“Are you interested in Duke Arlington??” Caroline stared at her with wide eyes, a shocked expression on her face.
Madeline screwed up her face in disgust and then laughed abruptly. “No, dear sister. Not at all. The Duke’s problem is that he thinks he’s worth more than he is. Someone needs to bring him down to the ground, in my opinion. A man that ugly shouldn’t be trying to win over the hearts of pretty women.”
“That’s a cruel thing to say, Madeline,” Marie spoke up.
Madeline turned to stare at her. “You wouldn’t know a thing about it, little girl. You spend all of your time hiding behind your piano. If you aren’t even going to try, I’m not going to give you any sympathy. And you shouldn’t speak when you don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Stop it, Maddie.” Lucinda shook her head at Madeline, sitting to pull on her boots and lace them. “You are being very foul today. What’s wrong?”
Madeline turned her narrow eyes to Lucinda and shook her head. “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with me. What’s wrong with her? She is never going to get married at this rate!”
“Madeline, why does it matter to you when Marie gets married?” Lucinda had stopped in the middle of lacing one boot and was staring at her older sister. “You are not yet there yourself. You should be worrying about what is going on in your own life instead of berating Marie for the lack of action in hers.”
“Beth was married when she was Marie’s age.” Madeline sniffed.
Lucinda raised her eyebrows at the mention of their oldest sister and gave Madeline a disgusted look. “Maddie, you are several years older than Marie, and you aren’t married. Please don’t continue. You are only making a fool of yourself.”
Madeline huffed in embarrassment and stomped out the door, one hand holding on to her skirts so she could walk quicker and the other one clutching her folded fabric fan. Before she reached the door, she had flipped it open and was fanning her heated face. She gave them all one more defiant look before flying out the door and slamming it behind her.
Jenny turned back to help Marie after watching the scene unfold. She was shaking her head. “I can’t believe that girl sometimes. It seems she is living in her own world most of the time.”
“And she is the queen there,” Marie added.
Jenny pulled Marie into a quick hug. “She’s going to be very lonely for a long time if she continues to live there. You’re going to be fine, Marie. God will provide your man in due time.”
Marie smiled at her. “I know. I’m not worried. I don’t feel sociable most of the time anyway, why would I want to share that with a man? I really don’t feel I need to. At least, not right now.”
Jenny took her sister’s hand, and the two of them sat on a long cushioned bench so Jenny could apply a bit of makeup to Marie’s eyes and face. “You like to be alone, don’t you, Marie?”
Marie shrugged. “I don’t mind it.”
Jenny squeezed her hand. “When you are attracted to a man, and you fall in love, you will feel more sociable, I bet. There’s nothing like love to make you glow like a firefly.”
“Is that so?” Marie smiled at her sister.
“It is.”
“That must be why you are always glowing then.”
Jenny laughed and pulled Marie into another hug. “You are a sweet, sweet sister, Marie. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“Do you think you will do any dancing tonight at all?”
Marie pressed her lips together and looked down. “I…I’m not sure. Maybe with Cornelius, at least.”
“Well, if you feel like dancing and not playing the piano or singing for everybody, you let me know, and I will find someone for you to dance with.”
“That feels like cheating.” Marie giggled. “I should be waiting for someone to ask me who hasn’t been encouraged to do so.”
“Nonsense!” Jenny laughed. “How will they ever know about you from behind that piano? They probably all think you came with it! You have to meet them somehow and what better way than through a recommendation from me? I know everyone!”
The girls laughed. It was true that Jenny was a social butterfly. But Marie was fairly certain that everyone knew she was betrothed to Jonathan. Everyone except their father.
Chapter Two
When she entered the ballroom, Marie felt instantly out of place. She was familiar with many of the men there. They were standing around and sitting at the tables, drinking and talking to all the women. They seemed comfortable and happy. Most of them did, anyway. They were handsome and rich and knew what they wanted.