Page 9 of The Unfortunate Debutante
Rachel smiled kindly at her. “Go take a bath and rest. We shall talk later. Besides, tonight is your ball, and everything will be made right after that.”
“Thank you,” she replied with a full heart.
With a final parting glance at Luke and Rachel, Emma headed towards her bedchamber. She had expected Luke to rail on her, but instead, he had shown her kindness. Perhaps he was right. Maybe her Season wasn’t ruined after all?
If that was true, why did she have the feeling that this Season was going to be anything but ordinary?
2
After a wonderful soak,Emma felt rested and found herself becoming anxious as she prepared for the ball being held in her honor. She sat on her dressing room chair as her cheerful lady’s maid styled her hair into an elaborate chignon, adorning it with small flowers and curls framing her face.
“You look beautiful, miss,” Peggy said, taking a step towards the dressing table and picking up a small tin. “Would you like some rouge for your cheeks?”
“Yes, please.”
After applying the rouge, her red-headed lady’s maid stepped back. “You’re quite fortunate that you don’t need to add color to your lips. They are such a naturally vivid crimson.”
Emma took a moment to look at her reflection in the mirror. With her oval face, creamy white skin, dark brown hair, and green eyes, she was pretty enough, but certainly not exceptional. She had noticed that she stood out amongst the blonde-haired beauties at the social gatherings and suspected many people found her to be a rather peculiar-looking girl. Her brother often told her that she was beautiful, but she had always cast his compliments aside, not daring to believe them.
Thinking of David caused her mood to turn melancholy. She had been given this life at the expense of her brother. Her brother had been assigned to guard Rachel when she was forced to flee to Scotland. During that time, David had sent many letters home detailing his assignment and had predicted that Luke and Rachel would eventually fall in love and be married. She smiled at that thought.
But so much secrecy still shrouded David’s death. Neither Luke nor Rachel would share the full details behind his death. She only was privy to knowing he died saving Rachel from four despicable men on the shores overlooking her uncle’s estate. Luke had shown her the cave where the attack happened, but she never had the strength to venture inside. The image of her brother’s body sprawled out on the cave’s floor always gave her pause. Perhaps it would change when they confided the rest of the story to her.
“Are you all right, miss?” Peggy asked with a worried frown.
“I am,” she replied. “I’m afraid I was just woolgathering again.”
Peggy grinned as she walked over to the gown laid out on the bed. “Are you ready to put on your gown?”
“Very much so,” Emma said, rising.
A short time later, she was dressed in the most beautiful muslin gown, with a net overlay of the palest pink, and Peggy was fastening all the ornate buttons that ran down the back.
“If you don’t mind me saying, Miss Cosette did a wonderful job designing your ballgown,” her lady’s maid commented.
Holding out the sides of her skirts, Emma admired the elaborately embroidered pattern of flowers, and she couldn’t even comprehend the time that went into making this dress. “Miss Cosette is very talented.”
Peggy had just finished the last button when a knock came at the door. She opened it, revealing Rachel and Luke on the other side. Then, she curtsied and exited the room quietly.
“You look beautiful, Emma,” Rachel gushed as she approached her. “Your dress is exquisite.”
Taking a moment to admire Rachel’s green high waisted gown, with puffy sleeves, she replied, “You look quite fetching yourself.”
Rachel smiled at her. “It doesn’t matter what I look like tonight. You are the belle of the ball, and all eyes will be on you.”
“You are going to make Emma more nervous than she already is,” Luke chastised her lightly.
With humor in her voice, Rachel instructed her, “You have trained for this moment for two years. Keep your head held high and enjoy the evening. But for heaven’s sake, don’t drink more than one glass of champagne, avoid the usual subjects, and do not dance more than one dance with any gentleman.”
A playful smile came to her lips. “No counsel on my fan?”
“No fan!” Luke and Rachel shouted in unison.
Emma laughed. “I am not sure why I find it so complicated to learn how to communicate with my fan.”
“Fans can be a nuisance,” Rachel declared. “The common fan language is known to both genders, and specific fan movements are a way to convey messages about emotions and love.”
Emma walked over to the dressing table and picked up her ornate lace fan. She shut it fully and opened it slowly. “I believe this indicates that I would like to get more acquainted.”
