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“OH MY DARLING, YOU look divine!” The countess said, holding her hands to her chest as she contemplated her daughter, all ready for her court presentation. “How I wish I could accompany you!”
Elizabeth skipped over to her mother, no small feat when she was dragging a seven yard train and sported tall ostrich feathers on her head, in accordance with the court requirements.
“Don’t you worry, mama. I’ll be back in a thrice for the presentation tea and I’ll tell you all about it.”
The countess lopsided smile couldn’t quite hide her wistfulness. She held her hand to Abigail. “Thank you so much for all you have done. This wouldn't have been possible without your help.”
“No thanks necessary, Esther. We are a family now. But even if I had not married Colin, I would still consider you and Elizabeth my family. Now we should be off if we don’t want to get stuck in the carriage line.”
Colin met them at the entrance ball. He looked so handsome in his black formal attire, his wild hair slicked back. Personally, she preferred him in the nude, his hair wild and falling over his face as he leaned down to kiss her...
“You both look extraordinarily beautiful. I vow I will be the most envied man of the ceremony.” Colin said gallantly, interrupting her thoughts and making her blush with his praise as much as with the heated gaze he gave her.
Elizabeth floated past. “Thank you, brother. You look quite handsome yourself. I daresay that if you were not already married, all my friends would beg me to make introductions, hoping to capture your attention.” Elizabeth declared.
“Then I am very lucky indeed that I snatched him off the marriage mart before the other ladies had a chance at him.” She couldn’t resist adding. He looked chagrined by any compliment and she didn’t know why, because she felt a warm glow of pride, thinking that this fine man was her husband.
He offered an arm to each of them and they descended to the waiting carriage. The carriage line to get to Buckingham Palace was as big as expected. They spent a very boring hour waiting to be admitted, while the throng of Londoners who had gathered to watch the procession surrounded them, trying to catch glimpses of the debutants.
Colin looked resigned. Not too happy to be here, but taking it all with long suffering patience and forbearance. He was so good to his sister, even though he had never met Elizabeth until two months ago. To her, as well. And to the countess. She remembered how anxious they had all been over what sort of man the new earl would be. But not even in her wildest dreams could she have imagined someone like him. He had exceeded their best expectations by far.
She only wished he looked happier. And worried that his apparent discontent was her fault. She wanted to take his face in her hands and kiss him until the sadness melted away from his visage. It wasn’t possible now, of course. Elizabeth was in the carriage and it was their turn to descend.
Inside the palace, they accompanied Elizabeth through different drawing rooms until it was her time to be presented to Queen Victoria. It was a daunting prospect to many a debutante, but Elizabeth sparkled with excitement as she waited.
They watched from the sides of the room as Elizabeth glided towards the monarch, performed an impeccable curtsy, and the queen bestowed a kiss on her forehead. Then the girl executed her curtsy to each of the other members of the royal family in attendance and backed away.
And it was done. The thing they had spent countless days and weeks preparing for was over in a heartbeat. She felt only relief. At least in this, she had triumphed. The presentation had been a smashing success.
They still had to get through the carriage ride in Hyde Park and the presentation tea, but the presentation to the sovereign was the most important part, and that had gone flawlessly. She had no worries about the rest of the day.
The relief was premature, as it turned out. They had just gone through the gates of Hyde Park and were parading among the carriages and people gathered there, when a person she would rather not see approached their carriage, mounted on horseback. She saw Colin stiffen and narrow his eyes a moment before the other man drew to their side.
“Abigail, my dear,” he intoned, ignoring Colin, who by now looked thunderous. “Fancy meeting you here. I didn’t know you were in town. And in such... interesting company,” he said, sliding an insolent glance at her husband. “Hartfield.” he acknowledged with a disrespectful nod.
Colin looked as if he wanted to beat the man to a pulp and was only being held back by the merest thread.
“Quimby.” Colin snarled. “You will address my wife as Lady Hartfield. Or better yet. Do not address her at all.”
“Lady Hartfield?” Quimby’s eyes widened with a mixture of shock and unholy amusement. “Oh, this is rich!” He said insultingly, glancing between the two of them.
Colin stood in the carriage, meeting Quimby face to face. “Move on, Quimby. This is my sister’s presentation day, and I won’t have it spoiled by your rudeness.”
“Your sister,” he turned to Elizabeth, who was watching the interchange with an alarmed expression. “I see little family resemblance. Fortunate for the girl, I daresay.”
With that rude comment, he spurred his horse and moved on. Abigail breathed a sigh of relief. But it was short-lived. Her husband was livid with rage.
“Do you know that oaf?” He demanded of her. “Is he also an old friend of yours, or are you on a first name basis with half the male population of London?”
She blanched. “Not at all. He is my late husband’s cousin and heir. In truth, I despise him thoroughly.”
“Is that so? But he looked so happy to see you.”
What was wrong with Colin? She knew he was jealous of Aycliffe, even though he had no reason to be, but at least she could understand that. But Quimby? She felt nothing but contempt for the loathsome man. He was the reason she had to flee her home after her husband died. To escape his inappropriate advances. But better not relay that information to Colin. No telling how he might react.
“As you said, he is an oaf, as were most of my first husband’s cronies.”
“Hmph.” Was Colin’s sole response. But he remained brooding and distant for the rest of the ride and the subsequent tea party.
She pasted a social smile on her face and attended to her obligations as hostess, while inside, her heart was bleeding. What was wrong with her marriage? Why was Colin turning into a jealous, angry husband? What had she done to deserve this? She felt near to tears.
But of late, she always felt that way. Ever since her husband had all but stopped visiting her bed and seemed to hold her in contempt.