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Chapter 5
Mary found Sarah along the back wall, looking perfectly happy. She was eager to know what had happened between Sarah and her friend, Harry; moreover, she also wanted to tell Sarah all about Lord Hanbrooke and how the interaction had gone with him.
“My goodness, Mary! I have never seen you so aglow. You must tell me, how was the dance? How was your conversation?” Sarah asked, coming close so that Mary could speak softly and without being heard by other guests.
“Strange,” Mary replied, laughing with the word. She was cautious about it, not wanting to sound as though she had not enjoyed every moment. Nevertheless, Mary was still trying to discern precisely what had just happened. She was confused by the interaction, just as she was delighted by it. There was very little that she could easily say.
“What do you mean by that? How was it strange? Did you enjoy the dance? Was he a good man? Is he the sort of gentleman you might find yourself curious to spend more time with?” Sarah pressed.
Mary noted that there were still so many people around them and the last thing she wanted was to cause a rumour to spread by mentioning every detail about her encounter. However, she had truly enjoyed the moment with Lord Hanbrooke and she was eager to share that with Sarah.
“At first, it was rather awkward. I was surprised, you see, because he is so handsome, and he is quite an eligible man in seeking a husband. After all, he is titled, evidently wealthy, and has eyes the likes of which I have never seen before,” she began.
“Then what was the problem?” Sarah asked.
“He was somewhat…rude. I believe he was simply shy, but I think also that he did not feel as though I was worth engaging in conversation at first. It was clear that he was uninterested, but then everything changed. I imagined him worldly, a proud man who thought himself superior, however it soon became clear that there was just something else to discuss with him,” Mary said.
“Such as?” Sarah continued to prod, wanting to know every last detail.
“I happened to mention that he reminded me of a character in a novel I am reading, and he shocked me by expressing his love for the very same title. He loves this author, just as I do, and we began discussing literature.
I wish that we had spoken of it from the very beginning because that was when he clearly started to enjoy the dance with me; by the time we really began talking, the dance was coming to an end,” Mary explained, still grieving that she did not have a chance to speak with Lord Hanbrooke further.
“So, you mean to say that everything went well? The two of you enjoyed it?” Sarah asked.
Mary paused for a moment and smiled to herself. She knew that she did not have long before the next dance and she would need to share all of this with Sarah in a hurry.
“Indeed, I believe we both did. Once he was distracted in the discussion, he was not so stiff, and our dance became much easier. His lovely eyes lit up and he was eager to speak with me. I cannot say that I am confident he would ever have further interest, but it was certainly nice enough for the moment,” Mary said.
“Well, I am certainly delighted to hear that. You must now learn what I was told while I danced with Harry,” Sarah said, hinting.
“What is it? Are you fond of this man?” Mary asked, excited.
But Sarah brushed that thought away.
“I am still speaking about you and Lord Hanbrooke. We must discuss this matter first,” Sarah insisted. “While I was dancing with Harry, we began talking about Lord Hanbrooke and what sort of man he is. Harry told me that he is having a difficult time accepting this aspect of his inheritance.
He is not comfortable with the social implications—he would prefer to be alone, with a book. I was shocked, really, thinking that it reminds me of you somewhat—although you are a good deal more friendly, I daresay.
“But Harry said that Lord Hanbrooke has a strong imagination. He said that he loved to read and indulge in books because he finds reality somewhat disappointing,” Sarah continued.
“I, too, find reality disappointing,” Mary replied. As if by design, her stepmother and stepsister approached, returning her to the reality in which she lived.
“Mary,” her stepmother said in a hiss. She barely acknowledged that Sarah was even present and was already prepared to launch into scolding Mary.
“Yes, Lady Rachel? What is it?” Mary asked innocently.
Charlotte scoffed and rolled her eyes at Mary’s hesitancy. It was clear that, whatever Mary had done wrong, she ought to have known that it was a mistake.
“How dare you even ask? What were you doing? What did you think to gain from this little show of yours?” Lady Rachel asked.
“Show? What show? I assure you I meant no harm in whatever I have done that offends you so,” Mary promised.
“No harm? You foolish girl—you meant every harm in the world. Everything you do is meant to push my daughter out of your way and now you have gone and danced with a man we do not know. You have made our family appear as though we are reckless and care nothing about our place in society.
If you had taken even a moment to consider what you were doing, you would have realised that you were putting yourself before her in a most selfish gesture by dancing with someone who could have a dreadful reputation,” Lady Rachel scolded, descending into her tirade.
Mary was shocked that her stepmother was getting angry at her in public, but Lady Rachel was looking around to ensure that they were not being noticed by anyone.
