She blushed.
They had a lavish tea which had been sent from Clancar Castle, Will having not troubled to hire any servants yet for the old ramshackle place.
After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Thomas told Elizabeth it was high time they were heading back.
"Elizabeth needs to rest, and I need to make some arrangements for our traveling back home to Somerset soon."
"You will be departing shortly?" Will asked, trying to keep the panic out of his voice.
Thomas nodded. "Elizabeth seems happily settled. I shall stay a few more days to make sure she is truly well. Then we shall go home before the autumn storms grip the Irish Sea."
"So you really plan to stay, Lady Elizabeth?" Will asked, his heart soaring.
She nodded. "I adore my family and Brimley, but Ardmore feels like home now, though I have only been here a short while."
He smiled down at her. It was only a small crack in his usual sombre demeanor, but it was like the sun coming out from behind a cloud. She gaped at his magnificence like a dumb-struck child.
"I shall see you later, Lady Elizabeth."
"Yes, later, Mr. Joyce," she said breathlessly.
She went home and threw herself on the bed, suddenly exhausted once more. But no, it had to just be coincidence. If it were Will Joyce, why had he never given her a single indication? Why let Parks and Fitzsimmons and Monroe…
Fitzsimmons. He had said things which had indicated he was the man in the cave. Unless it had all been her imagination, reading things into his conversation…
Or another man entirely. Parks, for instance. The roll in the sand the other day…
Drat. She got up and went into the bathroom for a quick wash. She began to strip off all of her clothes, noting the blush of her skin. As though she had been with her lover again…
She shook her head. She had been in a dank, sand- and dust-filled cellar with a trio of wine aficionados. No lover there.
She went over to her dresser and donned clean linen, silk stockings and garters, lacy underdrawers, and a fine lawn chemise. She had already selected her gown, white with a deep V-neckline and tiny split sleeves trimmed with Brussels lace. All was trimmed with silver embroidery, and the train extended out from behind her by at least a foot. There was a braided silver loop for her to place over her wrist when she was dancing, and she had managed to get some matching trim with which to decorate her white silk and spangled reticule and to turn into garters for her long gloves and as a sash. She had added some heavy jet beads to the end of the braid to make some tassels for the gown, and Charlotte exclaimed over how lovely she looked as she tapped on the door and entered.
"Now all we need to do is fix your hair."
It was soon wrapped in complicated crown atop her head and fix with a silver coronet. "There. Wonderful. Except that no one will be able to see the gown or your coiffure with your domino over it."
"We unmask at midnight, and I for one plan to dance until three at least," she said, fastening her jet collar, bracelets and ear bobs.
"Glad to see you're so much better. You gave us quite a scare last evening."
"I'm fine. Really," she reassured her sister-in-law in a firm tone.
"Good. Find your fan and let us go. I can already hear people arriving."
"Our cloaks and masks?" Elizabeth asked.
"All downstairs in the ballroom. We shall go down the back stairs so no one will be any the wiser."
Elizabeth admired her sister-in-law's gown as they went. It was a rich bronze color with cream lace at the bosom, and she took note of it and determined to make sure her dresses were all as modest as Charlotte's. It was a scandal to see so much bosom showing at balls these days. Some things were better off being kept private. She should not have allowed her modiste to talk her into such a daring design.
But when she said as much to Charlotte, she laughed. "My dear, you can't look like a little Quakeress all the time. There is nothing improper about that gown. Even if there were, the cloak would hide it. Now quick, put it on and let me tie your mask."
"You look lovely," Thomas said when she asked his opinion in a worried tone. "I'm so proud of you. You have never given me an ounce of unease or concern over your good judgment in your person or tastes. The dress is perfect. Enjoy yourself."
Soon the room began to fill. The women were clad all in white, but their gowns peeping from underneath and their heights were easy enough to distinguish.
She started guessing the men's identities as they entered. Monroe and Mitchell were easy, but the four blond men were all in solid black with black dominoes. Clifford soon detached himself from the group to seek out his wife for the first dance. Will made a beeline toward Elizabeth to claim her for the first waltz.