Read A Daughter's Inheritance for Free Online

always invited fifty guests to partake of dinner prior to the dance. However, many more guests had been invited for the ball—a veritable array of New York society. Instead of enjoying a cigar and glass of port, Mr. Snodgrass would be expected to locate a dance partner. Fanny wondered if the man’s legs would support him for an entire waltz.
    She’d never been so pleased to conclude the evening repast.
    Amanda stood on tiptoe and waved her fan in the air until she captured Fanny’s attention. Weaving her way through the crowd would take a bit of effort on Fanny’s part. Within moments, Amanda lost sight of her cousin amidst the throng of guests. She had hoped to visit with Fanny before the promenade, but it didn’t appear that would occur.
    The musicians had gathered in their appointed places. The grand promenade was a tradition that had begun years ago at the very first Summer’s Eve Ball. At least that’s what Amanda’s mother insisted when anyone suggested eliminating the ritual.
    Instead of Fanny, Sophie arrived at Amanda’s side, her entourage in tow. “Is your mother angry that Father didn’t make an appearance this evening? Or has she even missed him?”
    “Of course she misses him, Sophie. We all miss him. Mother mentioned last week that he hadn’t responded to his invitation.” She shrugged. “You know Mother. She detests any breach of etiquette. Uncle Quincy will be in for one of her lectures the next time they see each other.”
    “He’s so consumed with expanding his charity shelter that he thinks of nothing else.” She jutted her chin in the air. “He doesn’t consider that his own children consider themselves parentless.”
    Amanda offered her cousin a sympathetic smile. Sophie tended to exaggerate from time to time, but her cousin’s feelings of abandonment were genuine. Ever since the death of Sophie’s mother’s last year, her father had been consumed by his work with the homeless. “Well, I doubt you can speak for your brother and sisters, Sophie.”
    Sophie shrugged. “I suppose you’re right. They all have their own lives now. I’m the one who deserves at least a bit of my father’s time and attention.”
    That much was certainly true. Sophie’s eldest sister, Louisa Clermont, who had been widowed five months ago, lived in Cincinnati with her three children. Nadine, who had been the youngest sister until Sophie’s birth, lived in Rochester with her husband, Willard Snyder. They had welcomed their first child, Alfred, only a few days ago, and no one had expected them to attend tonight’s festivities. Nor did anyone expect Dorian, Sophie’s only brother, to be in attendance. Dorian had departed Rochester three years ago to explore Canada. He’d written only once since he left, and none of them had the vaguest idea how to contact him. He didn’t even know his mother had died a year ago. Of course Beatrice and her husband, Andrew Winberg, were in attendance this evening. Beatrice might not be enjoying herself tonight, but she would never breach social etiquette or disappoint her relatives—especially those of higher social standing. Beatrice had married a Winberg—a Rochester family but certainly not of the same social standing as that of the Broadmoors, not by any stretch of the imagination.
    Not that Amanda cared a whit about making the “proper” marriage. Personally, she wasn’t interested in marriage at all. At least not now. Jonas and Victoria Broadmoor desired proper marriages for all of their children, but they had conceded to the choices made by both of their sons. Grayson and William had each married a young lady of lower social standing. The Broadmoor social status had, of course, assured that their wives would be accepted into all of the proper circles. Neither Jefferson nor George, Amanda’s two other brothers, had chosen a wife. They were no more interested in marriage than was their sister. Yet when the time came for Amanda to choose a husband, her parents