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There was nothing whatsoever wrong with reality. Reality was very close to being perfect.
And even after those three days were over there would be A
“A pe
“I was realizing how many blessings I have to count,” she said.
“Were you?” He looked more closely at her. “In my experience people count blessings only when they are feeling sad. Are you sad?”
“No,” she said. “How could I be?”
He heaved a deep sigh, which he did not immediately explain.
“It beats me,” he said after a short silence. “But I feel melancholy too.”
Mr. Da
By the time they reached the picnic side of the bridge, Mr. Da
The viscount was telling them that he had thought it was the late afternoon sunlight that was dazzling his eyes at the center of the bridge until he realized that it was their presence there that had been doing it.
The rogue!
But of course they were not taken in by such flatteries for a single moment. The tone of their laughter told Susa
He was being kind to them, bringing happiness and gaiety to their day.
He had also do
Yes, perhaps so. She was feeling both. She was living through one of the most joyful afternoons of her entire life. And yet…
And yet soon they would go separately back into their own very separate universes.
8
The mood of slight melancholy that had oppressed Susa
She doubted she had ever been more excited in her life, though she tried very hard not to show it-without a great deal of success, it seemed.
“Well, Susa
She was wearing none, of course. But then neither was Frances. Susa
Frances linked her arm through Susa
“I know just how you must be feeling,” she said. “I remember how I felt that night in Bath when Lucius’s grandfather and sister had invited me to a ball in the Upper Assembly Rooms. I was half frightened to death and half elated to death. Do you remember?”
“Claudia, A
They both laughed at the memory and there was a low chuckle from behind them to indicate that the earl appreciated the joke too.
The room where the dancing was to take place would probably appear small and plainly decorated in comparison with any London ballroom, Susa
It all appeared splendidly dazzling to Susa
She was at her first ball-in her mind she called it that even if strictly speaking it was but an assembly. And she was going to dance.
The earl had asked her to reserve at least one set for him, though he had not spoken for any one in particular. Mr. Da
And Viscount Whitleaf had asked her for the first waltz.
She could hardly wait for that particular set-there was to be only one. And yet even as the impatient thought entered her mind she chastised herself. This was sure to be the most exciting evening of her life. She would not wish the first half of it away. She wanted to live every moment of it, from first to last.
Mrs. Raycroft and her daughter came to meet them as soon as they appeared in the doorway, and Miss Raycroft exclaimed with awe over Frances’s gown and admired Susa
“And is that the ribbon you bought in the village shop?” she asked, surveying the hem of Susa
“My gown needed to be made more festive for the occasion,” Susa
After that all was a whirlwind of activity and excitement as neighbors greeted neighbors and gentlemen searched out their partners for the opening set.
Susa
But her lack of romantic interest in him really did not matter at all as he led her out onto the floor and placed her in the line of ladies while he took his place opposite her among the gentlemen for the opening set of country dances. There had surely never been a happier moment. The eldest Miss Calvert stood to her left, opposite Mr. Raycroft, and Rosamond Raycroft stood next to Miss Calvert. Viscount Whitleaf, across from her, smiled indulgently and said something that had her laughing merrily. Briefly he caught Susa
Just feeling him close filled Susa
But soon she had thoughts for nothing except the dance as the orchestra struck up with the music and the line of gentlemen bowed while the line of ladies curtsied.
Music filled her ears as the floor vibrated to the rhythmic thumping of many feet and dancers twirled and promenaded and circled about one another. The air grew warmer and heavier with the mingled scents of perfumes and colognes and flowers. The very candles in the candelabrum and wall sconces seemed to move with a lilting rhythm in time to the music.