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“Yes. Let’s pack all of it,” Ursula replied making a spur of the moment decision. She ignored Edwina’s surprised start and hurried over to the bedside table to fetch her reading book and sewing. “I am not sure what I will need while I am there, so I will take it all. That way, I won’t have to buy as much while I am there.”
She watched Edwina shrug and smiled to herself as she helped pack her belongings into the trunks.
Two weeks later
Ursula struggled not to squirm in her seat. Her back ached from sitting in the hard and uncomfortable chairs for the last two hours and now, to cap it all, she had a headache. It was expected, she supposed, given the hideous cacophony Mildred Simpson was plodding out on the piano. If it wasn’t for the fact that Lady Moldover was one of Aunt Adelaide’s best friends, Ursula would have made her excuses and left by now.
When Aunt Adelaide’s head touched her shoulder again, Ursula coughed and nudged it back up. Her lips quirked when Adelaide blinked sleepily at her; then groaned when she realised where she was. Their eyes met and held for a moment. Ursula couldn’t withhold her smile when her aunt winced and swore in a rather unladylike fashion when the music increased in volume as it reached its climactic end.
An awkward silence settled over the room once the smattering of applause faded. Nobody moved or spoke, merely watched with a sense of inevitability as Mildred immediately flicked through the pages of the music book. Before anybody could move, she began to bash away at another piece of music.
“How much longer?” Adelaide whispered out of the corner of her mouth.
“It was your idea to come,” Ursula chided her without taking her eyes off Mildred. She winced when several wrong notes were played, but the young girl plodded on regardless.
“I must have a word with her mother about sending her for more lessons,” Adelaide grumbled as she studied the bored guests seated around them. She nodded to one or two of them and shared knowing looks with a couple more. “Any idea of how long we have been here?” she whispered.
“About three weeks, I think,” Ursula replied. “Any idea of how we can take our leave without having to climb out of the window, pretend to faint, or actually crawl out under the seats?”
Adelaide considered that for a moment then nodded firmly. “I have a perfect way,” Adelaide replied with an air of secretive confidence.
Ursula lifted her brows and watched Adelaide nod surreptitiously at a woman seated on the opposite side of the room. The idea of two octogenarians plotting the downfall of the young pianist made her want to laugh, and so Ursula sat back to see what her somewhat wayward aunt had in store. Unfortunately, while she waited for the music to finish, her mind began to wander.
Since her arrival in London she had been thrust into a heady whirl of social engagements that left her struggling to cope with the constant round of new names and faces, none of whom she had any hope of remembering. Although she had tried hard not to pay him any attention, she had learned relatively early on that Trenton Calderhill had returned home to Yorkshire, apparently to deal with pressing estate matters. Thankfully, he wasn’t expected back for some time, which assisted her on her quest to forget about him.
Secure in the knowledge that she wouldn’t stumble across him at any of the engagements, she had actively thrown herself into the heady social whirl of London. Unfortunately, those social engagements, most of which were just as boring as this one, would have tried the patience of Job. The only highlight of this evening was seeing how Adelaide was going to get them out of Lady Moldover’s music room without actually clubbing Mildred over the head.
“Get a hold of yourself,” she whispered to herself, aware that once again, her thoughts had turned toward Trenton, in spite of her best efforts to relegate him to the past where he belonged.
“Eh? What’s that?” Adelaide murmured.
“Nothing.”
Settling back in her seat, she waited to see how Adelaide would get them out of the recital before dawn. She didn’t have to wait long.
When the pianist finished the current piece with a flurry of hands, Adelaide and the lady across the aisle clapped but, rather than stopping, they continued to clap as they stood. In doing so they forced all the men in the room to stand as well. Sensing escape, people clapped louder for several moments and hurriedly made their way out of the room.
“I must have a drink before we go,” Adelaide murmured as they entered the room across the hallway that had been set aside for refreshments.
“I thought you were tired,” Ursula mused ruefully as she followed her.
“I feel quite refreshed now,” Aunt Adelaide declared with a rather pleased smile.
She should be refreshed seeing as she spent most of the recital fast asleep on my shoulder, Ursula mused with a rueful shake of her head.
“It is getting late, Aunt Adelaide. We have an appointment with the modiste tomorrow. It is already well past midnight.”
“Nonsense. We have time for a Ratafia, don’t we dear?” Adelaide didn’t bother to wait to see if her niece agreed before she waved to a footman carrying a tray of drinks.
As she usually did whenever she accompanied her aunt to such social engagements; Ursula seated her aunt, handed her a drink, and then stood to one side while Adelaide chatted to her friends and acquaintances.
“Oh, there you are. I was wondering if you would come and see us,” Adelaide suddenly gushed, her wrinkled face wreathed in a delighted smile. “How is your father?”
“He is in good health thank you, Adelaide. You appear to be so too. You look delightful this evening.”
Ursula felt her stomach dip. As soon as he spoke, she knew who it was, and looked up with her heart in her eyes. Something deep within her jolted when she realised he was smiling directly at her. Not just smiling, but looking at her in a rather knowing way that gave her the impression he knew something she didn’t.
Don’t be a fool, Ursula. How could he? She thought somewhat shakily. Mindful of the people watching, she dipped into a curtsey as Adelaide introduced them.
