Yellow and golden lights lined the entrance of the Valentine mansion and the purple garden that ran at both sides of the pavement looked nothing short of paradise.
The crowd was exuberant. Esther could see a hundred couples walking into the royal hall for the bachelors party. She'd been there once but she never got a chance to walk into the place. However, now that she did, she had to employ most of her strength of will to prevent her jaws from falling.
The interiors of the place were no doubt the most exquisite. The roof was being held high by gigantic white pillars with golden characters sculpted all around it on their feet. The corridors that led to the main hall were lined with extremely valuable and rare art pieces. Paintings and sculptures were gathered in such abundance that it seemed she was roaming a museum.
With utmost struggle, she suppressed the urge of stopping and inspecting the art as she kept forcing her steps ahead.
The corridors ended in a huge circular hall after many long steps and the view ahead deserved all the credit for her finally dropped jaw. From the shiny white marbles under her feet to the crystalline chandeliers above her head, every inch of the place yelled for its richness.
In the centre of the hall stood a huge portrait of the newly betrothed couple. The smiles on the canvas were far too bright and real than the ones that were stationed on the morbid and tired faces of Leonardo and Rebecca.
Esther however, wasn't the only one in awe. Every pair of feet that walked into the hall seemed to slow down at the junction to take in the glory of the place.
Amazed and regretful sighs from the debutantes filled the air while the gentlemen next to them locked their arms tighter around theirs so the young ladies wouldn't run off to the charming and filthy rich Marquess who seemed to have the spot next to him vacant of any lady.
Esther looked around to spot Juliette Frampton who usually wouldn't budge from next to him as per the latest gossip however she seemed contrastingly absent from the gathering. During the past few weeks that Esther spent stuffed in her house, her only source of the season's update was the biweekly paper which was more hearsay than facts. However, the fact that a constant episode of a beautiful Miss Frampton clinging to the Marquess of Rosevale at all events of the ton got its personal column on the paper called for some validation of the news.
She hadn't met the Framptons since the fishing day but she was more than eager to witness the romantic developments of Juliette and Reuben with her own eyes, which was another reason she did not wish to miss the Bachelors party that evening.
The Framptons were absent from the Radcliffe soiree earlier that week which was not so unusual as no one who was not a part of the noble families could secure an invite to Radcliffe events, however, their absence from a Valentines evening was fairly questionable.
In any natural situation, Juliette should've been seen snaking her hand around Reuben's arm as if he would run away if she were to let him lose. However, no matter how keenly Esther scanned the hall, she was nowhere to be seen that night and it did concern her, for it was the most unlikely of Juliette to miss a social gathering that she has any slightest chance to attend. She would be limp as dead in her bed and yet would drag herself out if she were to hear of a party. The entire Frampton family for that matter.
Perhaps she had realised Reuben was not the right man to mingle with.
Juliette's however wasn't the only face missing from the gathering. The real Duke was also following the trend of not attending social events lately. Esther had been on the lookout for him so she could tell him about her decision on their betrothal however he was just as nonexistent as Juliette in the events of the ton of late.
What Esther didn't know was that Lawrence was heartbroken.
He had always known that Rebecca wasn't his to have but he was content thinking that he was sacrificing his love for his Duke and the dukedom. But when Rebecca called him the afternoon of the Radcliffe soiree and told him that she was to get engaged with Leonardo that evening, he felt nothing less than the churning ache of sheer betrayal.
Of course, there was nothing he could do about it just like Florence, hence he, just like her, decided to distance himself from Rebecca and London, at least until the marriage.
There were only some very urgent affairs left to deal with in the town and then he was to leave for Buckingham House in order to attend a royal meeting on behalf of the Duke of Dales. His carriage was to leave town this evening itself after paying a brief attendance to the Valentine party. He did not at the least want to attend, Edward demanded it and he was not the man to cross Edward.
Not anymore.
Esther had only been contemplating her next move ever since she walked into the hall, standing next to her mother, drinking lemonades when she saw him enter.
He was among the last guests to join the evening. The fake Duke had been there already when Esther arrived. Having nothing better to do than to wait for the best moment to catch Leo alone, she had decided to observe the room and the people, Edward just happened to be one of the most frequently visited candidates of her eyes.
As she observed him very casually every once in a while, he seemed quite dry and uninterested in the night. Very similar to her, in that regard. In the beginning, he only stood next to Lady Richcomb, the Duke's sister. They did not talk much which perhaps caused her to get tired of his company and she found refuge in groups of chattering ladies, leaving him alone with his tight stoned face.
He was only parting his lips to take little sips of his wine until the real Duke walked up to him and greeted him with a bow.
Esther's eyes came down to slits.
Ever since she had witnessed them exchange the most unexplainable conversation at the Richcomb Estate, she could not take her mind off it. It did not make any sense. They were old friends, she was aware, however, that was no excuse for a Duke to obey a lowly man. She needed answers.
From several feet away she watched them have a brief conversation before the Duke bowed his head to the fake and left his side to share a word with Reuben who'd been downing glasses after glasses of whiskey the entire evening.
Clearly, there was a lot Esther had to deal with in urgency and it was time for her to start.
With her eyes pinned on a nervous and weak Leonardo Radcliffe who seemed to have yet not recovered his eyes from the floor ever since the evening of the announcement, Esther strode towards the couple slicing the jolly and musical air of the room.
She had her conversation rehearsed in her head. She had a list of questions for him to answer, starting with- whether he really was a man at all and ending with something on the lines of- when exactly was he planning to go get Florence back from Buckingham.
She could have already begun her investigation had a tall broad figure not stepped in her way in the most abrupt and inappropriate manner.
She hardly pulled herself back in time to avoid crashing into the man however it all proved but for nothing when she felt something sticky and wet seep down her blouse. Soon she realised that her gown was no more as dry and unstained as it was minutes ago.
She gasped as she spotted a huge soily stain on her turquoise blue gown.
"Holy Jesus!" She cried out.
"Miss Sherborne! God bless, what have I done!" Esther looked up to find the fake Duke styling a face of astonishment that almost looked as fake as him and a flute of wine that was now empty. "Come let us clean this."
Esther made a face that spoke of annoyance but expressing any of it to him would require her to have a conversation with the man and she would much rather have herself drench in a pool of wine. Besides she was already aware of what it would be like to try and talk to him about it, he did not have anything to offer to her apart from his hollow apologies. She already had a lot of them, she was losing the space to contain any more. "Excuse me please." She managed the most civilly and tried to cut a beeline past him.
"You cannot be roaming the party with that stain," Edward spoke stepping in front of her. "Let us first clean your dress."
An exhausted sigh passed her lips. "It's alright, I have more important messes to clean. Excuse me." Esther replied dryly as if he were a stranger on the streets and tried to walk past when he blocked her way with his hand again.
"Miss Sherborne, don't be so stubborn. It is not appropriate for a lady to- stay dirty. If it is my company that you distaste, I can show you to the restrooms and leave. " He said, gesturing his hand towards the corridors on the other side of the hall.
As temped as Esther was to give him a piece of her mind, she did not have the time. She had to talk to Leonardo soon. "Sir, I am fine with this. I need to-"
"You can deal with it later, whatever it is." Edward's annoyance echoed in his words before he could filter them out, "I'm certain it is not so important as a lady's picture in society."
Esther's eyes widened and her brows crumpled at his blatant statement. "You did this intentionally, did you not?" She asked looking into his eyes, a knowing regretful smile danced on her lips.
"Pardon?"
"You deliberately came in my way so I couldn't go talk to Leo," Esther spoke in whispers with disbelief as she came in closer to his face with bloodshot eyes.
"I- I am only trying to help. You will thank me."
"How could you be so mean?" She asked in a soul piercing tone. "I am in the midst of an emergency, I need to fix this for my friend before it is too late. If you cannot do anything of use, which is absolutely fine sir, for I expect nothing good coming out if you, at least stand out of my way!"
The air in the room was cold so much as almost all the ladies were using blankets and cloaks over their pretty gowns and the gentlemen all styled heavy jackets to defeat the chill but between Esther and Edward one could grill meat and it would burn before you pull it out.
Edward's eyes reflected the effect Esther was having on him. He parted his lips to say something but the look of her lush red lips so close to his, threatened him of accidental contact if he tried to speak and as impossible as it was, he pushed himself away. He couldn't go to that length. Not now, and from how things seemed to be turning lately, perhaps not ever.
He stepped back and gave her way to continue walking to Leonardo who was still standing where he was some very long minutes ago.
She took in a deep shuddered breath. Her mind was empty of all thoughts apart from the rage she felt towards Edward. He somehow always managed to take over her mind in the most disturbing manner. She hated it.
She shook her head to clear her thoughts and redirected her attention to Leo once again. She was only going to ask him why he did what he did to Florence. She was certain he was in love with her, all she had to was give him a little push. He would break the engagement with Rebecca and bring Florence back. He would surely do that, she was certain of it by the look she had seen in his eyes every time he was around Florence. The look of love, nothing less.
Leo's eyes were scanning the floor all the while until she was just steps away from him. That was when he looked up at her and his eyes went wide in shock, very evidently.
"Leo." She breathed out.
"Miss Sh-"
"Miss Sherborne. How nice you came. I was not expecting to see you, if I must be honest." Rebecca chimed while Leo stuttered next to her.
Esther smiled bitterly as she understood just what she meant. She was mocking her helplessness. "I am glad to have surprised you. Expect more of these in the-."
"Agh, what is that on your blouse, my dear? It looks nasty!" Rebecca cut her off making a face and covering her nose, even though there was no odour apart from the very faint hint of wine.
Esther looked down at her dress. It was ruined and was only getting worse with time. The stain was faint when it was wet however it had now started setting. Perhaps she should have just listened to the fake Duke and cleaned it up earlier.
"This-" she began explaining when a heavy jacket landed on her shoulders covering most of her torso.
"It is chilling, Miss Sherborne." The fake Duke's voice hit her ears before she could try and turn around. "Why don't you keep this on for the night."
Esther's breath was caught in her throat for a moment until Rebecca got tired of their affectionate exchange and cleared her throat a little too loud. Esther shrugged and pulled the ends of his diamond-studded jacket around her body without hesitation for it was truly her only resort for hiding the stain. Besides, it truly was chilling. Rebecca's scowl became real on her face at her action and that only made Esther more glad to have done that.
However, she did not fail to bounce her shoulders to jerk Edward's hands off them.
He stepped back.
The couple served him some curtsies in the honor of his fake rank while Esther used the opportunity to slip her hands in the arms of his jacket. The warmth she felt after was divine. And there was a cologne too, quite strong at that, but she decided to pay no attention to it as much as she could help it at least.
The orchestra hit the note for the next dance and couples began assembling.
"It seems a waltz is being announced," Edward said. "I propose a couple of the evening must join the floor. Haven't seen you dance all night."
"Of course, Your Grace," Rebecca replied. "Why don't you join us as well? Miss Sherborne?"
"Oh, I. I'd rather not."
"I insist." Rebecca requested in a fake tone.
Esther turned her head towards Edward. She expected her head to heat up at the mere sight of him as it should have however to her surprise, it didn't. Perhaps it was the jacket she was wearing that was playing loyalty to it's owner, or perhaps it was the fake Duke's most unexpected gesture of kindness and concern that was taming her.
He only looked at her without saying anything to her utter surprise and it irked her.
He was being quite considerate for his selfish unconcerned personality and it was not helping. The bare minimum act of humanity, when came from him, felt too solemn and it was making it difficult for Esther to defend her indifference and brutality.
He needed to stop pretending himself a gentleman.
But he didn't. In fact, he kept silent and very gently put out his hand in her front with a raised eyebrow. She wanted to refuse but he never asked. He was barely suggesting and despite of being so against it, she found herself giving her hand into his.
There was no explanation for any of it. She was perhaps mad or merely being kind. She couldn't really be certain.
As the music begun, her thoughts all turned into a blur.