“That cannot be.”
Cora sighed in exasperation. “Now listen here. I know that I am no lover of romance. I can be a bitter old maid when I wish it. But I care for you as a sister and for Lord Harrison as a brother. I want both of you to be happy.
“So listen closely to me now. I know Harrison and I know you. The only one who does not realize that you are in love with him is him! Your sister Bridget, the one that you think he loves, she noticed it even.”
“What?” Regina was filled with horror at being so easily read.
“Yes. She tracked me down during the ball while you were playing cards. She did not even stop to re-make my acquaintance after so many years apart. Her questions were all about Lord Harrison’s intentions towards you, for your speaking of him and your praise had led her to understand your regard for him.”
“I was only praising him so that she would accept his proposal!” Regina protested.
“If you wish to tell yourself that to ease your own nerves, you may,” Cora replied promptly.
Regina wanted the ground to swallow her up. So now she was to be humiliated.
“Come, come, darling, none of that.” Cora gently hooked two fingers underneath Regina’s chin and raised it up so that Cora could look her in the eye. “He loves you too. Just as he is the only one who does not know how you feel, so you are the only one who does not know how he feels.
“He loves you, Regina. Go downstairs. Do not speak to Bridget. Dance and be merry. In time he will come to you.”
“How do you know that?”
Cora smiled. “I just do. I have been on this earth longer than you have, remember?”
Regina took a deep breath. She had trusted Cora so far and had not been led astray. Perhaps she could trust her with this one last thing. “All right.”
“Good girl.”
Cora took her hand and led her back to the chamber where she had changed. She and her maid helped Regina to get back to her original hairstyle and dress and placed the first mask back on Regina’s face.
Part of Regina was sad that she could not show off her dress more. Perhaps at another ball. But at this one, she could not afford to be discovered as the woman who had gambled. Even the bent rules of the masquerade only extended so far.
But perhaps—just perhaps—she was just enough as she was. Regina Hartfield. Not the mysterious woman in white. Just as herself.
Cora finished tying her mask firmly upon her face, then smiled at her. “I shall deal with what little matters are left. Now go, my darling, and dazzle them all.”
Chapter 34
Epilogue
Regina felt another pang of panic as she stood at the top of the stairs.
She felt like a completely different person after everything that had happened. Yet at the same time it felt as though what had gone on in the card room was something out of a dream. It hadn’t really happened.
But it had. She had won back her family’s fortune and honor. Her sisters were safe.
They would all find that out soon enough. Cora had said she would handle it. She would make sure that they all found out about their reversal and return to honor.
Louisa could marry. Elizabeth could marry without it being under a cloud. Bridget could take her time. Natalie could grow in substance.
It would all be all right now.
And what of her? What would happen to her now that it was all over?
She would find another man. She did not know if she could love him as she loved Lord Harrison, but she could find someone with whom she felt safe and who she knew respected her.
Love. She had said it to Cora, or rather had it called out to her by Cora. It was real now. She loved Lord Thomas Harrison, Duke of Whitefern.
It made her want to curl up into a ball in the darkest corner and cry until she was spent and could no longer feel a single emotion.
But no. She was stronger than that.
Regina held her head up high and descended the stairs.
It was no grand entrance. Everyone was busy chatting or dancing. The masquerade was still in full swing, after all. She descended into a sea of color that swallowed her up almost at once.
She found, for once, that she didn’t mind. She wanted to be swallowed up and forgotten, just a little.
Regina moved through the crowds of people. Natalie was out on the dance floor, but appeared for once to be listening to her partner rather than talking over him.
Elizabeth was seated with Louisa. It seemed that the two had grown closer after spending time together, just the two of them, while Elizabeth was courted by Mr. Denny.
Mr. Denny himself, apparently, was hovering nearby. Regina suspected that it would surprise no one when the engagement was announced.
She could not see Bridget, but it didn’t matter. She had time to tell her about the deal and what she had done.
Despite Cora’s words, Regina could not believe that Lord Harrison had moved on from Bridget. Regina was coming to understand that she was more than she had previously thought, but enough to outshine her eldest sister?
No. Nobody could outshine Bridget. Regina, even at her best, couldn’t compare to her.
It was probably why she couldn’t see Bridget right now, actually. She was certain that Lord Harrison would want to break the news to her himself. Regina wasn’t sure which would be right. She was the one who’d agreed to the bargain, after all, but Lord Harrison had been the one who had expressed a desire for Bridget’s hand.
Regina watched the dancers for a while, when a young man approached her. “If I may have the next dance?”
She nodded. She might as well distract herself while she could.
Dancing wasn’t so bad when you needed to avoid thinking about something. Her partner was engaging and it took quite a lot of thinking to stay true to the steps while also conversing. After that dance, she found another partner. And another.
This would be all right. She was more confident than she had been before and therefore she was more comfortable. She could do this, dancing and going to balls. Eventually she would find someone.
If only it didn’t feel so empty.
She danced, and danced, and danced, until suddenly the last dance was over and she turned around only to hear a very familiar voice say, “May I have the next dance, Miss Hartfield?”
Regina turned.
Lord Harrison was standing in front of her. His blue eyes were warm and welcoming, looking at her with that affection that she had told herself she only imagined. He wore a small, enigmatic smile on his face.
“My sister is Miss Hartfield, if you wish to be proper,” she responded, slipping into her natural teasing with him.
“If my understanding is correct, in a short time your middle sister will be the proper Miss Hartfield,” Lord Harrison replied.
“Oh. Yes. Bridget will be marrying you.”
Lord Harrison shook his head. “Bridget, I suspect, will be going to the Continent for quite some time.”
Before Regina could even begin to figure out what that meant, Lord Harrison indicated the dance floor with his hand. “The next dance is beginning. May I?”