Chapter One

Edith smiled as Lily climbed into her lap and rested her head under Edith's chin. "Did you enjoy the story?"

Lily nodded and then stuck two fingers into her mouth, her eyes already closing. Edith held the toddler close, enjoying the warmth and the sweetness which came with such a trusting child sitting in her lap.

"You had the children spellbound with your story, my dear niece." Lady Hamilton smiled as she settled one hand on Edith's shoulder. "And I see that your dear Lily has come to seek you out again. She does love you a great deal."

Edith smiled softly and brushed one hand over the toddler's golden curls. "She is very dear to me also, Aunt."

"I know." Her aunt bent down and pressed a light kiss to Edith's forehead. "You have a great deal of kindness and generosity in your heart, my dear. This orphanage would be a much darker place without you."

With a small shake of her head, Edith reached out to grasp her aunt's hand. "It is only because of you that I had opportunity to give of my time here," she said, softly. "I know that you and my uncle sponsor this orphanage and that generosity has inspired me to give what I can myself." She smiled gently as Lily snuggled a little deeper into Edith's arms. "To know that the children here are well cared for, that they are well fed and looked after is a great relief to me."

"Though they do lack love," Lady Hamilton added, her shoulders dropping a little as she sighed. "We give them what we can but what they truly need are families to call their own."

Edith nodded, one hand going to brush through Lily's curls once more as she thought about what it would be like to take this child back home with her, to offer her the love and the warmth that a family would bring. She could not do such a thing as yet, of course, for she was unwed and still under the care of her mother and father but mayhap, one day, she might have opportunity to do so. For the moment, she could give of her time, coming to the orphanage alongside her aunt so that she could read and sing and play with the children here.

"I will let you sit for a little while longer but we must soon take our leave, else your mother will wonder what it is that has become of us!" Lady Hamilton laughed as Edith nodded. "But we will return tomorrow, I promise you."

With a smile, Edith watched her aunt walk away, only for her arm to be tugged by another small child. Her smile grew as Caleb, a five year old rambunctious little boy, grinned at her.

"Good afternoon, Caleb," Edith smiled, tilting her head a little. "Would you like me to read you another story? I have some books here."

Caleb nodded and, picking one up, handed it to Edith. Carefully, he climbed onto Edith's knee – though Lily did not stir even a little, and, after encouraging Caleb himself to hold onto the book and turn the pages, Edith began to read.

***

"I think that your mother would enjoy coming here."

Edith smiled to herself, looking out of the carriage window as she and her aunt continued to make their way back to Edith's father's townhouse.

"My sister has always been considerate," Lady Hamilton continued, "though she has not the same love for the orphanages as I do. Though that in itself, I quite understand. No-one is obliged to do anything when it comes to the poor."

"Mama is always very good with the tenants at my father's estate," Edith answered, finding herself a little defensive of her mother. "And she does not prevent me from coming here."

Lady Hamilton smiled gently. "That is quite true. I did not mean any criticism. I only meant to suggest that her interests lie in other things."

Edith shared a smile with her aunt. "And by that, you mean that my mother is eager to find her daughters a suitable match."

Her aunt laughed, eyes twinkling. "Yes, that is certainly her most prevailing desire at present, is it not?"

With a small sigh, Edith sat back against the squabs. "Yes, it is."

"And you find that a little overwhelming?"

Edith nodded. "It is rather suffocating, Aunt. My father is always standing guard over me, making certain that every gentleman I step out with – or even so much as converse with – is more than suitable. I know that he wants me to make an excellent match but this constant tension to look my best, to be my best, to behave as I ought… well, it is exhausting!"

Lady Hamilton chuckled softly. "I quite understand. It was not so long ago that I was doing the very same thing!"

With a quiet laugh, Edith shook her head. "Ah, but Aunt, you found yourself in a love match, did you not? You have always told us that you fell in love with, as you called him, ‘the magnificent Earl of Hamilton'."

"I did, yes." Another small smile touched Lady Hamilton's lips, her expression softening. "I am still in love with him to this day."

"Though my mother did not have a love match," Edith sighed, recalling how her mother had spoken often of the fact that she had not had opportunity to have a love match and had been given a gentleman to marry instead. It did not mean that her parents were not fond of one another, however, though Edith silently hoped that she herself might have opportunity to marry someone of her own choosing.

"No, she did not but she is contented and happy." Lady Hamilton lifted her shoulders gently. "That in itself is a gift, is it not?"

"Yes, I suppose it is."

Her aunt smiled. "Are you concerned for yourself?"

"I hope that I will be able to make my own choice when it comes to suitors, that is all." Seeing how her aunt's smile faded, Edith's heart dropped. "Though it seems that you might be aware of something that I am not?"

Lady Hamilton pressed her lips tight together, then sighed, her shoulders rounding a little. "I think your father's desire for an excellent match might outweigh your own, my dear. You should prepare yourself for that."

Nodding slowly, aware that her spirits had sank just a little, Edith tried to smile. "I know that my father wants what is best for me."

"As does your mother."

"Exactly." Folding her hands in her lap, Edith let her gaze go to the window again. "Though I hope that whoever it is that I marry is supportive of my efforts at the orphanage."

Lady Hamilton tipped her head. "Well when you marry, you will not reside in London or even near London, where your father's estate is. It will be at your husband's estate, wherever that may be."

Edith's shoulders dropped. "Oh, of course. I had not thought of that."

"But I am sure there will always be those who require your love and your kindness, wherever you end up," her aunt finished, bolstering Edith's confidence. "And I am sure that whoever your husband may be, he will appreciate that kindness within you also."

"I hope so, Aunt," Edith answered, softly, caught somewhere between anxiety and hope. "This evening, we are to go to Lord Bedfordshire's ball. I am sure that my father has many a gentleman in mind that he wishes to introduce me to!"

Her aunt chuckled. "I am sure that he does but take that in good confidence, my dear and consider this." Her eyebrows lifted. "Mayhap tonight, you shall meet your future husband!"

***

Edith picked up her violin, her heart already lifting free from the troubled thoughts which had entangled her all the way home. The door firmly closed so as to prevent anyone from interrupting her solitude, she set her gaze to the music and began to play the familiar melody. It was a slow piece, with one or two quicker sections, though she took her time with the piece and let the melody flow. Closing her eyes, the notes came to her heart and she began to play without reading the music, putting all of her emotions, all of her feeling into it. She played through her worries and her cares, letting the music steal them away, sending them out into the room as beautiful music.

The door opened but Edith played on, aware of the presence of her mother. It was only when the piece came to a close, when the very last note played out that she opened her eyes and saw her standing there.

Edith set her violin down, managing a smile as her mother applauded her, a brightness in her expression. Always a little uncertain as to how she felt knowing that others had been listening to her play, Edith set her violin down carefully, then looked back to her mother.

"You play magnificently, my dear," Lady Tidemore sighed, coming across the room to grasp her daughter's hands. "That brought a tear to my eye."

"Thank you, Mama."

Lady Tidemore's smile grew. "I look forward to you playing in a fortnight's time."

Edith's heart dropped to the floor. "I beg your pardon?"

"I am to host a musical soiree!" Her mother released Edith's hands and then stepped back, spreading her arms wide. "We will have many a young lady playing and singing that evening, with mayhap, one or two gentlemen also! But you shall be the most important young lady present that evening, for I am certain that your skill will outshine every other."

Edith quickly shook her head. "No, Mama."

"Yes, of course you must play!" came the exclamation, as Lady Tidemore hurried back towards her, reaching for her hands again so that Edith could not escape. "You have such a beauty in your playing, my dear girl. You must share it with others!"

"I do not want to. You know very well that when I play my violin, I play it only for myself."

"But this will be to show off your skill to others, to the gentlemen who might then come to consider you!" Lady Tidemore squeezed Edith's hands. "You are a wonderful young lady and I think it is important that the gentlemen of London see that. I do not want you married off to just any gentleman, my dear girl. I want you to be married to the very best of gentlemen."

Edith shook her head but her mother only laughed and, squeezing her hands again, she let them go.

"I will not hear a word of protest," she said, firmly. "In two weeks' time, my dear. Choose whatever pieces you wish to play and play them, that is all there is to it! There is nothing more than you need to do and that cannot be too difficult, can it?"

Again, Edith tried to protest but the words died on her lips as her mother made her way across the room back towards the door. She stammered and stuttered but the door soon closed behind her mother and all became quiet again. Dropping her head forward, Edith let out a low groan, anxiety already beginning to climb up her throat. She had not played in front of an audience for a long time and even then, that audience had been her family only. Now she was, apparently, to parade herself around her mother's musical soiree, showing off her skills to those who were willing to listen. And to what end? To make herself seem more desirable?

Will any of the gentlemen be interested in my character? In my desires, in my interests, in my hopes for the future? Her eyes closed tightly. Or will they simply see a young lady, suitable in appearance and skill and ready to stand on the arm of a gentleman?