A Midsummer Night's Kiss (Howertys #1)

Chapter 8: Coming Out Ball

Dear Diary,
I don't see why I must have a coming-out ball.
Surely a dinner with our closest friends would
suffice? Or, even better, a simple note.

"Oh, Miss! You must stop touching your hair or we will have to do it all over again." Agnes, the lady's maid Angel shared with her cousin, walked over to correct two curls that had escaped the elaborate hairdo.

Angel stared at her reflection in the mirror, trying to ignore the tendrils of unease crawling along her skin at the thought of having to go downstairs to face a ballroom full of people. People that would look at her and judge her, and quite possibly find her wanting. Her hand lifted to fiddle nervously with the few wayward curls her maid had artfully arranged to frame her face, only to be swatted away by Agnes. Flashing the maid a sheepish smile, she picked up the dance card her aunt had dropped off earlier and rotated it between her fingers. Would it remain empty? Part of her hoped it would, while another desperately hoped she wouldn't be a complete failure.

The dress Mrs Grey and Jessica had helped her pick out was prettier than any dress she had ever owned. Made in the popular high-waisted fashion with a green bodice of figured satin formed close to the bosom, it was beautiful, and the colour made the green of her eyes more vibrant. Short, white puff sleeves and a skirt of white crepe, trimmed at the bottom with lace, matched her pearl earrings and necklace.

"Miss," Agnes said, startling her away from the mirror and nearly making her drop the dance card. "It's time to go downstairs. The ball will begin soon."

She nodded jerkily. Not at all debating if she could lock the door and feign a headache. Not even a little.

The maid helped her tie the ribbons of the card around her wrist and gave her an encouraging smile. "You will be a great success, Miss."

"Thank you, Agnes."

Picking up a fan of carved ivory, clutching it tighter than necessary, she entered the hallway. There was no one else around. She was the last to get ready, and everyone would already be downstairs. Most of the guests wouldn't arrive for a little while longer since they would want to be fashionably late. She didn't have that luxury as much as she would have liked to. Arriving late enough, one might avoid being noticed, but it might be difficult to avoid attention during one's official coming-out ball. No, there was no escaping this. Tonight she would be introduced to London society and what her brother termed 'the marriage mart'.

She took a deep breath before walking the length of the hallway and down the stairs. Her family waited in the drawing room where they would stand to greet the arrivals in a receiving line. Then the guests would continue to the ballroom at the back of the house.

"Angel! There you are." James smiled and walked over to her as she entered. "I feared you might not be joining us."

Returning her brother's smile, she neglected to say that she would have loved that. As nervous as she was, she appreciated that he had insisted on her having a season instead of marrying Philip straight away as her aunt had suggested. If she had not been allowed this slight reprieve, she never would have met Jessica, her new best friend. Or Nathaniel. Her cheeks heated as his name came unbidden to her mind.

"You look beautiful tonight," James said with an appreciative nod as he escorted her to stand next to him at the front of the receiving line. A fact that she knew annoyed Joan, who had to stand as the last person according to rank.

She glanced over at her cousin, who stood with her mother, speaking quietly. Joan looked amazing in a dress made of marigold silk, with a scooped neckline and style that flattered her curvy body in a way that many would envy. They had apparently decided against the monstrosity of a gown they had initially looked at in the shop, instead going for something more understated that showed off her beauty rather than overpowered it. Angel was just about to compliment her cousin on her appearance when Aunt Christine finally looked at her.