Page 68 of A Touch of Charm
“Continue.” Anna signaled with her hand in swirling motions.
“Well, the Viennese balls are highly formal, often requiring white ties, evening attire with tailcoats for men and full-length gowns for women, that’s different from the London balls, which are more like social events?”
“It sounds more different than it is, my dear,” Anna protested.
But Stan smirked. He must have known what Thea was hinting at.
“I’d be making my debut in London’s society, so this would require an opening ceremony and a midnight quadrille,” Thea continued.
“And aDamenspende,” Stan said with mischief. Viennese balls included unique customs such as thedamenspende, a gift given by men to their dance partners.
“Who do you want to present with a token of your affection?” Thea asked, quirking a brow.
Stan shrugged. “It’s just the occasion that calls for a gesture, isn’t it?”
“There are fewer chaperones and rules of etiquette at a Viennese ball,” Anna said as if she were thinking about the potential scandal of throwing such a themed ball in London. Then she smiled. “We will end with Ludwig van Beethoven’s contredanse.”
Stan clapped his hands together. “You are both rather deviously scheming an overthrow of Almack’s it seems.”
Anna laughed at that and Thea bit her lip.
“Viennese balls could be themed, like a masquerade.”
“I’m not throwing a masquerade ball,” Anna shook her head vehemently.
“No, no. I’m merely suggesting that it’s not exclusive to the nobility. We can invite more people, perhaps?” Thea blinked in Stan’s direction.
He rose and reached for Anna’s hand. “It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Ashford.” Then he turned to Thea. “I think you won’t need my assistance to invite the doctors from 87 Harley Street, isn’t that so, dear sister?”
With these words, he gave a warning look, and Thea felt the heat creep up to her face.
Was it that easy to see that she wanted to invite Andre?
Chapter Twenty-Four
In the lateafternoon at 87 Harley Street, once the last patient had left, and Andre was heading to the kitchen for an early dinner. He didn’t have time to visit Stan yet but would make his way to Cloverdale House soon. Where Thea would be. He sighed, his heart heavy with the unspoken truth about his feelings.
Then there was a knock.
“Stan said it’s open during business hours,” a female voice said.
Thea?
She stepped in with Mary in tow. “Andre, hello!”
“Good evening. What brings you here? Is Stan’s fever higher? Who ensured your safety on the way here?” He went to the window and didn’t see the carriage. “Did you walk here? With List threatening… I would have come tonight… I was going to—” A million reasons darted through Andre’s mind, but he would have never guessed the correct one.
“This is for you!” Mary held out a folded card with gold-embossed letters. He didn’t recognize the initials.
“Stan is all right. He brought us here in his carriage on the way to the Langleys’ for a brief visit and he will be back soon. We wanted to deliver this personally.” Thea beamed as she shut the door behind herself.
Andre opened the card and read it.
You are cordially invited to grace the Viennese Ball hosted by Lord and Lady Ashford, which will be held at their esteemed residence on Saturday, the eleventh of November.
“A ball?” he asked.
Mary nodded vigorously.
