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Tessa awoke the next morning determined not to feel sorry for herself. Instead of thinking about what she would be missing, she decided to visit her sisters...and mother to discover how Emma’s entrance into society was going.
Since the day was sunny and warmer than the past few, she decided a walk to her mother’s home was in order. Inhaling the fresh scents of spring invigorated her. She even noticed that a few people nodded slightly to her as she strolled by them. Perhaps in a few more months, the scandal over losing another husband would fade from people’s memories and she would be nothing but a wealthy widow to everyone.
She reached her mother’s small home and walked up the steps only to be almost run over by her sisters as they raced out of the house. “What are you about this morning?”
“Tessa!” Louisa and Emma exclaimed together.
“What are you doing here today?” Louisa asked as she straightened out her muslin dress. “We were just leaving to buy a few things before the ball tonight.”
The ball. Louisa didn’t even have to mention which one because everyone knew tonight was the Creighton ball.
“May I join you in your shopping?” Tessa asked.
“Yes, that would be lovely!” Emma said with a smile. “I have missed you. Mamma has me so busy with calls, dance lessons, balls, and Almack’s, it is exhausting. I haven’t even had a chance to visit you.”
“Good luck getting Mamma to agree to pay a call on me.” Tessa glanced back at the door. “Is she joining us?”
“No, she is resting to have enough energy for tonight,” Louisa said with a smirk.
“Of course,” Tessa replied, trying not to giggle. Both she and her sister knew when Mamma needed a rest and asked them to leave, it was only because Lord Hammond was about to arrive.
“Shall we be off?” Emma asked. “I need to pick up my new pair of dancing slippers before tonight.”
As they settled into the carriage, another coach pulled up behind them. Apparently, they had made it just in time before her mother’s lover arrived. They drove toward Cornhill Street and chatted about all the balls and parties they had attended.
“Louisa, did you tell Tessa what happened yet?”
Louisa’s face soured. “I have hardly had a chance to speak since I entered the carriage.”
Emma blushed. “I didn’t mean to monopolize the conversation.”
“It’s to be expected that you would be excited about all the parties,” Tessa commented. “You’ve had six years of watching your sisters attend all the balls while you stayed home with Nanny Stephens. Now what is the exciting news?”
“It is not that exciting,” Louisa muttered bitterly.
Emma sighed. “She received a proposal yesterday.”
“You did?”
Louisa nodded. “Blakely.”
“Mamma is terribly proud of her,” Emma said in an animated voice. “She says I will find someone soon and be married with a family of my own.”
“I am certain Mamma is very proud of Louisa,” Tessa replied slowly. Thankfully, the carriage stopped in front of Wood’s. “Emma, go ahead. We’ll follow behind in a moment.”
Once her sister left, Tessa turned her attention to Louisa. “What are you going to do?”
Louisa shook her head. “I prayed he would never get up the nerve to ask me. Mamma believes it is already done. She would have me married in a fortnight. I cannot do it, Tessa. I don’t love him.”
Tessa bit down on her lower lip. The biggest reason she’d married was so her sisters would not have to marry unless they were in love. “Then you mustn’t marry him.”
“I might have to come live with you after I tell Mamma,” Louisa said with a half-smile.
“If it comes to that then you shall.” Tessa moved to disembark. “We had best hurry or Emma will buy out the store.”
After two hours of shopping, Tessa felt exhausted and still a little sad not to be attending the ball tonight. She arrived home and decided a rest with a good book would help.
Roberts opened the door with a slight smile. “Good afternoon, ma’am.”
