Rebel Magisters (Rebel Mechanics #2)(45)

“I’m sure Grandfather will force him to attend,” Flora said. Her tone made her sound like she didn’t much care.

“We’re quite looking forward to it,” Camilla said, and her smile was fierce enough that I thought surely it would be obvious that she had dangerous intentions, even to one who didn’t know her. I hoped that Flora was so distracted by talk of a ball that she wouldn’t notice if her guests did handsprings around the room.

“I’m afraid my heart isn’t in a ball,” Flora said with a deep, dramatic sigh. “Alas, the one I love will not be there. I’ll likely never see him at a ball.”

I barely managed not to groan out loud. I’d thought she’d have forgotten Colin by now. I bit my tongue and bent my head over my knitting, glancing upward to peer at our guests.

“Oh, do you have a beau?” Maude asked with a trilling laugh. She did such a good job of portraying a vapid society girl that it was hard to believe she was the same person who’d been rallying the troops and arguing with the Mechanics the night before.

Again, I wished I could see Flora’s face. “Not exactly,” she said. “But there is a man I admire who’s likely far more worthy than any pampered nobleman.” She hurried to add, “But you can’t tell anyone!”

“You can trust us,” Maude assured her. “Pampered noblemen are nice to dance with, though.”

Both visitors stood. “We look forward to seeing you again, Lady Flora,” Camilla said. “We’re sure you’ll find our Boston ball quite diverting.”

“Well, they were certainly suspicious,” Flora said when they were gone.

My heart thudding painfully, I tried to keep my voice from shaking when I replied, “What makes you think so?”

“Did you see the way they were dressed? They might as well go out in their nightgowns. It’s positively scandalous.”

“I hardly think that indicates that they’re troublemakers,” I said as mildly as I could manage.

“But they aren’t proper ladies.”

“I don’t think that’s what your grandfather is concerned about.”

“True. He cares little for ladies’ fashions. I honestly have no idea what he expects me to tell him.”

The rest of the visitors were far more conventional, and far more boring. I couldn’t find even the slightest thing that I thought Flora might report to the governor. At the end of the afternoon, the governor rejoined us. He moved stiffly, like he was too tense for his limbs to function normally. “Well?” he demanded, skipping all pleasantries.

“Nothing more than terrible fashion sense, Grandfather,” Flora said. “I never thought I’d see someone paying calls wearing aesthetic dress.”

“And you, Miss Newton?” he asked.

“I noticed nothing untoward. No one mentioned any activities that sounded suspicious.”

“Hmmph. I suppose it was unlikely, but it was worth trying. Thank you both.”

Once he’d gone, Flora mused out loud, “If that’s the way Boston women dress, I won’t have to do anything to my ballgown, after all, and I’ll still outshine them all.” She rose and drifted out of the room, leaving me to sigh in relief.

Henry spoke to me later that afternoon in the guise of checking up on the children’s schoolwork. “No one’s saying anything specific,” he reported, “but there’s been a steady stream of official visitors and some raised voices.”

“I think your friends have something planned for the ball,” I told him. “You should have seen the way Camilla looked when she spoke of it.”

“That may just be Camilla. She’s always been rather combative, about everything. She may merely have a romantic conquest in mind.”

I put my hands on my hips and glared at him. “Are you implying that a young lady is unlikely to have thoughts other than romance? That seems very unlike you.”

He winced. “Touché, Verity. I should know better. After all, she planned the event last night.”

“They didn’t get to make their big move with the tea ship, so I think they’re planning to use the ball to make a political statement.”

“I’m not sure what they could do without revealing their identities, since everyone there will know everyone else. Even dressing like the Mechanics won’t make for much of a disguise.”

“You should find out. You can visit your school friends. Though I imagine you’ll get quite an earful when you do. I think they’re angry at you.”

“They probably see me as a traitor,” he said with a wince. “But you’re right, I should go, and maybe I can learn something or talk some sense into them. I wish you could come with me. You’d probably be better at dealing with them than I am.”

“Alas, I am a mere governess, and I can think of no reason to go, unless Flora also comes with you. But if Flora comes with you, then you can’t talk openly. So you’ll have to go alone and bring me a full report.”

Although I tried to sound like I was teasing him, it reminded me yet again that I didn’t fit into his world. He was my closest friend, and yet I couldn’t go out in public with him without the children also being there or without sneaking around. Even if his friends had revolutionary leanings, I couldn’t openly socialize with them.