Chapter 6
“Now are you absolutely sure that William does not mind?” Ella whispered to Violet, despite the fact that the two women were alone in her chamber. “I mean, I should not like to think that he feels forced into it.”
“No, Miss Winfield, he is very keen to help.” Violet’s pretty little round face seemed to glow with excitement, almost as if she was the one who was about to secretly attend a masquerade ball unannounced.
When Ella had first told her maid of the news of the Duke and how badly Patience and Georgiana had behaved on account of it, Violet had been all interest. And when she had told her how the Earl of Dandridge had stated most firmly that she could not go, Violet had quickly retorted that it was because Miss Winfield was much more beautiful than his own daughters, and he was likely scared that the Duke would fall for her and not for one of his own offspring.
The declaration had, of course, been quickly followed up with embarrassment and apology, something which was beginning to become a habit. It was clear to Ella that Violet was a passionate young woman who often spoke before she thought of the consequences. But she likely did so more often with Ella because she was less afraid in her company.
Either way, Ella found it most endearing and had come to regard little Violet as very much her only friend in all of Dandridge Hall. And that feeling had given her the confidence to tell Violet that she was working on a scheme of her own to attend in secret and spy on the girls, just to see how badly they behaved.
And then, of course, she admitted that she truly did not want to be left out of things. To have been told that she would not have the right to attend with her family had hurt her very badly, and she thought that if she could attend anyway, without their knowledge, she would have won a little battle, not to mention her self-respect. The idea of spying on Patience and Georgiana was really secondary to her own feelings.
Violet had understood immediately and, without even asking William, one of the Earl’s second-footmen, she offered his services. It soon became clear to Ella that there was a certain understanding between Violet and William and that William was much more likely to do Violet’s bidding than his master’s.
And, after a few minutes conversation with William, Ella also realized that he was young and spirited, keen for adventure in whatever form it took. No doubt helping her to get to a masquerade ball without being caught appealed to his boy’s spirit.
“And anyway, he has use of the little cart for errands and what have you. It is not a cart that His Lordship uses at all. It is for the servants only so nobody will see anything amiss in him taking it out for the evening.”
“And he does not need to come too far onto the Duke’s estate. He only needs to go in a little way, and I believe you said there are some woodlands?”
“Yes, you can see them quite easily from the edge of the estate. I think you would easily hide the cart in there for a few hours and not be seen, especially if everybody is at the masquerade ball anyway.” Violet was almost as excited as William had been.
“Right, I need to wear a gown that nobody will recognize me in. Although, in truth, my mother has paid so little heed to me in the last year that I could probably pick from half a dozen that she would not recognize.”
“Then what about this one, Miss Winfield?” Violet said dreamily as she reached up to take down a gown in a rich plum shade. “It really is beautiful.”
“I have always thought it a little dark for me, given that my hair is so very dark. So I have never worn it.”
“Your hair is dark, but your skin is very pale, Miss Winfield. I think it would look very dramatic indeed, especially with the golden mask and your hair done up in curls. Add white gloves to it, and I think you would look a real sensation.” Violet was getting excited again.
“Yes, curls,” Ella said with equal excitement. “If you gave me a full head of curls, my own mother would not recognize me. I usually wear it up and curl only what frames my face. But to have curls everywhere would be wonderful. I would feel that my disguise was complete, and it would give me such confidence.”
“Then is it settled, Miss Winfield? This beautiful dark gown with your hair in curls and your golden mask?”
“Yes, Violet, it is settled,” Ella said and reached down to pick up the mask that Violet had procured for her.
It was very pretty indeed, and quite birdlike in its appearance. But it was also very full, covering a good deal of her face, leaving only her eyes, mouth, and chin exposed. To satisfy herself once more that it was, indeed, a good enough disguise, she lifted it to her face and looked at her reflection in the mirror.
She imagined her hair all done up in curls, and she thought that, as long as she did not find herself in company with her family at all, they would have no reason to suspect that the young lady in the golden bird mask was somebody they knew, and certainly not Ella herself.
For a moment, she was overcome with a little nervousness at the idea of being caught. If the Earl found out that she was there, Ella could hardly begin to imagine the sort of trouble she would be in.
And then she thought of how casually she had been dismissed, not only by Ronald Belville and his daughters, but by her own mother also.
She was the only one set to stay at home, left alone with little more care than if she had been a servant. Now, the idea was far less frightening and did, instead, seem to lend a certain amount of silly excitement to the whole excursion.
If her life was to be battened down by a stepfather who was afraid she would steal the limelight from his daughters, and a mother who would do anything to appease her new husband, then it was clear that Ella was going to have to carve out some sort of life for herself. And if that meant that she would seek a little adventure here and there, then that was what she was determined to do.
Feeling suddenly very brave, like a pirate or something, she turned to Violet, full of excitement, and pulled her to her, hugging her tightly.
“What on earth would I do without you, Violet?” she said enthusiastically.
“Oh, Miss Winfield, you will make me cry,” Violet squeaked, her voice tiny like a child.
“I do hope I do not get caught tonight,” Ella said and leaned back, looking at her maid with a comical look of fear on her face.
Violet laughed helplessly, and Ella joined her. It was such a wonderful feeling to laugh again, and she could hardly think that she had laughed so openly and so guardedly since before her dear father had died.
She knew that without Violet, life at Dandridge Hall would have been so much more dreadful. And certainly, her little plan would have come to naught because there was no way she could have made it to Hillington Hall that night on her own. She had needed help, and she had been offered it immediately.
“Can you imagine what the Earl will do to me if he ever finds out?”
“Then we must see to it that he never finds out, Miss Winfield,” Violet said firmly. “You just must be sure that you leave the ball before everybody else. However much fun you are having, you must not stay. And you must keep your eye on the Earl and Countess at all times, for they cannot leave before you.”
“Quite so, or they might discover that I am not here at all.”
“And you must take care to stay away from them all night. You must not study them so closely that they realize you are looking, or they might recognize something about you, even if it is just the way you walk or stand. You really will have to keep your wits about you for the whole evening.”
“Yes, and I ought to be afraid of it all. But really, Violet, the more you say, the more excited I feel.”
“Oh, Miss Winfield.” Violet placed a little hand on either side of her own face. “But you must be careful, whatever happens, you must be careful.”
“I will, I promise.”
“And you really must return to William long before the ball is over, for I could not bear to think that either one of you might be discovered.”
“I promise, Violet. Now stop worrying.” Ella smiled broadly at her maid and determined that she would be very careful and do everything that Violet had suggested.
With her heart beginning to beat just a little faster, she sat down at her dressing table as Violet began to make her straight, dark hair a head full of curls.