And Then She Fell by Stephanie Laurens

Author:Stephanie Laurens
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Romance, Regency, General, Historical, Fiction
ISBN: 9780062068644
Publisher: Avon
Published: 2012-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

The following morning, Henrietta, accompanied by Louise and Mary, attended a well-publicized at-home at Celia Cynster’s house in Dover Street.

The notice of James and Henrietta’s betrothal had duly appeared in the Gazette that morning. The Cynster ladies had chosen Celia’s long-scheduled event as Henrietta’s first foray into the wider ton as a formally affianced young lady. Several of those Cynster ladies—Honoria, Patience, and Alathea among them—were there in support, but the older ladies had deemed their presence unnecessary, and potentially too overwhelming; no one wished to deny Henrietta her moment.

As the steady stream of guests ascending Celia’s front steps attested, the announcement in the Gazette had been noted at many a ton breakfast table that morning. Matrons and their daughters flocked to Dover Street, correctly divining that there they would learn everything—all the relevant details—behind the unexpected engagement, and would thus be best placed to spread the news through the upcoming luncheons, promenades, and afternoon teas.

On gaining Celia’s drawing room, all the ladies made a beeline for Henrietta; standing with her back to the fireplace, facing the long room, she almost felt besieged. But as soon as they’d passed on their felicitations, the matrons fell back, circling to join Louise or one of the other Cynster ladies, hoping to extract further pertinent details from them. Meanwhile, the younger ladies, those not yet betrothed and those recently engaged or married, remained in a knot about Henrietta, excitedly asking about her engagement ball and speculating over when she and James would wed. The latter was something Henrietta and her mentors had decided to keep private for the moment, not that that deterred those speculating in the least.

The company was in constant flux; groups arrived, remained for twenty minutes, then departed, well primed with facts to share.

Once again to her surprise, Henrietta found herself swept up in the giddy whirl. She felt particularly gratified when several young ladies she’d helped through the years to make up their minds to accept or decline various offers arrived to press her hand and enthusiastically congratulate her on having found her own true love.

Phillipa Hemmings was typical of those who gathered to wish her well. Clasping Henrietta’s hands, Phillipa beamed. “You helped me when I needed it, and many others, too, and steered us away from unhappiness. Now that you yourself stand on the brink of the ultimate happiness, I couldn’t be more happy were it me in your shoes.”

A chorus of “Hear, hear” echoed around the group.

“Thank you!” Beaming back, Henrietta squeezed Phillipa’s hands and released them, then scanned the bright faces surrounding her. “I had no idea you would all feel so . . . delighted on my behalf.”

Constance Witherby, now the younger Lady Hume, laughed. “Henrietta, my dear, you’re twenty-nine—you’ve been helping young ladies like us for nearly a decade and you’ve never, to my knowledge, steered us wrongly. Of course there are many who wish you well. Heaven help you, you’ve earned it!”

Everyone laughed, and the pleasant exchanges continued.

Later in the hour,

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