Chapter 7

“Lord Pleasance, good afternoon!”

Emma watched as her mother bobbed a quick curtsey, all too aware of how Lady Follet’s eyes darted towards her and then away again. Clearly, she was rather confused about why Emma had been speaking to this gentleman, though Emma herself was rather upset at hearing about a dinner invitation that she had no knowledge of. From what Lord Pleasance had said, it seemed as though her mother and father had decided to keep this from her, had chosen only to introduce Martha to him, rather than making any effort to include her also. Thus far, she did not know of any dinner invitation. Was that something her parents had kept hidden from her? Did only they wish to attend… but if that was the case, did they expect her simply to remain at home without question or concern?

“Good afternoon, Lady Follet, Lord Follet.” Lord Pleasance inclined his head, then gestured to Emma. “I was just now speaking to your younger daughter! I did not know that you were blessed with two daughters, and I am dreadfully sorry that we were not introduced when we first met.”

Lady Follet looked at Emma, and then back to Lord Pleasance, and Emma could almost see the way the thoughts were whirling around and around in her mind. No doubt she was wondering whether or not Lord Pleasance was being entirely truthful in terms of his apology, or wondering why they had thought not to introduce her to him.

“There is nothing for you to apologize for, Lord Pleasance!” she said, after a pause of a few moments. “It could not be helped. At the time, my younger daughter was not able to be with us.”

“I quite understand,” Lord Pleasance replied, smiling. “My wife will be very glad to make her acquaintance also this evening. I look forward to seeing all of you again, there. Good afternoon!”

With that, he touched his hat and then turned on his heel, moving away from them quickly and leaving Emma and her parents alone together.

An ache began to form in Emma’s throat as she lifted her chin and looked at her mother steadily. Lady Follet’s eyes sharpened for a moment, only for her to then look away again, turning to Lord Follet as though he were the one required to speak next.

“Dinner?” Emma flung out her hands either side, the ache in her throat turning to anger. “You did not tell me that we were to go to join Lord Pleasance and Lady Pleasance for dinner this evening.”

Lord Follet cleared his throat.

“Did we not?” His smile was brief. “Well, it is just as well that Lord Pleasance saw you this afternoon. His wife is also quite lovely, and I am sure–”

“You were not going to take me, were you?” Tears began to burn, but Emma blinked them away furiously. “Is that not so?”

Her parents looked at each other again.

“You were not introduced to him, so it did not seem reasonable to expect the invitation to dinner to include you, Emma,” her father said, in what sounded like a placating tone. “Surely you can understand that?”

Emma shook her head.

“No, for neither you nor Mama made any attempt to inform Lord Pleasance that I was present at the ball also! You did not even mention my name!” Her hands curled into fists as she looked at her mother and then her father, seeing how they had nothing to say in response, how their eyes met, but no excuse could be given to her. “I am well aware that I am a wallflower, Mama, but that does not mean that I should be ignored, does it? Yes, I can stand at the back of the room at larger social occasions, but when there are invitations for dinner, why should you want me to be forgotten? Why should you want me to be left at home?”

“Because,” Lady Follet said with a sigh, as though Emma ought to understand without her even needing to ask, “what would happen if you should put your elbow in the soup? What if you should trip and fall into the tea tray? We cannot have any such thing as that, Emma, and therefore it is best if–”

“I am not as ungainly as you believe!” Emma cried, heedless to those around her. “You do not believe me when I tell you that such incidents have not always been my fault. You are already determined that I am the failure, that I am solely responsible, and you cannot know how much that pains me!”

Without waiting for her mother to respond, Emma turned away and hurried across the park, fully aware that she ought not to be walking by herself while, at the same time, she was desperate to remove herself from her parents and their unfair condemnation. Her heart was torn, broken by their thoughtlessness, and as she walked, tears began to form in the corners of her eyes and she blinked furiously, walking rather blindly as she sought out somewhere quiet to stand. Coming under the shade of a large tree, she leaned back against the trunk, closed her eyes, and dropped her head, taking in long, slow breaths in an attempt to steady herself.

“Miss Fairley?”

Her head lifted sharply, only for her to push herself away from the tree, as she took a few steps back.

“Lord Yeatman, do excuse me. I did not mean to impose myself upon your solitude.”

“You did not.” He smiled though there was a little sympathy shining in his eyes. “You will find that I am very much inclined towards my own company on many an occasion, Miss Fairley. This is no exception.”

She managed a brief smile and then turned her head away.

“I should take my leave again.”

Her heart sank as she saw her parents laughing with another lady and gentleman, clearly very well able to set aside all that Emma had said to them. The thought of returning to them so soon was not a pleasant one.

“I do apologize if I have caused you any upset,” Lord Yeatman said quietly, coming around to face her again. “It was not my intention. I thought only to introduce Lord Pleasance to you.”

Giving him a nod, Emma kept her gaze away from him for fear that he would see her red-rimmed eyes.

“It was appreciated.”

“But it did upset you.” With a sniff, Emma lifted her chin and then turned her head so that she could not even see Lord Yeatman. The tightness in her throat returned, her eyes were stinging and the sorrow within her was growing with such strength, she could barely catch her breath. “I am sorry for that.”

“It was not your doing,” she managed to say through trembling lips. “And I am going to be at the dinner this evening after all. That is a good thing.”

Much to her surprise, his hand caught hers for a moment and then released it, making her turn back towards him sharply.

“I mean only to offer you a little comfort,” he said, a kindness in his eyes which was both wonderful and unexpected. “I understand that this must have been a very difficult situation. I, however, am glad that you will be present at dinner this evening.”

She blinked quickly to push the tears back and found her heart leaping, suddenly free of the deep amount of sorrow that had pinned it down. She did not know Lord Yeatman at all, and he might very well be a rogue or a scoundrel, saying those things to her which might then be used to cajole her into a closer acquaintance with him. But as she looked into his light blue eyes, the steadiness there and the way that the edge of his lips curved upwards, she found herself doubting that he could be a rogue.

“That is a nice thing to hear,” she said, managing to smile. “You will be, perhaps, the only one who will be glad I am present.”

Lord Yeatman tilted his head.

“Why should you say such a thing?”

“Because it is quite true,” she said, wondering why she was speaking so truthfully to this gentleman whom she did not know in the least. “My parents have decided that I must be a wallflower – a fact which you already know. In case you are unaware, however, a wallflower is usually ignored and forgotten and that is what is happening to me at present, despite the fact that I have done nothing wrong. Although,” she continued, recalling all that Miss Bosworth had stated, and how they had walked through the ballroom as though they were just as any other young lady present, “I am attempting not to let that harm me. I am doing my best to prove to society that I will not let them ignore me.”

“That is good.” Lord Yeatman made to say more, only to seem to think better of it as he shook his head. “I should take my leave of you now, Miss Fairley. I do not want to damage your reputation.”

She looked back at him.

“You are very considerate. Do you not wish to go and speak with others?” Gesturing to the large group of people around them, she lifted one shoulder. “I am sure that there will be many ladies and gentlemen who would wish to be in your company, Lord Yeatman.”

“As I have said, I am not always inclined towards company,” came the reply as he winced. “I am afraid that it is not something that I always seek out, though I did come here this afternoon so that I might find myself a little happier rather than being unimpressed by my own company!” With a quiet laugh, he inclined his head and then tipped his hat. “Good afternoon, Miss Fairley. I look forward to continuing our conversation this evening.”

Emma watched him go, surprised at just how much happier she now felt, after only the smallest of conversations with the gentleman. It was not as though all of her worries and upset had evaporated, simply by being in his company, but it was the kindness of his words and the gentleness of his expression which had soothed her pain a little. Considering him as he walked away, Emma took in his broad shoulders and long back, seeing how he kept his head high as he walked. It was rather surprising to her that such a gentleman was disinclined towards company and, indeed, she had not been sure that he had been speaking the truth, but now, as she let her thoughts turn to him again, and all they had shared, Emma found herself trusting every word.

“I shall have someone to speak with this evening,” she murmured to herself, clasping her hands behind her back, and beginning to make her way back to her parents. “That is a good thing.”

Even though the pain of her mother and father’s disinterest continued to linger, Emma did not feel the same heaviness there any longer. This evening, she would go to dinner along with her mother, father, and sister and she would have someone eager to speak with her. Acknowledging that, a smile came to her face and, even though her parents barely glanced at her, Emma kept her chin lifted and the smile pinned to her face.

There was some joy in this moment, and she would take hold of it with everything she had. After all, she was meant to be trying to force society to take notice of her, was meant to be pushing aside the title of wallflower which the ton had decided to attach to her, and this evening would be one way for her to do that.