Wentworth's Baron

Wentworth's Baron - Chapter Twelve - Invitation

CHAPTER TWELVE

Invitation

            Back at the Wentworth’s Henrietta received the invitation to the masquerade ball to be held at Toddington Manor.  “I certainly will not attend” she told her father upon opening it.

            “Henrietta, I must insist that you go.  All the relations from both sides will be there not to mention select members of the ton.  I have not bid you do my wishes before this and now I fear I have no choice.  You will go to the mask!  I demand it be so!”  Lord Wentworth’s voice came out in a tone Henrietta rarely heard uttered from his mouth.

            She stood silent as he stared at her.  She choked back tears as she tried to remain firm in her convictions but it appeared as though there would be no choice.  It had come.  The time had come for her to try and accept that she would marry. 

            Lord Wentworth softened a bit and put his arm about his daughter.  He did not mean to be so harsh with her but he has been stretched tight these last few days and Henrietta’s obstinate behavior needed to come to a halt.  He comforted her in the fact that she still did not have to see his face but acquiesced in the fact that it was true that at some point they would remove their masks. 

            Henrietta would not be comforted with this and Lord Wentworth had no choice but to leave her to her own devices and hope that she would manage her feelings somehow.  As she sat in the parlor she was notified that Victoria had called to which she directed she be sent in.

            “Have you received it!”  she announced as she walked in the room.  “Received what?” replied Henrietta.  “Dearest, your eyes are red and puffy, why have you been crying?” 

            At this the tears welled up again and she said “father is making me go to Toddington Manor to that ball!” she wailed.  Victoria pulled her friend down on the couch and said comfortingly, “but don’t you see, Henrietta, this is exactly what we wanted?  Don’t you remember?  Only we were going to plan it here, they decided to have a ball there?  Don’t you see this is the chance you were hoping for.  Now we can put our plan into action.  Have you spoken with the Baron yet?” 

            “No, I have not seen him yet today but he may stop by later.”  Victoria, upon hearing this, began to feel the jealousy inside against her friend.  “You know, Henny, I should be quite upset with you.  The Baron is courting me and here I am helping you plan a ‘scandal’ with him.”  Henrietta knew she was right and felt guilty herself for the role she was playing.  “I know, my dear dear friend, only the closest of friends would understand and do what you are doing to help me out of this situation.  Remember, though, when we started all of this, you weren’t so close to your dear Baron as you are now.  If you want me to call it off I will.”  Victoria did want her friend to call it off but she couldn’t bring herself to say so and so continued to bring Henrietta around to benefits of attending the ball and talk about the fun they will have.  She couldn’t wait until tomorrow to go shopping for their costumes and they still needed to decide what they would go as.

            So, as Victoria continued to encourage her friend, Henrietta began to feel better about going to Toddington Manor after all.  When she heard that the Circus would be enlisted to perform she was even more excited at the thought of seeing Wendell and his ‘orses’ again.