Mistress Culpepper snatched the diamond necklace from a servant’s hand and held it out to Cedric. “Mister Thorn, can you put this on her? I swear if we make it there in time, it will be nothing short of a miracle! Now stand still. Honestly, between the missing wigs and now this, how many more things can go wrong tonight?” That last part was spoken to Rosamunde, who’d snapped a corset string. Mistress Culpepper was frantically trying to replace it.
Cedric stood frozen for a few moments, holding the necklace in his hand. It was made of teardrop-shaped diamonds, which I found appropriate. Not wanting to draw attention, he finally stepped behind me and placed the circlet around my neck. I held my breath, amazed that the whole room couldn’t see the effect he had on me. His body was right up against mine, and his hands trembled as he tried to fasten the necklace’s clasp. When he finally managed it, he smoothed the chain and brushed a few wayward tendrils of hair out of the way. His fingertips were as light as a feather, but I felt goose bumps break out along my skin. I didn’t exhale until he backed away.
At the end of the week, I finally had an opportunity to meet this lawyer at a party hosted by the Thorns. Several girls had offers now, and although Jasper wasn’t particularly concerned about the others, he’d decided to gather some of his favorite potential suitors all in one place as a way to further interest. A number of the most prominent Cape Triumph citizens had been invited, in the hopes we’d impress them and increase the buzz.
The guests began arriving at Wisteria Hollow well before dinner, and we were ready to charm them. Well, at least the others were. Although I’d been nothing but proper and pleasant at recent functions, developments with Cedric had made me even more uninterested in others than usual. I offered up no more than was expected of me and had once overheard a gentleman say, “That diamond girl is a lot duller than I expected.”
In another act of absentmindedness, I’d forgotten to put on rouge tonight. It seemed a minor thing, particularly since I wore so little anyway, but an already-stressed Mistress Culpepper acted as though the ruin of modern civilization was upon us. She ordered me back to my room, telling me to take the servants’ stairs in the back, lest anyone see my terrible breach of fashion.
As I moved through the kitchen, I overheard two men arguing in one of the food storage rooms. The kitchen staff was busy and barely noticed me as I lingered outside the door to eavesdrop.
“What do you mean he’s coming? He wasn’t put on the guest list!” Cedric exclaimed.
“You mean you didn’t put him on the guest list,” Jasper snapped. “I don’t know what you’re playing at, but don’t think I haven’t noticed you cutting him out of her calendar! If you’re going to ruin this deal for us, then I need to take charge and fix things.”
“He’s not a good match for her,” Cedric said. “And she doesn’t like him.”
“How could she, when she’s barely gotten a chance to talk to him? Now get out there and be a charming host, and don’t screw this up any further!”
Jasper came storming out, and I shrank off to the side before he could see me. I stepped forward when Cedric appeared.
“I assume you were talking about Warren?”
“Yes,” he growled, anger sparking in his eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t have anything to do with it—but don’t let it bother you. You don’t have to talk to him tonight, and if he tries to monopolize you, I’ll distract him.”
“Well, as friendly as things have been between you, I’m sure that won’t be hard,” I said.
“I’ll take care of it,” he insisted. “You just worry about getting to know Mister Adelton.”
He waited for me to get my rouge and then walked with me to the drawing room. We came to an uncomfortable halt at the doorway. Etiquette dictated a gentleman in his position—one who was my guardian, of sorts—escort me into the room. He offered his arm, and I slipped my hand through it. As soon as I did, I felt that jolt of electricity go through me. Cedric took a deep breath, equally affected.
“We can do this,” he said. “We’re both strong. We can do it.”
To my dismay, I saw Warren hadn’t come alone—his mother was with him. When he spied me from across the room, he lit up and began working his way toward me through the crowd. Cedric immediately made an abrupt turn and hurried me over to a corner where a thin man with sandy-colored hair stood sipping brandy. He was nice enough looking, though not as dashingly handsome as Cedric—but then, who could be?
“Mister Nicholas Adelton,” announced Cedric. “May I present Miss Adelaide Bailey.”
Nicholas took my hand with a smile. “Miss Bailey, the reports I heard of you don’t do you justice—which is astonishing, considering how effusive Mister Thorn was in his description.”
I smiled back. “He’s a salesman, Mister Adelton. It’s his job.”
“Most of the salesmen I’ve met sell nothing but snake oil. Something tells me that—”
He was interrupted when Warren finally made his way to us. “Adelaide! I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve seen you.”
The charm I’d started to turn on for Nicholas instantly faded. “Mister Doyle,” I said, responding formally to his use of my first name. “How nice that you could come.”