Goodrich/ Sordid Secrets/ Chapter 22/ Page 22
Chapter Twenty Two
“Typical society,” Colin scoffed.
Watching the scene of scintillant dresses flutter by him, he stood to the side of the dance floor with the Garrison brothers— Earl Dane Beckford and Lord Marcus. Four hundred guests crowded the manor, all with stories to share and agendas to achieve this evening. Camilla had out done herself for her niece Kitty’s ball in Kent. Many in society believed that it would be mad for the Duke and Duchess to hold such a large ball so far from London, but such a rare occasion brought out the most illustrious of crowds. Moreover, Kitty did have her pick of titled, wealthy, illustrious and notable men from England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, France, Denmark, Belgium and even as far as Norway and one from Russia.
The ballroom was glittering with candles, gold framed mirrors, ladies in sparkling dresses and everyone had some sort of jewel draped on them. There were bands to meet the guests with music as they entered the gate, as they departed their carriages in front of the house, in the grand entry to Stonefield, the gardens and courtyard behinds the manor, and then of course the full orchestra was already playing in the ballroom. In nearly every hallway and balcony was either an opera soloist or singular cellist or violinist. To ensure no one was left without music their entire time at the estate.
Stonefield hosted multiple cigar and scotch parlors just for the gentlemen, as well as, napping rooms for the ladies – if perchance the excitement of the ball became too much for them. In each corridor adjacent to the ballroom were laid tables on tables of food, including smoked salmon, caviar, quail, pheasant, songbirds, venison, veal, roasts, boiled eggs, exotic cheeses, foreign fruits, and even boar and a rare buffalo. Each servant held a tray of punch, wine, champagne and spirits. The entire evening was pure indulgence and decadence.
Dane looked up from checking his white gloves for any tiny imperfection and looked quizzically upon Colin after such a rash comment. “What did you say?”
“Look at this gathering. All members are dressed in their finest, dancing to a stuffy orchestra and trading scandals in the crosstalk.” Colin gestured to the array of socialites who pranced before him. It seemed as if the ladies of the room purposefully sashayed before the three notable men clustered together.
Clasping his gloved hands in front of him, Marcus reasonably said, “our grand United Kingdom of Great Britain has held this tradition for hundreds of years, it will never change.”
“That’s what I said, typical society!”
Dane jabbed an elbow to Colin’s side. “Hold your tongue, Sir Avenry, and remind yourself the station to the men surrounding you.”
The threat was in order to remind Colin that he was technically below the Garrisons’ in rank within society, though there had been many times in their families multiple generations’ of associations that the Avenrys’ wealth far succeeded the Garrisons. Colin knew Dane took his station quite seriously, for it was his principle purpose, unlike his younger brother Marcus. Soon Dane, the Earl of Beckford, would replace his aging and sometimes ill father as the Marquis of Lamont. Colin actually felt pity for Dane and couldn’t conceive of living a life solely built around tradition and the aristocracy. “Speaking of your station, how’s your training, Dane?”
“The same as always, I’ve been groomed to take Kenton Park for twenty nine years. It’s all I seem to know anymore,” he heavily explained, narrowing his cerulean eyes.
“Any future Marquise of Kenton?”
“Not even distant future. My father is hoping I’ll at least choose a few candidates tonight, but then again he hopes that with every party I attend.” His head turned as a pretty face spun past him on the dance floor. “Lady Ballard surpassed herself with the invitations. I’ve never seen so many of England’s finest in one room. I’m surprised that even you two were pulled from the dungeon you call London.”
“Your brother dragged me here through all of my protests,” Colin said flatly as he kept his eyes from Marcus.
“Well, I still thank you, Colin.” Dane tipped his head to him in regard. “My father is beside himself having all of his children home together at once—especially after this last bout of illness.”
As he turned from his conversational companions, Marc groaned, “don’t remind me, Dane. I am well aware that I need to visit more often.”
“But it is also having Sara home. It’s been a year—”
“Has it been a year? I don’t understand how she was absent for that length of time.”
“Our sister is generous in taking to her ill friend for so long.” Dane looked admirably to his sister across the floor. Lady Sara Garrison looked ravishing clad in a bold, deep, cobalt gown which seemed to propel the deep color of her normally light blue eyes. Most of the ladies present this evening choose to wear fashionable pastel hues of pink, peach, lavender or cream. Sara’s bold choice of gown along with her platinum circlet of curls shaped her as one of the most noticeable women present, as well as, one of the most whispered about.
Marcus arched a brow in puzzlement. “I’ve been seriously considering that something is askew with our dear sister’s story of good will.”
“I haven’t spoken with her extensively about her trip, for she only returned a few days past.” Dane began to join his brother in suspicion.
“We must speak with her directly—”
“You’ll have to wait your turn,” Colin pointed out. “She’s been surrounded by suitors all evening. She’s the beauty of the ball.”
“Perhaps, though she is in equal contest with the ravishing Miss Noble,” Dane added. “I have to admit that it is a rare sight to see a woman that… alluring.”
“What?” Colin’s eyes darted to Nicolette standing past Sara—both ladies receiving a wealth of attention from every passing gentleman. He had been trying to keep from searching for her all evening, but was breathless upon catching his first glimpse of her. Nic was dazzling in her deep amethyst colored gown. Her hair was neatly pinned in curls about her crown with drops of purple jewels cascading about her ringlets. The darkness of her gown along with her raven hair caused her alabaster skin to become her prevalent feature of the evening. It accentuated the length of her neck along with the smoothness of her skin. Her large eyes were scanning the crowd near him and he could see that they were overcast tonight, meaning she was in deep thought. But only he would know that. It was astonishing to him that he could read her moods by the color of her uniquely grey eyes. It was as if he held the secret of her. With every slight move of hers it was as if the entire room moved with her. All eyes were on her and when she looked at something they would all turn to try to see what she saw. When she spoke with someone, everyone leaned in to hear. It must be because she was so rare in society, then again, it was most likely because no one was as captivating as her.
Colin was enflamed upon realizing that he wasn’t the only gentleman to realize how dazzling she appeared to be this evening, for men surrounded her along with Sara. For the first time, Colin felt as if Nic and his roles were reversed from their time in Lisbon. Colin felt as if he were the one taking the chances while Nic had closed off her ability to accept him. Why? Had London and England changed them both so much? Interrupting his own thoughts was an accusation taken from them.
“Admit it, Colin, I know you of all men have plotted to aquatint yourself with Miss Noble,” Dane jested.
“Dane, you must be mistaken,” Marcus corrected swiftly, as his gloved hand gripped his brother’s arm tightly. “Colin is the one gentleman here who is not hunting Miss Noble or our sister.”
“Oh, I had completely forgotten about the Noble-Avenry… anyway forgive me, Colin. I can never remember London or business scandals.”
“Please don’t call it a scandal or you’ll sound like common society.” Colin emphatically shook his head. “Anyway, it was seventeen years ago.”
Marcus took up where Colin dared not go with the soon-to-be Marquis, sternly scolding his selfish brother. “You should well mind your scandals brother, especially since our family chose sides – at a time when most of society was divided over the issue.”
“Don’t remind me.” Colin abruptly altered the conversation. “Oh, that cad Lord Cawood has shuffled himself between Sara and Miss Noble all evening. Doesn’t he have any dignity?”
“He’ll quickly learn that it takes much more than a clever compliment to charm Sara.” Dane proudly boasted of his sister’s sensible partiality.
“Or Miss Noble to my understanding,” Marcus added. “That poor boy has no hope.”
“Neither of those ladies have danced with any suitor all evening. I wonder if I would have a chance of being Miss Noble’s first partner this evening though. By the looks of it does any man have a chance with either of those girls?”
“I know one gentleman, but he’s not interested.” Marcus shot a glance to Colin, who silently stood on the fringe of the crowd.
Dane laughed loudly. “Oh, he wouldn’t have a chance!”
“You underestimate Colin’s power of persuasion. All women are helpless.”
“My sister and Miss Noble are not just any tittering debutantes. I, myself, don’t even dare ask Miss Noble, though I would covet catching her attention.” Dane smugly smirked, as his eyes raked over Nicolette’s curvy frame.
Listening to the allure that Nicolette held upon even his closest of friends infuriated Colin. Dane, Marc and Colin had spoken countless times about ladies as if they were prime real estate. But to presently hear Dane and Marc speak of Nicolette in such a manner brought his blood near boiling. Perhaps it was due to the fact that she had not left his thoughts all evening and then hearing her being coveted by others. But Colin felt protective in his claims to Nicolette due to the prior night’s activities. Perhaps his feelings were due to when Colin rescued Nicolette once again. She looked up on him with relief, but also with expectation. As if she had expected all along for him to come for her. Perhaps he felt this uncontrollable jealousy over Nicolette this night because the night before she was once again allowing Colin the opportunity for him to take her. He had not taken her though, just as in Lisbon, for on both occasions she had not been in a clear state of mind. But even more than both of his prior reasoning, Colin longed to again feel as he did last night and that night in Lisbon when he held her in his arms. Nicolette may have not been the first girl he ever held in such a close embrace but she was unlike any other whom he had held. Only thinking of her, Colin quietly muttered, “I wager I can at least dance with her.”
Dane passed over the offer, “oh, that’s too easy. Even with the scandal of you dancing with your former match while you are engaged to Miss Gray, Sara would never turn you away for a dance. You’re like a brother.”
“I meant Miss Noble.”
“What?” Marcus choked as he spun around to look at his life long friend.
Colin didn’t take his gaze from her as he recklessly announced, “I wager Miss Noble will accept my offer to dance, though she hasn’t agreed to any other offer all evening.”
“Oh, this is a wager I must take.” Dane chuckled. “She is a Noble! Therefore she inherently hates you, Colin. Also, I’ve heard the little minx spits on any man that approaches her, let alone a rake like you. I wager Miss Noble will laugh at you presence before her, disgracing you before a large proportion of society.”
“If you’re completely sure of her actions, what will you wager?”
Marcus began to contest the nonsense. “Colin you can’t do this. Think of the scandal alone that approaching her will cause.”
“Name the terms,” Dane crisply debated, ignoring Marc.
Though this was supposedly just another bet for the two, Colin thought for a moment and then turned to face Dane as a rival. “I overheard you recently acquired a new thoroughbred.”
Marcus gasped at the extraordinarily high set of terms.
But Colin was quite serious. “In return I will pay for the care and training of your new prize horse shall you win. Unless you’re unsure, Dane?”
“Quite the contrary. The gossip that will follow your attempt towards Miss Noble is worth the risk. Except you shall only have until one more set of dances pass.”
“A time constraint, Dane? You must know that I flourish when compelled.”
“Well, let us see, Sir Avenry.” Dane concluded with an exaggerated bow to gesture for Colin to proceed on his quest.
As coattails flew and whirled past him, Colin took a few steps forward and out of reach of his friends’ sight. What was he doing? Dane’s words about the gossip that would surround them should he go near his target should have been enough to stop Colin where he was. Moreover, Colin was shaken for she looked too ravishing this evening—too much for him to keep his senses. Nicolette stood out of the gathering of pallid debutantes in her dark amethyst gown against her soft skin. She hadn’t looked in his direction all evening. He wasn’t even sure she knew that he was present at her cousin’s ball. Despite all this, he assured himself of his intentions. Colin needed this chance to be near her without his friends questioning him. Now he could claim to having been pushed by his companion’s wager.
Colin silently walked up behind Nicolette, who too was absorbed into conversation with Sara to notice him. Confidently, he demanded, “dance with me.”
Her entire body stiffened to the unexpected, but familiar voice behind her. She promptly regained her composure to curtly answer. “No.”
Quickly circling around her, he gallantly proposed as he fixed his eyes on her. “Dance with me, so I’ll have an excuse to touch you.”