by Boom, Naomi
“Are you girls ready yet?” a sophisticated voice called out from down the hall. Eleanor’s mother was to act as their chaperone tonight. Lady Ashford adored the opera and would not miss it unless there was good reason. “If we do not get in the carriage now, we will miss the opening act.”
Laura loved going to the theater, although she was a bit nervous at the thought of meeting Lord Dunbar. She drew on her gloves and hurried from the room. Eleanor followed down the stairs and into a carriage emblazoned with the Ashford family crest. Laura drew her shawl firmly around her shoulders to ward off the chilly night air. One of the problems with her new attire was she had a tendency to grow unusually chilled.
The carriage pulled up outside of the theater, and a footman helped the ladies down. They found Lord Rosing’s box, which Laura’s father had rented for the season, and entered quietly. Lord Collins stood and kissed Eleanor’s hand. He greeted everyone warmly. “Ladies, I am so delighted to see you have arrived.” They all took their seats, as they were eager for the show to start.
Laura was in a chair next to Eleanor, with Lord Collins on Eleanor’s other side and Eleanor’s mother behind them. Laura whispered in Eleanor’s ear, “Which one is Lord Dunbar?”
Eleanor took a moment to survey the sizeable crowd before responding. “The gentleman across the way and to the right. He is sitting with the notorious Lady Robbins, whom I believe is somewhat of a mistress to him.”
Laura was shocked to hear Eleanor speak of this Lady Robbins. They were not supposed to know things such as mistresses even existed, although she knew she had better get used to the idea of mistresses if she was to have a traditional ton marriage.
She eyed the box Eleanor had directed her to. Laura could see a dark-haired gentleman whose hair was starting to gray. He looked like he would do just fine. He was not too stocky or old looking, although she doubted that would have swayed her decision to pursue him.
Laura was intrigued to see the woman besides him. She was stunning. The lady was a stylish creature who appeared to possess the typical English looks. Granted, Laura would have to see her up close to make a final decision.
Eleanor’s eyes roamed the crowd as she whispered behind her fan. “Yes, I hear she had been Lord Farris’s tart before he cut her loose recently. She is the widow of Lord Robbins, who passed away several years ago. Interestingly, she is only about five years our senior.”
Once again, Laura was shocked by Eleanor’s knowledge. If Lady Ashford could hear what her daughter had said, Eleanor would receive a verbal thrashing. She found it interesting that Lady Robbins used to be Lord Farris’s mistress, though. Laura inspected Lady Robbins more intensely.
The woman was blonde. Even blonder than Eleanor, and was blessed with an extraordinary figure. Basically, she was everything that Laura was not, and the realization sank in that this was the sort of woman who enticed Lord Farris. Not women such as herself.
“How do you know Lord Dunbar will not consider marrying Lady Robbins then?” Laura asked curiously.
Eleanor regarded Laura pityingly and said, “Really, do you know nothing? Lady Robbins would never marry him. She is independently wealthy and can do whatever she wants. She had a son through her late husband and has no reason to marry again.”
“Interesting,” Laura said as the curtains opened. Maybe Laura would be situated like Lady Robbins one day. If all things went according to plan, she would at least be headed in that same direction.
Laura became engrossed in the opera and completely forgot all else. Before she realized it, the break was at hand, and Eleanor was whispering excitedly, “Now is the time to meet him! See, Lord Dunbar is rising.”
Lord Collins escorted both her and her cousin down to procure some refreshments and promptly called out a greeting through the crowd, “Lord Dunbar, how nice to see you.”
Lord Dunbar escorted Lady Robbins to them. Laura could now get a much more detailed view of her potential future husband. He did, in fact, have salt-and-pepper hair, but it gave him a refined air. His eyes were a dark cobalt blue, although currently rimmed with red from excess drink, or so she assumed. He had laugh lines around his eyes and a generous mouth that was quite appealing. Overall, he seemed like a pleasant gentleman and should do quite nicely.
“Lord Collins, how are you this evening?” Lord Dunbar asked in a pleasing baritone voice.
“I am excellent. I just wanted to stop you as there is someone here whom I thought you would like to meet. Lady Laura, this is Lord Dunbar.” Lord Collins finished, as Lord Dunbar bowed over her hand.
“What a pleasure it is to meet you, my lady.” He gazed into her eyes intensely.
“Thank you, my lord.” He straightened as Laura curtsied. She could not help but notice his eyes leave her face and land on her bosom, for several moments. Yes, Eleanor knew what she was doing when she chose this gown for Laura.
“I do not believe I have met you before. Who is your father?”
“Lord Rosing,” Laura answered.
His eyebrow rose, and he smiled. “Aah, good man. We were at Eton together, you know.” An approving look crossed his face as he eyed her chest once more. “I take it you are enjoying the theater?”
“Very much, my lord, I am enraptured with it.” Granted, the opera was quickly losing its appeal as his look was making her skin crawl.
Lady Robbins broke into the conversation with a polite ahem, which indicated it was time to go. Lord Dunbar smiled wistfully and once again bowed over her hand, saying, “You must save me a dance at the next ball you attend. Which one will that be?”
Laura blushed and was surprised she had caught his interest so easily. “I believe we are to attend the Mansor ball next week.” She smiled prettily and batted her eyelashes, just as Eleanor had taught her. “I look forward to our dance, my lord.”
They returned to their seats. Laura should have been pleased with what had transpired but instead thought she might be sick. She was not supposed to be the sort to marry for status, and it revolted her.
She returned her attention to the unfolding scene before her and tried to become engrossed, but kept feeling a certain set of eyes on her from across the theater. She might as well get used to it. She met his gaze with a coy smile. If only he had not attended school with her father.
Once the final act closed, Lord Collins walked with the ladies to their carriage. There, he bowed low over Eleanor’s hand and bade them all a safe trip.
The carriage door closed, and Lady Ashford asked, “Well, did you meet him, Laura? What happened?”
Laura was saved the trouble of responding, when Eleanor excitedly jumped in. “Oh, Mother, it was all so perfect! Laura behaved just as she ought, and Lord Dunbar has already reserved a dance at the Mansor ball.” She clapped her hands together and smiled happily. If only Laura felt the same way.
“Congratulations, Laura.” Lady Ashford beamed. “This is delightful news. Mrs. Westfield will be so excited to know that her services are needed.”
“Why do you say that?” Laura asked curiously.
“Well, I must monitor Eleanor. You know how charming Lord Collins is. One cannot leave him alone with my innocent angel. Now that you have found a gentleman even more untrustworthy, we had better have two sets of eyes so neither of you is ruined.”
Laura frowned slightly. She had already learned, courtesy of Lord Farris, not to defy convention by going off alone with a gentleman. Plus, there was no way she would allow herself to be ruined by Lord Dunbar. Her stomach turned at the thought.
****
Gavin threw back yet another pint of ale. He watched the waitress from across the room and wished for the hundredth time that he could get Laura off his mind. He had spent most of the last two months in a drunken stupor, unable to do anything but try to escape from her memory. Even the voluptuous blonde waitress in the bar looked unappealing to him. He scowled and signaled for another drink.
“Do you actually need another?” Lord Collins asked as he sat down.
>
Gavin growled slightly. His friend had pestered him incessantly about his drinking, and Gavin did not want to hear it. Just because Lord Collins had suddenly reformed did not mean Gavin had to. The waitress brought his drink, and he smiled charmingly at her. “Please fetch an ale for my friend. He is in desperate need of one.”
She smiled invitingly and hurried away.
“I know you do not want me to talk about her,” Lord Collins stated. “But I have some news I thought you might be interested in.”
It was not that Gavin did not want to hear news of Laura. He was just sick to death of Lord Collins constantly thinking him in love with her. “Get on with it then,” he said gruffly.
“Tonight we attended the opera, as you may recall me mentioning yesterday. During the interim, Lady Laura was introduced to Lord Dunbar, who naturally has taken a liking to her and asked for a dance to be saved at the Mansor ball.”
“She told him no, right?” Gavin could not imagine a more unlikely couple. Not to mention the fact that Lord Dunbar was a dissolute rake. He scowled. He was such a hypocrite, although Lord Dunbar was on another level than he.
“It appears she was delighted by the request and agreed to save a dance for him. During the rest of the act, I could see Lord Dunbar looking at her like he wanted to cross over to our box and ravish her right there.”
The waitress returned and placed Lord Collins’s drink in front of him.
Gavin was not happy with this information. How had Laura decided Lord Dunbar was acceptable? “How is that a concern of mine?” Gavin asked nonchalantly, trying to keep his consternation hidden from his friend.
“Well, it is rumored that Lord Dunbar is in the market for a bride, and Lady Laura would be an ideal match for him.”
“But she’s not,” Gavin said calmly. He eyed Lord Collins’s glass and asked, “Are you going to drink that?”
Lord Collins chuckled. “Why would you say they are not a good match?” He picked up his drink and took a sip.
“The bloke is too old for her.”
“Is that the only reason?”
Gavin took another nip and nodded. “Of course.”
“Well then.” He gulped down his drink and stood. “You should probably inform her of her oversight. She is to attend the Mansor ball, in case you neglected to remember.”
Gavin watched his friend go and cursed. He genuinely missed Laura but had to respect her wishes. Even if he did go to see her at this ball, what then? He still was unwilling to get married. The best thing that could happen to Gavin would be for her to marry, although he just could not grasp why she was interested in Lord Dunbar.
Laura seemed the type to marry for love, but she could not possibly be in love with Lord Dunbar. Maybe he should check on her. Just to make sure she was all right and not being coerced into a loveless marriage. He would definitely consider it at least. The waitress smiled at him from across the tavern, and he cursed again. His misery would have been much more bearable if he could at least enjoy the attentions of a lovely woman, but no. Laura had stolen that away from him, too.
Chapter 9
Laura entered the house after a brisk morning ride and hurried upstairs. The weather had been unsurprisingly horrid, having drizzled cold little pellets on her for the entirety of her ride. She rushed to her room, changed out of her riding habit and into her dressing gown, and sat before the fire. Her hair was a sodden mess, so she unraveled it and allowed it to dry.
The crackle of the fire was soothing, and Laura began to doze off. She forgot all sense of time until the door creaked open. “My lady.” Anna entered, and whispered hurriedly, “You must get dressed quickly. A gentleman has called.”
Laura’s eyes flew open. She was used to receiving callers, but not specifically for her. With the aid of Anna, Laura got dressed in a charming, light green day dress and pulled her hair up neatly. She hurried downstairs and entered the drawing room.
Her eyes fell on Lord Dunbar, who stood immediately as she entered. “My lady,” he greeted. “You are spring personified in that dress.”
Laura’s step faltered, and Eleanor smirked. Eleanor knew Laura did not approve of overly superfluous words. Laura ignored her cousin’s facial expression and smiled engagingly at Lord Dunbar. “Thank you, my lord. You look exceptional, as well, this morning.”
Lady Ashford rose and indicated the chair she had just vacated, which was directly next to Lord Dunbar. “Sit down, Laura.” She then crossed to Eleanor’s side and joined her on the settee. “Did you see the flowers Lord Dunbar brought?”
A large bouquet of red roses rested on a small table, and Laura could make out a small, white card nestled amongst the thorns. “Thank you, my lord. That was very thoughtful.”
“You are welcome, Lady Laura.” He sat as Laura did the same, and said, “I had hoped your father would be in residence. He thinks very highly of me, you know.”
Laura had not known that but nodded and agreed anyway. “He will be here when the Season begins, but at his townhouse.”
“Understandable, although why he prefers the country, I will never know.” The maid brought in the tea service. Laura raised her brow at his statement. She vastly preferred the countryside, but she doubted Lord Dunbar would care where she resided if they married and she provided him his heir.
He took a bite out of a biscuit and said, “Now that I think about it, I can distinctly recall your father mentioning you. I had not realized you would be so beautiful, though.”
Eleanor chirped in with a smile. “I am sure he would not have mentioned her looks. She was quite the ugly duckling growing up.”
Laura glared at her, but Lord Dunbar smiled pleasantly. “It is fortunate she turned out the way she did, then. In fact, I doubt I could imagine a lovelier swan.”
Lady Ashford set her teacup down on the oak parlor table. “Yes, we are quite pleased with her progress. You will have to dance with her, my lord, she is unwaveringly graceful.”
“I am sure she is.” He looked at Laura intently, then said softly, “It is a shame I was not in the marriage market last season. I am sure we would be happily married by now.”
Laura was unable to tear her eyes from his. She doubted he would have spared her a second glance last season, but maybe she did not give herself enough credit. After all, Lord Farris had.
When Laura did not respond, he said calmly, “You do wish me to court you, don’t you?”
She coughed. How had things progressed this smoothly? “Of course I do. I cannot imagine anything I would like more.”
He appeared pleased, and his eyes swung to her chest. She really wished he would stop ogling her. “I am not a young man, and you are a worthwhile marriage candidate. If the rumors of your dowry are true, I am sure we will be wed shortly.” He then stood and smiled at the room. “Thank you for gracing me with your time.” Then he bowed and left.
The room was silent, until Eleanor laughed coldly. “Who would guess that our little Laura might marry before I do?”
“That has never been out of the realm of possibility,” Laura said drily.
“That is true, but it seemed so very, very unlikely.”
Laura’s eyes narrowed. Eleanor stood and drifted over to the bouquet of roses. “He may be old, but at least he makes up for it.” Eleanor snagged the card and removed it from the flowers. She then turned it over and read it aloud. “The most lovely lady in the room deserves the most lovely bouquet. Sincerely, Lord Dunbar.”
Eleanor’s eyes hardened, and she turned to Laura. She cooed, falsely sweet, “What a sweet gesture, no matter how untrue.”
“What makes you think it is not true?” Laura asked. Why did Eleanor have to ruin everything? It was annoying in the extreme.
Eleanor’s eyebrow raised haughtily. “Come now. Let’s be realistic.”
Lady Ashford rose from her chair and shook her head. Her features never changed, no matter how upset she was, all in an effort to avoid wrinkles. “You girls are too much.” She glanced at th
e mantel clock and said, “I do believe we will not receive any more visitors, so I will adjourn to my room.”
Laura also rose. She did not wish to keep company with Eleanor when she was in one of her moods. Before she could exit, Eleanor said scornfully, “I like how he even signed the card as Lord Dunbar. Does he not have a given name?”
The din of the rain increased, and Laura assumed it was raining harder. She could really stand for another ride to work off the frustration that was accumulating toward Eleanor, but knew that would not be possible. So instead, she clenched her fists, and said, “You have Lord Collins. Do not begrudge me my own suitor.”
Eleanor inhaled sharply. “I never said anything of the sort.”
She never intended to be mean, or at least that was the excuse Eleanor used whenever Laura held her accountable. “Of course you didn’t.” Laura departed the room, intent on getting as much distance between herself and Eleanor as possible.
Chapter 10
The next week passed quickly for Laura. There had been a whirlwind of engagements, including a visit to Allison’s for tea. Laura had acted pleased to hear of Allison’s official engagement to Lord Deering, but inwardly she could not escape her envy. Allison had met Lord Deering at roughly the same time Laura had met Lord Farris, so why had it worked for Allison and not Laura?
Finally, the Mansor ball was upon them. This was the first ball of the season and was sure to be a massive crush. Most of London’s elite would be present, and Laura was confident this would be her start to forgetting Lord Farris.
Laura’s feet mounted the marble steps to the ballroom. Her hand clutched her satin skirts tightly. She was not sure how, but she knew this ball would be pivotal in her life. She was announced, along with Eleanor, Lady Ashford, and Mrs. Westfield, and they entered the overcrowded ballroom.
The room was stiflingly hot and was sure to only grow warmer as the night progressed. Candles were mounted on every available sconce, and a myriad of flowers provided the room with a pleasing scent. Lord Collins and Lord Dunbar almost simultaneously stepped forward and offered their arms to the ladies. Laura smiled shyly and placed her hand on Lord Dunbar’s arm. She waited for the ensuing sparks to fly, but nothing happened. Despite her disappointment, she smiled up at him invitingly. She doubted very much that she would feel those sparks of attraction with Lord Dunbar as she had with Lord Farris.