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Chapter 34
The ball was off to a fabulous beginning. Giulia stood beside Nick and the earl in the receiving line and met each and every person as they came into the room, listening humbly as they marveled at the decor and praised her ingenuity. Giulia played the perfect hostess. She was gracious and kind, laughed when it was necessary and deflected rude or snide remarks as if she had not even heard them. Above all, she was wearing her favorite color.
Madame Chastain had used a beautiful blue silk for Giulia’s gown that was a deep enough blue to make her pale skin look creamy, her brown eyes rich, and her horrid hair shiny and lustrous—though her coiffure might be better credited to Tilly’s skill than to the gown.
The gown was magical. And in it, she felt like a princess.
Nick and Ames had both looked upon her in awe as she had descended the stairs to check on the last-minute preparations, and Lord Hart had averted his gaze, his eyes suspiciously shiny.
She stepped away from the men as the receiving line grew, unable to watch Lord Hart introduce beautiful, eligible women to Nick.
“I think every unwed woman in the county has come,” she said, sidling up beside the bevy of swans on the far side of the room.
Hattie wrinkled her nose in apology. “Word has spread that the future earl is in want of a wife.”
“I’m sure every household claiming an eligible daughter accepted their invitation,” Mabel added.
And Giulia knew how many invitations went out in the post, for she had penned each of them. There were doubtless going to be plenty of women this evening for Nick to sort through. She was glad she was about to leave Halstead so she would not be forced to watch him court those women as well.
Amelia strung her arm through Giulia’s. “Is it true, though? He is trying to find a wife?”
Giulia nodded. “The earl has requested it.”
“How will he manage that when he’s put off every woman in Graton?” Amelia asked ruefully.
Hattie scoffed. “Those little dalliances are easily forgiven when a title hangs in the balance.”
Music filtered through the grand hall as the musicians tuned their instruments. Ames caught her eye from across the room and raised his eyebrows. She nodded softly and watched as he picked his way through the ever-growing crowd.
Nick had lent Ames a set of evening clothes and he was dashing. Giulia wished she had the ability to draw his likeness so he could take it home and show his sweetheart. Little Jo surely would have appreciated the vision Ames made.
A man approached, requesting Hattie for a dance, and then Dr. Mason followed shortly after, asking Mabel.
When Ames approached, she was gratified by his chivalrous bow and introduced him to Amelia.
“I have heard about you,” Amelia said, curtseying with poise, a secret smile upon her lips.
“I hope it was all good things,” Ames said, his eyebrow lifted.
Giulia and Amelia exchanged a look.
Ames cleared his throat. “You know I cannot ask you to dance, but I wondered if you would like to borrow my name for an excuse this evening?”
“That would be quite helpful, thank you.”
Amelia’s brow clouded.
Giulia leaned closer to her friend, lowering her voice. “I cannot dance.”
“In truth?”
“Yes,” Giulia said. “I never learned English dances.”
The mourning swan’s face broke into a laugh. “You did not think to tell your uncle when he requested your help planning the ball?”
“Of course not,” Giulia said. “Then I would have had to learn.”
They watched Mabel and Hattie dance with different men as Ames led Giulia and Amelia to two available tufted chairs along the wall by a window.
