Page 97 of To Know Miss May

Which would only prove to make this evening even more impossible to bear than before.

* * *

Livvy could not deny the look of admiration on August’s face, nor the appreciation in his eyes, and for a moment, all her worries melted away.

That is, until August moved to stand beside Mr. Cuff instead of approaching her. He did so to keep up appearances with Emma, surely. After all, nearly the entire Mount was gathered together to walk to the assembly. This would be the perfect opportunity to ensure Mr. Cuff and Emma were not attached in the slightest.

And yet, could August not smile in Livvy’s direction? Or simply speak to her as one’s neighbor might? Or was he simply waiting for the assembly to do both?

Instead of dwelling on questions she had no way of answering, Livvy sought Emma out instead.

She moved through the gathered crowd lit in the golden light of the setting sun, all dressed in their finest attire, her heart pounding against her chest.

Ophelia caught her eye after a moment, but she turned away without acknowledgement, linking arms with a man as she twittered out a laugh. Portia was next, eying Livvy up and down before speaking with a friend, who also stared at her in surprise.

So many eyes, so much attention focused on her—curious gazes, a few smiles, but mostly raised brows at her unexpected presence.

How was Livvy to survive such attention?

“There ye be, Miss May.”

Emma spoke behind her, and Livvy’s concerns quelled, if only to a degree.

“All will be well,” Emma whispered with a smile, looping her arm around Livvy’s. “Ye stay by me side the entire night, if ye must.”

So Livvy did just that.

Together, along with the rest of the group, they walked across the causeway to Marazion, and Emma, true to her word, allowed Livvy to linger at her side—and seemed more than happy to have her do so.

Livvy did her best to ignore the unsettling feeling that continued to grow with August’s continued lack of attention in her direction—and the Moon sisters judging looks—drawing Emma’s strength to help her own. But when they reached the assembly and August vanished from her sight, she wasn’t sure what to do.

Especially when a man from Penzance was introduced to her by the Master of Ceremonies and asked her to dance.

Livvy knew a keen disappointment that her first set wasn’t with August, but she accepted the man’s arm nonetheless with a fleeting look of panic to Emma.

To her relief, however, Emma had already procured a partner and had somehow maneuvered herself to stand directly beside Livvy in the set.

Despite her fears, Livvy remembered most of the steps to the dance, and though she wished she had been partnered with August, she managed to maintain her focus on the kind man who was her partner, even speaking a few words—not about books—before the song ended and the two parted ways.

“’Ow be the dance?” Emma asked, breathing hard from the vigorous steps.

Livvy thought for a moment, then she turned to Emma with a grin she was certain wouldn’t subside for quite some time. “Simply wonderful.”

Emma beamed, reaching forward to embrace Livvy once again. This time, Livvy didn’t hesitate to return it.

This night had the potential to be one of Livvy’s finest. The dance had been invigorating, exhilarating. How she could only imagine what it would be like dancing with August.

Unfortunately, August had yet to reappear. With each new dance, another mainlander was introduced to her by Mrs. Moon, Mr. Moon, or the Master of Ceremonies. And with each new dance, Livvy followed her latest partner to the dance floor, always scouring the crowds for August—always coming up short.

She could understand his disappearance no more than she could understand why so many men were asking her to dance. She knew Emma’s work had helped, but then, it seemed so strange to be the object of such attention—No, not just attention, positive attention.

Still, even with the attention, the joyful dances, the pleasant conversations, and the time she spent with Emma, she could not stop her spirits from drooping lower and lower like the wilting petals of a daffodil as the evening wore on and August remained hidden.

Where was he? And why had he not yet asked her to dance? Hadn’t he promised her he’d do so?

A few hours into the assembly, Livvy had fallen so desperate that she’d even asked Emma if she’d seen him.

“I’ve no idea where ’e’s been all evenin’,” Emma had confessed. “E’en Mrs. Moon ’as been askin’ ’round.” Then she’d whispered, “I shall ask Nicholas when I find the opportunity.”