Page 7 of The Unseen Hour

I huffed, and my mother shot me a glare. Fixing my face into a smile, I followed her as we made our way into the manor and an extravagant ballroom. Mother didn’t need to know that I’d managed to loosen my corset on the carriage ride over.

Bram had pointed out that I looked like a duck trying to do a somersault, but he’d kept his laughter to a minimum and had sworn not to mention a thing.

Chandeliers, twinkling lights, and too many bodies made the room more stifling than the drawing room back home, loosened corset or no. Another reason to hate layered dresses. I knew, because my mother never failed to remind us all, that I was lucky to have such opportunities. It didn’t stop me from stewing; it just meant I did so with guilt.

“May as well put that blue dress to use. Perhaps a turn around the dance floor would even put a smile on your face,” Bram prodded me. His hair was a shade darker than mine, and his eyes just a shade lighter. Among the four of us siblings, only Temple took after our mother, with blue eyes. Bram’s pink practically sparkled as he teased me, which was one of his favorite pastimes.

As if his words had the ability to summon potential suitors, Bellamy Bonds, the Marquess of Umpert, came striding across the room toward me. He bowed at the waist when he got close.

“Lady Hipnosi, you look positively radiant this evening. Would it be too much to hope that you still have an opening on your dance card?”

“I’m certain she has a few, actually.” Bram smirked and made himself scarce before I could think of a retort.

I plastered on a forced smile, knowing Mother would be watching from somewhere in the crowd.

“Lord Bonds, it would be a pleasure.” I held out my wrist and tried not to cringe as Bellamy plucked the card and wrote his name on a line for a waltz later in the evening.

Because things were not quite as archaic as in generations past, it was fine for those in our generation to call each other by their first names once someone gave their permission to do so, but in this case I was just fine allowing Lord Bonds his formalities.

Bellamy bowed again as he dropped my wrist, and a strand of lanky red hair fell in his face before he hastily smoothed it back. His eyes were a leafy green that might have been handsome on another face, but Bellamy’s resting expression was a sneer, and no features really suited his lack of personality.

When the waltz came up, I allowed myself to be led onto the floor.

Bellamy was a perfect example of the bore portion of my options. He was neither toe-crunchingly dreadful nor gracefully adept at the waltz. Then again, neither was I. My ladylike talents included a passable singing voice, an admittedly more than passable level of skill on the piano, and a keen interest in novels. Although reading was only a valuable quality when husbands wanted a wife who wouldn’t meddle too much in their affairs, being otherwise distracted.

Throughout the dance, Bellamy maintained polite and completely acceptable conversation, about such thrilling topics as the weather and the hors d’oeuvres. For my part, I responded and smiled in equal measure, as was expected of me. After all, it wasn’t entirely Bellamy’s fault he was so mind-numbingly dull. The parameters of society didn’t lend themselves to dashing, daring, or delinquent behaviors. Which was a shame, given that nearly all of my interests fell into just those categories.

There were, of course, trysts every season, but the subjects were pounced upon with merciless gossip when found out. I wanted adventure, not public censure and ridicule.

As I extricated myself from Bellamy’s company, I saw Ambrose take to the floor with Penny Montgomery. He was likely to take a wife this season. He’d expressed multiple times throughout the previous winter that, with Father’s businesses finally in order, this was the next sensible step.

I had no complaints. Penny and I weren’t particularly close, but she was always polite to me at these functions. The two of them spun in a circle as the musicians played one of the livelier tunes of the evening.

“Pardon me, Miss Hipnosi, might I trouble you for a spot on your dance card?”

I swallowed a beleaguered sigh and turned, then felt a genuine smile spread across my face.

“Thomas Huberts! I didn’t realize you were here for the season!”

“I am indeed, and Charlotte insisted I be here with our parents, hosting this evening’s soiree.” He leaned in conspiratorially. “I think she wanted another set of eyes on everyone so she could have twice as much gossip tomorrow. I’m sure she’ll tell you herself, though.”

I glanced behind him and spotted my best friend headed our way. Charlotte and Thomas shared similar honey blond hair and hazel eyes.

“I’m sorry I didn’t say hello sooner. It took me a while to go around and greet everyone in attendance. Did you see the queen brought one of the princes with her?” Charlotte asked as she smoothed out her dress.

It had been impossible to miss. Eligible ladies and status-climbing men had been crowding him all evening, or crowding the queen herself.

“I’ve heard the prince has shown an interest in Lady Kellers.” Charlotte gave a side-eyed glance at the woman, who was sipping champagne and watching the dancing with interest.

Thomas rolled his eyes.

“Ah yes, the most exciting thing happening in Emrys. Lady Kellers dancing with a prince. How did I ever survive while I was away, with such succulent gossip occurring right here under your very nose, Charlotte?”

I smirked at Thomas.

“If Charlotte and I were permitted to travel, I have no doubt we would have stories just as interesting as yours,” I countered. Thomas had spent the better portion of the past year in Mejje and had most recently been traveling on the islands of Sez. “We are prepared for you to astonish us with what you have learned.”

Jealousy twisted my gut, but I kept the smile on my face.