“Not very possible,” he said.

“What?”

“Your disappointing me.”

I wanted to respond, but I thought I had already said too much. Primarily, I had no such invitation from Great-aunt Nettie Lloyd, not yet at least. I put my hand on his arm and leaned toward him to whisper.

“I’d better see to my parents,” I said. “Be sure my mother is having a good time. My father depends on me to help him with that burden.”

He glanced at my fingers lingering and then nodded as I rushed toward the ballroom. Had I gotten away with it all? Was my mother truly distracted enough to miss everything I had done?

I glanced back before I entered the party, but he wasn’t there. Did I commit a faux pas by not bringing him to meet my parents? Did he turn and go? Was his deep interest in me mostly in my imagination? How could he leave such a gala? Then again, I thought, maybe being with me was quite enough. No one else here interested him.

I scanned the ballroom and saw that my parents were at a table having coffee with the Elliots. As casually as I could, I approached their table.

“Where have you been?” my mother instantly asked.

“Just getting a little fresh air, Mother,” I said, smiling at Leroy Elliot. His wife looked amused.

“Everyone was talking about how pretty you look, Corrine,” she said, “but I didn’t see you until now. You do look so grown-up.”

“Put her in chains!” Leroy cried. There was brandy beside the coffee the men were drinking.

“I’d like to,” my mother muttered.

My father’s eyes were twinkling with delight and maybe a little too much brandy.

“Where’s our young Mr. Foxworth?” he asked. So he had noticed it all.

“I really don’t know,” I replied. It was the truth. “He was here one moment and gone the next.”

“It was longer than one moment,” my mother said.

“Was it? Time goes so fast when you’re having fun, and this is such a wonderful gala.”

“Yes, it is,” Leroy said. “Enjoy everything you can while you’re young.”

My mother gave him a look stern enough to sober him instantly.

“I think I’ll get a cupcake,” I said. “They look so delicious.”

“Indeed, they are,” Leroy agreed. “Sweets for the sweet.” Despite my mother, he was flirting with his smile. I pretended to be oblivious, but I could see his wife was not. It was something I was sure I would get used to and casually ignore.

I hurried off. Apparently, I had somehow escaped more critical notice, and there was no feeling quite like the uplifting sensation that came with the knowledge I had gotten away with something right under my mother’s eyes.

But not Emma’s and Elsie’s, I quickly learned. They made a beeline for me the moment they saw me.