Charlotte stood up, leaning over and kissing her mother on the cheek. “Thank you, Mama. For everything.”
“Enjoy,” said the countess, watching them pick up their masquerade masks and walk to the door. “I demand it.”
Charlotte stared back at her mother. She had never believed that this day would come. Her heart lightened, and she realised fully what a burden it had been, feeling like the ghost daughter that they wanted to forget. The one who didn’t measure up. The one who was defective in some way and had to be hidden away from the world. The one who could never hope to live a normal life, while she watched her siblings being feted and adored.
But now, it was as if that burden had been lifted off her shoulders. Her mother accepted her, just the way she was. She had apologised and explained the reasons why she had acted the way that she had. It didn’t change the way she had been treated, but it did make it easier to bear. Now it was like the future was a clean slate.
“Go on,” scolded the countess, flicking her hands towards them, as if shooing away a fly. “Off you go!”
The sisters laughed. Diana raised her stick, placing the mask on her face, and took Charlotte’s arm. “We need to knock on George’s door and see if he is ready. Shall we?”
“We shall,” laughed Charlotte, raising her own mask. They picked up the hems of their gowns, traipsing down the hallway, giggling softly together.
Charlotte felt a fission of excitement. Lord Sebastian was sure to be there. Would he be wearing a costume, and would she recognise him if he was? Would he recognise her?
Chapter 22
Alicia took a deep breath as she gazed around the ballroom of her parents’ rented townhouse in Grosvenor Square. She couldn’t stop a small stab of triumph from entering her heart. It looked spectacular.
To be sure, the ballroom was smaller and not as grand as the one at Millington House, but her mother had outdone herself in the decoration. Flowers festooned the space – immense bouquets of roses, forget-me-nots and lilies in large crystal vases. They had also been skilfully braided and wrapped around pillars, which had taken all the maids hours to achieve, under the watchful eye of Lady Hastings. Tall beeswax candles, stationed everywhere, cast shadows of light around the room. It looks like fairyland, thought Alicia with satisfaction. As if Queen Mab and her subjects might just decide to fly through the windows and join the festivities.
It had cost a small fortune, of course. Her father had grumbled about it, but her mother had been adamant. They had to put on a show. It would reap rewards, she had told him. The money would be well spent if it inched them closer to a betrothal.
The ballroom was teeming with guests. Alicia stared at them, a slow smile spreading over her face. Most had decided to join in the merriment and were wearing costumes, along with the requisite masks, as befitted a masquerade ball. Alicia spotted sailors and highwaymen, shepherdesses and empresses, and even a fairy or two. She saw the Duke of Richley in a corner, dressed as a Turkish sultan, with a silk turban atop his head and a long flowing cape of rich blue. The colour contrasted vividly with the ruddiness of his face as he sipped champagne from one of the tall crystal flutes that were being carried on silver trays by especially hired footmen around the room.
Alicia raised her mask to her face, searching. Where was Lord Sebastian? He must be here by now, if his parents were. She could see his mother sitting with all the other matrons in a small alcove. She was dressed as a sultaness, to match her husband, and looked rather like an aging harem girl, thought Alicia. She was wearing a diaphanous gown of spun silver and a matching veil on her red hair, with a gauze handkerchief-sized veil covering her nose and mouth. She was having difficulty drinking and eating with it, thought Alicia, watching her lift up the veil and drink her champagne before lowering it again.
Restlessly, her eyes swept over the crowd again, searching. At last she spotted him, talking with a group of people out on the balcony. Picking up her skirts, she elbowed her way through the crowd, keeping her mask aloft the whole while. If she lowered it, people would recognise her, and she had no desire to chat right at the moment. She had to get to Lord Sebastian’s side and claim him for the evening, so that everyone here would understand that they were not just friends. They were together.
Alicia took a deep breath. Her mother had told her that if she could persuade his lordship, they would announce their betrothal here tonight, in front of the crème de la crème of London society. Everyone would know that she was about to become his wife, and in so doing, the future duchess. It would be the crowning achievement of all their plans and machinations. It was so close now that Alicia could almost taste it.
As she jostled her way towards him, her thoughts flickered briefly to when she had interrupted him talking with Lady Charlotte on Bond Street a few weeks previously. The shock and anger she had felt upon seeing them together, and the intimate way that they leaned towards each other. She had seen how Lord Sebastian was looking at her, as if she were the loveliest thing that he had ever beheld. They were laughing together softly, and Lady Charlotte gazed up at him with shining dark eyes.
Alicia gritted her teeth at the memory. She had acted instinctively and inferred the lady’s condition, just so she would be aware that she knew. To warn Lady Charlotte off and stake her claim. But it had backfired when the Viscount Castlereagh had come and mentioned the fact that Martha had been spotted at Acton House that very morning. She had to think quickly and claim that the maid had been there to invite them to the ball, when she had no intention that they should come. None at all. She didn’t want the Lumleys here. In fact, she had been looking forward to how disappointed they would be when they found out they had not been invited to the social event of the season.
Alicia pushed through the crowd, almost to the balcony. But just as she arrived there, she saw that he had disappeared. She frowned, lowering her mask, gazing around. Where was he now?
She spotted him, walking towards the card tables, in an adjacent room. Raising her mask, she set out on her pursuit once more. In his black breeches and waistcoat and long black domino cape with mask, he was hard to see in the crowd. What exactly is his disguise, she wondered, as she tripped back through. A highwayman? Or a gypsy?
She was almost there. She watched him loitering close to the card tables, before a gentleman dressed as a harlequin called him, telling him to join them. He nodded, sitting down, and the cards were dealt. Alicia’s heart sank. He would be immersed in the game for probably half an hour or more now. She turned away.
She took another deep breath. It was just a minor setback, nothing to be concerned about. Lord Sebastian had taken her out just about every day in the last few weeks, and he was attentive towards her. Her mother had excitedly confided that the duchess had told her that her son was open now to the possibility of marriage. Both Lady Hastings and the duchess were anticipating an announcement of betrothal tonight, but for that to happen, she had to speak to the marquis alone. Whenever she had tried to bring up the subject previously he had brushed her off.
A footman glided by, balancing four flutes of champagne high above his head on a tray. She stopped him, taking a glass. She needed something to quell the nerves. She was so close to her prize, but it was evading her. And she couldn’t stop the pressing knowledge that even though he was receptive and she was inching him ever closer, he still really didn’t like her that much. She could see it in his eyes sometimes, when he gazed at her, a little coldly, and in the way his smile tightened when she spoke of things that interested her.
Alicia drained the champagne glass, feeling the bubbles rise into her nose. That was better. She swayed slightly as she moved forward. It didn’t matter that the marquis didn’t like her, as long as he put that all important ring on her finger. As long as she would be a duchess one day. She could deal with his coldness and his patronising stare. She could deal with all of it.
Suddenly she spotted Lord Percy. Determinedly, she made her way over to him. Her heart started to beat jus
t a little faster. She took a deep breath, trying to slow down her heartbeat as she gazed at him.
He looked dashing, and handsome, dressed in a medieval costume of bright green, with a pointed hat on his head sprouting a red feather. He took off his black mask.
“Well?” he said slowly. “Do you recognise me?”
Alicia laughed. “I do, my lord.” Her eyes travelled over his costume once more. “Are you from Sherwood Forest?”
Percy laughed as well. “Well spotted, Miss Drake. I am Robin Hood himself, come to steal from the rich and give to the poor.”
Alicia smiled widely. “I do not think my mother would be happy if you took off with all her good silver, my lord.”
His eyes travelled over her slowly. “You look simply divine,” he whispered, his eyes lingering. “You would be at home in Sherwood Forest too. A medieval princess, I am assuming?”
Alicia nodded with satisfaction. Her mother had spotted the red and gold medieval gown in the costume shop and declared that it was simply perfect, and indeed Alicia had gasped when she had seen it. It was richly embroidered, with a tight bustier and a flowing chiffon cloak. She had let her golden curls flow freely, so that her hair hung halfway down her back, and covered them with a simple headdress of white net.
“Your Royal Highness.” He mock bowed, sweeping his hat off his head. “I have never seen a lovelier princess.” He straightened, gazing at her, his eyes shining.
Alicia took another champagne from a passing footman, draining half of it. She could see Percy staring at her, a little confused, but she ignored the look. This was her ball, after all, and she could celebrate it any way she chose. Why couldn’t she have a few champagnes and relax a little?
She giggled. “I shall never be a princess,” she said, slurring a little. “Not really. But I shall become a duchess one day.” She raised her chin, staring him straight in the eye.
Percy stared at her, sadly. “You are determined to pursue that course? Even after everything?”
Alicia nodded decisively, draining her glass. She stopped a footman, placing the empty glass on the tray and grabbing a fresh one. “It is happening, my lord. Your brother and I have grown closer these past few weeks and I am anticipating an announcement very soon.” She lowered her voice, leaning towards him. “In fact, it may be this evening.”
Percy paled. “Please, Miss Drake. Do not do this.”
“Why not?” She sipped her champagne, gazing at him. “Why on earth shouldn’t I become a duchess? I am a lady, am I not? I am good enough, aren’t I?”
He was silent for a moment. “You are more than good enough, Miss Drake. I have made it plain how I feel about you and my feelings have not changed.” He paused. “In fact, they have only grown stronger since you returned the necklace.”
Alicia reddened slightly, turning away. “You should not say such things to me. I made it perfectly clear that I am not receptive to it.”
He reached out and took her arm. “Please, Miss Drake. You must understand.” He lowered his voice. “I will not try to stop you if it is what you really want. If you truly love my brother, and desire to be his wife. But I do not think that is the case.”
Alicia’s colour deepened. “You do not know what is in my heart.”
He stepped forward. He was standing so close she could see a pulse beating in his neck. “I think that I do. I think that you do have feelings for me, but you refuse to acknowledge them, because your mother has brainwashed you to believe that the only thing that matters is for you to become a duchess.”
Alicia’s eyes widened. “You are bold, sir. To say such a thing to me.” She turned her face away, breathing heavily. “To claim to know what is in my heart. You do not know me in the slightest.”
“Oh, but I do.” He kept staring at her. “I know you better than you think, Miss Drake. I know that you only do this because you have been told to do it. Not because you love my brother, and that is deception.”
Alicia glared at him. “I do not have to stay here and listen to this.” She drew herself up to her full height. “Not at all.” She turned to walk away, but he halted her with a hand on her arm.
“I will not stop you,” he said slowly. “But you must know how deeply I admire you.” He hesitated. “I think that you are the most beautiful woman I have ever known in my life.”
Alicia gasped, her heart quickening again. She opened her mouth to respond, to cut him down again, but strangely no words came out. All she could do was gaze at him as a lump formed in her throat and tears pricked behind her eyes.
“I will not stop you,” he repeated, whispering. “But you must know that if you marry my brother without love, then I shall do the same. I shall find another woman and marry, knowing that love will never grow between us. How could it? I have already given away my heart.”
Alicia stared at him, dismayed, a strange feeling choking her. “You would not do it. You would not marry without love. It is pitiful!”
“It is only what you seek,” he said slowly. “And what my brother would do as well. He does not love you, Miss Drake, and he never will. If he agrees to marry you, it is only because our parents have pressured him to do so, just like yours have pressured you. Who is truly the pitiful one here?” He gazed at her steadily.
Alicia gazed at him. A torrent of emotions had her in their grip. She felt as though she were being tossed by them, like she was adrift at sea in a storm, clinging only to a branch. Why must he always do this to her? She had felt so triumphant this evening as she was getting dressed. She had firmly pressed down any doubts that she had been having and was so looking forward to parading around this room with the marquis on her arm, seeing all the envious looks and knowing that she had snared him.
Percy continued to gazed at her. Anger flared to life in her once again, and roughly she shook away his hand. Tears were threatening to spill, and she could not have that. She was the belle of the ball and everyone would notice.
She glared at him, then turned on her heel, stumbling away. All the champagne she had consumed was making her head spin. The only thing she knew was that she had to get away from him, right now, before he kept whispering his poison words to her. Before everything that she had worked so hard for started to crumble away in front of her eyes.
She wove through the crowd, suddenly feeling hemmed in. Lord Sebastian must be finished at the card table by now, surely? She found her way to them, staring around wildly. He wasn’t where he had been sitting. He had vanished again into the crowd, as if he were deliberately eluding her.
Her heart sank. A suitor who admired her and desired her company would have sought her out straight away. He should be searching for her as keenly as she was searching for him. A real suitor would not rest until he had found her.
But Lord Sebastian wasn’t that suitor. He play-acted at being one, but he wasn’t. Everything that Lord Percy had said was true. She had always known it, of course. Just before, in this very room, she had resolved herself to the fact that she would be marrying without love. She had told herself that it didn’t matter, that the riches and title he would bestow on her would be enough. That it had to be enough.
But now, her head swimming with champagne, she didn’t know anymore.
Chapter 23
Charlotte stepped down from the carriage, staring around. The fashionable townhouse on Grosvenor Square was brightly lit and she could see people milling around in the foyer, in full masquerade costume. She gripped Diana’s arm, her eyes widening.
“We shall dance tonight,” she declared. “We shall dance as if there is no tomorrow.”
Diana laughed. “We shall indeed, dearest.” She stared at her sister’s face. “You look … different, Lottie. As if Mama’s words have freed something within you.”
Charlotte nodded. “It is true, Di.” She took a deep breath. “I was shocked to hear about Aunt Eliza’s accident, of course, and how much pain she endured in her life. About how she was determined to keep it a secret, and Mama was roped
into that as well. But I must admit that Mama has done me a great favour in telling me at long last.”
Lords to Be Enamored With: A Historical Regency Romance Collection Page 75