who had heard the rumours about their financial state. However, Mr. and Mrs. Chambers welcomed them courteously, and as she and Melissa were shown into the double drawing rooms which had been opened out to form a ballroom, she was relieved to find they were greeted as usual by their acquaintances.
Melissa was quickly surrounded by her court, with Viscount Woolbridge and Lieutenant Halcott most prominent. Evidently, whatever damage had been done by the rumours of their insolvency had been counteracted by the stories of Melissa’s dowry put about by Mrs. Halcott, or many of her admirers would have deserted her. Anne gave a sigh of relief as the first set began to form, and was once again grateful for a friend such as Mrs. Halcott.
Anne would not have felt as secure if she had observed Lady Conliffe’s face at that moment. Lady Conliffe had not intended to put in an appearance at Mrs. Chambers’s ball, as it was not a particularly fashionable gathering. Earlier that week, however, she had spoken to Lord Woolbridge at a rout. He had asked if she would be attending the Chambers’ ball, and had solicited her hand for the opening dance. Lord Woolbridge had been spending more and more time with Miss Amberly and correspondingly less with her, so Lady Conliffe thought it politic to say she would be at the ball.
Hoping to recapture Lord Woolbridge’s straying attention, Lady Conliffe had dressed with especial care for the evening, and knew she was looking her best. She wore a peach print muslin gown of exceptionally fine material that exhibited her tall and slender form to advantage. She had accentuated the fashionable square décolletage of her gown with a simple carnelian pendant, and the carnelian drops hanging from her delicate ears drew attention to her graceful throat. Perfectly fitting gloves of peach silk emphasized her shapely arms, and a headdress of peach and white flowers tied with silk ribbons adorned her glossy dark hair. She had received many admiring looks from both the ladies and the gentlemen present, but Lord Woolbridge, who had not even noticed her, was leading Miss Amberly out for the first set!
None of Lady Conliffe’s fury at the unforgivable snub Lord Woolbridge was dealing her showed on her face as she stood alone a moment while the men led out their partners for the opening set. A young man soon noticed her partnerless state and, not believing his good fortune, hastened to request her hand for the dance.
Lady Conliffe smiled graciously and accepted, but as she automatically performed the steps of the dance, she could not help directing several dagger glances towards Miss Amberly. That provincial chit! She looked hardly old enough to be at a ball, in her unfashionably full-skirted white muslin gown trimmed with blue ribbons and bows.
The figures of the dance brought Lady Conliffe and her partner close to Lord Woolbridge and Miss Amberly, and she had the satisfaction of seeing Lord Woolbridge stumble and turn fiery red as the realisation of what he had done came over him.
After the dance, Lady Conliffe’s eager young partner went to procure a glass of ratafia for her, and she saw a flustered Lord Woolbridge approaching her chair.
“Lady Conliffe, I—I—” he stuttered, all his usual social grace deserting him completely. Genuinely stricken by his appalling breach of manners, he searched his mind desperately for something to say that would rectify the situation.
“Yes?” Lady Conliffe asked sweetly, fanning herself lightly as though from the exertion of the dance, determined to offer no help to the miserable viscount. Let him get himself out of his coil. She looked at him coolly, her extreme anger betrayed only by two bright red spots on her cheeks and the audible snap with which she closed her painted silk fan.
Fortunately for Lord Woolbridge, Lady Conliffe’s partner returned with her ratafia at this juncture. Lady Conliffe took it with a smile as the young man bowed to the
Melissa was quickly surrounded by her court, with Viscount Woolbridge and Lieutenant Halcott most prominent. Evidently, whatever damage had been done by the rumours of their insolvency had been counteracted by the stories of Melissa’s dowry put about by Mrs. Halcott, or many of her admirers would have deserted her. Anne gave a sigh of relief as the first set began to form, and was once again grateful for a friend such as Mrs. Halcott.
Anne would not have felt as secure if she had observed Lady Conliffe’s face at that moment. Lady Conliffe had not intended to put in an appearance at Mrs. Chambers’s ball, as it was not a particularly fashionable gathering. Earlier that week, however, she had spoken to Lord Woolbridge at a rout. He had asked if she would be attending the Chambers’ ball, and had solicited her hand for the opening dance. Lord Woolbridge had been spending more and more time with Miss Amberly and correspondingly less with her, so Lady Conliffe thought it politic to say she would be at the ball.
Hoping to recapture Lord Woolbridge’s straying attention, Lady Conliffe had dressed with especial care for the evening, and knew she was looking her best. She wore a peach print muslin gown of exceptionally fine material that exhibited her tall and slender form to advantage. She had accentuated the fashionable square décolletage of her gown with a simple carnelian pendant, and the carnelian drops hanging from her delicate ears drew attention to her graceful throat. Perfectly fitting gloves of peach silk emphasized her shapely arms, and a headdress of peach and white flowers tied with silk ribbons adorned her glossy dark hair. She had received many admiring looks from both the ladies and the gentlemen present, but Lord Woolbridge, who had not even noticed her, was leading Miss Amberly out for the first set!
None of Lady Conliffe’s fury at the unforgivable snub Lord Woolbridge was dealing her showed on her face as she stood alone a moment while the men led out their partners for the opening set. A young man soon noticed her partnerless state and, not believing his good fortune, hastened to request her hand for the dance.
Lady Conliffe smiled graciously and accepted, but as she automatically performed the steps of the dance, she could not help directing several dagger glances towards Miss Amberly. That provincial chit! She looked hardly old enough to be at a ball, in her unfashionably full-skirted white muslin gown trimmed with blue ribbons and bows.
The figures of the dance brought Lady Conliffe and her partner close to Lord Woolbridge and Miss Amberly, and she had the satisfaction of seeing Lord Woolbridge stumble and turn fiery red as the realisation of what he had done came over him.
After the dance, Lady Conliffe’s eager young partner went to procure a glass of ratafia for her, and she saw a flustered Lord Woolbridge approaching her chair.
“Lady Conliffe, I—I—” he stuttered, all his usual social grace deserting him completely. Genuinely stricken by his appalling breach of manners, he searched his mind desperately for something to say that would rectify the situation.
“Yes?” Lady Conliffe asked sweetly, fanning herself lightly as though from the exertion of the dance, determined to offer no help to the miserable viscount. Let him get himself out of his coil. She looked at him coolly, her extreme anger betrayed only by two bright red spots on her cheeks and the audible snap with which she closed her painted silk fan.
Fortunately for Lord Woolbridge, Lady Conliffe’s partner returned with her ratafia at this juncture. Lady Conliffe took it with a smile as the young man bowed to the
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