L&A: 17

The ball began promptly, as Rose had decreed, and the guests arrived in a steady stream of carriages. Rose and Albert were upstairs, since they would be announced once all the guests were assembled, but Lily, Richard and their parents were greeting the company in the foyer.

Lily was polite as she greeted the guests, but her eyes were constantly searching the doorway for Archibald’s arrival. The first dance was to begin soon and, although Richard was leading her out, she wanted to know Archie was there before the festivities began.

“He’ll come,” Richard said quietly to her as he greeted Lady Walsh. “Don’t worry.”

“I am worried,” Lily said through her smile.

“He won’t abandon you.” The crush of people was becoming a bit much, and Lily wished she could hurry out onto the porch, breath the cooler air and look over the horizon for the Cravens’ carriage.

Finally she spotted Neville’s lanky silhouette in the doorway. “Miss Lily,” he said, as he kissed her hand. “You look radiant.”

She blushed. “Thank you.”

“I hope your dances are not all spoken for.”

She shook her head. “Not all.”

“But you will have to move quickly, sir,” Richard interjected. “My sister’s card will not stay empty long.”

“Then I will have to make a claim,” Neville said, his gaze intense upon Lily. She smiled tightly and Neville moved on to greet her parents.

“Miss Lily.” Archie stood before her, resplendent in his white tie and tailcoat, looking like he had just left an audience with the queen.

“Mr. Craven.” She curtsied and gave a dazzling smile. The chemistry between them was tangible. Archie’s eyes were drawn to her lithe figure and the gown’s low-cut, lace-edged neckline. Her hair fell into shimmering ringlets and diamonds dropped from her ears.

“You are a vision,” he said, voice low. “You must save me several dances.”

She lifted her wrist and showed him her dance card. “You will see I have done so.” His initials were marked beside a good number of dances. “Of course I must not show a preference.”

“Of course.” His eyes bore into hers for a moment, then he moved down the line.

“It looks like we’re ready,” Richard said as Charles shut the main doors.

“I have to get Rose,” she said, and headed up the staircase to her sister’s sitting room. She knocked and entered, finding Rose sitting on her parlor chair, composed and cool with her golden skirt spread about her. Albert was adjusting the collar of his military jacket.

“Are you ready?” Lily asked.

Rose’s head jerked up and she nodded. “Albert?”

“I am if you are.” He grinned at Lily and took Rose’s arm. “Shall we?”

Lily headed down the stairs, followed by the couple, who then preceded Lord and Lady Spencer and Lily and Richard into the Hall’s ballroom. The room was alight with candles and lamps, and the women’s jewels shimmered. The applause was warm and loud as Rose and Albert entered, and Lily knew her sister was basking in the moment of her glory.

She and Albert went to the middle of the room to form the first set, Lily and Richard falling into place next to them. Lily noticed Archie was partnered with Lady Walsh’s youngest daughter, Amelia, who was out at the tender age of fifteen and appeared terrified at the prospect of dancing with Archie. Lily tried to suppress a laugh.

Richard was a fine partner, and, as they had danced together since childhood, she found their dancing easy and enjoyable. “You still dance well, Richard,” Lily noted. “I’m sure one of these ladies noticed.”

He rolled his eyes. “I hope not. I have no desire to join the marriage whirl our family seems to be caught in. At least not yet. I have to go to Oxford.”

“Oh, beware, little brother,” Lily cautioned. “Love will come when you least expect it.”

Richard chuckled and swung Lily into the formation as the dance reached its climax. The onlookers applauded the dancers’ skill as Lily curtsied to her brother and the first set ended.

“Miss Lily?” She heard Archie’s voice behind he and she turned, giving him a radiant smile.

“Yes, Mr. Craven?”

“I would like to claim the next two dances, if you are available.”

She made a display of checking her card. “You are in luck. I seem to have an ‘AC’ marked for the next two.”

“My initials are fortuitous.” He winked at her and she laughed.

“How was Miss Walsh?” Lily asked as they waited for the next dance to begin.

Archie stiffened. “Interesting. She doesn’t have much skill.”

“You probably scared her to death,” Lily scolded. “You looked so stern.”

“I do have a reputation to keep up.”

“Men!” Couples began to crowd the floor for the next dance, a waltz. “Where is Neville?”

Archie shrugged. “Probably dancing with Miss Walsh. I think she has every eligible bachelor on her card. Amelia would be good for him. Quiet, young…everything he needs.”

The waltz struck up, (Lily saw Amelia and Neville acknowledge each other) and Archie hesitantly began. His hand was firmly around Lily’s tiny waist and he grasped her hand tightly.

“You are a good dancer,” she said after a few moments. “You should do it more often.”

“With you as my partner, I shall.” The waltz, a Brahams’s, was Lily’s favorite. She was content in Archie’s arms, following his lead and admiring his appearance as they whirled about the room. She could not remember being so happy. Feeling him so close to her was what she wanted, and she wished the dance to go on forever.

“You are a fine dancer,” she said when the waltz ended. Her eyes were bright with excitement and her smile was wide. “You had deceived me into thinking otherwise.”

“I said I was out of practice,” he corrected her. “A different thing.”

“You are full of surprises.”

“Shall I get us drinks?” Archie asked as Lily took a seat near one of the windows.

She nodded. “I think I need a rest before I dance anymore.” She gingerly rubbed her ankle. “Neville wouldn’t be happy if I hurt myself again.”

“Nor would I.” She smiled and he headed off into the crowd.

Lily fanned herself, wishing Rose hadn’t invited quite so many of Albert’s London friends—the ballroom was crowded with couples, local families and mothers with their newly-out daughters. She spotted Amelia Walsh coming towards her with Julia Yates.

“Good heavens, Lily, your sister invited far too many people,” Julia said as she collapsed on the chair next to her. “What a commotion!”

“It is surely not worse than London,” Lily said dryly. The Yates’ spent every season in their London house and had Almacks’ vouchers. Julia could not complain of the crowd here if she had endured that.

“In London you have the best people about,” Julia said, surveying the room. “One can hardly say the same for Yorkshire.”

Amelia giggled. “You are right about that. We certainly have an assortment here tonight.”

“Did you see the Cravens? Well of course you did, Lily, you were dancing with the heir. That was…charitable,” Julia said.

“It wasn’t charitable at all. Mr. Craven is a gifted dancer and quite the gentleman,” Lily replied stiffly.

“We all know you’re a sweet girl, Lily, but that’s taking it too far,” Amelia said. “For all his money, no woman will have him.”

“I heard there was a woman in London who almost married him.” Julia lowered her voice to a confidential tone. “But once she saw his back— well that was enough for her.”

“Poor girl. Must’ve been a fright. How did he disguise it?” Amelia asked, enraptured.

She shrugged. “I don’t know. One can hardly conceal it.”

“There are more important things than appearance, you know,” Lily interrupted. “Perhaps that London woman was only interested in his money and not in him.”

“Any woman would be who married him,” Julia said. “There’s no other redeeming quality.”

“His brother is somewhat handsome,” Amelia noted, pointing. Neville was talking to Rose and Albert across the room, the light catching in his wavy hair. “Mother said if he was the heir she’d have set all of us at him.”

“That’s vulgar,” Lily said, but she was drowned out by Julia’s harsh laugh. She tossed her copper-colored curls and smiled sardonically.

“Rotten luck, Neville being younger,” Julia said. “Well no one will have Archibald. He’s too old, and I can’t imagine he knows anything about women. No sisters, and his mother dead so long—“

“Excuse me,” Lily said. She rose abruptly and made her way across the room, meeting Archie, who held two champagne glasses. She accepted her glass and took a long drink.

“I didn’t know you enjoyed champagne that much, ” he said mildly as she swallowed. He looked at her closely. “What’s wrong?”

“Too much gossip,” she said, taking another sip. “I don’t have the stomach for it.”

“I thought that’s what women primarily did at a ball, other than flirting ridiculously.” He was trying to tease her, but her eyes stayed hard. “It must have been personal to upset you this much.”

She shook her head. “It wasn’t. It was just malicious. Julia Yates has the sharpest tongue in the country.”

He looked past Lily and saw Julia and Amelia staring at them, talking rapidly. “We seem to have incurred some interest,” he said. “They can’t stop looking at us.”

Lily let out a huff and finished her glass. “I could use some air. Will you—“

“Lily? I believe we have the next dance.” Neville appeared next to them, his hand extended. Lily pasted a smile on her face and took his hand, handing her empty glass to Archie.

“I’m glad that you’ve taken so kindly to my brother,” Neville said. Talking while dancing was a general rule, but Lily was preoccupied and unable to keep up her end.

“He’s a good man,” she said, scanning the room for Archie. She was relieved he was talking to her father, and that Julia was dancing with Richard, therefore unable to gape at Archie or eavesdrop on her conversation with Neville.

Neville nodded. “I had hoped you would get along.”

“Really?”

“He needs some company. He is too often alone. I was hoping you could help me induce him to get out into society more, and you’ve already done that. You are quite a woman.”

She nodded, distracted. “Thank you.” Would the dance never end? She desperately wanted air.

“You should come to the Manor. We would love to have you and your siblings for tea, or dinner,” he offered. “And your parents, too, once your mother is recovered. I’m sure Archie and your father could conduct their business much better over one of Lucy’s fine dinners.”

Lily’s mind snapped to the conversation as she realized Neville didn’t know Archie was courting her. He thinks Archie is coming to discuss business with my father. Why hasn’t Archie told him?

“I’m sure my family would appreciate it,” Lily said mechanically. “Thank you for the invitation.”

The music, thankfully, ended, and Lily gave a quick curtsy. “All you all right?” Neville asked.

Lily nodded. “I just need some air.”

“Let me accompany you—“

“No, no,” Lily interjected hastily. “I’m fine. I’ll only be a moment.” She smiled tightly and headed for the entranceway, making her escape onto the front porch. The spring night was cool and Lily was relieved to be free of the oppression of the ballroom.

“Lily?” Archie’s voice came from behind her and she felt his hands on her shoulders. “I brought your shawl.” He draped it around her and held her close. “It is cold. You shouldn’t be out here alone.”

“I couldn’t stay in there another minute. It was too hot.”

“What did Julia say to you? You were fine until she spoke to you.”

Tears lapped at her eyelids and she turned to him. “She—she was speaking unkindly. I wasn’t in the mood to listen to it.”

“It was about me, wasn’t it.”

Her silence was his confirmation. “That is common for me, you know. People don’t know how to address me.”

“It’s awful of them. I can’t believe how shallow these people are.”

“It’s why I prefer my own company.” He took a deep breath and looked at her. Lily’s eyes shone with her tears. “Lily, it will always be like this. I have had a lifetime to inure myself to it. You have not. I will not force this life on you. You are too vivacious to be shut away.”

She shook her head violently. “We will not be shut away. These people are shallow. We will not have to associate with them once we are married.”

“Most people are like Julia. You are the only woman I have ever met who doesn’t seem to fear me on sight.” His voice was dark. “And I know you are kind, Lily. But I don’t want you to feel indebted to me. You are free to be with someone else.”

She grabbed his hands and held them tightly. “No. I don’t want to be with anyone else. I’ve chosen you, and it’s not out of any sense of misplaced gratitude or a sense of debt. I love you, Archie. That will not change. Ever.”

“You will always have people like Julia Yates. They will not spare your feelings.”

“I will not associate with them.” Her voice was fierce.

“You will have no choice. I won’t lock you away from society, from your family, from what you know and love. You’re too young and you’re too social. It would hurt you so.”

“Why don’t you believe that I love you?” She dropped his hands and stared at him.

“Because you’re….you’re…you,” he blurted. “You’re too much. I can’t believe that a woman like you, with the entire county full of men at your feet, would choose to be with me. I simply cannot understand it.”

“Maybe you’re not supposed to. Maybe it doesn’t seem logical to you. But you are a good, kind, wonderful man, Archibald. And I love you for all those things. I want you.” She began to cry quietly.

He lifted a finger and brushed away some of her tears. “Don’t cry.” It was a command and she tried to stop. “I’m sorry, Lily. I don’t want to upset you.”

“Then believe me. Trust me. Please.”

He was quiet for a few moments. “That is hard for me.”

“I know.” She looked at him straight on, her eyes clear. “But you have to trust me. I can live without superficial company and fair-weather society. But I need you to trust me and believe that I love you. Just you. I can’t live without that. I cannot be with you without that.”

He moved towards her and held her, kissing the top of her head. “I will try, Lily. It won’t be easy.”

She nodded. “I know. But I do love you. And I will show you every day that we’re together. It will take time for you to believe it. But you will.”

He turned her around and gently tipped her face towards his to kiss her. The kiss was long and ardent, and, for Archie, explosive. He had never kissed a woman like this before.

They broke the kiss, and Lily stared up at him, enraptured. “And you think that I am with you out of duty?”

Archibald laughed, the sound reverberating in the still night air. “Good God, Lily! You are too much for one man.”

“I only want one man.” They kissed again, longer this time, enjoying the cascade of emotions that fell over them.

“Lily? Are you out here?” Neville came through the doors and saw his brother, silhouetted in the moonlight, kissing Lily Spencer.