The Fearless Miss Dinah by Laura Rollins

Chapter Twenty-Three

“Ithink I may faint,” Emily said.

“Then, by all means, hand me Baby John first,” Dinah replied, reaching for the baby. He came to her willingly, and Emily let him go.

Dinah placed the boy up on her shoulder, and he reached for several of her curls. With her hair all perfectly in place, Dinah took hold of his tiny fist and pried her locks loose before he could do any real damage.

“Silly boy,” she cooed. “You’d best leave my hair the way it is or my abigail is likely to have a fit to rival even one of yours.”

Emily smiled weakly at her youngest and then returned to looking at herself in the mirror which stood beside the dressing table in her bedchamber. “Do I look all right?”

“You look lovely,” Dinah said, instinctively beginning to sway slightly. Baby John rested more comfortably against her. She adored holding the little baby, but it did make her heart hurt all the same. Since Henry had come home bruised from his self-inflicted fight the other day, they’d both steered clear of one another. They had still enjoyed breakfast together, and they’d still talked at night. But they had only exchanged pleasantries and always with a very formal air about them. She felt they were more strangers now than they’d been even that first day of their wedding. And now, she wouldn’t be able to hide as much any longer. Her whole family would be attending tonight. No matter what she’d been telling them in her letters, they’d take one look at her and Henry standing on opposite sides of the room and know the truth. She’d failed. Her one chance at a happy marriage was ruined.

Dinah leaned in and kissed Baby John on the top of his head. This truly might be the closest she ever got to being a mother.

Emily ran a hand down the dress she’d had specially made for tonight’s ball. “Mother always said I looked good in purple.”

Dinah drew herself up. Tonight was Emily’s night, and she wasn’t going to ruin it with her own worries over Henry. Emily’s parents were staying in London with a family friend, and Dinah rather guessed it was because the relationship between them and Emily was still so strained. They’d sent word yesterday that they’d arrived safely and were looking forward to tonight’s ball. Emily had nearly collapsed from nerves when the letter had come.

“Are the pearls with the cross too much?” Emily fingered first one and then the other necklace.

“I think it’s a beautiful combination. Besides,” Dinah continued, even while she cuddled Baby John, “isn’t one of the goals tonight to prove to your parents that David is providing a comfortable life for you? A little opulence is called for.”

Emily turned around, facing Dinah once more. “Thank you for coming to help. I’m afraid my nerves are all aflutter, and I can’t seem to think straight for the life of me.”

“That’s what sisters are for,” Dinah said. It felt strange to call this woman her sister. They hadn’t known one another that long. And yet, when Emily smiled at her, Dinah knew she had the right of it. They were sisters now—and not just in name, as Henry seemed to insist at every turn. Though Dinah had joined this house out of necessity, she’d come to love it here. She loved having Emily as a sister, though their dispositions could not have been more different. She loved Oliver and Miles, and even Uncle Jeffrey’s outlandish stories. Though Mr. Wilson and Aunt Beatrice had yet to warm to her, she still loved them as well. Theirs was not a perfect home—even calling it idyllic would be a stretch. But then again, Dinah had never searched out an easy life. That would have been far too boring.

As far as she was concerned, Angleside Court suited her quite well.

If only Henry could be made to agree.

Emily stood, standing straighter than she had all day. “I think I might finally be ready.”

“And well before the first guest to arrive,” Dinah said. “You should be proud of yourself.”

Emily laughed, but her nervousness was still obvious in the tone. “Only just. I am certain the guests shall begin arriving any minute now.”

“Then I’d best take Baby John to the nursery.”

“Thank you”—Emily held out her arms—“but let me kiss him good night first.”

Dinah handed her the baby, and Emily cuddled him close to herself. “You be a good boy for your nursemaid tonight, all right?”

Baby John babbled his reply and then burped, spitting up all down Emily’s elegant dress.

Dinah gasped, her hands going to her mouth. Emily froze and then went pale. Dinah took the baby back quickly, for now, Emily truly did look like she might faint.

“No,” Emily breathed. “No, no, no.” She pulled at the dress, but the white mess only slid further down the fabric.

“Sit down,” Dinah instructed, pulling over the small chair from beside Emily’s changing table.

Emily collapsed atop it. “What am I going to do?”

Voices swelled from the front of the house. The guests had begun to arrive.

Emily looked up at Dinah. Her eyes were wide and rimmed with tears.

“Don’t worry,” Dinah said, patting her shoulder. “We can fix this.”

Emily shook her head. “Even if my abigail washes this right away, it’ll never be the same. It certainly won’t be clean and dry before the first dance begins.” She closed her eyes, her brow creasing. “I can’t face my parents. I can’t do it.”

Dinah dropped to her knees and wrapped an arm around Emily’s shoulders. “Of course you can. They want to see you, not some dress.”

Emily only shook her head.

Dinah gave her a tight squeeze and then stood. “Let me get Baby John to the nursery and then I’ll be right back. Together, we will fix this.”

Emily didn’t even acknowledge the statement before Dinah hurried from the room.

“Well, little man,” she said as she hurried up the stairs, “that was poorly done.”

Baby John only giggled at their quick ascension.

With only a bit of explanation, Dinah handed him off to the nursemaid, who, while young, was quite good with the boys. Having safely seen to that bit of work, Dinah hurried back down the stairs. The din of voices coming from the direction of the ballroom was steadily growing. Emily was correct in one regard. There was simply not enough time to wash her dress. Dinah slowed as she reached the family wing, her lips pulling to one side.

Emily wasn’t upset over a soiled dress, Dinah knew that. The problem was that Emily was already so nervous about seeing her parents again. For weeks now, Emily had told herself that if she dressed well enough, put on an elegant ball, showed herself and David to be all that was enviable, then perhaps her parents would see she was happy and, in turn, be happy for her. It wasn’t truly about the dress; it was about putting her best foot forward to her parents.

Dinah turned and hurried into her own room. It only took her a minute to step out of the dress she’d spent hours designing and then hours more making with the help of her abigail. She and Emily were the same height, and they were of a similar enough complexion that the royal blue dress would look stunning on her. Dinah pulled on the most elegant dress she owned that she could still fasten up herself. As it turned out, it wasn’t a very elegant dress at all. Truly, it was little more than an overly embellished dinner dress. Still, speed was more important than style just now. Picking up the dress she’d designed herself, Dinah hurried down the corridor and back into Emily’s room.

Emily sat in exactly the same position as when Dinah had left. She hadn’t even stepped out of the soiled gown.

Dinah quickly draped her dress across the bed and hurried over to Emily.

“Up you go, now,” she said. “Out of that dress.”

Emily stood, but hesitantly so. “I never should have dreamed up this night to begin with.”

Dinah took hold of her sister-in-law’s shoulders and looked her square in the face. “Your parents are here to see you, not your dress. You are doing something brave and scary. I know that. But now is not the time to back down. Now is the time to charge ahead.” It was like when she and Rachel had gone swimming at Curio Manor. The water had been frigid, but they’d dunked themselves and gone for it regardless.

That’s what Emily needed to do now. She needed to figuratively dunk herself and get the initial shock of seeing her parents again over with—and the sooner the better.

Preferably before she fainted dead away.

Dinah spun Emily about and began undoing the ties at her back. Soon, she had the dress down around Emily’s feet.

“Step out,” she said.

Emily wordlessly obeyed.

Dinah tossed aside the dress Emily had been planning to wear for over a month now. Hopefully, Emily’s abigail could get the stain out and manage to save the dress. But for now, that was neither here nor there. Dinah grabbed her own dress off the bed and held it open.

“Step in,” she said.

Emily, once again, obeyed.

Dinah pulled the dress up over Emily’s waist and then threaded her hands through the sleeves. It wasn’t until Dinah had the dress halfway fastened up the back that Emily stopped her with a hand on Dinah’s arm.

“But . . . this is your dress.”

“And I flatter myself that it is quite glorious.” Dinah returned to seeing everything secured.

“I can’t wear this,” Emily protested, twisting away completely. “You’ve worked for weeks on this. I can’t take it away from you.”

“You’ve worked for even longer on tonight.”

Emily hesitated. “Perhaps I ought to ring for my abigail and have her find something else for me to wear.”

“She is no doubt off seeing to other things by now.”

“But I would feel so guilty,” Emily said, pressing her hands to her stomach. “If I’m seen in this gown tonight, you’ll never be able to wear it, not without people calling it my castoff.”

It was true. Her gown was unique enough that once Emily was seen in it, Dinah couldn’t wear it. Well, she’d had enough fun designing this dress, she’d just have to design another one next time there was adequate cause.

Dinah took hold of her shoulders, turning her around yet again so that she might finish looping the ties. “Don’t feel guilty. This is my gift to you.”

“I don’t know why I’m arguing with you. I’m certain the dress won’t fit. You haven’t had three babies as I have.” Still, she allowed Dinah to return to her work.

“And how you’ve remained so thin regardless is nothing short of a miracle.” What Dinah didn’t add aloud was that she’d been raised with few enough means that she knew how to design a gown so it would fit a variety of sizes without needing to be let out. A bit of extra fabric here and a little bit there, and a gown could easily fit a person for many years, no matter if one’s size grew a bit.

“There,” Dinah said as she finished the fastenings. “And just like that, you are ready once more.” Dinah stood straight and looked over her sister.

Emily turned first one way and then the other, seeing that everything was in order by use of the tall mirror. Spinning around, she flung her arms around Dinah.

“This is the sweetest thing anyone’s ever done for me.”

Dinah hugged her back. “Don’t mention it.”

Emily pulled back. “And you’re certain this is all right?” Her gaze swept over Dinah. She hadn’t spoken it unkindly, but Emily would have been blind indeed to not notice that Dinah’s dress was a far cry from the elegant ballgown Emily now wore.

“I have worn far simpler dresses than this to balls before.” Of course, those hadn’t been true London balls, only simple country assemblies. But Dinah swept such thoughts away. “Think of it this way. With me looking bland, you will shine all the brighter.”

Emily hugged her again even as a knock sounded from the door.

“Emily, dear?” David said from the other side.

“Nearly ready,” Emily called back, turning toward the mirror again and patting her hair.

“Your parent’s carriage just pulled up.”

Emily stilled.

Dinah stepped toward her, placing a hand on her back in support.

“I can’t do this,” Emily whispered. “What shall I say? What shall I do?”

“You will go downstairs and greet them,” Dinah said. “You will hold yourself with poise and grace, as I’ve seen you do every day since I first met you. You will show them that though you married the second son, you are a woman of means and comfort, as they always wished you to be.”

Emily lifted her chin and nodded. “David has truly seen to every one of my needs all these years.”

“Exactly. And once they realize how much David dotes on you, they will come to love him too.”

Another knock. “Dearest?”

“Coming,” Emily called. She gave Dinah a firm nod, then hurried toward the door and pulled it open.

“Your par—” David stopped mid-word, his gaze traveling over the full length of Emily. “That’s not the dress . . .”

“You can blame your youngest for soiling the one I’d intended to wear. This was going to be Dinah’s dress, but she said I could have it instead.”

David looked past his wife, seeing Dinah for the first time. His expression went from surprise to clear gratitude. “Thank you.” Then, taking his wife’s hand, the two of them hurried down the corridor and out of sight.

Dinah didn’t follow closely behind. Emily would, no doubt, prefer to greet her parents after their long estrangement without every member of the household standing by to watch. After a few breaths, Dinah slipped from the now quiet room and made her way slowly down the corridor. Her dress would stand out as simple at tonight’s gathering, but it was the best she had. So she would do as she’d always done; she’d stand tall, keep her chin up, and press on.