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| Too many guests were arriving too quickly and Elf felt overwhelmed. She would never admit this aloud, of course, nor would it show upon her face or through her actions. But just because one didn't show something, it didn't mean that one was immune to the emotion. In fact, Lady Westmount was so attune to the emotion rather then immune that she could pinpoint the exact moment when she first felt overwhelmed. It was when she was greeting the Earl of Shriler when she happened to look up and gaze out at the long receiving line that went as long as her sight could see. Blast, why had she simply had to invite anyone and everyone in order to make sure nobody was offended? It's not as if I truly mind offending people; it's not as if anything I do would surprise most of the Ton any more, she thought wryly as she greeted a friend of hers. And then out of the corner of her gray eyes, she witnessed several people moving from the receiving line past her in order to enjoy the festivities. While this was not breaking any rules of society, since it was a masquerade, it was plain rude and Elf wasn't sure whether to be offended or just let it pass, since she really couldn't greet every person who had deemed her event worthy for them to attend. And it seemed that everybody whom she had invited had decided that her Ladyship was a person whom they did not wish to offend. And they had a right to fear annoying Elf; after all, even if she had no say in Parliament because of her gender, she was an extremely powerful woman nonetheless. Hearing the music descending from the balcony above the main hall where the maze was set up and Elf clapped her hands and all the people who stood before her stopped talking. "The festivities are now beginning, I suggest you all to enjoy yourselves!" and with that, Elf quickly turned away, hoping to avoid the mass of people whom would chase after her either because they were enraged for their time wasted by standing on the receiving line or in hopes of pursuing the wealthy Lady Westmount. And her title. Neither of which, Elf had any desire to share. Ever. She just had yet to let the world know of her decision to let her family line die out. It wasn't as if they would stay Delaney's if she married anyway... The law said that upon marriage, a husband and wife became one. And the husband was that one. And Lady Elfled Sarah Delaney, Countess of Westmount would never be happy with that. Walking several feet and skirting around someone who seemed to be dressed as Joseph with his colored coat and a shepherdess who were cozying up to one another besides a small table, Elf couldn’t help but hope that they were married or at the very least engaged. Or else that would be their fate very soon for everyone knew that when one became unmasked at midnight, scandal would ensue. She paused, wondering whether she should demand that the two lovers stop displaying their affairs at the entrance of her home, or whether she should just let the romantic in her fly free. And then she turned around suddenly as she felt someone tap her on her shoulder. One of her hands flew, almost instinctively to her shoulder, not out of fright but almost to protect herself as her hand was only a movement away from her well-stocked quiver. Upon seeing that it was no attacker, but a woman, although she did not recall the woman's name, she lowered her hand and smiled upon hearing the redhead's words. "Thank you very much," she said, never letting the smile falter, although she was sick of repeating the same words over and over again. "Although many people put their work into this; I merely invited what seems to be the whole of London!" |