The Curse at Rose Hill by Camille Oster

Author:Camille Oster [Oster, Camille]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-05-14T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

An army of people had come to help Joseph set up for the party. The entire house was thoroughly cleaned and furniture moved out of the way to create a large area for mingling. Mrs. Thornton was directing them with a certainty that Emmeline hadn't seen before.

Emmeline tried to stay out of the way. The idea of a party seemed contrary to the situation as she understood it, but it wasn't her right to say how they should run their plantation. She was just the companion, and a poor one at that.

Standing in her fancier muslin dress, Emmeline waited behind Mrs. Thornton and Percy, who were receiving guests arriving through a long string of carriage lights stretching down the blackness of the road outside. Some of the faces were starting to be familiar. Mr. Chiswick was there with his mother, although Mr. Wilkins was not important enough in this society to garner an invitation to this party.

The murmur of voices soon filled the house, while music played gently in the main salon. Emmeline stayed to the sidelines, trying not to attract attention. Mrs. Thornton's comment about the male attention she attracted still stung, but it wasn't as though she was invited into any conversations otherwise.

Mrs. Thornton was alive being the center of attention. A party suited her very well, especially as Percy was here to see her right. Was that the role that Mr. Chiswick performed as well, chaperone to his mother? The thought made Emmeline smile. Although, at the moment, he was speaking to one of the younger, unmarried women, her tinkling laugh being heard through the din of the crowd. Mr. Chiswick was a flirt, Emmeline decided, seeking out all the young women on the island.

Lord Cresswell's appearance at the door to the salon seemed to change the atmosphere markedly. Emmeline seemed to know he was there before actually seeing him, looking up from her seat along the edge to see him, dressed in dark with his hair curling around his collar. His eyes traveled the room and found hers. There was no expression in them until he frowned. Why would he frown?

It was a change from the cordial, if not overly direct dealings they'd had before. He seemed to not acknowledge her any further and walked into the room. There had always been something very cold about him, and Emmeline felt the chill right now. Goosebumps rose up her arms and she refused to observe him further.

Deciding to stretch her legs, she rose and walked out to the central hall. A couple of men spoke along one of the walls, paying her no attention.

"Skulking around the halls?" Percy asked, appearing at her side. He wore a dark jacket that made him look slim and tall. "Not one for parties?"

"Perhaps not," she said. "I don't really know anyone."

He chuckled. "I know everyone here, always have. Nothing appears to have changed since I left. Well, except for the notable absences." He looked forlorn for a moment.

"I am sorry for your loss," Emmeline said.

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