Look to the Stars by Olivia Kelly

Author:Olivia Kelly [Kelly, Olivia]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2016-11-20T18:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

Five days.

Five days of rain. Five days of being trapped between her mother and the ever charming Mr. Blakeley. Five days of his lopsided smiles, his shiver inducing murmurs in her ear, his hard muscled arm under her fingertips as he introduced her to every one of his friends, who were legion. Five days of having him at her elbow with a joke or a glass of lemonade. Five days of pleasant afternoon outings to the British Museum or the lending library with her sisters in tow.

Five nights since that ear-splitting musicale of Lady Atherton's, where Mr. Blakeley had rescued her from those awful women and Miriam realized how close she was to being completely captivated by the man.

Slipping through the door of one of the Duke of Danby's libraries, a smallish one that looked like it was actually used, she rubbed at her aching head. They'd only arrived at the gala an hour before, but the crowd in the massive ballroom had left her irritable and snappish. Already being called the event of the Season for its lavish decor, groaning tables of epicurean delights, and exclusive guest list, the ball thrown by the Marchioness of Norland for her father-in-law, was a complete crush.

Miriam still wasn't certain how she and her sisters had received an invitation. Perhaps Ester had charmed the duke more than any of them realized. They had been quite chummy at the musicale, an odd pair.

However the Rosenbaum sisters had landed here, she had to admit she was overwhelmed. There was nothing even in New York to compare to this level of the aristocracy's sheer dedication to the art of decadence. Here was the ton her mother always spoke of with wistful nostalgia. Miriam shook her head with a huff of laughter. How had Mama survived it?

It wasn't that dancing all night, eating fancy little cakes, and wearing beautiful dresses was such a hardship. It wasn't. Despite her resolve to not allow herself to be distracted, she did find their outings surprisingly entertaining. Most of the time.

In moderation.

But it wasn't helping her achieve her goals, and that was a problem.

Lady Pennyworth and Mama had kept them so busy the last week, there had hardly been time to sit down, much less sneak away to the Academy. The frustration of being denied the one thing she'd been looking forward to during this visit was starting to wear on Miriam. Her temper had thinned as time wore on, irritated by the unending activity, the constant overhead clouds, and him.

Leaving the door cracked open, she wandered the large room, trailing her fingers along the bookshelves and thinking.

There had to be a way to make her mother understand that what Miriam wanted wasn't a phase. Her passion wasn't going to go away, no matter how many balls she attended. Perhaps if Mama knew how much the opportunity to study alongside the Minskys meant to her... This might be her only chance to find her place in the world. A place where she could have purpose and work, and take joy in both.

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