that reminder. “This is my fifth season, if you can believe that. If I have to return home with my mother at the end of yet another year, I may die.” She couldn’t tell Lillian the truth—not when the truth was so horrible. “And with all of the focus on Evangeline’s come-out, it’s very likely I’ll meet that doom in a few months’ time.” Sue made a slicing motion across her throat and pulled a face of pure horror. Surely that had added the necessary playful note to her tale to prevent unwanted questions.
“You mustn’t end it all when we’ve only just met up again after all these years. If it eases your mind, consider that this is my first season and I’m a year older than you.” Lillian offered a thin smile as she twisted her pearl necklace around one finger before releasing the strand and doing it again. She looked worried—and not about Sue’s threat of throat slicing.
“What happened to keep you away so long? I’ve thought to see you in London for years now. Every year I’ve kept my eye out for you, as well as some of the other girls from school, but I’d lost hope that I would see you again.”
As Lillian told Sue of her recent life, she looked down at her hands, her face falling with some deep thought, presumably about her brothers, who sounded rather vile.
Lillian seemed to need as much cheering this evening as Sue did. Perhaps this was fate’s method of tossing her a small favor in life as she drew ever closer to the season’s end—a friend for the remainder of her time in society. She grinned. “Whitby’s loss is my gain this evening, Lillian. I’m thrilled to have someone to converse with other than Evangeline and my twin cousins. Oh, here they all are now.”
The crowd of people by the door parted to allow Evangeline to enter the ballroom with Isabelle and Victoria trailing just behind her. Heads turned, and how could they not when the three most beautiful ladies among the ton were breezing in the door of the first ball of the season? “Lillian, you remember Evangeline. And here are Isabelle and Victoria, my cousins.”
“Lillian, how nice that you’re here. I look forward to catching up with you,” Evangeline offered in a well-rehearsed voice.
“I look forward to that as well,” Lillian returned with a genuine smile.
Sue glanced up as a tall gentleman carrying two wineglasses joined them. “Here’s your champagne, darling,” he said to Lillian, handing her a glass. “It seems you have found friends already. That’s splendid.”
This must be one of Lillian’s brothers. He was handsome in his well-tailored suit. Why had she never seen him around a ballroom before?
“We’re just becoming reacquainted. My brother, Mr. Phillips, this is Miss Green; her sister, Miss Evangeline Green; and her cousins, the Misses Fairlyn.”
“Good evening,” Mr. Phillips offered with a slight bow in their direction before turning his attention back to Lillian. “Since you’ve found friends, do you mind if I find a few of my mates?”
Lillian spoke in hushed tones for a moment. Soon her brother left and she turned back to the group. She was taking a tiny sip of her champagne just as Evangeline disappeared into the growing crowd on the dance floor with a young dark-haired man. Victoria and Isabelle were next to leave on someone’s arm, leaving Sue and Lillian behind. The group around them had now thinned as couples entered the floor for a country dance. That was when she saw him. Holden Ellis, Lord Steelings, was walking straight toward her.
“Sue? Are you well?” Lillian asked.
“Oh, yes. Quite,” she stammered. She’d known he would be here. Why did it come as such a shock to see him now? She swallowed.
“You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.”
“In a manner, I believe I have.” He was still walking toward her. What should she say? Would he know her now? Or would Suzanna forever be her secret to bear alone? Her heart was pounding, yet no blood was reaching her
“You mustn’t end it all when we’ve only just met up again after all these years. If it eases your mind, consider that this is my first season and I’m a year older than you.” Lillian offered a thin smile as she twisted her pearl necklace around one finger before releasing the strand and doing it again. She looked worried—and not about Sue’s threat of throat slicing.
“What happened to keep you away so long? I’ve thought to see you in London for years now. Every year I’ve kept my eye out for you, as well as some of the other girls from school, but I’d lost hope that I would see you again.”
As Lillian told Sue of her recent life, she looked down at her hands, her face falling with some deep thought, presumably about her brothers, who sounded rather vile.
Lillian seemed to need as much cheering this evening as Sue did. Perhaps this was fate’s method of tossing her a small favor in life as she drew ever closer to the season’s end—a friend for the remainder of her time in society. She grinned. “Whitby’s loss is my gain this evening, Lillian. I’m thrilled to have someone to converse with other than Evangeline and my twin cousins. Oh, here they all are now.”
The crowd of people by the door parted to allow Evangeline to enter the ballroom with Isabelle and Victoria trailing just behind her. Heads turned, and how could they not when the three most beautiful ladies among the ton were breezing in the door of the first ball of the season? “Lillian, you remember Evangeline. And here are Isabelle and Victoria, my cousins.”
“Lillian, how nice that you’re here. I look forward to catching up with you,” Evangeline offered in a well-rehearsed voice.
“I look forward to that as well,” Lillian returned with a genuine smile.
Sue glanced up as a tall gentleman carrying two wineglasses joined them. “Here’s your champagne, darling,” he said to Lillian, handing her a glass. “It seems you have found friends already. That’s splendid.”
This must be one of Lillian’s brothers. He was handsome in his well-tailored suit. Why had she never seen him around a ballroom before?
“We’re just becoming reacquainted. My brother, Mr. Phillips, this is Miss Green; her sister, Miss Evangeline Green; and her cousins, the Misses Fairlyn.”
“Good evening,” Mr. Phillips offered with a slight bow in their direction before turning his attention back to Lillian. “Since you’ve found friends, do you mind if I find a few of my mates?”
Lillian spoke in hushed tones for a moment. Soon her brother left and she turned back to the group. She was taking a tiny sip of her champagne just as Evangeline disappeared into the growing crowd on the dance floor with a young dark-haired man. Victoria and Isabelle were next to leave on someone’s arm, leaving Sue and Lillian behind. The group around them had now thinned as couples entered the floor for a country dance. That was when she saw him. Holden Ellis, Lord Steelings, was walking straight toward her.
“Sue? Are you well?” Lillian asked.
“Oh, yes. Quite,” she stammered. She’d known he would be here. Why did it come as such a shock to see him now? She swallowed.
“You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.”
“In a manner, I believe I have.” He was still walking toward her. What should she say? Would he know her now? Or would Suzanna forever be her secret to bear alone? Her heart was pounding, yet no blood was reaching her
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