The Reluctant Debutante Read Online Free

“Then I can mark it off the list, and I’ll be one day closer to St. Louis.”
    “There’s my girl. Or should I say, young lady? When did you grow up anyway, Ginger?”
    “It’s the dress, Papa.”
    “No, it’s you. My little girl is all grown up and ready for a husband.”
    “Oh, my, not you too? Mother keeps telling me the same thing. I can find my own way in this world without dancing attendance on a husband.”
    “You’ll change your mind when the right man comes along, believe me. But speaking of dancing, you are next in line to go down the stairs. Come along, Halwyn. Let’s take our places.”
    Charlotte had struggled for two months to impart years of essential etiquette into a compressed amount of time. Ginger now knew how to perform a deep curtsy, how to embroider, albeit not well, and the proper way to delicately pour a cup of tea. She had a difficult time seeing the relevance of these accomplishments and she often expressed her discontent to her father, who calmly listened to her complaints. But in the end she learned what was expected of her.
    They arranged themselves at the top of the staircase. Ginger took a deep breath, threw her shoulders back, and held her head high. When her name was called and she moved forward to be introduced to New York’s wealthiest families, Halwyn and her father stepped back. She bowed her head and sank into the deep curtsy she had been practicing for months. Quite unexpectedly, tears formed in her eyes as she stared out over the crowd who clapped for her. The soft light of a thousand candles made her eyes sparkle. She blinked the sudden tears away, rose from her curtsy, and stood proudly as Halwyn and George Fitzpatrick resumed their places on either side of her. As one, they descended the wide marble stairs of the grand ballroom.
    Ginger’s dance card filled quickly, as some of the most eligible bachelors claimed their places. The noise of the crowd intensified as more people arrived at the ball and joined in the chatter. The gentlemen surrounding Ginger and Elizabeth kept raising their voices higher and higher, adding to the din. Ginger thought these fine men looked like gnats flying around her body, getting in her face, causing her to squint at them and shoo them away.
    Ginger and Elizabeth covered their ears to partially drown out the clamor. Suddenly, everything went blissfully quiet. The air stirred with excitement. The only sound came from the swishing of fabric as people turned to find out the cause of the break in their conversations.
    “What is it?” Ginger whispered to Elizabeth. She grabbed the arm of a gentleman near her, who gazed down at her adoringly. She stood on tiptoe, trying to peer over the shoulders of everyone in the room. Then she found her answer. At the landing of the stairs stood two tall muscular gentlemen with broad shoulders and narrow waists, both impeccably dressed in formal attire. One of the men intently searched the room, looking for someone. As his eyes met Ginger’s, he grinned and waved.
    “Basil!” She swatted away the hands of the men around her and made her way through the crowded room to him.
    Ginger launched herself into Basil’s arms, and kissed him on both cheeks. She was aware that every eye in the ballroom watched them with interest, but she threw convention to the wind and welcomed her older brother warmly as she had always done.
    “Oh, I’ve missed you so. When did you arrive? How handsome you are in your formal wear. Have you grown taller in the past year?”
    Laughing, Basil took her hand. “One question at a time, Sis. But before we get to the answers, I must introduce you to my good friend from St. Louis.” He clapped his other hand on the shoulder of the man standing next to him. “Ginger, I’d like you to meet Joseph Lafontaine.”
    Ginger turned her attention to her brother’s friend. The dark chocolate eyes of the elegant man made her breath catch in her throat. It was him! The mysterious, handsome man