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publicly until the Little Season had
begun.   Jane now knew that the morning
after the musicale, he had been called away on emergency business at one of his
estates in Kent.   He had, however, been
planning on calling at the Devonmont's the morning after the musicale, though
she did not know why.   She had learned
that from Caroline.   Then, one day after
his return, Sebastian had come to call on her father.   Two days later, Sebastian's mother had paid a visit as well, and,
by the end of the week, it was clear that something was afoot.
    Then, one night before what was to
be the final event of the season, a ball hosted by the newly minted Earl of
Ardenton and his lovely wife, Charles Ashford had teased his daughters, though
Lizzie more so than Jane, about a special guest that would be attending the
ball.   Finally, on the carriage ride to
the ball, he announced that Lord Covington had asked permission to court and
then quickly wed "the loveliest girl in all of England."
    And in that moment, Jane had
known.   In the end, just like all of the
others, Sebastian had chosen Lizzie.   He
would marry her by year's end.   Plain
Jane had been pushed aside once more.   The night in the garden had meant nothing to him.   It had all been lies.   Imagination.   Fantasy.
    She had wanted to weep, but she had
managed to hold herself together.   Somehow.   Even now she was not
certain how she had done it.   That night
had been one to simply endure, paste a false smile on her face, and remain in
the wallflower corner where she always sat while she watched Sebastian and
Lizzie dance their first waltz.   It had
been like a thousand shards of glass slicing her to ribbons.   But she had endured.   She would not give anyone, least of all society
and Angeline, the pleasure of seeing her falter.
    She was strong, just as her mother
had been.   She would not break.   She might be plain, but she was not
weak.   And, she was a lady.   Ladies did not show weakness.
    Lizzie, of course, was beside
herself both with joy and worry, for she had spent the better part of the
little season flirting shamelessly with the Duke of Hathaway, the very man who
had suggested that Sebastian consider Lizzie as a wife.   He'd shown no preference for her, but, as
was Lizzie's way, she was convinced that somehow, someway, even though she was
not in his presence, the duke had become enamored with her and had begged her
father for her hand.   Or would now that
Sebastian was openly courting her.
    In Lizzie's mind, she wanted the
duke, so it was therefore the duke she would have.   Not the earl.   She did not
want him.   Though, she had confessed one
night at a coaching inn as they made the journey to Blackstone, she would wed
him if there was no other option.   He
had a fortune and a title, after all.   But she was still holding out hope for the duke.
    Jane knew her sister was bound to
be disappointed.   The Little Season had
ended and Hathaway had not called upon her.   Not even once.   Then again, after
that first night at Ardenton's, neither had Sebastian.   It gave Lizzie several fits of the vapors
and lifted Jane's spirits just a tiny bit.   A part of her secretly hoped that Sebastian had changed his mind and
would not be marrying Lizzie after all.
    Therefore, when Sebastian and his
mother had appeared at the front door of Blackstone just in time for the
beginning of the house party, it was something of a shock.   For everyone.   But especially for Jane.   The last little bit of hope she had harbored died in her chest as she
looked into those magnificent eyes of his and knew that he was lost to her
forever.
    The dinner that first night had
been painful for everyone and ruled with an iron fist by Sebastian's mother,
the current - and soon to be dowager - Duchess of Covington.   There was no question that she viewed Lizzie
as the perfect choice for her son.   Jane
it had been announced - much to her surprise and horror - would be