Late for the Wedding by Amanda Quick

that
    filled the hall.
      And thus ends my lecture on the nature of hot vapors," he said.
      My talk next week will concern the principles of electricity."
    A burst of applause filled the room.
    Emeline, seated in the second row between Anthony and
    Priscilla, clapped along with everyone else.
    Priscilla could scarcely contain her enthusiasm. She regarded the
    gnome as though he were one of the dashing romantic poets.
      Was that not the most astonishing experiment you have ever
    witnessed?" she whispered to Emeline beneath the cover of
    applause.   I vow, Mister Kirk's lectures have opened up a new world to
    me."
      Very interesting," Emeline agreed. Privately she conceded that
    she was far more intrigued by the subject of antiquities than she
    was by the wonders of electricity and chemistry, but she had to
    admit the demonstration that had just concluded was quite exciting.
      I must tell you that when you suggested we subscribe to Mister Kirk's
    series of science lectures, I feared they would prove somewhat dull.
    But that is certainly not the case. Don't you agree, Anthony?"
      I certainly do," Anthony said with genuine appreciation.   It was
    an excellent notion, Priscilla." He glanced at the small journal on her
    lap.   I see you managed to fill several more pages with notes again
    today."

  
    Priscilla clutched the journal to her bosom and gave Professor
    Kirk another enraptured glance.   I have learned so much from these
    lectures. I only wish that I could convince Mama to allow me to
    purchase some instruments and equipment. I would give anything
    to be able to set up a proper laboratory where I could conduct experiments. But she refuses to even consider the notion."
    Emeline was not surprised by that news. She had no difficulty
    whatsoever imagining Lady Wortham's horrified reaction to the
    idea of Priscilla setting up a laboratory.
    Lady Wortham took her responsibilities as a mother quite seriously. Her chief ambition in life was to see her daughter married to
    a respectable gentleman from a good family, preferably one who was
    in line to inherit a comfortable fortune. To that end she had a great
    deal to work with, Emeline thought, because Priscilla was a very
    attractive young woman.
    True, her friend's hair was a shade of molten gold that was not
    considered to be in the first stare of fashion, but Emeline thought
    the color complemented her blue eyes quite effectively. She also
    knew that she was not alone in that opinion. Priscilla certainly
    never lacked for dancing partners at the balls and soirees they
    attended together. Regardless of the prevailing views of those who
    set the fashion, it was clear that any number of gentlemen were
    attracted to ladies with blond hair.
    Not that her friend did not possess a number of other fine attrib
    utes. In addition to a kind, charming manner, Priscilla was endowed
    with pretty, delicate features and a gracefully full, rounded figure.
    It was unfortunate, in Emeline's private opinion, that Lady
    Wortham insisted that her daughter dress only in pink. The color
    did not particularly suit her.
    But as far as Emeline was concerned, her companion's best
    features were her intelligence, good humor, and common sense.
    Those were the factors that had allowed a genuine friendship to
    blossom between the two of them.
    By rights they should have viewed each other as rivals, Emeline
    thought. Their acquaintance had been fostered and encouraged originally by Lady Wortham for less than altruistic reasons. Priscilla's
    matchmaking mama liked the notion of her daughter going about
    with Emeline because she believed that her offspring's looks were
    set off to advantage by the contrast between the two young women.
    Emeline was well-aware that her chief claim to fashion was her

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    thick, dark hair. In other respects, she knew very well that she did
    not meet the demands of true connoisseurs of style. She was too tall
    and too slender and her personality was much too