Page 21 of The Secret Sister

‘I’ve barely met anyone yet.’

‘Come, let us change.’

Eliza trailed behind her sister. She had met the Marquess of Hartington. Dear Hart, and he’d gone from a pretty boy to a rather handsome young man. He had the added advantage of being heir to a dukedom, which surely was every young woman’s dream. She wondered if perhaps she should add him to her list. Besides, his sisters were Little Gee and Haryo. Having them as sisters would be rather splendid.

Chapter 10

ELIZA

London

When the time came to dress for dinner, Millie had laid out one of her beautiful new gowns for her. One that Mary had assured her was completely circumspect for a young lady not yet presented.

Millie looked even more anxious than Eliza felt. She had everything ready and waiting for her. She took a breath and put her shoulders back. ‘I checked, miss. I have made sure that you will look beautiful, as always, but in a way that London society expects.’

‘You are a marvel,’ Eliza said as Millie held up the ivory silk, empire line dress with short puff sleeves. She smiled and nodded as she showed it to her. ‘I can’t tell you how glad I am that Mama let you accompany me.’

‘I suspect it was more to do with your brother than your mama, but I think this will be perfect for tonight, miss,’ Millie said, eying the garment. ‘I’ve had a long talk with Lady Mary’s maid, and she has given me some very good advice on how to make sure that everything is just as it should be. It’s different here to Northumberland.’

Eliza nodded, eternally grateful for Millie, whoever allowed her to come. ‘Thank you, Millie. I do want to look my best, and I wouldn’t want to embarrass Charles and Mary.’

‘You could never embarrass them,’ Millie pronounced. Eliza wished she felt as sure. ‘Come, I have everything arranged. You need to look right in case there are any handsome eligible gentlemen there.’

Eliza laughed, put herself in Millie’s hands, and watched in the mirror as she changed from the overlooked aunt who tramped over hillsides and frolicked with her nieces and nephews into a charming, one might even say pretty, young woman. The ivory dress suited her admirably, and it appeared to be the height of fashion. Her fair hair, that had a habit of sticking out in wisps, shone and behaved perfectly, and she loved how Millie had dressed it for her. A simple arrangement, with ringlets framing her face, but it showed her to her best advantage and there wasn’t a stray hair in sight.

Millie finished the ensemble with her small, gold locket that Charles bought her for her sixteenth birthday and stood back to admire her handiwork.

‘Not bad, miss. Not bad,’ Millie pronounced as she draped a fichu about her neck of the finest, most beautiful lace that revealed the locket perfectly and Eliza pulled on long, silk gloves.

Eliza started at herself, open-mouthed. ‘Millie, you have outdone yourself!’ She turned and grinned at her beloved maid, who had gone a pretty shade of pink. ‘Once people see me, your services will be in great demand. Please do not abandon me.’

Millie laughed. ‘Not a chance, miss. You’re stuck with me.’

Eliza turned this way and that, looking at herself. ‘Thank heavens for that,’ she murmured. She truly looked like a young woman on the cusp of adventure. On the brink of the rest of her life. It made her think it might just be possible to find a husband, secure her future, and plan for a family of her own.

She swallowed against the emotion that threatened, took a deep breath and put her hands on her stomach before breathing out slowly.

‘You can do this, miss. You are as pretty as a picture and just as important as the rest of them.’

‘Thank you, Millie. I really don’t know what I would do without you.’ Her voice wobbled.

‘Now, now.’ Millie put her hands on Eliza’s shoulders and looked at her in the glass. ‘No tears. You’ll ruin the whole thing if you go down with red eyes and a blotchy face.’

Eliza sniffed and nodded. ‘You are a marvel. I can’t thank you enough.’

‘No need to. Just don’t leave me behind if you bag a gentleman…’ she nodded sagely.

‘Millie, I would never, ever leave you behind. No matter what.’ She stopped before she became emotional again. Millie just sniffed and nodded, but her eyes were wet too.

‘Go on. Show them who Eliza Courtney really is,’ she said, passing her a stunningly beautiful, fringed shawl that matched her gown. Eliza drew it about her.

‘Remember to drape…’ Millie said, pulling an imaginary shawl about herself. ‘Draping is everything.’

Eliza laughed and draped, as instructed. She straightened her shoulders, and with a last look in the mirror, headed downstairs.

She trailed an ivory gloved hand on the banister as she went and admired its elegance. Mary had said that they were having a few guests for dinner, but she had no idea how many a few might be. She suspected a ‘few’ in London might be different to a few in Northumberland.

She entered the beautiful drawing room which glowed with so many candles, making all the gilt on the picture frames shimmer in the soft glow. She sallied forth with some trepidation, but as she was early, she was relieved to find just Charles and Mary there chatting quietly.