by Jane Charles
One day she would be free. Free of her father. Free of any gentleman who might govern her actions, words and deeds. Free to simply enjoy life, on her own terms. No marriage would ever allow her to experience anything for herself since a wife is no more than property to her husband, no different than a daughter.
There was no guarantee there would be a marriage or betrothal with regard to Lord Maxwell. For most it would be foolish to even be thinking so far into the future after only two dances. However, she knew her father’s plans and he had no intention of wasting any time with long courtships or betrothals. When a decision was reached she’d be married within days, if not hours.
The only thing Lily could hope for was that Lord Maxwell would grow tired of her before thoughts of betrothal entered his mind. Therefore, she must do everything in her power to make him dislike her so much that she was the last person in this world with whom he wished to spend even a moment, let alone a lifetime. And, she must do so without her father becoming suspicious.
All the way home in the carriage, her father expounded on the many virtues of Lord Maxwell Warrick. One would think the two would build a new empire, a king and his prince, ready to rule all of England.
She’d always suspected that her father was a bit eccentric. However, it wasn’t until she met others in London that she came to realize just how delusional her father truly was. She could not trust him with her future.
“He will be the perfect son-in-law,” her father announced. “Don’t you dare ruin this for me.” He shook his finger at her.
Maxwell allowed himself to dwell on the earlier meeting with Lady Lilian Bliant. He couldn’t have missed the haunted look in her dark eyes, even though she was not looking at him or her father. The moment he directed his request to Artemisia, she stiffened and her chin hitched as she sucked in a breath. Not that she’d been warm when they waltzed, but she’d practically speared him with a frozen glance as he began to turn away.
Did she truly dislike him so much that the mere thought of spending time with him was upsetting?
If she proved on the morrow that her detest for him was deep and true, he would cease calling on her. However, how could she decide anything with only two encounters? This alone convinced him there was much more happening that he was not aware of, which further deepened the mystery of Lady Lilian Bliant.
She was an intriguing, beautiful woman. She also fit perfectly in his arms, matching his steps in the waltz like no other woman he had ever had the pleasure of dancing with. Perhaps it was her height. Not that she was as tall as he, but taller than most women and his hands could probably span her waist given the narrowness of her frame. Tall and willowy. Delicate and beautiful. The one thing she was not—delightful.
If any other lady had treated him with the same rudeness and disdain, he’d not bother with her again. So why was he so fascinated by Lady Lilian?
Her intelligence and creativity for one. Had he not been warned away by five different potential suitors, Max would have never requested that first dance. But something about Lady Lilian pulled at him deep inside. The likes of which he’d never experienced and thes two encounters with her only made him want to know more.
What were her secrets? What haunted her?
What was the chance that he’d ever learn?
Chapter 9
Lily was angry with herself and Lord Maxwell Warrick. She had tried on no less than five walking dresses and none of them seemed to suit.
Why did she bother and why did she care?
This concern over her wardrobe, when she was not worrying about it being perfect for her father, had irritated her to no end and she could not understand why she reacted this way. Lord Maxwell probably wouldn’t care if she greeted him in black, as if in mourning, or even sackcloth. He wasn’t interested in her so why was she so concerned with how she dressed today?
Yet, despite knowing everything, she did want to look her best and it confused her to no end. Why should she care? Why should any of this matter? Yet, it did, far more than she wished so the sooner Lord Maxwell was out of her life the better. Absolutely nothing good could come from their waltzing and driving in the park. Nothing!
After settling on a pale rose walking dress, Lily made sure that not even a hair was out of place. That wasn’t for Lord Maxwell, but her father, who would be livid if she wasn’t perfect. Or, as perfect as she could be given her dark coloring and being a female.
When the maid informed her that Lord Maxwell had arrived, Lily left her chambers and slowly descending the stairs. Her father was speaking with Lord Maxwell in the foyer and she paused in the middle of the wide staircase. Her father was in a jovial mood, unlike she’d ever seen him before. Almost gregarious, and the color was high in his cheeks.
Father was doing everything in his power to ingratiate himself with Lord Maxwell, as if he were the potential bride and not herself. Of further concern, after additional study, she recalled previous instances when her father had been this friendly and they were usually followed by days of darkness. It was as if forcing himself to be polite and friendly reduced her father to a state of depression.
She took a deep breath and hoped that this was simply an instance of her father wishing to put forth a good impression and not a shift in his personality that preceded a darker state.
Lord Maxwell greeted her as she joined them in the foyer and her father turned, smiling, his light eyes bright with happiness. Lily nearly groaned. Bright eyes were never a good sign, but she could only hope that it was because he was thrilled that Lord Maxwell showed interest.
“Shall we?” Lord Maxwell held out his arm.
“Of course.” Lily nodded and allowed him to escort her outside to his waiting phaeton.
It was a perfect day for a drive. The sun shone bright with only a few clouds in the sky, and a soft breeze blew. The park was packed with curricles, horses and people strolling. Lilacs, daffodils, iris, and crocus were in bloom, scenting the area with a fragrant aroma. As long as she didn’t encounter daisies, asters or any flower related, she should be fine.
“Do you miss the country, Lady Lilian?” Lord Maxwell asked as if he truly cared about her thoughts and the question caught her off guard.
“I miss the quiet.” She tried to aim the complaint at him but failed. It was the soft noises she missed, the sound of the breeze through the trees, the lack of several voices that only dozens of people in one place could make when trying to be heard over others, crickets in the evening, and chirping birds in the morning.
“I find I agree. Though we are in the park, it is still noisy. I enjoy the country as well.”
Lilian reminded herself repeatedly why he was escorting her and had to be on guard. He may be all that is kind, handsome and charming, but she knew well what game he played. It was the same game played by every gentleman seeking a wife of fortune and connections and she was not going to be a willing participant. The others had given up easily enough and all she’d needed to do was dance with them. Maxwell Warrick was a different sort all together and this was one situation she would have to face head on.
“Why did you speak with my father when I offered no encouragement that I’d be interested in furthering our acquaintance?”
He turned toward her with a thoughtful look. “You are a very lovely lady. Why else would I request this outing?”
At least she could deal with the obvious flirtations, taking them with about as much feeling as there was behind the empty words. “The truth, please.”
Lord Maxwell seemed taken aback before he finally answered. “I could say that it is your charming personality, but then you would know I was telling a falsehood as you have been anything but friendly. Besides, I never lie.”
Lilian was unfazed. At least he was speaking honestly now, something she respected. “Exactly, so why me?”
“Why do you think?”
Lilian sighed deeply. Apparently, she would have to be the one to acknowledge her undignified state. “I believe you have l
earned that my father has decided to find me a husband, what he is offering, and has been very specific in what he is seeking.” Tilting her head, she looked him in the eye, daring him to deny her words.
Instead, he smiled genuinely and finished the statement. “And I fit his requirements perfectly.”
A light dimmed inside her. It was almost too late if just the mere acknowledgment of what he was after hurt. She was no more than a pawn to him. Her father and Lord Maxwell would move her about a board until an agreement was reached.
She couldn’t look at him any longer, afraid of betraying her feelings, having vowed never to allow anyone to know her vulnerabilities, and faced forward. “I am glad we understand each other.”
“I am not sure we do.”
“You just admitted to me what has brought this drive about. Your intentions are noted.” Lily replied without looking at him, though she sensed his eyes focused on her.
“Did it ever occur to you that perhaps I find myself interested in you?”
Lily closed her eyes for a brief moment then turned toward him. “Please, do not condescend to me as if I were another young lady new to the ton whose feelings must be protected by pretending there is more than money and titles involved. I am perfectly aware of my standing and have no need for false flattery or flowery words.”
His smile faded and he opened his mouth to speak, but closed it before a word could be uttered. She glanced out of the corner of her eye and noted the tightness of his jaw and secretly acknowledged that she had at least succeeded in making him angry.
“Very well,” he bit out and clicked the horse’s reigns to get them moving at a quicker pace.
While negotiating the crowd as he drove, Max pondered this new revelation. After they had passed a number of carriages and nodded greetings, he found himself driving to a section of the park with less traffic. He had matters to think over and he wasn’t ready to return Lady Lilian home just yet, nor did he wish to be continually interrupted from his thoughts by friendly greetings.
Lady Lilian had pasted on a friendly smile and nodded her head as if this was a perfectly normal day and a perfectly normal drive. The conversation they had shared was anything but normal for a relationship with all the markings of the beginnings of a courtship.
Unfortunately, once they were away from the others, she wasn’t going to allow him to think in peace. Without facing him, chin high and stubborn, she began, “If you proceed with this venture of courting me, I will do everything in my power to discourage your suit. If you should not become discouraged, which is likely as my father will often remind you of the true prize, I will do everything in my power to bring embarrassment to you and your family until you break from any relationship perceived.”
She hadn’t even given herself a chance to know him. Further, they’d only danced twice and this was the first time he’d taken her for a drive and she had already jumped to marriage. Most ladies do not assume even a courtship after so few encounters, yet the very idea of where his interest may lead has her panicked. The last time he’d seen the like was when a firmly established bachelor had been caught kissing an innocent debutante.
He made a study of Lady Lilian from her eyes to her posture. There was a sadness, and possible fear, deep inside Lady Lilian that she used a cold surface to mask. She wasn’t much different from the children when they first arrived to the orphanage. A tough exterior, cold and hard, to protect them from any and all harm. Vulnerable and afraid.
Who had harmed her so deeply? Her father?
The man was rude and unpleasant and treated her with little respect, from what Max had observed, but many gentlemen treated women the same. Not that Max believed ladies, or women in general, deserved less respect than a man, but he’d seen it time and time again.
As much as his mind told him to drive her directly home and end all affiliation, his heart and gut countered all such thoughts. It was as if a part of him recognized something in Lady Lilian that his brain had yet to understand. “And if I don’t cease and we marry?” Not that he had any intention on pursuing her for marriage, but she was still very much a puzzle to him. A very beautiful mystery.
“You will not be happy and I predict that within a year you will be so miserable you will return to London, leaving me in peace in the country to continue the rest of our lives separately.” She turned her head and looked him directly in the eye. “It will not be pleasant.”
The hair rose on the back of his neck and a wise man would deposit her at home and never think of Lady Lilian again. But this conversation had only made him want to delve deeper.
The outcome couldn’t be good for either of them, but he couldn’t let go. Not until he knew everything. Not until his gut stopped telling him this was a woman worth pursuing. And, it wasn’t just that she was unlike any lady he’d ever met that held him intrigued, but something he couldn’t begin to name. As much as she wished he’d give up and disappear, Max was far from finished in his desire to know more of Lady Lilian.
Chapter 10
Lily breathed a sigh of relief when she descended the stairs this morning to find her father alert and lacking the paranoia she’d anticipated following his behavior toward Lord Maxwell yesterday. Perhaps he was simply in a good mood for a change. At least that is what she assumed since she’d never witnessed this behavior before. Throughout breakfast, he actually talked, asking about her plans for the day, instead of lecturing on how she’d conduct herself. It was so very odd and the only certainty she could settle upon was that she had Lord Maxwell Warrick to thank for her father’s jovial mood. However, just the thought of the gentleman made her stomach churn and Lily lost her appetite.
Lord Maxwell was going to be more difficult to discourage than the others. After their uncomfortable but honest discussion as they rode through the park yesterday afternoon, he sought her out at the ball that same evening. He made an appearance for only a short time, but long enough to claim another waltz before leaving again. Had he at least stayed for part of the evening and danced with a few ladies, his attention to her would not have been so noticeable. Instead, his actions made tongues wag for the rest of the evening and brought a rare smile to her father’s face.
The entire situation left Lily completely torn. She had absolutely no intention of encouraging Lord Maxwell’s pursuit of her and she certainly would not marry him. However, his attention and interest made living with her father actually pleasant for a change.
“Excuse me, Lord Artemisia,” one of the footman interrupted as he entered the dining room. “A gift has arrived for Lady Lilian. The servant is waiting for her response.”
Lily had never seen her father brighten as he did.
“Bring it here, immediately,” he ordered.
The footman returned a moment later and placed a bouquet beside her plate.
“Not on the tablecloth,” her father screamed. “Only dishes and utensils on the table. Have I not told you several times before?”
Lily glanced at her father. Gone was the pleasant mood and his face turned almost purple with rage. The footman scooped up the flowers and took several steps back. He probably didn’t know whether to retreat and hide, or remain in the room because he had been ordered to bring them in here.
She wanted to ignore the blooms but couldn’t bring herself to. No one had ever given her flowers before and these were especially lovely. Lily held her hand out and took the bouquet. She sniffed the lilacs, daffodils and tulips after she removed the card. “Could you please put these in water and a vase?”
“Read the card, Lilian,” her father ordered, his tone sharp.
Lily didn’t have to read the card to know who they were from, but obliged her father. “These flowers are no match for your beauty but the loveliest thing I could find. It is my deepest wish that you allow me to take you on another drive today, anticipating that it will be as entertaining as yesterday, Lord Maxwell Warrick.”
Sighing, Lily handed the card to her father. He scanned it quickly th
en grunted something about unnecessary foolishness.
The footman returned a moment later with the flowers neatly arranged in a crystal vase. His face remained deathly pale. “Where shall I put these, Lord Artemisia?”
Her father narrowed his eyes at the servant. “Where do we put flowers in this house?”
As they’ve never had flowers in the house, ever, it was a question that was impossible to answer.
“The table in the drawing room?” the young man squeaked.
Her father banged his balled fist on the table. Both Lily and the footman jumped.
“No. They have never gone in there. On the table in the foyer.”
The servant backed out of the room to do his bidding.
“Inform Lord Maxwell that Lady Lilian would be pleased to join him this afternoon,” her father called out before the young man could quit the room.
Max chuckled after hearing the response from his footman, and not surprised that it had been voiced by Artemisia. Had Lady Lilian responded, no doubt the flowers would have been returned with a request that he not bother her.
He was obsessed, which Max finally accepted with reluctance. He just wished he understood why. No gentleman who was discouraged at every turn continued to put himself in a situation to be rejected again. Yet, he spent a better part of the morning watching her from a distance.
It hadn’t been his intention to follow Lady Lilian when he left his home to visit his tailor, but when he spotted her on Bond Street, Max couldn’t help himself. She and her cousin, Lady Daniella, were shopping and accompanied by Dresden. Max might have continued on his way if he hadn’t glimpsed a side of Lady Lilian he’d yet to experience. Not only was her posture relaxed, but her smile was genuine when speaking with her cousins. Further, she laughed with joy.