fully among the guests after leaving her mystery man Arnold and Freya from the awkward garden meeting, her eyes scanning around the room in search of her father. She

authority, his firm character striking fear into the hearts of many. Lord Wellington, on the other hand, showed

e booming as he saw Ivy. "My dear daughter, a

ly in her breast as she held out her hand. She was nervous, but her voic

se and shrewd. "The pleasure is all mine, Miss Taylor," he replied,

in the air soon eclipsed it. Between her father and Lord Wellington there wa

nce on Lord Wellington, his

his voice dripping with pride. "But enough pleasantries,

r. Taylor," he answered in an impartial tone. "But maybe we can put things off until

ere soon, a monument to the Wellington na

managed a pleasant grin and nodded. "Congratulations," he remarked, his voice clippe

ne with Lord Wellington. Ivy felt uneasy as she met Lord Wellington's ga

rd Wellington said, his voice low and measured. "B

aced with all the implications of what he had spoken. Her voice wa

your father is not the only one with ambitions in this city," he said, with a ve

ton's words, the realization that her family was in

ry. She needed a moment to collect her thoughts, to escape the suffocating atmospher

ng self-conscious under

"Nothing, it's just.... You seem different tonight

ion. "I am not hiding anything," she insisted,

plied "if you say so." Although Ivy c

could answer. Couples started to make their way to t

reya asked, holding

hat evening. However, she could not help but see an i

Freya's hand and letting her

mony were soothing to her worried nerves. She lost herself in the music

yes watching them from across the room. She looked in the d

ed. He was standing at the edge of the dance floor staring a

ced when she saw him. She experienced an inexplicabl

er eyes away from the direction of Arnold. She felt a hand on o

?" Freya asked, with

forcing a smile. "I am fine," she r

e and body for any sign of truth. Finding none, she

iving Ivy's hand a reassuring squeeze

k to Arnold, but he was gone. She trailed him

ut she could not help but feel butterflies

rnold towards the gardens. As it stands, the gardens looked like the p