Chapter 32 - The Best Night

On the day of her party, Delaney couldn't sleep in very late. She was too excited and anxious for the night to come.

She ran around making all the last-minute decisions and ensuring things were ready. The sky was clear thankfully and she felt it was going to be a perfect day.​​

Just like when they were younger, when it came time to dress for the party, Constance, Selina, and Cora arrived with their things so they could all get ready together. Olive was the only one not in attendance but they forgave her since she was both married and expecting a baby.

Constance and Selina seemed to set aside their disagreements for the night, reverting to their usual habits as friends that they had had since they were young. Cora was home from school early for the occasion and it was as if they'd all somehow managed to go back in time to before the war had happened.

Time ticked down and Delaney took a moment to stand back and look at her friends laughing and talking as they did one another's hair and helped choose jewelry to wear.

This was likely the last time they would all be together getting ready like this. If things went badly, soon she could be married to Vincent and living at Edgewood. Selina would be married soon too no doubt and then Cora.

Maybe if Cora stayed at Edgewood some they could still get ready together like old times but she couldn't imagine Miles would want to spend an abundant amount of time there and not on his own estates. They wouldn't be married for a while yet either.

No, this would be the last time. Delaney dashed tears from her eyes. It felt as if some important parts of her life would be gone forever.

She turned away to face the mirror and not give away her sadness to her friends. She didn't want to dampen their spirits. When she turned, one of her hands brushed against the other and she felt the now familiar ring on her finger.

Looking down at it, Delaney felt worry and guilt mix in her heart. The silver band with its beautiful aquamarine stones didn't match what she was wearing for tonight but she still found herself unable to take it off.

When she'd gotten the ring, Delaney had thought she would hate to wear it, as if she was always wearing a sign of her impending doom. Much to her surprise though, as she continued to wear it, it had become somewhat comforting.

She imagined the Vincent of her youth asking his grandmother for it because he wanted to give it to her, as his future wife. Delaney felt a warmth inside her knowing he had been thinking of a future with her even then.

If only he hadn't gone to fight in the terrible war and had his terrible accident. If only he wasn't scarred and angry now. Everything had been ruined.

Delaney felt the tears in her eyes again and shook her head to try to rid it of the thoughts of what could've been. Tonight was not a night for "could have been's". Tonight was a night to celebrate.

Looking at herself in the mirror, Delaney forced herself to smile. She did look lovely in her dress. Very alluring and almost wicked. That thought pushed her smile into a real one. If this did end up being her last taste of freedom she was going to enjoy it.

The women finished getting ready and Constance went ahead to the club to make sure her mother and sister had everything in hand there. They had been doing quite well since the three of them moved in. Constance was still in charge though and had high standards for how things should be done.

The other women took their time, sitting in the parlor with Delaney's Aunt and Uncle telling stories of when Delaney was young. Since it was her birthday, after all, she had decided she wanted to show up at her party just a bit late and make an entrance.

When the sun was beginning its descent towards the horizon, Delaney, Selina, and Cora loaded into the carriage and headed to the card club. The women were excited, with bright eyes and smiles.

Pulling up to the club Delaney and Constance had worked so hard on, Delaney thought it looked better tonight than ever before! Stars were just beginning to be seen twinkling on the edge of the sky behind the building as the sun set in front of it.

Behind the club, the stables were overflowing with horses and carriages so they were being tied along the outside of the building and to posts and trees in the field behind it. The stablemen she'd hired were busy.

In front of the building, the huge canvas awnings were up and had the tables set around the edges with the musicians playing to one side. There were already a few couples dancing, including Olive and Bernard. Everywhere, candles and lamps were sitting or hanging, lighting the outside as much as the inside would be lit.

When the carriage came to a stop, the footman rushed to open the door for the women inside. Selina and Cora got out first, leaving Delaney last, to make her entrance.

"There's the birthday girl!" someone shouted from the crowd around the dancefloor, causing the others to stop and turn to see. Clapping and calls of congratulations greeted Delaney, causing her to laugh and blush but waive back at the crowd and thank them.

Olive, with her ever growing belly, was the first to reach her friends, pulling a sheepishly smiling Bernard behind her. Constance was close behind them followed at last by Duncan who smiled and took Selina on his arm.

Delaney took a moment to study them and thought they seemed to like each other well enough. She wondered again why they hadn't been married already.

She didn't have time to think about it for long before she was swept into one hug after another and many handshakes and congratulations. There were over one hundred guests and all of them wanted to tell her happy birthday.

It wasn't long before she was handed a glass of wine and given a seat at a card table across from a grinning Uncle Win. Delaney could've burst from happiness.

This was going to be the best night of her life.