Margaret received word that Madame Bouchard was still in Nottinghamshire and eagerly accepted the opportunity to host another gathering at the duke's estate, feeling it was quite the honor.

Eliza, though reluctant, fulfilled her duties as a gracious hostess by sending invitations to all of Margot's acquaintances, allowing them only two days to respond. The medium had another engagement in Scotland, so the short notice would have to suffice. To Margaret's surprise, the confirmations poured in quickly, and Eliza soon found herself planning a dinner party for twenty guests. She knew her mother would be proud of her for stepping into her new role with such poise, so she penned a brief letter to her parents, sharing news of her first week in the countryside. Though she would see them at the ball in a few days, Eliza felt compelled to confide in them about the excitement of her new responsibilities.

With Cook's assistance, she arranged a simple yet elegant menu, and she instructed the gardener to bring in fresh arrangements from the estate's gardens—excluding lavender. Eliza still could not bring herself to appreciate its delicate fragrance, which carried too many memories of a certain harlot.

The staff worked swiftly, polishing the silver until it gleamed and decanting some of the duchess's finest wine in preparation for the lady of the house's esteemed guests. Margaret, noticing Eliza's hesitant approach toward utilizing the estate's possessions, firmly encouraged her to make use of whatever was at her disposal.

Silk and lace tablecloths, long stored away, were aired out and carefully draped over the grand dining table, lending an air of opulence to the evening. For the séance, Eliza chose the library as the setting. Its cavernous space, lined with dark mahogany shelves and dominated by an oversized fireplace, struck her as the ideal room to create the perfect atmosphere of mystery and intrigue.

Eliza could feel Margaret's gentle hand guiding her through the process, never suppressing her ideas, but rather encouraging her to be bolder and more extravagant. Margaret seemed determined to coax the reserved wallflower into blossoming, urging Eliza to embrace vibrancy in all aspects of her life. Eliza often wondered if Margaret's unapologetically outspoken nature was a reflection of her upbringing and thought that if Margaret possessed such confidence, the duchess must be an even more formidable force.

She observed Margaret in awe as the boisterous woman directed the staff with a commanding presence. Margaret was firm but never cruel, earning the respect she was shown rather than demanding it—a quality Eliza admired deeply. It was the sort of respect Eliza longed to earn for herself. She had begun to find her voice with Colin, and she knew she must carry that confidence into the rest of her life, particularly in her new role as the future marchioness.

On the morning of the party, Eliza rose before Lucy entered her room, her mind too restless to linger in bed. She began bathing herself, hoping the warm water would soothe her nerves after a fitful night's sleep. The thought of having the evening's attention fixed on her twisted her stomach into anxious knots, but the possibility of an uninvited, raven-haired guest sitting smugly at her dining table made her positively ill.

This gathering, she reminded herself, was merely a practice run. In just a week's time, she would host hundreds in her ballroom, each guest vying for her attention and admiration. Better to steel herself now than falter under the weight of expectations later.

As Eliza wrung the water from her freshly washed hair, the door opened, and Lucy entered with a start, clearly surprised to find her mistress already up and about.

"My lady! Did I miss your instruction to begin the day earlier?" Lucy asked, hurrying over to take the towel from Eliza's hands.

"No, no, Lucy," Eliza replied softly. "I simply couldn't bear another moment of tossing and turning. I thought it best to put my restless hands to use."

Lucy gave her mistress a concerned look but said nothing. Instead, she moved quickly across the room, pulling open the heavy curtains that still shrouded it in gloom. The bright sunlight spilled across the polished floorboards, making Eliza wince as it stung her tired eyes. Undeterred, Lucy continued her task until the room was bathed in golden morning light.

"Your gown is to be delivered this afternoon, my lady," Lucy said, turning back to her. "What would you like to wear until then?"

"The periwinkle frock will do," Eliza answered. Lucy nodded and began searching through the wardrobe, pulling aside other dresses until she found the high-collared gown. As she moved the fabrics aside, she asked, "Are you nervous, my lady? For your first dinner party?"

Seated on the wooden chair next to her vanity, Eliza considered the question. "Less nervous than I was for the opera with Colin, but more than for any other dinner party I've attended this past year."

Lucy smiled sympathetically. "What can we do to calm those butterflies? Would you like your breakfast brought up? Warm milk or perhaps some tea?"

Eliza was about to reply when a soft knock came at the door. Lucy swiftly crossed the room to crack it open, clearly trying to shield her mistress from view. Eliza heard Colin's voice on the other side of the door and quickly rose from her seat, eager to greet him.

"His lordship would like a word with you, my lady," Lucy said reluctantly, her eyes darting to Eliza's disheveled appearance. Eliza simply pulled the door open wider, not bothered in the slightest by her tangled hair and hastily closed robe.

Colin stood in the hallway, already dressed for the day in a gray wool suit, waiting just outside the threshold.

"My lord," Eliza greeted with a smile, matching the one that spread across Colin's face as his eyes took in her state of undress.

"My lady," he replied, his tone warm. "I fear duty calls me away today." Noticing the sudden flicker of alarm in Eliza's eyes, he quickly added, "I shall return before dinner, do not worry. However, I am concerned I may not be back in time before you begin dressing for the evening."

"Oh? You had hoped to be present while I prepared?" Eliza teased, casting a playful glance toward her maid, who was listening attentively behind her. Colin chuckled, his eyes gleaming as he reached into his coat's inner pocket.

"I had hoped to give you this, with the hope that you might wear it tonight. I trust it will not clash with the gown you've chosen?" As he spoke, he presented her with a red velvet jewelry box, large enough to hold a necklace. Intrigued, Eliza took the box from his hands, and together they waited in anticipation as her fingers gently lifted the lid.

"Oh my!" Eliza gasped as her eyes devoured the necklace, a stunning cascade of diamonds, each stone meticulously cut to catch the light from every angle nestled inside. "This is far too lavish, Colin." 

He shook his head. "Nay, I believe it is the perfect adornment for my bride to wear as a host."

Her fingers brushed over the sparkling stones, and Eliza could hardly believe that such an exquisite piece of jewelry was now hers. She was accustomed to wearing her mother's pieces, but nothing in her mother's collection compared to this breathtaking beauty.

"It is beautiful, Colin. I find myself at a loss for words to adequately express my gratitude," Eliza admitted, still in awe of the necklace.

"I had it made shortly after our engagement was announced," Colin explained. "I had intended to keep it until next week, but I thought it might bolster your confidence for tonight."

Eliza grinned, her eyes flicking up to meet his. "I suppose I must walk about draped in confidence while wearing such a treasure."

"I had thought so too. You will be marvelous tonight, my love. I have every confidence in you," he said optimistically before kissing her forehead. "Now, I must be off. Duty calls." 

"You're going over to the Dupree's today, yes? To poke about the pantry?" 

"Yes. I will let you know if I find anything of intrigue."

"They both are to be in attendance tonight, so for the sake of my party, I do hope there is nothing to find," Eliza stated, and Colin gave her a brief nod in agreement.

"I love you, and I shall see you tonight," Colin reminded her before he left his glowing fiancée to prepare. Eliza turned back into her room, closing the door behind her. Lucy hurried over to admire the opulent gift.

"Oh, my!" Lucy gasped, lifting the box from her mistress's hands. "There must be fifty diamonds here!" She carefully removed the necklace from its clasps, and they both saw the delicate pearls that formed the chain.

"I cannot begin to imagine what His Lordship must have paid for this," Lucy remarked. "It is truly a work of art."

"Sometimes, I do not feel that I deserve him," Eliza murmured, her heart swelling with emotions that threatened to consume her entire chest.

"You deserve happiness, my lady. And I see how he makes you happy," Lucy replied pointedly. Eliza turned away, embarrassed, to hide her flushed cheeks. "Do not let anyone spoil this feeling tonight."

Eliza glanced up at her friend, her eyes filled with a quiet resolve. "Let us hope there are no trespassers tonight. I need to be the perfect host. I need to radiate as I enter a room, hold my chin high, and forget the nasty whispers that followed me in London."

"His lordship is offering you a fresh start, my lady. Here, everyone will want to be in your good graces," Lucy assured her as she gently placed the necklace back into its velvet box. "You have power now. Don't let anyone take that from you."

"True," Eliza replied with a small smile, "and I'll have Lady Henry by my side. If they don't fear me, at least they'll fear her."