Saturday seemed to come all too quickly for Virginia. She sat at her dressing table pinning her hair into a severe chignon wearing her most unflattering dress. She was determined to look as unattractive as possible.
Lucy, her maid, entered and exclaimed, "Oh, miss. Did you forget Mr. Thompson is coming this afternoon? Perhaps we can find you something prettier to wear." She began to look through the large oak wardrobe, pulling out a very pretty dark blue velvet dress. "You look lovely in this. You still have time to change, and we can redo your hair."
"Thank you Lucy, but I have not forgotten that Mr. Thompson is coming. I chose this dress specifically for his visit."
Lucy looked completely mystified by her mistress' words. "B-b-but miss, please excuse me, but that dress is not at all becoming."
"Yes, Lucy, I know. I have no intention of impressing Mr. Thompson. Father invited him and has insisted that I help him to entertain. He seems to have ideas that Mr. Thompson is interested in courting me. Well, I intend to discourage that interest."
"Very well, miss." Lucy put the gown back into the wardrobe thinking how nice it must be, to be able to dismiss wealthy suitors so carelessly.
Gregory Templeton's words echoed Lucy's as Virginia came down the stairs. "Have you forgotten that Charles Thompson is coming to call on you this afternoon? Go upstairs and change into something more fetching, that gown is dreadful. And do something with your hair. Put some ribbons in it or some curls. Where is that girl of yours?"
He was about to call for Lucy when Virginia spoke. "I have not forgotten that he is coming. That is why I am dressed as I am. I am not at all interested in Charles Thompson and I am hoping that he will change his mind about being interested in me."
Her father, desperate that his daughter change her attitude, pleaded, "Ginny, you haven't even given him a chance. Please make yourself look pretty and be nice to the man. Any girl in town would be thrilled to have him come to call."
"Then he can go and call on them. I have spoken with him and found him charming in a polite and distant way, but his behavior at the ball the other night was really dreadful. If you had seen him you would not have invited him today."
"He told me he asked you to dance only twice. That does not appear to be unseemly. Only your refusal both times was."
"Twice? Father, it was more than twice. Every time I stepped off the dance floor he was at my side begging the next dance. It really was appalling."
Gregory could take no more. It was imperative that she be charming and attentive this afternoon. "Young lady, I will not have you ruin this opportunity. You will go upstairs this minute and change your dress into something more flattering and you will undo that ridiculous hair do. Call your maid immediately."
Shocked by his stern tone, Virginia could only stare at him. He had never before spoken to her in such a manner.
"Now, before he gets here!" he all but shouted at her. Virginia ran from the room, calling for Lucy.
Fifteen minutes later the butler announced Mr. Thompson. Gregory stood to greet him and apologized for Virginia's absence. "You know how long it takes women to get ready," he laughed nervously.
A maid entered with refreshments and left it on the table, as Virginia entered the room wearing the blue velvet that Lucy had earlier suggested. Her hair had been released from the tight chignon and was now loosely bound at the nape of her neck, the long fiery red curls hanging down her back. The deep blue of the gown complimented her ivory complexion and turned her green eyes turquoise. She looked questioningly at her father who nodded his approval, breathing a sigh of relief.
Charles rose and taking her hand he chastely kissed the back of it. Complimenting her on her beauty he said, "You look just as breathtaking as you did at the ball."
"Thank you. You're much too kind," she murmured in response. Reaching for the teapot, she asked, "How do you take your tea, Mr. Thompson?"
Virginia was the very image of the perfect hostess. She was charming and attentive as her father had instructed but she was also cool and distant. The afternoon passed pleasantly enough and she eventually found Charles to be not quite so distasteful.
Near the end of the visit, Gregory murmured an excuse and left the room to give them a few minutes alone. As soon as he had left, Charles said, "Miss Templeton, I really must beg your pardon for my abominable behavior the other night at the ball. I was just so taken with your beauty that I acted in a most appalling manner and can only hope that you will forget the episode and that we can start with a fresh slate."
Something in his over eager manner did not seem quite right to Virginia, it was almost as if he were hiding something. However, she replied, "Of course, Mr. Thompson, consider it forgotten." I wish I could forget that evening myself, she though to herself.
"Splendid. I should like to call on you again. Would that be all right?"
Finding that his visit had not been as terrible as she thought, she consented. "Yes, Mr. Thompson that would lovely."
The look of satisfaction that settled on his face as soon as she spoke made her regret her words. Something is certainly not as it seems with Mr. Thompson, she thought. Mentally shaking her head she chastened herself, I'm just looking for fault where there is none. Her father seemed to have his hopes set on this match and while she would not necessarily encourage it she also would not purposely ruin it either.
True to his word, Gregory found his debt to Mr. Binton paid the following Monday. However his other debts were still a great problem and he knew that the only solution was Virginia's continued courtesy to Charles. He only hoped that Charles would ask to marry her. Even if the debts were paid the money was still gone. Gregory had lived a life of leisure his entire existence. He had never worked, just lived off the ample proceeds of his father's investments and trust funds. However, he had sold off the investments and plundered all of the trust funds but one in order to satiate his obsession with gambling. He had no trade, no way to earn money. That remaining trust fund and Charles Thompson were his, and Virginia's, only salvation.
Later in the week Gregory asked Virginia when she was to see Charles again. "He is sending his carriage for me on Saturday. He has invited me for tea. Lucy will accompany me."
"I'm glad to see that you have changed your mind about him."
"Yes, Father, you were right. He can be rather charming."
Feeling that their financial worries would soon be over, Gregory felt generous and gave Virginia some money to buy herself something with. "Go with Violet into town and get yourself that green velvet bonnet you mentioned."
"Oh thank you Father," Virginia exclaimed, kissing her father on the cheek.
Virginia was constantly amazed by the number of people she saw loaded down with bags and trunks heading for the harbor. The lure of America was greater than ever and more and more people were risking the crossing to try their luck in the raw new land. Liverpool's Mersey Harbor was a large one and most of the ships were either going to or just returning from America. People from all over Europe came to Liverpool to begin their voyage. The streets were full of people in the traditional clothing of their homeland, speaking in a dozen different languages and accents.
As the two girls walked down the snowy street together they always attracted the attention of more than a few men. However, today they ignored the stares that followed them.
"I don't know Vi, something just didn't quite seem right. It was almost as if he were hiding something, or lying about something." Virginia was trying to explain Charles' visit to Violet.
"Maybe he was just so distracted by your dazzling beauty that he only seemed to be acting strange," Violet laughed.
"No, really, I'm serious. He was not distracted, although he did seem a bit distant and not at all what I was expecting. I guess what I was expecting was for him to behave as he had at the ball. Annoying and over attentive."
"Were you disappointed that by his coolness?"
"Heavens, no. I was relieved. And he did apologize for his behavior that night. Still, something wasn't quite right."
"Are you going to see him again?"
"Yes, he's invited me for tea at his home on Saturday. Lucy will accompany me."
Violet was so excited for her friend. "Oh, Ginny I'm so happy that you finally have a romance. All your talk of wanting to fall in love, madly and deeply in love. How are you to fall in love if you never give any man a chance? You've only received Charles once and you're already certain that there's something wrong with him."
"Oh, I know. I keep telling myself that it's just my imagination, that I'm purposely trying to find fault." Turning pensive she continued, "I just thought that when I met the right man I would know the instant I saw him. Know that he's the one."
As they turned a corner a man struggling with a large trunk bumped into Virginia causing her to stumble on the icy cobblestones. He staggered away, distractedly calling out what appeared to be an apology, not realizing that he had knocked her off balance. As she attempted to regain her footing a strong arm grabbed her around the waist and pulled her up.
She found herself suddenly staring up into the most beautifully intense hazel eyes she had ever seen. She was so close, she could see the mingled green and gold flecks of the irises. They were surrounded by thick dark lashes and topped by a strong masculine brow. She was so mesmerized that it was a moment before she realized that the man was still holding her.
Pulling herself out of her trance she said, "I appreciate your help, sir, but could you please release me?"
"I just wanted to make sure that you had your balance," he replied in a smooth, deep voice.
