A Matter of Time by Lucy True & Jea Hawkins

Author:Lucy True & Jea Hawkins [True, Lucy & Hawkins, Jea]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Persephone Press
Published: 2020-05-06T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Pleased that the tones of her purple-and-silver striped evening gown brought out the color of her eyes, Alice swept her lethal silver fan up into her hand off the seat of the carriage as it halted in front of the Marstons’ home in Grosvenor Square. Once she and her stepmother stepped down from the carriage, Matilda linked arms with her and smiled radiantly.

“Do you not find this lovely, Alice? How often is it that the two of us attend one of these gatherings together? Most of the time, I have Charlotte with me and she is a most agreeable companion. However, I don’t recall ever attending a function with only you at my side. Perhaps we shall build a connection as mother and daughter yet.”

Alice nodded wordlessly and scanned the throng for Nora. The idea of establishing any connection with Matilda, particularly a familial one, made her feel ill. Open fan concealing her face, she looked for the one person she truly wanted to meet at the party. Not that she’d admit to wanting anything more than seeing Nora eat crow, as the Americans called it. Her printed apology would bring their relationship back into the public eye, which left Alice with a strange twinge inside. At least this time, society would be on her side.

It took a few moments for them to catch sight of one another. As Nora approached, Alice realized that she’d never expected to be pleased to see her after their parting a few years prior. Yet she’d enjoyed the thrill of the past few days as they raced through and around London in search of the Aeternitas.

She knew Nora’s decision to end their relationship had direct bearing on her resolution to distance herself from her human side. After she’d left, Alice decided the emotional attachments of humanity were too difficult to bear. Human emotions were a failing she no longer wanted to accept or acknowledge.

What Alice also realized as she watched Nora bow over Matilda’s hand and murmur about how beautiful her stepmother looked, was she may have blocked out her desire to love, but not her capacity to do so. Nora hadn’t ruined that, at least. Friendship with her was something Alice was willing to open herself to, and she dared not risk any more than that.

“Of course, how lovely you are tonight, Miss Mortensen,” Nora said dutifully, taking Alice’s hand and brushing a light, almost imperceptible kiss over the back of her glove. “I believe your stepmother’s influence has had a positive effect on your femininity over the years.”

Matilda tittered. “How you flatter me, Lady Eleanora!” She opened her fan with a graceful flick of her wrist. “I’ve done my best to guide Alice into womanhood, thank you.”

“She is a credit to you, as is your lovely Charlotte. I must say she will be greatly missed while she is in the country with her father.”

Struggling to bite back a sarcastic retort, Alice kept her response tame. “It is truly a shame my sister can’t be here tonight.

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