now and then," replied Ed. "It takes me back to my university days."

"Are you on the hunt, Lord Evesham?" Cecily queried. "There are many fine ladies here. I am certain any one of them would make a suitable match."

Ed laughed, a little awkwardly, Lily observed.

"You are not wrong about the delightful company, Your Grace," Ed agreed, "but I think I am resigned to simply dancing."

"Please do inform me if you change your mind," Cecily demanded. "I have quite the authority on some of the Season's most sought after candidates ... besides my own precious ones."

"I do not doubt it, Your Grace," Ed replied tactfully. "May I have the next dance, my lady?"

It took Lily a long moment to realise that Ed was speaking to her. She fumbled with the dance card attached her to wrist, unsure of which dances had already been claimed. But in seeing the gap for the next, Lily nodded.

It was probably because her brother-in-law was very much not a suitor for Lily that Adam gladly released her, and Cecily reluctantly released her.

The moment that Ed had Lily on his arm and was leading her towards the dance floor where the couples were assembling to begin the next dance, he murmured, "I am sorry that this has happened to you."

For a moment, Lily was quite certain that she had misheard Ed, because what she thought he had said made no sense at all. "I beg your pardon?" she asked.

"I know that face you are making very intimately," Ed replied quietly, and yet tenderly.

"What face?" Lily was very aware that many of the guests inside that ballroom were watching her.