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Chapter Twenty-Three
“Ithink I may faint,” Emily said.
“Then, by all means, hand me Baby John first,” Dinah replied, reaching for the baby. He came to her willingly, and Emily let him go.
Dinah placed the boy up on her shoulder, and he reached for several of her curls. With her hair all perfectly in place, Dinah took hold of his tiny fist and pried her locks loose before he could do any real damage.
“Silly boy,” she cooed. “You’d best leave my hair the way it is or my abigail is likely to have a fit to rival even one of yours.”
Emily smiled weakly at her youngest and then returned to looking at herself in the mirror which stood beside the dressing table in her bedchamber. “Do I look all right?”
“You look lovely,” Dinah said, instinctively beginning to sway slightly. Baby John rested more comfortably against her. She adored holding the little baby, but it did make her heart hurt all the same. Since Henry had come home bruised from his self-inflicted fight the other day, they’d both steered clear of one another. They had still enjoyed breakfast together, and they’d still talked at night. But they had only exchanged pleasantries and always with a very formal air about them. She felt they were more strangers now than they’d been even that first day of their wedding. And now, she wouldn’t be able to hide as much any longer. Her whole family would be attending tonight. No matter what she’d been telling them in her letters, they’d take one look at her and Henry standing on opposite sides of the room and know the truth. She’d failed. Her one chance at a happy marriage was ruined.
Dinah leaned in and kissed Baby John on the top of his head. This truly might be the closest she ever got to being a mother.
Emily ran a hand down the dress she’d had specially made for tonight’s ball. “Mother always said I looked good in purple.”
Dinah drew herself up. Tonight was Emily’s night, and she wasn’t going to ruin it with her own worries over Henry. Emily’s parents were staying in London with a family friend, and Dinah rather guessed it was because the relationship between them and Emily was still so strained. They’d sent word yesterday that they’d arrived safely and were looking forward to tonight’s ball. Emily had nearly collapsed from nerves when the letter had come.
“Are the pearlswiththe cross too much?” Emily fingered first one and then the other necklace.
“I think it’s a beautiful combination. Besides,” Dinah continued, even while she cuddled Baby John, “isn’t one of the goals tonight to prove to your parents that David is providing a comfortable life for you? A little opulence is called for.”
Emily turned around, facing Dinah once more. “Thank you for coming to help. I’m afraid my nerves are all aflutter, and I can’t seem to think straight for the life of me.”
“That’s what sisters are for,” Dinah said. It felt strange to call this woman her sister. They hadn’t known one another that long. And yet, when Emily smiled at her, Dinah knew she had the right of it. They were sisters now—and not just in name, as Henry seemed to insist at every turn. Though Dinah had joined this house out of necessity, she’d come to love it here. She loved having Emily as a sister, though their dispositions could not have been more different. She loved Oliver and Miles, and even Uncle Jeffrey’s outlandish stories. Though Mr. Wilson and Aunt Beatrice had yet to warm to her, she still loved them as well. Theirs was not a perfect home—even calling it idyllic would be a stretch. But then again, Dinah had never searched out an easy life. That would have been far too boring.
As far as she was concerned, Angleside Court suited her quite well.
If only Henry could be made to agree.
Emily stood, standing straighter than she had all day. “I think I might finally be ready.”
“And well before the first guest to arrive,” Dinah said. “You should be proud of yourself.”
Emily laughed, but her nervousness was still obvious in the tone. “Only just. I am certain the guests shall begin arriving any minute now.”
“Then I’d best take Baby John to the nursery.”
“Thank you”—Emily held out her arms—“but let me kiss him good night first.”
Dinah handed her the baby, and Emily cuddled him close to herself. “You be a good boy for your nursemaid tonight, all right?”
Baby John babbled his reply and then burped, spitting up all down Emily’s elegant dress.
Dinah gasped, her hands going to her mouth. Emily froze and then went pale. Dinah took the baby back quickly, for now, Emily truly did look like she might faint.
“No,” Emily breathed. “No, no, no.” She pulled at the dress, but the white mess only slid further down the fabric.
“Sit down,” Dinah instructed, pulling over the small chair from beside Emily’s changing table.
Emily collapsed atop it. “What am I going to do?”
Voices swelled from the front of the house. The guests had begun to arrive.
Emily looked up at Dinah. Her eyes were wide and rimmed with tears.
“Don’t worry,” Dinah said, patting her shoulder. “We can fix this.”
