Rejected

Chapter 13

"I can scarcely believe it!" Isabella gasped and then clapped a hand over her mouth.

"I knew it had to be someone important. Lady Beatrix could not have been passing invitations for someone beneath her status," Cecilia clapped her hands with delight making her red curls jump.

"Look, look, Delilah looks more discomposed I have ever seen her," Isabella hissed excitedly. She was right in her assessment because Delilah looked like she wanted to jump off the balcony if she could.

"And he's leaning in," Prudence spoke in a higher pitch than usual, "That is going to make my sister very, very angry."

Prudence grinned toothily at Mary who looked like she didn't know whether to be shocked or laugh. Isabella continued to look like she would bite her nails off if she weren't wearing gloves.

"You know, we shouldn't be feeling this happy. Del looks far from it," Cecilia giggled through her hand giving a look at their surroundings. While they were sitting in an isolated seating area it probably wouldn't have mattered how much sound they made since everyone else was also looking at the pair as well. The other ladies were whispering behind manicured hands while the men were nodding and rolling their eyes. It seems everyone present was aware of the connection between the Crown Prince and the Lady he was currently conversing with. Cecilia knew that once they got back to their rooms she would have to soundly berate Delilah for keeping her in the dark.

"I wonder," Isabella mused, "There were rumours circulating about you and the Prince. Could it be that they had the wrong Winsham Lady?"

"Me, why would that man be interested in me? Besides any time we conversed we talked about Delilah," Cecilia's eyes opened wide as she spoke after a pause, "You might actually be right."

"But he didn't compliment her or say anything nice. Even a casual stranger would have more to say then 'you look different'," Prudence's words rained down on their parade.

"And he's been asking her to forgive him," Mary interjected, "He might have just done something rude to her."

"Oh, I can imagine. He doesn't look like a man confined to common sense or propriety. I can think of a hundred things he could have done to annoy her. He does the oddest things even at his best behaviour," Cecilia exhaled noisily, the sudden excitement bubbled away. Isabella too nodded with sad eyes.

"And did you see the arm around Lady Beatrix," Prudence hissed looking like she had swallowed a lemon.

"That's one of the things my mother dislikes about her the most. She just wishes she weren't so friendly with the Prince. It leads to such terrible rumours and most of them put my brother in a bad light. And to think he actually loves her. He wouldn't have married her otherwise," Mary sighed gently looking morose.

"But I don't understand-" Cecilia started to continue argument but was cut off by Isabella.

"She's coming back," Their friend observed and ducked her head down pretending she hadn't been looking. Mary coughed when the older girl joined them with a raised eyebrow.

"It was not what you think and I would prefer it if we don't speak about this right now. I am in not in the mood," Delilah informed them with narrow eyes knowing exactly what they were thinking. Mary coughed again adding to the awkward silence.

"Do you think it would be rude if we left at this point?" Isabella asked not looking in her friends' eyes though her hands were performing a dance routine in their agitation which revealed much of her mental state. Behind her the Prince returned to his friends looking as cheerful as he had before and Cecilia silently cursed him for how unperturbed he looked.