20. Good News

Meanwhile, at the end of ballroom near the French doors

"Where have you been?" Amelia asked, breathless as she joined Violet under the potted palm.

Lost in thought, Violet gasped upon seeing her best friend. "I could ask you the same thing," she countered, one of her blonde brows arching in a tease. "I saw you and Philip go into the gardens."

"Well, of course we did," Amelia confirmed, her barely contained excitement making her practically bounce on the balls of her feet.

Violet giggled. "Did my brother already propose marriage?" she asked in surprise. Even before she finished her question, Amelia had her left hand held up, although the white glove was still in place. The telltale silhouette of a ring showed through the silk, though. Violet's eyes widened in delight. "Did Weston give his permission?" she asked in a whisper.

Amelia sobered somewhat. "Not yet," she replied, obviously disheartened. "Crawford will try for an appointment with my brother on the morrow."

"Have you spoken to your mother?"

Her friend's happy expression faltered even more. "Oh, dear. What have you heard?"

Violet lifted a shoulder. "I think my father and your mother are still in the gardens," she said, angling her head in the direction of the French doors. "I've been keeping watch for their return."

Amelia's face brightened with her huge smile. "Do you suppose Lord Fenwick has already asked her to marry him?"

Not about to admit she had overheard some of her father's proposal, Violet played dumb and said, "I think it was his intention."

Sighing contentedly, Amelia angled her head to one side and said, "Can you imagine? Both Mother and me betrothed on the same day?"

A streak of jealousy had Violet giving a start. Why she would experience the Green Monster at hearing Amelia's announcement, she didn't know. It wasn't as if she wanted to be betrothed. At least, not yet.

Or did she?

"What's wrong?"

Violet was about to answer when Philip appeared at her side.

"Dance with me, Sister. I have news," he said, as if he didn't think Amelia had already told her of his proposal.

"I may have some as well," Violet replied, giving Amelia a beseeching glance as Philip led her to the end of the line for a longways dance.

"I'm sure Amelia has already told you," he said, turning to face her for the first part of the dance.

"Indeed. You've made her a very happy young lady."

"Did she show you the ring?"

Shaking her head, Violet passed under his arm and hooked her elbow into another man's before turning in a circle to finally once again face Philip. "Only through her glove," she said.

He seemed genuinely disappointed. "I was going to hold onto it, but..." The dance forced him to offer his elbow to the woman on his right, and once again they were separated for a time. "But I decided I wanted her to have it."

"Was Father with you when you bought it?" she asked.

Philip nodded.

"Did he buy a ring, too?"

Her brother chuckled. "How did you know?"

Turning to accept the elbow of the man to her right, she caught sight of her father and the Duchess of Weston entering the ballroom. She couldn't make out their mood given the number of people who passed between them as they danced, but after another whirl on an elbow, her father was suddenly standing behind Philip.

Pausing in the dance, Philip listened intently to the words Michael spoke in his ear and then nodded. "I will," he said, giving his father a nod.

Violet continued dancing, her expression of confusion finally prodding Philip into saying, "I'm to see you and Aunt Katherine home this evening."

"Now?" she asked in alarm.

"No. Later," he said, resuming the dance. "After the supper. Or whenever Aunt Katherine is done playing cards and wishes to leave." This last comment had one of his brows arching, as if it might be the wee hours of the morning before the duchess would willingly leave the card parlor.

In the middle of a turn, Violet spotted her father climbing the steps, the Duchess Helena on his arm.

Surely they were going to spend the evening playing house.

A huge grin split her lips as she finished the dance, curtsying to her brother when the music finished on a flourish. She was about to head for the palm trees when she found she couldn't.

Alfred, Duke of Weston, stood in her way.