Season's Feather

Chapter Sixty

"Miss Sharma," Williamson whispered from the other side of the statue, "I've been wishing for a moment alone with you. To speak."

"There is nothing to speak about, My Lord," Kate responded.

Williamson shook his head, "We kissed."

"We did not," Kate insisted, "Nothing happened between us. How could it? You were my sister's intended. There is no such world in which we could kiss."

He couldn't hear it anymore. He stepped around the statue and faced the lady in lilac. The beautiful Miss Kate Sharma. The woman he desperately remembered kissing. He faced her with disbelief. She had kissed him back. He stared at her, "Are you quite serious?"

Kate stared at him with glossed eyes, "We did a terrible thing."

Williamson walked all the way around to her side.

Kate kept her eye on him, "We should be ashamed of what we did."

Williamson just looked at her. She walked away.

Delilah walked with Lady Danbury around the gallery. In truth she was still getting used to being called Lady Silvester. She hadn't ever thought she would take that title on. Now though she held an immense amount of respect for her mother. Having to deal with other mamas gossiping. She was no longer playing the fields with the girls around a ball room. She was playing the game with full grown women.

"Ah, Lady Danbury. Lady Silvester. What a surprise to see you here." Lady Cowper greeted. She was with her group of friends. Delilah took a breath, they were just the older version of a very - same - group of girls her age.

Delilah sat back as Lady Danbury stepped up with power. Strong and fearless.

"You do know my family has its very own room here, yes, Lady Cowper?" Lady Danbury nodded.

Delilah came up beside her and pointed to an opening on the other side of the room, "Over there, is it not?"

Lady Danbury smiled at her and pointed at the archway with her cane, "The one with the, uh, Danbury name just above the door."

There was a small bit of laughter and Delilah hid some very harsh words under a sigh.

"How nice it is to see you both," One of the women added, "Though I'd have thought that after your required a little respite after the strenuous events of the past week, Lady Silvester."

Delilah's smile slipped a little bit. She could see the judgment flowing from all the women.

"My dear," Mary Silvester - her mother - smiled, "When you get to be a Lady. You play a wider field. But always remember that it doesn't change from being at a ball. You only get more freedom to say what you would like."

"But you jest so well, Mama." Delilah frowned.

"Nonsense. I just threaten the woman's respectability. People who don't get invited, aren't the best to be around." Mary laughed.

A warmth passed over Delilah's shoulders and she took a deep breath, "On the contrary. I am delighted to be in the works of hosting a ball later this week. Have you not received an invitation?"

"Oh," Lady Danbury pouted.

Delilah looked to her before steering her eyes back at the lady, "I shall see if there is still room. I'm expecting a full house, no doubt."

Another tense chuckle between the ladies and then her and Lady Danbury were off.