She knows that all eyes are on her.
But what she doesn't know is the real reason why everyone is staring at her tonight.
Sibella, of course, in her vain fashion, believes that it's because of her figure, her appearance. The dress she's wearing really does make her eyes sparkle like sapphires, the cream fabric doing wonders for her already slim figure.
Or maybe, she thinks, they are staring at her because of her husband's wealth and position. This was the second time they had gone to a ball together, after all. People must have heard about their wedding and wondered who Lionel Holland might have picked as a wife.
Yes, she thinks to herself, that's just it.
She and Lionel descend down the stairs, and Sibella can't help but smile and grin, despite the fact she loathes the man she has to call her husband.
Their honeymoon had been the most boring time she had ever been through in her life, and the few weeks now that they had spent together after returning to England hadn't been very promising or stimulating either.
She smiles though because she is in a wealthy marriage, in a position of status, and she convinces herself that she is happy.
And she is.
Sort of.
She's happy because right now she has it all. The title, the wealthy husband, and a man on the side.
Her smile falters just a bit when her thoughts dwell on Monty. How she misses him, even though she just saw him yesterday afternoon, after their tryst. She bites her lip and puts that grin back on her face before anyone notices it was gone.
They finally come to the end of the staircase, and the stares continue. Then the whispering starts. Sibella's grin falters, a bit uncomfortable with the seeming attention in the air, and Lionel pulls her away to a far corner.
As they pass through the varying array of couples, Sibella begins to hear bits and phrases of what everyone is saying. Thankfully, Lionel doesn't hear any of it. He himself too tuned into his own thoughts to hear what anyone else has to say.
"-just recently married and already has a-"
"-can't believe Lionel Holland would marry such a woman-"
"-heard she and Monty Navarro…-"
"-she's ruined- what will her family think-"
As Lionel takes her to the corner, to meet with some business man, Sibella can't help but feel horrified. The stares seemed to intensify with each passing moment, and the blonde finds herself avoiding eye contact with anyone she meets.
Her heart is pounding, she can't believe people found out so quickly, and how harsh they were being to her.
This is her biggest nightmare, her worst fear in the entire world.
To be caught having an affair is her ultimate fear, for she knows it would ruin her.
But the thing that has Sibella frowning is the fact that people had affairs all the time and no one dare spoke a word about them, so why were they talking about hers?
It was after all customary that people had affairs after marriage, since most marriages were ones of convenience.
She glances up, only to find all eyes on her again. She freezes, momentarily paralyzed. She feels as though she is about to faint.
She won't deny the affair. She loves Monty too much to do that to him, and she won't dare break it off.
Her thoughts are interrupted by a young lady, a Miss Madeline if her memory serves correct, coming up to talk to her. Sibella remembers her from her debutante days, a nosy sort of girl, always one for gossip. Sibella never cared for her.
An unsettling silence falls over the guests.
"Mrs. Holland," greets Madeline with a sickening sweet smile that warns Sibella that this conversation is not going to go well.
She glances around for Lionel but can find no trace of him, for the man always seems to blend into the background. She curses in her thoughts, and braves a smile.
"Miss Madeline, how are you," she puts out her hand.
Madeline takes it, all the while never taking her eyes off the blonde. Sibella expects her to let go, but Madeline only holds her hand tighter and pulls her towards her.
"I'm very well, but I want to know about you," she says, her eyes bright.
Sibella takes a breath, sensing trouble ahead.
"Nothing much to tell. I just got married recently, I've only returned from the honeymoon about two weeks ago."
Madeline's eyes sharpen.
"Oh, yes. We all heard about that. Lionel Holland, correct?" she asks innocently, as if she did not know when Sibella knows that she did.
She nods.
"What's interesting to all of us though, dear Sibella, is not your marriage, though I'm sure it was a lovely wedding. But… there is something else of interest."
"Don't play games, Madeline, you know I don't like those," says Sibella with too much edge in her voice, and a gleaming angry smile to match.
Madeline flashes her an apologetic smile.
"You're right, of course. I'll just come out and say it."
She pauses, and lowers her voice, leaning towards Sibella closely.
"I guess what I was wondering about was your relationship towards Monty Navarro. He is rather close in line to becoming earl of Highhurst," she whispers.
Sibella keeps her face calm.
"We're friends, Madeline. That's all."
"Is it though?" asks Madeline and Sibella knows instantly that she's ruined.
Her calm demeanor falters.
"You sound as if you are accusing me of something?"
Madeline shrugs and laughs, "You already know I am. You know, darling, I don't like games either."
In that moment, Madeline's sweet face turned cold and harsh.
Sibella gives her a steely glance.
"You have no proof."
"Oh, but I do. You see, my gardener often walks past the D'ysquith castle, and the flat where Monty Navarro lives and he could have sworn he saw your carriage there the other day."
"I was just visiting," she half lies.
"That's not what my gardener says," Madeline grins at her and Sibella has the overwhelming urge to throttle her right then and there.
"And besides, there are many others who have seen you go to his flat. People do start to get suspicious…"
Thankfully at that moment, Lionel finds her, and Madeline releases her grip on Sibella's hand.
The blonde spends the rest of the night close to Lionel, quiet and solemn, almost in a daze.
When they return to the carriage at the end of the night, Lionel turns to her.
"You were rather silent, everything alright?" he asks.
She bites her lip, and lies.
"Fine. Everything is just fine."
She thinks to herself, almost in a panic. She must call Monty in the morning.
She glances at Lionel, wondering how much he'd hate her if he found out, when he found out.
It was only a matter of time now.