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O ne week later

“I do not like that you organized this ball without my permission.”

Lady Albury sighed heavily and fluttered her fingers in Theodore’s direction. “Now is not the time to complain about it, my son. Our guests will be here momentarily!”

I wish that I had found a way to prevent this.

In the last week, Theodore had discovered a fresh despondency when it came to his mother. Seemingly as punishment for refusing to fetch the heirlooms from the estate, Lady Albury had not only planned this ball without his awareness but had only mentioned it when they were in company, meaning that he had not any opportunity to prevent it! He had wondered why she had insisted upon bringing him to call upon Lady Melford and her daughter, a little suspicious that it had been done to introduce him to a young lady that his mother thought suitable. Once the conversation was at an end and they were returned to their carriage, however, Theodore had come to understand that the visit had been done solely to push forward an old rivalry, to bring it back into the light. He had been deeply angry with her for the announcement of the ball and had told her in no uncertain terms that it would not take place, only for her to inform him that the select invitations had already been sent out.

Thus, here he was on the night of the ball, wishing that he had a way to step back from it all.

“As I have said, the guests will be here in a moment so we must go down.” His mother offered him her attempt at a warm smile. “Now, do not look so despondent. This evening will be an excellent one, I am sure.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Theodore noticed a footman stepping out of the shadows, a parcel in his hand. The footman stayed back in the shadows, clearly waiting for a moment to come to the fore and Theodore beckoned him closer at once. “Yes?”

The footman inclined his head and then came towards them, though he handed the parcel to Lady Albury rather than to Theodore. “This came only a few minutes ago, my lady.”

At once, Lady Albury grasped the parcel, a gasp escaping from her.

“What is it?” Theodore asked, a little suspicious that his mother had purchased something all the more ridiculous to elevate herself in amongst society. “Pray do not tell me that you have decided to buy something to add to your finery. You look very well already.”

His mother cast him a long look before turning away from him. “I do not think this concerns you, Theodore. Do excuse me for a few minutes. In fact, why do you not go to the ballroom so that you are ready to greet the guests as they arrive?”

Her secretive behavior made Theodore all the more suspicious though he said nothing, narrowing his gaze just a little as she walked away. There was something about that parcel that she did not want him to see, though Theodore had no choice other than to do what she had suggested. He could not simply linger in the drawing room and wait for her to return, not when the guests were soon to be arriving.

With a small sigh and a shake of his head, Theodore slowly began to meander towards the ballroom, his mind full of weighted thoughts. He had done well in standing up to her and refusing her demands of the heirloom necklace, he knew, but that did not mean that the days that had followed had been easy. There had been many a time he had felt himself weakening under her complaints but yet, he had managed to stand against her and, in doing so, had found a slow-growing strength.

Though I did not manage to prevent this ball, he thought to himself, grimacing. I shall have to be more aware of what she is doing in the future.

Standing alone just outside the ballroom, ready to greet his first guests, Theodore clasped his hands behind his back and listened to the orchestra as they played in the empty ballroom. It was a beautiful piece and Theodore closed his eyes to listen, sensing a calmness that flooded through his entire frame. Yes, she ought never to have done this, ought never to have planned a ball and invited guests all without his consent, but it had been done and there was nothing else for him to do but to enjoy it.

“It is good to see you with a smile on your face, Albury. I am sure that you will enjoy this evening.”

Theodore opened his eyes. “Perhaps I will but –” The words stuck in his throat, a choking sound emitting from his lips as he stared at his mother, horrified by what he saw.

“You will not be angry with me, I am sure!” she exclaimed, gesturing to the emerald necklace which now adorned her neck. It contained three rows of jewels, each an emerald and each greatly valuable. “You know how much I needed these and if you were not going to fetch them for me, then I thought I would send for them myself.” She smiled and tilted her head, the emerald earrings catching the light. “Can you not see how much I care for you? I did not trouble you any further for the heirlooms, did I? Instead, I found a way to fetch them myself.”

The tightness in his throat increased with every second until he could barely breathe. His eyes were fixed on the emeralds, his heart pounding as sweat broke out across his forehead. How could she have done this to him? He had expressed himself clearly that she was not to have the emeralds!

“You are upset, I can tell. But that will pass,” she continued, speaking gently now as though she were speaking to a child. “Come now, our first guests are arriving! I can hear their footsteps approaching.”

Theodore did not, could not, move. The shock of seeing the emeralds was more than he could put into words, his breathing labored now as pain struck at his heart again and again. He felt weaker than ever before, as though the strength he thought he had in standing up to her was now gone entirely, sapped by her selfish actions. The sheer lack of respect for him as the Earl of Albury and for what he had decided was like a knife stabbing at his heart, making him feel as though he was nothing more than an ant, able to be trodden on and forgotten by her.

“Lord and Lady Greenock, how delighted to have you join us this evening,” he heard his mother say, though still, he said nothing and did not move an inch, staring fixedly at his mother. “You are the first to arrive and we are overjoyed to be able to welcome you to our prestigious ball.”

“We were delighted at the invitation,” Lady Greenock gushed, as Lord Greenock approached Theodore, ready to shake his hand. “I do not think that I have ever attended a ball of yours before, Lord Albury, and I am sure it will be a wonderful one.”

Theodore blinked three times, trying to understand what it was that Lord Greenock was saying to him but found that he could not. His chest was too tight, his hand wooden as he managed to grasp Lord Greenock’s and shake it. There was no smile on his face, no words spoken to Lord Greenock himself and despite his mother’s warning look, he simply could not pull himself out of his shock.

“If you would just make your way into the ballroom,” he heard his mother say. “You must see the chalked floor! It is truly magnificent.”

“I thank you.” With a momentary glance towards Theodore, Lord Greenock took his wife’s arm and then led her into the ballroom

At the very next moment, his mother’s fingers wrapped tightly around Theodore’s arm, forcing him to look at her.

“Whatever is the matter with you?” she hissed, as yet more voices were heard in the hallway. “Do you not see that we are greeting our guests? You cannot simply stand there and say nothing!”

Anger rolled around in a ball in Theodore’s stomach and he yanked his hand away, the pain in his chest finally breaking and giving way, instead, to fury. “I cannot believe that you would do such a thing to me.”

“Do what?” his mother asked, stepping back. “If it is about the heirlooms, then I cannot see that I have done anything wrong.”

Theodore snorted and shook his head. “Of course you would not,” he said coldly, ignoring the way his mother hushed him, clearly wanting him to lower his voice. “You did not get what you wanted from me and instead, you decided to get it regardless of what I had said about it all. Is that not so?”

His mother lifted her chin and looked straight into his eyes. “I do not care about that. I care about the heirlooms.”

“You do not care,” Theodore answered, a sudden stabbing pain striking him at her words. “That is the truth of it then, yes? You do not care about what I have decided. You would willingly go against me, even though the heirlooms are under my control. How does that show any sort of respect for me? How does that –”

“If you do not wish to shame yourself and ruin your family’s reputation, then might I suggest that you come to your senses, close your mouth, and turn to greet our guests with joviality and warmth?” Interrupting him, his mother grabbed his wrist this time and pulled herself closer to him. “Understand this, I care not for your feelings, Theodore. I wanted the heirlooms and I have them. That is all that is important to me and thus, you may as well keep your anger to yourself for it will do nothing to me.”

It was as though he had been standing by the ocean and a monstrously cold wave crashed right over him. His mother turned away and put a smile on her face that Theodore simply could not understand, a brightness in her expression that he could not fathom. How could she speak such harsh words to him in one breath and then appear so light of spirit in the moments thereafter? Numb, he forced himself to greet his guests, aware that, despite her harshness, his mother had been right in what she had said. He would only mortify himself if he did not greet his guests as he ought; it would only shame his good name if he turned away in either anger or upset. Despite all that he felt, he had to push it all away, had to hide it from all who came to greet him.

Though once the ball was at an end, Theodore was quietly determined that something would have to be done. After all she had said and done, he did not think he could be in his mother’s company any longer.

“There you are, nephew.”

Theodore groaned inwardly as his aunt, Lady Yarmouth, grabbed at his arm. “Aunt. Good evening.”

“I have come to tell you that you are being most unfair towards your mother,” his aunt declared, with the same spirited manner that he saw so often in his mother. “It is quite right for her to have the heirlooms.”

Gritting his teeth, Theodore took in a deep breath and tried to calm himself inwardly. “This is not a matter that concerns you, Aunt.”

“Oh, but it does! Especially when it concerns my sister! You must know how much she adored those jewels! Besides which, they remind her of your father and –”

Theodore cut through the space between them with one hand, his palm flat out. “Enough, Aunt.” The situation was much too raw for him to be speaking with any sense of calmness, telling him that he had to bring the conversation to a close before it went on any further. “My father gave my mother a good many jewels and she was only permitted to wear the family heirlooms on very specific occasions. I will not hear any further manipulations, for I will not be moved on the matter. I will take those jewels back the moment the ball comes to an end and that will be the end of it!”

He turned away from his now red cheeked aunt, only for two young ladies to come directly into his path.

“Lord Albury, good evening.” The first one smiled, as the second one bobbed a curtsy. “I do hope you are enjoying your ball. We certainly are, I can assure you!”

Theodore silently demanded he smile as two young ladies beamed up at him. “Yes, I am. I thank you. Though,” he continued, making up an excuse which, he prayed, would not be found out, “I must now go to dance. Pardon my hasty absence.”

The two young ladies glanced at each other with similar looks of disappointment in their eyes but they could do nothing other than nod and smile. Relieved, Theodore moved away from them and his aunt as quickly as he could, making his way to the back of the ballroom though, in a short while, he would, in fact, need to go and dance with a Miss Henderson, if he recalled correctly. Sighing, he leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes, his arms folded. The initial shock of his mother wearing the heirlooms he had stated were not to be taken had begun to wear off, replaced instead with cold and furious anger, now fueled by his aunt’s remarks. Quite what he was to do, Theodore was not yet certain but he absolutely did not want to have his mother near to him any longer. Something had to be done.

“I did hear that there has been news of a mercenary who made his way from – oh!”

Theodore’s eyes opened, a little confused as to whether or not he had heard those words correctly. It was very strange indeed for a young lady to be speaking of such things, so he quickly accepted that he had not heard her correctly. “Do not let me interrupt your conversation, please.”

The two ladies glanced at each other, though Theodore instantly recognized one. He pushed himself to stand straight, a growing heat in his neck reaching up to his face as he bowed towards Miss Trentworth. The first time he had been introduced to her had been the most embarrassing of visits, for he had sunk into a silence when he realized the precise reason for his mother’s insistence that they call. “Miss Trentworth,” he said, praying that she did not mention his visit. “Good evening.”

“Good evening,” she answered, bobbing a curtsy. “You are acquainted with Lady Amelia, I think.”

I must be, given that she was invited. “Yes, of course.” Bowing towards the lady that he did not recall in the slightest, Theodore tried to smile. “I hope that you are enjoying the evening.”

“We are.” There was a glance shared between the ladies as Miss Trentworth spoke, as though she did not want to tell him the entirety of the truth. “It is a magnificent evening.” A slight head tilt told him of her curiosity. “Though it is a little surprising to see the host of the evening standing so far from the crowd!”

Theodore bit back his first response, wanting to tell her that his standing here was none of her business but recognizing that, to do so would be very rude indeed. “I am a little fatigued.”

“I can imagine!” the other young lady said, offering him a smile that spoke of understanding and sympathy, pulling back some of Theodore’s frustration. “I have never hosted a ball before but it must be exhausting.”

“Though your efforts will be well rewarded, given that everyone in the ton will be speaking not only of the success of this evening but also of the elegance and refinement present.” Miss Trentworth spread out her hands. “Your mother’s jewels, for example, are being spoken of already! They are truly magnificent, Lord Albury.”

This set Theodore’s teeth on edge. He did not mean to but he glowered hard at Miss Trentworth, as though she had said something wrong and watched as the light faded from her eyes. “The jewels you speak of are my family’s heirlooms,” he said, tightly. “My mother was not to display them this evening but she chose to do so regardless.”

Miss Trentworth blinked, then smiled though it did not send light into her expression. “I can see why she would have chosen to do so. They are beautiful and indeed, I do not think that I have ever seen anything like them before!”

“Indeed, it is little wonder that she wanted to show them to society,” Lady Amelia added, though there was a flicker of confusion in her eyes, no doubt wondering as to his strange reaction. “I quite understand.”

“As do I.”

Theodore grimaced and looked away, finding very little to say to this. When he shot a look back toward the two ladies, he saw them looking at each other, both a little wide-eyed and wondering at his strange reaction. I am behaving poorly. Taking in a deep breath, he set his shoulders back and tried to shake off his displeasure. “Might you have your dance cards available to me, ladies? I should be glad to dance with you both, though I have only three dances remaining.”

Lady Amelia shook her head. “Alas, I have my dance card quite filled already, Lord Albury, though I am grateful to you for your consideration.”

This, much to Theodore’s surprise, had Miss Trentworth sending a somewhat dark look towards her friend, though he did not understand why. When she turned her attention to him again, however, there was a sunny smile placed on her expression as though nothing was wrong. “How very kind, Lord Albury,” she said, handing him her dance card. “I have some dances remaining though if they do not suit, then I quite understand.”

“The cotillion.” Quickly writing his name down, he thrust the dance card back at her. “Now you must excuse me, for I am to dance and I do not want to miss the polka. Good evening.”

Aware that he had been somewhat abrupt in his departure, Theodore strode away from the ladies, his face growing hot. It had been the mention of his mother’s jewels which had quite ruined the conversation for him and he knew he had behaved poorly thereafter. Mayhap he had made things a little better by asking the ladies to dance, but all the same, he had not done particularly well. Sighing inwardly, Theodore lifted his chin and determinedly pushed on. He would have to do his utmost to make a good impression on the others from society for the rest of the evening, or else things would become all the worse for him what with whispers and rumors about his behavior. He could only hope that Miss Trentworth and Lady Amelia were not inclined towards gossiping, else the damage had already been done.

And it was all, Theodore considered, his mother’s fault.