"Miss Crosgrove, you look quite beautiful this evening," said Miss Charlotte Rosebury, one of Lilyanna's new friends who was staying in Bath for the season.
"Yes," agreed another visitor, Muriel Vincent, who stood near Charlotte, "those pearls look quite fetching in your hair."
Lilyanna smiled as she approached the women that evening in the Upper Rooms. She returned the compliments, acknowledging Charlotte's pretty, light brown hair braided and piled atop her head and Muriel's finely-tailored muslin gown.
"And how are you both? I trust you are not too warm from the evening's festivities," Lilyanna said.
"Oh, not yet," Muriel said, though she fanned herself vigorously, "but we are sure to overheat once we begin dancing."
"Yes, unfortunately," Charlotte said, though she still smiled brightly, revealing two dimples. "You two are lucky you do not have my complexion, for I beam bright red each time I am overexerted."
Muriel gave a falsely sympathetic look to Charlotte before turning her attention to Lilyanna. "We are quite astonished to be speaking with you this evening, Miss Crosgrove."
"And why is that?" Lilyanna asked.
"Oh, please, Miss Crosgrove," Muriel said, her gaze moving to the ceiling, "do not feign innocence. It is very unbecoming."
Lilyanna raised her brow, wondering what new bit of gossip Muriel sought. Lilyanna had known the woman only a few short weeks, but she had already discovered where Muriel's true passion lied.
"I am sure I do not know what you speak of, Miss Vincent," Lilyanna replied.
"Well," Charlotte said, smiling kindly at Lilyanna, "I believe Miss Vincent is only hinting at the fact that you, well, you seem to be accompanied quite often by a certain gentleman, as of late."
"Quite often?" Muriel gaped. "We never see you without that man ever near your side."
Lilyanna's stomach churned. "You are referring to Mr. Quigley?"
Muriel's eyes lit up as the girls nodded, and Lilyanna's suspicions solidified. She admitted she had not thought of Mr. Quigley much recently, and the thought of the lanky man then did nothing but upset her stomach for fear of possible rumors surrounding them.
"Well, as you can see," Lilyanna said, carefully, "he is not anywhere near my side."
"Not by your choice, of course," Muriel said.
Lilyanna looked to Charlotte for another explanation.
"According to Miss Vincent," Charlotte said, "Mr. Quigley is not present at tonight's ball."
Lilyanna suppressed the urge to grin at the welcome news, her mood lightening instantly. "I see."
"Yes," Muriel said, her fan twittering away, "and you must be terribly disappointed by the fact, not having him for a guaranteed dance partner."
"On the contrary," Lilyanna replied. "I do take pleasure in dancing, but having a broad variety of partners proves to make an evening much more enjoyable. Unless, of course, one is already attached to someone, which, I can assure you, I am not."
Charlotte smiled kindly, but Lilyanna noticed the pout on Muriel's face from the lack of gossip she had received.
Silence ensued until Muriel changed the subject and spoke of the latest styles in ribbons, but Lilyanna wished the woman would leave so she and Charlotte could speak alone. She had become quite fond of Charlotte's good nature in the few weeks they had known each other, much more than Muriel's worldly ways, and she longed to speak to her for more information concerning what was being said about herself and Mr. Quigley.
Her mind swirled with troubling thoughts as all voices and sounds faded to the back of her mind. If Muriel and Charlotte had noticed Mr. Quigley's attention toward her, did most of Bath know, as well? And worse, did anyone believe her to have reciprocated his obvious attachment?
She felt a wave of heat and moved her white lace fan in front of her face. Despite the high windows of the room letting in the night's cool air, she suddenly felt much too warm.
An understanding does not exist between myself and Mr. Quigley, she thought to herself, reaffirming her decision to remain friends, and friends alone, with the gentleman.
Her mind recalled Mr. Quigley's embarrassment over her trip during their last dance together, and her nerves lessened somewhat as she hoped his absence that evening was due to the fact that he did not wish to be acquainted any longer with a woman who was not as accomplished in dancing as he himself was, as he had previously imagined.
"I do not believe Mother and Father will want to go to town after spending so long a time in Bath," Charlotte was saying as Lilyanna's attention returned to her friends' conversation. "We will, no doubt, return home come autumn."
"Oh, I hope your parents change their minds, for your sake, as well as theirs," Muriel said, her chin raised. "You see, a woman need go to town at least once a year, in my opinion, for that is where she learns refinement and civility, as well as how to catch a husband."
Charlotte and Lilyanna shared a look as Muriel continued. "I, myself, shall be going directly after leaving Bath. Mother would not allow a season to go by without visiting London, you see."
"You are very fortunate to be able to go so often, especially since you enjoy it so much," Charlotte said before turning to Lilyanna. "And you, Miss Crosgrove? Will you be venturing forth from Bath this season?"
Lilyanna shook her head. "I do not believe so. My mother prefers staying in Bath, especially with my father being gone. The last time we made it to London was when I was presented to society, and that visit proved long enough for Mother, I am afraid. She does not enjoy being away from home."
"I can certainly see why she would not want to leave," Charlotte said, smiling. "It is quite a beautiful place to live."
"Oh, what a shame that is, though, to never leave Bath," Muriel chimed in. "In any case, if your mother insists on staying home herself, you must convince her to let you join my family for a month or two in town. You can come along, as well, Miss Rosebury, for you, as well, need a little civility, I daresay."
Lilyanna looked to Charlotte whose smile faltered somewhat at the less than kind invitation.
"We hold the finest dinner parties," Muriel continued, apparently unaware of the offense she had caused, "inviting only the most distinguished guests, and we always stay near Hyde Park, so our morning walks help us to feel invigorated for the whole day and well into the evening."
"That sounds quite refreshing," Charlotte began, "however—"
"Oh, it is," Muriel interrupted. "I am glad you agree. Perhaps we shall all have to take an evening walk, as well, then."
"That would be delightful, but—"
"And you both shall finally be introduced into fine society, much finer than Bath's, and I guarantee you both shall find a suitable mate there. That is, if you will allow me to help you with your gown and ribbon choices."
The young woman continued, and Lilyanna looked over to see a panicked look in Charlotte's hazel eyes. She knew her to be a kind woman, so much so that she was sure Charlotte would not know how to decline such an invitation.
"Thank you, Miss Vincent," Lilyanna said, deciding to speak up for the both of them, "but I do not believe our mothers would like us to be away from their company for so long."
"Oh, yes, that is quite true, Miss Crosgrove," Charlotte said at once.
"I am sure they can manage without you both for a month or two," Muriel said, sounding perturbed.
Charlotte looked nervously at Lilyanna again, but Lilyanna carried on with confidence. "I agree," she said, "however, I know they would miss us too greatly for us to accept your generous invitation."
"Fine," Muriel said, glancing away for a moment in silence.
Lilyanna looked over to see Charlotte mouthing out, "Thank you," before a smile spread across her pretty face once more.
Nodding slightly, Lilyanna smiled in return. "But we appreciate the offer just the same, Miss Vincent."
"Yes," Charlotte said, "it would have been a pleasure to spend time with you in such grand circumstances."
"Well," Muriel finally
said, her dejected look lessening as she sighed, "I suppose you shall both have to miss out on the opportunity then. I am sure I shall have a wonderful time, at any rate."
"Oh, no doubt you will," Charlotte agreed.
Lilyanna listened halfheartedly to Muriel's continual gushing of London and its society, thinking to herself how relieved she felt to not have to spend countless hours with her speaking of nothing else but fine society as they exhausted themselves walking the length of Hyde Park.
She gazed at the crowd surrounding them, wondering when the dancing would begin, when she spotted a pair of dark eyes watching her. She looked away before realizing who they belonged to, and her attention darted instantly back to the handsome gentleman she had grown quite accustomed to thinking about.
Her cheeks burned red as she managed a courteous smile in his direction, but she soon glanced away, not wanting to stare rudely.
However, the more she tried to listen to Muriel's chattering, the more distracted she became with watching the man out of the corner of her eye.
And when she saw him drawing closer to her, accompanied by none other than Mr. King, the Master of Ceremonies, she thought she might faint from sheer joy.
"Would you not agree, Miss Crosgrove?" Charlotte was asking, but Lilyanna could not recall her question, so focused she was on remaining upright.
As Mr. King stepped into their small circle with the handsome gentleman, all questions forgot, each ladies' pair of eyes honed in on the stranger.
"Good evening, Mr. King," Muriel was the first to say.
"Good evening, ladies," Mr. King said, his friendly smile reaching each of the women. "I trust your time at the ball is going splendidly?"
Muriel and Charlotte nodded emphatically, but Lilyanna was finding it hard to focus on anything but the handsome man's thick chest and arms that seemed to test the limits of the seams on his black, tailored jacket.
"Good, good," Mr. King said, smiling wider than ever. "Well, ladies, I hope I can manage to improve your evening even more so by introducing this fine gentleman I have brought with me. Do allow me to introduce you all to Mr. Elijah Bainbridge."
Mr. King motioned to the tall figure, and Lilyanna managed to look up at his face for the first time since his arrival, relieved at finally having his name. She waited impatiently as Elijah's smile reached each of the girls in turn before he focused his attention solely on Lilyanna, which she noticed with pure joy.
"This is Miss Charlotte Rosebury," Mr. King began, "Miss Muriel Vincent, and finally, Miss Lilyanna Crosgrove."
The women curtsied in turn, each one unabashedly staring at the dark-haired man and grinning from ear to ear.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Bainbridge," Muriel said with a slight sigh.
"How do you do?" Charlotte asked, her face reddening.
"Where do you hail from, Mr. Bainbridge?" Muriel asked, speaking loudly so the attention fell on her once more.
Lilyanna felt her smile fade slightly as she watched Muriel wave her fan quickly in front of her face, batting her lashes as her dark brown ringlets swirled around her forehead.
"From Warwickshire," Elijah answered, his deep voice causing Lilyanna's heart to pound in her chest.
"Really?" Charlotte asked. "I am from the very county myself, quite close to Stratford."
But before Elijah could respond, Muriel chimed in again. "Oh, that is one of my favorite counties," she said. "The beauty there is unmatched."
"Indeed, it is," Elijah said, "but I am afraid I may be partial, as it has been my home for three and twenty years."
Lilyanna watched as Muriel giggled, and she quelled the urge to grimace.
"And what brings you to Bath, Mr. Bainbridge?" Charlotte asked, a kind smile upon her face.
"I am here visiting my sister and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Godfrey."
"Ah, the Godfreys," Muriel said. "I do enjoy their company. Your sister is a very fine woman."
Lilyanna began to wonder if there was anything Muriel did not have to say.
"Yes, the Godfreys and yourself are staying at the Royal Crescent, are you not?" Mr. King asked.
"Yes, we are," Elijah said. "My sister insisted on my joining her for the season, so I could not refuse her."
"Now, your sister, Mrs. Bainbridge is it?" Muriel said.
"Mrs. Godfrey," corrected Elijah, and Lilyanna noticed a small smile slowly spreading across his lips. "Yes, Mrs. Harriet Godfrey."
"Oh, you did not have to tell me. I remember. Harriet," Muriel said with a demure smile. "I trust she is doing well? It has been far too long since I have seen her last. We do enjoy each other's company greatly, Harriet and I."
Lilyanna was quite certain Muriel had no idea who Mrs. Godfrey really was, and by the look of skepticism in Elijah's eye, he had not been fooled either.
"She is doing very well, thank you," came his brief reply.
Lilyanna longed to speak, but as she opened her mouth, Muriel spoke up yet again.
"Have you been to town this season?" she asked.
"No, nor do I think I will. I am afraid I find it too crowded for me at times."
"Oh, I understand completely, Mr. Bainbridge," Muriel said, taking a step toward him and blocking Charlotte from their circle. "London has its merits, but it is simply too busy to enjoy oneself."
Lilyanna and Charlotte shared another look as Charlotte stepped back into the circle, but both remained silent as Muriel continued with her fibbing. Lilyanna pushed aside the thought of Muriel behaving just as Mrs. Crosgrove had instructed Lilyanna should, lying to trick a man into wanting marriage.
She frowned, knowing she would much rather have a relationship based on honesty than have to pretend to be someone she was not for the rest of her life.
The music started from the other side of the room, signaling the first dance of the evening, and Muriel stopped talking, looking expectantly up at Elijah.
Much to Lilyanna's delight, however, and Muriel's surprise, Elijah directed his attention to Lilyanna.
"Miss Crosgrove," he said, his voice deep, "would you do me the honor of being my partner for this dance? That is, if you are not otherwise engaged."
She shook her head. "Indeed, I am not. I would love to."
Afraid she sounded too eager, Lilyanna took a deep breath to calm her excitement, however, her heart still hammered against her chest.
She saw Muriel gaping and Charlotte smiling happily as Elijah escorted her past them, and she made sure to lower her chin as to avoid the appearance of pride, though she felt a great deal of satisfaction at being singled out by such a gentleman.
"Now, girls," she heard Mr. King say to Muriel and Charlotte, "let us see if we cannot find you both partners, too. I am sure there are plenty of other amiable men to be had."
Lilyanna and Elijah reached the dance area within moments and lined up with the other couples facing each other.
"Perhaps now you will have the opportunity to speak, Miss Crosgrove," Elijah said with a small smile.
Lilyanna shook her head, amused. "I certainly hope so."
"I am glad we have finally found the opportunity to be introduced to one another."
"Yes, I am quite relieved having met you, as I was afraid it would never happen. We might have had to spend our lives merely staring at each other from across rooms and streets."
Lilyanna paused, thinking of how her mother would scold her for such an open confession. However, reminding herself of Mrs. Crosgrove's absence at the moment proved to instill her confidence and joy back within her, as well as Elijah's smile that caused her knees to tremble.
"I do hope you are enjoying your stay in Bath, Mr. Bainbridge. Have you been here before?"
"Yes, I have been to Bath twice prior to this visit, and I quite enjoy it. However, I must admit to missing my time in the country."
Lilyanna brightened at the comment. "Oh, you enjoy the countryside? You are one of the first in Bath I have ever heard admit it."
"I hope I do not o
ffend you by saying so," Elijah said. "My sister warned me of speaking such things, as Bath residents and visitors have such a love of society, but I am afraid I find it hard to relax with the chaos that comes with cities."
"Oh, no offense has been taken, I assure you," Lilyanna said. "If anything, my opinion of you has only risen. I prefer a nice, quiet walk in the countryside over the crowded streets in the city any day."
"You are quite a rarity then," Elijah said.
They shared a smile as the musicians paused in tuning their instruments before their lively song began.
Being at the top of their set, Lilyanna knew she and Elijah would be the ones to start the movement down the line of couples, so she sent a quick prayer heavenward for her feet to go where they were supposed to.
After their bow and curtsy, Lilyanna took a deep breath and moved to take Elijah's extended hand. His touch made chills run up and down her arm, and relief enveloped her when she knew her long, white gloves covered her reaction. She looked up at him as they crossed paths, taking in how tall he stood as they smiled at one another.
Once the movement finished, they faced each other again and watched the rest of the couples dance down the set.
She looked back to Elijah when he spoke.
"And where are you visiting from, Miss Crosgrove?"
"Oh, I am not visiting Bath. My family and I live at Heatherhill, only west of the city."
Elijah nodded. "I see."
After a moment of silence, Lilyanna said, "Even though Bath is busy, I do hope you will discover the city is worth staying for."
"Oh, I am sure I have already discovered the benefits that come with my staying here."
Lilyanna studied his eyes and blushed at his hinting comment until their turn to dance came again, her hand tingling with their contact.
When they were once more stationary, Elijah said, "I am glad I accepted Hazel's suggestion to attend this evening, if only for the chance I had to meet you."
She smiled, flattered, before pausing. "Hazel?" she asked.
"Forgive me," he said. "Hazel is my sister."
Lilyanna remained confused. "Did you not say her name was Harriet?"
She saw recognition dawn in his eyes before he gave a soft chuckle. "You have discovered my bluff, Miss Crosgrove," he said, glancing down at his feet with a smile. "I am afraid I told an untruth earlier. I was simply trying to decipher if your friend truly knew my sister. As was revealed, she does not."
When Two Rivers Meet (Regency Romance) Page 3