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“But don’t you see? The Season will be ending early now that Parliament is out.”
Vicky blinked at her best friend as the confusion cleared, but her heart sank. “Oh, I see.” Georgia was quite correct, this was most disappointing. Another Season without a match. She was never going to find for herself what everyone else had.
After a brief moment, Vicky pulled her wits back together, turning to her hostess. “Well, surely it won’t end all at once. Will the hostesses cancel their planned entertainments, do you suppose?”
Georgia frowned anew, but this time as though in thought.
“No, you’re quite right, Vick. In fact, there is likely to be a flurry of new invitations as everyone plans end-of-Season entertainments. Suddenly everyone will wish to be the last, most memorable event,” she concluded with a laugh. “Perhaps we ought to throw something ourselves. Most certainly, we ought to buy some new gowns.”
Vigilia wrinkled her nose in consternation. “You have certainly taken totonnishlife with aplomb. You used to hate shopping nearly as much as I did.”
“Perhaps even more,” Georgia agreed as she watched her husband sneak out of the room. Turning to her guest with a grin, she shrugged. “The thing is, I’m much more acceptable to others when I’m properly attired.”
“No one considers you in the least bit objectionable. And everything you own is the first stare of fashion. Don’t tell me you’re coming over insecure all of a sudden.”
“Insecure might be stating it too strongly, but I do worry that Crossley will come to regret his choice.”
Vicky stared at her friend. “Is being with child addling your brain?”
Georgia laughed again. “Very well. No shopping. But what do you say to us planning a ball?”
Hurrying to her friend’s side, Vicky grasped Georgia’s hand. “You are the dearest friend, George, but I cannot allow you to do that for me. You know you hate hosting such large entertainments.”
Georgia shrugged delicately. “Again, with the strong language, Vick. Hate is much too strong a word for how I feel on the subject.”
“Don’t try to convince me, my dear. You’ll soon catch cold at that.”
Georgia made a face at her but then sat in thought, tapping her finger to her tooth, a habit she’d had since childhood, and one that always made Vicky laugh.
“Come now, George, it’s truly not the end of the world, I can assure you. While it’s true that I’m getting a little older than most of the debutantes, it isn’t such a bad thing. There is always next year for me to enjoy another Season and find myself a husband.”
Georgia sighed heavily. “But that’s just it, Vick. You aren’t enjoying it, are you?”
Vicky tried to smile as though she were unconcerned, but her friend cut her off. “Don’t try to gammon me. Don’t forget we’ve been friends since we were girls. I know you’d rather have this part behind you and be settled.”
“Well, yes, of course, that’s what I would rather. But truly, what are a few months? It doesn’t really change all that much.” She tried to laugh, but it came out more as a sigh. “And really, we might be deceiving ourselves if we think Parliament sitting another month would have made all that much of a difference.” Vicky rose to pace across the room and gaze out the window. “I’ve already met all the eligible gentlemen there are to be met this Season. None have been of particular interest to me, and I haven’t seemed to catch any of their eyes. Perhaps, this is for the best.”
Georgia rose and joined her friend at the window. “I know you don’t really believe it’s for the best, but I’m glad you’re looking at the bright side anyway. I know you think all the eligible gentlemen have overlooked you, but perhaps Parliament’s ending early will give them a greater sense of urgency. Perhaps, this will be just the thing we were hoping for.”
Vicky laughed and linked her arm through Georgia’s, resting her head on her friend’s shoulder. “You’re the best friend, George, and I appreciate the thought. But you know you just don’t want my mother thinking we’ve been having too much fun to be serious.”
“Lady Sherton will never let me host you again if I fail her in this.” Vicky didn’t bother trying to deny it.
“But George, it isn’t your failure. I just have never taken. And surely, we have dutifully written all the details of every event we’ve attended. Mother cannot blame you for this.”
There was a brief pause as they shared companionable silence, and each lost in their own thoughts as they continued to contemplate the view from the window.
It was a pleasant view, Vicky thought. Crossley’s townhouse sat across from a rather large parkette so they could see trees, plants, and strolling pedestrians. Vicky was just thinking that it would be nice to return to the country, even if she would have to be someone’s guest for a while longer instead of gaining a house of her own. Perhaps, she ought to start thinking about setting up her own house and accepting that she was to remain a spinster. In another couple years, she would be able to gain access to the moneys left to her upon Grandmother Sherton’s death. The old dowager had left the funds in such a way that it needn’t be a dowry but could be used by her granddaughters however they saw fit once they reached twenty-five years. Vicky had a few years to wait, but she wondered if her father might advance her some funds in the meantime.
“I have just the thing.” Georgia interrupted Vicky’s thoughts. “We’ll plan a house party. It will be perfect. You will have far more opportunity to get to know a gentleman when we’re a smaller group, and I know you would prefer more casual settings.”
Vicky blinked at the sudden change. “Do you think you’d like to host a house party?”
“I actually quite think I would. It would be far better than a ball, I’m sure. Especially since we can invite exactly who we’d most enjoy spending time with, besides being much smaller and more manageable.”
“But you can’t see the back of them for at least a week, unlike a ball. No matter how disastrous a ball might be, it’s only one night.”
Georgia laughed. “Aren’t we a pair of socialites?” she drawled with sarcasm evident in her tone. “Never mind about that. There will be no disasters at my house party. Now come, let us sit down and think about who we ought to invite and when we should plan to have it.”
