She leaned closer to the railing and peered down toward the far balcony doors, unsure if she had seen Richard Jennings, the Earl of Abelard. Sophie lifted the hem of her cumbersome skirts but then stopped as she caught sight of a man in the distance.
They would do nicely to begin the appeal, as Hemingsworth was always a good sport about giving funds, and Paversley was never one to let a companion best him at anything. Looking down upon the assembly, she glimpsed Lord Hemingsworth speaking with the elderly Earl of Paversley near the refreshment table. And thankfully, it was particularly fashionable at the moment to donate to charities, which made her efforts a great deal easier. In fact, it was the perfect night to obtain some generous promises to contribute to the orphanage, from those who were in a relaxed frame of mind and thus more inclined to give than under normal circumstances. Yes, plenty of delightful possibilities, indeed.
The laughter of many rang out in between the strands of music, as countless were delighting in sampling the champagne on offer. There was a touch of magic about it all, and even though most at the assembly wore bored expressions on their faces, Sophie couldn’t help but feel a sense of excitement over all of the possibilities abounding in the air. The women were all adorned in resplendent gowns of silk and taffeta, while the gentlemen looked dignified and gallant in their black evening regalia. No matter how many times she saw the dancers waltzing around the room in harmony with the orchestra, it always reminded her of a beautiful shimmering rainbow.
Sophie stood at the balustrade overlooking the Earl of Chiffley’s grand ballroom below and smiled.
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