Secrets of a Proper Lady

by Victoria Alexander

  Well, let the wretched man think she had fallen in love with the man he was pretending to be. Let him stew in those juices for a while. And let him think as well that she hated the man he really was.

  In both cases at the moment, it was no more than the truth.

  “There, now you know everything. I need advice or maybe just a fresh perspective.” Daniel paced to and fro in Norcroft’s library. “I can’t talk to Warren, he’s predicted disaster from the beginning, flaws in my plan that I didn’t see.”

  “I’d say there are any number of flaws.” Norcroft handed Daniel a glass of whisky as he passed by.

  “Besides, I think Warren would be hard pressed to say anything through his laughter.”

  “I’m having a difficult time myself,” Norcroft murmured. “You certainly can’t discuss this with her brother.”

  Daniel grimaced. “That does seem like a bad idea.”

  Norcroft propped his hip on a long library table and bit back a smile. “One of many I would say.”

  Daniel glanced at him. “You’re the only one I can talk to about this.”

  “What luck for me.” Norcroft sipped his whisky. “You’ve told me everything except why you didn’t tell her the truth last night when you had the chance.”

  “I don’t know.” Daniel still couldn’t believe it himself. “I started to tell her at the museum but that didn’t seem quite right. And last night, after she confessed to me, it was the perfect opportunity but I…I froze. I knew I should tell her but I couldn’t seem to get the words out. In that moment I realized what a true cad she’d think I was—”

  “To have seduced her as another man?”

  “Well, yes.” Daniel paused. “Although one could argue she seduced me.”

  “Virgins rarely do the seducing.”

  “This one did.” Indeed, Cordelia had been quite insistent, shockingly seductive, and absolutely irresistible. Certainly he could have resisted, he should have resisted, but damn it all, he wanted her. Had wanted her since the beginning even if he hadn’t realized it until recently. And his intentions were honorable. Ultimately.

  “And even worse.” Norcroft raised his glass to Daniel. “You didn’t seduce Lady Cordelia. You seduced Miss Palmer.”

  “But I knew who she was,” Daniel said quickly.

  “But she didn’t know that. As far as she knew, you didn’t know who she really was until afterward.”

  “Good God, I hadn’t thought of that.”

  “It’s something to consider.”

  “The only way out of this is to admit I knew who she was.” He shook his head. “And that seems even worse.”

  “I can see your dilemma.”

  “Then she told me she loved me.”

  “Which you?”

  “Warren. She’s willing to give up everything for him. For me.” Daniel took a sip of his whisky. “She doesn’t even like me. Daniel Sinclair that is.”

  “I daresay, she’ll like you even less when she learns the truth.” Norcroft shook his head. “And she will learn the truth. This mess will come to a head soon enough.”

  “Unless I pretend to be Warren Lewis for the rest of my life,” Daniel muttered.

  “Oh, that’s another good idea if rather impractical.” Norcroft thought for a moment. “It seems to me your biggest problem at the moment isn’t so much your deception—”

  Daniel raised a brow.

  “Although that is significant. But a bigger problem is the fact that she’s fallen in love with the wrong man.”

  “What if…” The vague beginning of an idea glimmered in the back of Daniel’s mind. “What if she fell out of love with the wrong man and in love with the right man?”

  “The right man and the wrong man being the same man?”

  “I didn’t say it would be easy,” Daniel muttered.

  “No, you passed easy long ago.”

  “What if she were to find out something dreadful about Warren? Something so awful she would never want to marry him?”

  “What? That he’s married with a dozen children?”

  Daniel stared. “That’s very good.”

  Norcroft snorted. “No it’s not.”

  “She wouldn’t want to have anything more to do with me, with him, which would leave the way clear for me, as me.”

  “Don’t forget at some point she has to meet you in person. I suspect she’ll realize everything when that happens.”

  “Yes, but by then she’ll have rejected Warren and be in love with me. And we can laugh about this whole thing.”

  Norcroft stared. “You’re deranged, aren’t you?”

  “Probably.” Daniel thought for a moment. “We’ve been corresponding. I can do much of this through letters, although I am running out of time.”

  “Let me repeat, and it bears repeating, there will come a day when you have to meet her in person. As you.”

  “I realize that,” Daniel snapped. “There’s got to be a way…“The answer hit him. “What if she doesn’t know it’s me?”

  Norcroft stared. “Who are you going to pretend to be now?”

  “I won’t pretend to be anyone, I just won’t let her see my face.”

  “How will you manage that? Hide behind a potted palm?”

  “That would be silly.” Daniel scoffed. “Besides, it probably wouldn’t work.” He considered the problem. “You remember the masquerade we attended in May?”

  “Yes?” Caution sounded in Norcroft’s voice.

  “That’s what I need,” Daniel said slowly. “Another masquerade.”

  “With costumes?”

  “We needn’t go that far.” This wasn’t half bad. “Just masks would do.”

  “Then you need a masked ball.”

  “Exactly.” Daniel grinned in triumph. “It’s perfect.”

  “Pity, there’s never a masked ball around when you need one,” Norcroft said wryly.

  Daniel pinned his friend with a firm look. “That’s where you come in.”

  “Me? I thought my only role was to lend a sympathetic ear. Perhaps offer some sage advice. The benefit of my wisdom. That sort of thing.”

  “This is better.”

  Norcroft’s eyes narrowed. “Define better.”

  “Norcroft, I need you to give a masked ball.”

  “Oh no.” Norcroft shook his head. “I don’t know the first thing about throwing a masked ball. Or any ball for that matter.”

  Daniel forced an offended note to his voice. “I thought we had become friends.”

  “We have.” Indignation furrowed Norcroft’s forehead. “We drink together, we play cards together, we make stupid wagers together, and we make sure each of us makes it to our respective homes alive at the end of an evening. I don’t know what happens in America, but in this country, that’s what friends—male friends—do. We do not throw masked balls for one another.”

  “Even in an emergency? To resolve a crisis?”

  “No.” Norcroft glared. “Besides, even if I were inclined to do such a thing, I haven’t the vaguest idea how to go about—”

  “No, but your mother does.”

  “Yes and she quite enjoys it, but even I know something of this nature takes a great deal of planning. Months and months. And I assume you want this ball as soon as possible.”

  “The longer this deception goes on the worse it will be.” Daniel met the other man’s gaze. “Keep in mind, aside from the fact that I’ve apparently fallen in love with the woman, I need her inheritance to salvage my plans as well as your investment.”

  Norcroft grimaced. “Your best point so far.”

  “Tomorrow would be good, for the ball that is, but next week will do.”

  “It can’t be done.” Norcroft paused. “And even if it could, how do you propose I talk my mother into doing such a thing?”

  Daniel bit back a triumphant grin. “I don’t know. I’ve never had to manipulate a mother. I would think you’d be experienced at this. I only have a new stepmother that I’ve
just met although she is a very motherly sort of person.” Daniel paced the width of the library and back. Daisy could probably be talked into something of this nature if Daniel simply told her why he needed it. Norcroft’s mother was a different matter entirely. Abruptly Daniel stopped and stared at the other man. “I think the key word here is emergency.”

  “What?”

  “Are there any charities that your mother is especially fond of?”

  “Dozens.”

  “Any that are in dire need of money at the moment?”

  “They’re always in dire need of money.”

  “Then your mother can host a masked ball to raise emergency funds for her favorite charity.” Daniel strode to the window and gestured toward Norcroft’s gardens. “It can be held out of doors, with lanterns and that sort of thing. I would think there isn’t as much preparation involved for an outside event.”

  “Probably.” Norcroft sipped his whisky thoughtfully. “That’s not a bad idea.”

  “Thank you,” Daniel said in a modest manner. “I do think well under pressure.”

  “Thank God,” Norcroft murmured. “It might well work. Mother always has loved a social challenge. Remember how quickly she pulled together my cousin’s wedding.”

  “This can be hosted by your mother for the benefit of whatever charity she wants. And sponsored by,” Daniel paused for effect, “Mr. Henry Sinclair with a special appearance by a famous operatic soprano.”

  Norcroft stared. “Your father will sponsor this?”

  “He’ll pay for everything and make a sizable donation as well.”

  “I thought you and your father didn’t get along?”

  Daniel shrugged. “We’ve reconciled our differences.”

  “And he’ll do this?”

  “He’ll jump at the chance to help me. Just my asking will probably make him happy.” Daniel grinned. “Besides, your mother is a countess and, even with little notice, I would bet her guest list will be full of lords and ladies and whatnot. My father will love that.”

  “I suppose he will.” Norcroft studied him. “But I thought you said he was short on funds?”

  “He can’t provide me with what I need, but this is a pittance in comparison.”

  “And I suppose you have an operatic soprano in mind as well?”

  Daniel grinned. “Felice Di Mecurio is my new stepmother. I met her the other day.”

  Norcroft stared. “You have been busy haven’t you?”

  Daniel chuckled. “Surprisingly so.”

  “I should speak to my mother. If we are to pull this off, invitations should be sent out no later than tomorrow. Unfortunately, a lot of those in my mother’s circle of friends are in the country at this time of year, but on the other hand, there are not a lot of social events in London for those who remain in the city. We should be able to manage a nice-sized crowd.”

  “It is for charity after all.” Daniel nodded and downed his drink. “And I should be off. I have to inform my father he’s sponsoring a charity ball and ask my new mother if she would be so kind as to perform.”

  “Before we are too far along with this, let me ask you something else.”

  “Anything.”

  “You failed to tell Lady Cordelia the truth yesterday and I do understand why. But why don’t you tell her the truth today? Confess everything to her. Won’t continued deception just make matters worse?”

  “Maybe. Frankly Norcroft.” Daniel met his friend’s gaze. “I’m afraid to tell her the truth now. I’m afraid of losing her. She thinks she’s in love with Warren Lewis but she’s really in love with me. I may have lied to her about my name but I never pretended to be someone I wasn’t.”

  “That’s a very fine line.”

  “I know.” Daniel struggled to find the right words. “I was always myself with her even while pretending to be someone else. That’s who she fell in love with. I need her to realize, regardless of what she calls me, I’m the man she loves. I need to win her heart as Daniel Sinclair. And I can’t do that unless I can be with her as me. And the only way I can think of to do that is behind a mask.” He grimaced. “Another mask.”

  “You do plan to marry her, I presume?”

  “As soon as she’ll have me.”

  “And not merely for the money?”

  “As much as I need her money…” Daniel shrugged. “I wish we could leave money out of this altogether.”

  “You did say you loved her although it was obvious.” Norcroft chuckled. “Only a man in love would be quite this stupid.”

  Daniel grinned. “Thank you.”

  “You realize this means I’ll be drinking the cognac alone?”

  “Sorry about that, old man, but it seems to me when one finds the one right woman in the world for him, he would be an idiot to let her slip away.”

  “And you wouldn’t want to be an idiot.”

  “Not merely an idiot.” Daniel shook his head. “More of an idiot, Norcroft, more of an idiot.”

  A prepared traveler should be armed with knowledge as well as the necessities of life.

  An English Lady’s Traveling Companion

  Chapter 14

  The nice thing about a masked ball was that one could be very nearly whomever one wanted behind a mask. Cordelia considered the three gowns laid out on her bed and which would be the best for tonight’s charity ball. Immediately, she eliminated the pink satin on the right. This was a dress one would choose to please one’s father. It was entirely too sweet, innocent, virginal. She knew precisely who she wanted to be tonight and it had nothing to do with sweet.

  Who Daniel intended to be was another question entirely.

  Her heart sped up at the mere thought of him. It wasn’t that she hadn’t wanted to see him in the two weeks since the night she had discovered the truth. On more than one occasion she had stopped herself from directing her carriage toward his house. It had taken every bit of willpower she’d possessed to stay away from him. Dear Lord, what had he done to her? She wanted him. Wanted to be in his arms, in his bed. Wanted to smack him hard for lying to her. Wanted to forgive him. There wasn’t a moment that passed when he wasn’t in her thoughts and sleep brought only dreams of him, thanks in part to the letters that arrived nearly every day. Amusing and interesting and more than a little romantic. Even though she did think the next step was up to him, two weeks was a horribly long time to wait for that step. Blasted pirate.

  The yellow moiré in the middle was a shade too bright and entirely too lighthearted. This was a dress one would choose to please one’s mother but not at all the look Cordelia intended for this evening. And neither her mother nor her father would be present. She certainly didn’t want to appear too serious, but lighthearted was not what she wanted.

  Still, these last two weeks had not been wasted. Cordelia had made it her mission to learn everything there was to learn about Mr. Daniel Sinclair. She went about studying him just as she did any new country she intended to visit or, in this case, to take up residence in. It had been remarkably easy to acquire information as virtually everyone assumed it was only natural for Cordelia to be curious about the man she would more than likely marry. Father had been back and forth between London and Brighton three times since escorting Cordelia home and he’d been more than willing to tell her everything he knew about both the elder and younger Sinclairs. She was pleased to learn Daniel had not exaggerated either his plans or the potential for success. That much at least was true. Even her father was impressed with him and pleased as well that his youngest daughter had apparently accepted her responsibilities and with such determination too. He was especially relieved since Mother had already planned an informal dinner party for her family and Daniel’s, for the day after the family returned to London.

  Servants were, as always, excellent sources and Cordelia discovered, in contrast to Daniel’s assertions about his pursuit of women, he and Mr. Lewis in truth lived a fairly quiet life with work filling most of their hours. That too was good to know. />
  Her brother had provided the most interesting bits of information. After the invitation had come to a charity ball to be hosted by Lady Norcroft, that no one had so much as heard a whisper about before the arrival of the invitation itself, Will had said Lady Norcroft’s son, the Earl of Norcroft, had not only invested in Daniel’s railroads but considered the American a friend. Will had also let slip mention of a wager between Norcroft and Daniel regarding which of them would be the last to wed and had chuckled over Norcroft being the ultimate winner. Whoever would have thought Norcroft, who had always seemed inclined toward marriage, would be the last man left standing?

  But it was Aunt Lavinia who had discovered the most enlightening details. No sooner had the invitation been delivered than Aunt Lavinia had paid a call on her old friend Lady Norcroft. An unexpected ball, even to raise funds for a charity in dire need, triggered Aunt Lavinia’s instinct for gossip. She knew at once there was a story behind it all and she was right. Apparently this sudden fete to raise money for wayward girls or homeless orphans or wayward homeless girl orphans was prompted by Lord Norcroft and was being sponsored, if quietly, by the elder Mr. Sinclair. In addition, the ball was to be masked at his lordship’s urging. And, Aunt Lavinia delivered this final bon mot with a gleam in her eye, in addition to his father, Mr. Daniel Sinclair was expected to attend. And wasn’t that interesting?

  Indeed it was.

  The green silk from Paris was the obvious choice. Cordelia wasn’t sure why she had hesitated. Even though it had arrived months ago she’d never actually worn it in public. It was a touch more risqué than she had expected. Not that she didn’t like it, she had simply planned to save it for the appropriate occasion. A masked ball at which she was certain to meet the man she was expected to marry, the man she already loved, the man who had lied to her, seemed to fit the category of appropriate. Would he tell her the truth tonight? Take off his mask and confess all? Or would he pretend they had never met? Continue his charade? One could do almost anything with one’s true face concealed.