knew Jasmine wouldn’t want to hear any of that.
“Well, uh, your fall was the high point of the evening. It’s all anyone could talk about.”
“Really?” Jasmine preened. “Then I suppose the ball broke up shortly after my departure to the hospital?”
“Uhh, yes, shortly afterwards. There were a few more dances, but no one much cared what happened after you caused such excitement.”
“So now that your season is over too, we’ll have to regroup for next year. What a shame all our lovely gowns will be out of date by next season.”
“Ummm, no, that’s not exactly the way things will go. I’ll get to wear all the gowns now, not just my half, since Mother says I must continue on without you.”
“Surely, she’s joking. You’ll be lost without me.”
Heather took a deep breath and stole a glance at her sister, who no longer looked quite so angry.
“It certainly won’t be the same as us going through it together. But, I think I’ll manage just fine.” She straightened her shoulders. “In fact, I have a gentleman coming to call again today.”
“What do you mean, again? Has this gentleman been here previously?”
“Yes, several times now.” Heather watched as her sister’s face turned from bored to intrigued.
“So you captured the interest of someone at the ball? Who might this mysterious stranger be? And why is he so interested in you?”
Heather stood up and moved away from the bed. No wonder she was always a wallflower. Jasmine insisted on grabbing the spotlight whenever the two of them were in the same room. But somehow David had seen her anyway, and he preferred her to the more flashy Jasmine. She could afford to be benevolent, especially since Jasmine’s season was at an end. With a smile on her face, Heather turned back to her twin.
“The mysterious man is no stranger to you. It’s the lieutenant. The one who prefers my company to yours. And he’s going to be accompanying me to every ball and event for the next two weeks, until he has to leave New York.” Heather finished with an emphatic nod of her head.
Jasmine stared at her sister in horror. “Surely, you must be joking! Quit pulling my leg, Heather. It hurts enough without you tugging on it.”
“It’s no joke, Jas, and it’s all your fault, since you fell and broke your ankle, exposing our duplicity. I owed him an apology for our childish behavior, so I had to talk to him. And he was astute enough to realize I’m at a loss without you beside me. The good lieutenant stepped forward and is more than willing to fill in for you. With him by my side, I’ll get used to the whole social thing and I will finish out the year by myself.”
“No, no, you foolish woman, you’ll be ruined by then. You don’t understand anything about how society works.”
“Well, then, why don’t you enlighten me?” Heather sat back down on the bed beside her sister.
“If you are seen exclusively with the ‘good’ lieutenant for even a week or two, no other man will step forward to ask you for a dance, or to come calling. You will have let everyone know that the lieutenant has laid claim to you, so no one else will bother. You know better than to declare yourself this early in the season. Have I taught you nothing? Then, when he leaves you in a few weeks and heads to the south, you’ll be left all alone to take a place at the sidelines for the remainder of the season.”
“Hmmm, I see what you mean.” Heather rose again and gathered up a hairbrush, which was on the dressing table. “Forgive me, Jas, but I must leave you now.”
“Leave? Where are you headed, and with your brush?”
“Mother thought it best that I move into Ginger’s room until you’re better. She doesn’t want me to disturb you when I come in late at night from yet another ball. And I’m headed to the room now so I can get dressed in time to greet the lieutenant, with whom I’m going riding in the park this afternoon. Mother is instructing Sally on what
“Well, uh, your fall was the high point of the evening. It’s all anyone could talk about.”
“Really?” Jasmine preened. “Then I suppose the ball broke up shortly after my departure to the hospital?”
“Uhh, yes, shortly afterwards. There were a few more dances, but no one much cared what happened after you caused such excitement.”
“So now that your season is over too, we’ll have to regroup for next year. What a shame all our lovely gowns will be out of date by next season.”
“Ummm, no, that’s not exactly the way things will go. I’ll get to wear all the gowns now, not just my half, since Mother says I must continue on without you.”
“Surely, she’s joking. You’ll be lost without me.”
Heather took a deep breath and stole a glance at her sister, who no longer looked quite so angry.
“It certainly won’t be the same as us going through it together. But, I think I’ll manage just fine.” She straightened her shoulders. “In fact, I have a gentleman coming to call again today.”
“What do you mean, again? Has this gentleman been here previously?”
“Yes, several times now.” Heather watched as her sister’s face turned from bored to intrigued.
“So you captured the interest of someone at the ball? Who might this mysterious stranger be? And why is he so interested in you?”
Heather stood up and moved away from the bed. No wonder she was always a wallflower. Jasmine insisted on grabbing the spotlight whenever the two of them were in the same room. But somehow David had seen her anyway, and he preferred her to the more flashy Jasmine. She could afford to be benevolent, especially since Jasmine’s season was at an end. With a smile on her face, Heather turned back to her twin.
“The mysterious man is no stranger to you. It’s the lieutenant. The one who prefers my company to yours. And he’s going to be accompanying me to every ball and event for the next two weeks, until he has to leave New York.” Heather finished with an emphatic nod of her head.
Jasmine stared at her sister in horror. “Surely, you must be joking! Quit pulling my leg, Heather. It hurts enough without you tugging on it.”
“It’s no joke, Jas, and it’s all your fault, since you fell and broke your ankle, exposing our duplicity. I owed him an apology for our childish behavior, so I had to talk to him. And he was astute enough to realize I’m at a loss without you beside me. The good lieutenant stepped forward and is more than willing to fill in for you. With him by my side, I’ll get used to the whole social thing and I will finish out the year by myself.”
“No, no, you foolish woman, you’ll be ruined by then. You don’t understand anything about how society works.”
“Well, then, why don’t you enlighten me?” Heather sat back down on the bed beside her sister.
“If you are seen exclusively with the ‘good’ lieutenant for even a week or two, no other man will step forward to ask you for a dance, or to come calling. You will have let everyone know that the lieutenant has laid claim to you, so no one else will bother. You know better than to declare yourself this early in the season. Have I taught you nothing? Then, when he leaves you in a few weeks and heads to the south, you’ll be left all alone to take a place at the sidelines for the remainder of the season.”
“Hmmm, I see what you mean.” Heather rose again and gathered up a hairbrush, which was on the dressing table. “Forgive me, Jas, but I must leave you now.”
“Leave? Where are you headed, and with your brush?”
“Mother thought it best that I move into Ginger’s room until you’re better. She doesn’t want me to disturb you when I come in late at night from yet another ball. And I’m headed to the room now so I can get dressed in time to greet the lieutenant, with whom I’m going riding in the park this afternoon. Mother is instructing Sally on what
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