by Boom, Naomi
Laura and Allison spent another hour shopping, after which they adjourned for lunch. The restaurants were not as crowded at this point, so they did not wait long for a table. After enjoying a light meal, the ladies departed Bond Street, stopping to drop Laura off at home. They agreed to see each other that evening at the Farris ball.
****
The rest of Laura’s evening was uneventful, and in the morning she went to see her modiste. Another dress was finished, one which boasted an extremely daring neckline. The color was a faintly purple color, which showcased her eyes and complemented her complexion exceedingly well.
She returned home to the sight of a single red rose. Her breath caught, and she rushed to pull out the card. Unfortunately, Eleanor had beaten her to it and was standing in the doorway to the parlor with the message firmly in hand.
“Well, well.” She smirked at Laura and said, “Haven’t we been busy?”
“Hand over the card, Eleanor.”
Eleanor threw it to the floor in front of her as her eyes hardened. “So that is why you denied Lord Dunbar. You had Lord Farris lined up to take his place.” She scowled darkly. “How you managed to pull that off is anyone’s guess.”
“So the flower is from Lord Farris?”
“Yes.” She regarded Laura briefly, and then smiled. “You will never hold him, you know. He might show an interest now, but he will throw you aside before you ever make it down the aisle. If he proposes, that is.”
Laura usually had an exorbitant amount of patience for Eleanor’s mood, but she had had enough. “You should keep your comments to yourself. After all, you could not keep Lord Collins entertained.”
Eleanor narrowed her eyes, and Laura internally shuddered from the hatred Eleanor sent her. “At least I had his attention based on my own merit. The only attention you receive is from my discarded suitors and gentlemen who must be asked to entertain you.” She smirked. “Which is worse I wonder? Knowing you are so unwanted that men only escort you out of obligation, or being second choice?”
Shocked, Laura procured her rose, turned, and walked away as Eleanor’s cold laugh accompanied her. She entered her room as the words haunted her. She could have stayed and fought with Eleanor, but what good would it do? Granted, it might have behooved her for future altercations if she had stood up for herself more. She knew Lord Farris had originally escorted her out of obligation, but he was doing so lately of his own choosing, and this rose was proof.
She sighed and sightlessly stared at her rose. Love was supposed to be easy, yet she could not determine what her love’s intentions truly were. One did not simply desert a lady and then resurface months later. And if he did, how should Laura interpret that?
She closed her eyes as the memory of his touch returned. She could almost feel his lips skim across hers, but of course, that was nonsensical. Placing her fingertips to her mouth, she reopened her eyes and sighed. Even in his absence, she could not drag her mind from his addictive touch.
She crossed over to her nightstand, which contained her favorite book, the only tangible link to Lord Farris she possessed. He should not have purchased such a dear gift for her, but did he purchase it as a way to compromise her, or to marry her?
Her fingers slid over the leather-clad volume, and she cringed as the realization hit her that she would not be able to marry any other gentleman than Lord Farris. Even if he did not want her, she would not want any other man. A wave of tiredness overtook her. This love business was exhausting.
The ball was a few hours away, and Laura decided to take advantage of the quiet by taking a nap. She thought of Lord Farris as she drifted into her slumber. Would he be as excited to see her tonight as she was to see him?
Chapter 14
When Laura finally awoke, she noticed it was much later than she had planned on waking. She would have to hurriedly get ready with little help from Anna. She crossed to the vanity, splashed water on her face, and looked in the mirror. Her hair was a mess. She must have had a troubled nap. She applied her touches of makeup and began to undo her serviceable bun.
After tying her hair into a quick chignon with a few tendrils escaping, she pinched her cheeks and stood. All that was left was to dress, and as if on cue, Anna came bustling in. “She is in a mood today.”
“Oh yes, I had noticed.” Anna helped Laura draw on her new gown. She thanked Anna once everything was in its proper place and exited her room. Lady Ashford and Mrs. Westfield were waiting on her, with Eleanor nowhere to be seen. A loud sound of glass breaking, coupled with Eleanor’s shriek, indicated she was not yet ready.
Laura and Mrs. Westfield exchanged glances. They were going to be waiting a while. Eleanor descended the stairs, after a seemingly endless amount of time, and looked perfectly pieced together.
Mrs. Westfield greeted Eleanor as if nothing was amiss, and they promptly left the townhouse. The carriage ride did not take long, and the ladies entered the receiving line. Laura could see Lord Farris, which caused breathless anticipation to overtake her. He had never looked more handsome, outdoing even the Lord Farris in her dreams.
As they reached the Farris family, everyone was greeted warmly with the exception of Eleanor, who was largely ignored. Lord Farris claimed two dances from Laura, and then their arrival was announced. She was shocked to see how many gentlemen swarmed to her. She imagined Allison had been correct. Once one gentleman showed interest, the rest were soon to follow.
She danced under the light of the candlelit room, until Lord Farris approached to claim her for the next. She did not know if she could talk to him, especially when she had not come to a decision on his character.
He bowed. They asked about each other’s health, and spoke of other polite nonsense. All attempts at conversation by her were met with noncommittal responses. Their conversation slowly wilted, almost to the point of silence.
His behavior was completely unlike anything she was used to, so she attempted to engage him in chatter. “Your sister is enjoying herself.”
No response, except an almost inaudible “Hmm.”
“She looks very comfortable here. My first ball was a fright.” She had tried her best to hide in a corner the entire night.
Again, he responded with “Hmm.”
Growing very annoyed, Laura said, “Oh dear. It appears her dance partner is ravishing your sister on the dance floor.” When he did not respond at all, Laura purposefully stepped on his foot. This finally caught his attention.
“Did you just step on my toe?” he asked in surprise.
“Hmm, I had not noticed, my lord,” Laura responded, happy to finally have caught his attention.
“I had not thought you capable of such a misstep.”
“It is possible that I make the occasional mistake here and there.”
His arm tightened on her back as he asked, “Is your corset too tight? I hear that can cause a lady to stumble.”
She gasped in outrage and hissed, “How dare you speak of my corset?”
His eyes twinkled, and he smiled at her. “I am just looking after your well-being. The contraption does appear a trifle tight, although it does augment your assets delectably.”
That may have been a compliment, but it was not a compliment she would accept, outwardly, at least. She scowled at him and asked, “What do you know of corsets, my lord?”
“More than you would think.” He laughed softly.
“I suppose your mistress shows you hers enough.” In all honesty, she did not know what a man liked to look at, but corsets were off-limits in polite conversation, so there must be a reason.
He laughed, loudly. “Why, Laura, are you jealous?”
“Of course not!” Laura responded a little too quickly. “Why would I be jealous?”
“Why, indeed?” Lord Farris murmured as the dance came to an end.
Laura was swept away by another gentleman. Lord Farris was lost in the crowd. It had bothered her that he might have a mistress. Why could he not have simply answered her q
uestion, so she could know if he did or not?
After several more dances, Laura took a break and appreciated the sight of the beautifully clad people as they whirled about. Her partner for the dance was droning on about his hunting dogs, and she was trying her best to appear as if she was paying attention.
She caught sight of Miss Farris, who was similarly sitting out on the dance and waved her over. Sadly, her partner did not notice her complete lack of attention and continued speaking until Miss Farris reached their side.
“Your come-out appears to be a success,” Laura offered as her partner finally realized someone else had joined them. Laura sent him off for a couple of lemonades, which he gladly went to fetch.
“Oh yes, I have been enjoying myself. Mother thinks my ball will be the talk of the town for at least a week,” Miss Farris drolly said. They chatted amiably for a short period of time until they were interrupted by Eleanor’s arrival.
Eleanor appeared suddenly, surprising the ladies as she stopped in front of them. She first smiled sweetly to Laura and then gave Miss Farris a malicious smirk. A chill descended on Laura, as if a catastrophic event were imminent. She braced herself for what was to come, but prayed she was wrong.
Eleanor loudly coughed, successfully drawing the attention of the surrounding crowd. “Laura, do come away from Miss Farris. She is so very common.” She grabbed Laura’s arm as if to drag her away.
A loud gasp was audible from the crowd. Laura’s ears burned. She should have known Eleanor would not sit by quietly and accept defeat. Eleanor must feel she would somehow win this made-up competition between herself and Miss Farris by ruining Miss Farris’s come-out ball.
Miss Farris stood still, as if she were in a panic. Laura, at least, was used to Eleanor’s fits of temper and would not sit idly by and watch Eleanor hurt Miss Farris’s debut. Laura loudly said with derision, as she pulled her arm away from Eleanor’s grasping hands, “You must be mistaken. I have come to consider Miss Farris a personal friend.”
Eleanor laughed coldly. “Like that signifies.” She turned to the crowd and said loudly, “I believe my maid is more interesting than she.”
The crowd laughed, enjoying the scene. Raising an eyebrow, Laura hated to be mean but had to defend Miss Farris. “Perhaps you are mistaken who is common. After all, you apparently enjoy the company of your maid.”
Another laugh reverberated among the crowd. Eleanor’s eyes widened as she realized her words had been turned against her. She angrily retorted, “At least I know who my father is.”
A gasp once again sounded. Every eye around them was glued to Laura to see how she would respond. The barb had been aimed at Miss Farris, but Laura knew she could withstand the gossip better than Miss Farris could. After all, she did have several facial characteristics passed on from her father. “Eleanor, do be serious, I have my paternal grandmother’s eyes. Obviously, we do know who my father is.”
Alexa gave Laura a grateful look, as Lady Chadwick loudly proclaimed, “Enough. You girls can have your little tiff later. Everyone, as Miss Farris’s aunt, I would ask that you help yourself to the champagne the footmen are just now bringing out.”
The attention of the crowd slowly left the ladies, and Laura glared at Eleanor, whispering, “What is wrong with you? What could you possibly gain from this behavior?”
Eleanor grinned spitefully in response as Lady Ashford and Mrs. Westfield approached them. “It is time to go, girls,” Lady Ashford commanded.
“Oh please, let Lady Laura stay. My aunt will chaperone her, and we will ensure she returns home safe and sound,” Miss Farris begged.
She consented readily enough. It was clear Lady Ashford did not care what Laura did at the moment. Lady Ashford and Mrs. Westfield quickly escorted Eleanor from the room. Laura was sure Eleanor’s ears would be bleeding soon.
Lady Chadwick reached Laura’s and Miss Farris’s location. Upon seeing Lady Chadwick, Laura realized the lady was the relation of Lord Farris’s she had seen at the Songfeld house party. Lady Chadwick looked quite regal as she gave Laura a nod of approval. “You did well. I would thank you, but I am sure my nephew will do so, more than adequately.”
Laura blushed hotly and asked, “What are friends for?”
Lady Chadwick laughed softly. “Do not delude yourself. You may be a friend to Alexa, but not as far as my nephew is concerned. Friends do not make spectacles of themselves, as he has done for you.”
Curious, Laura asked, “What are you talking about?”
A look of amusement alighted on Lady Chadwick’s countenance. “You do not even know that, on your sickbed, Gavin refused to leave your side? He stayed with you until your fever broke.” She laughed, delighted. “Mrs. Westfield was quite put out about the entire affair.”
Laura had thought she had dreamt Lord Farris holding her hand when she was sick and delirious. Could it be that he really did wish to marry her?
Lady Chadwick broke through her thoughts. “Oh, there is the boy now. I do believe I had better do something else right now.” Then she very obviously turned her back to leave Laura to Lord Farris. Miss Farris, catching the hint, also left Laura’s side.
Lord Farris approached with a worried frown marring his face. “Are you all right? I came as soon as I heard what happened.” News certainly travelled quickly.
As the adrenaline began to wear off, Laura realized the magnitude of what she had just done. She had openly insulted her cousin in a room full of people. She began to tremble from the sheer excitement of it all. “I doubt your sister will escape all of the gossip. Who knows if what I said helped at all.”
“I am sure it will help cast doubts in the minds of the gossips, and the way you dealt with Miss Ashford should discredit her. You did a lot. Thank you.”
“Lady Chadwick is supposed to be acting as my chaperone.” Laura giggled.
Lord Farris quirked his eyebrow. “She is doing a tremendous job. Would you care to take an unchaperoned walk with me outside?”
She agreed, and he led her out a side door to the gardens. They followed a secluded path to a gazebo. There were large, fat snowflakes falling slowly down, which made the walk even more secluded from the ballroom full of people. The air was chilly, but she felt warm with Lord Farris there to escort her.
They took a seat in the open gazebo. It was dark, but the light from the ball gave off enough of a glow, allowing them to see around them. Laura shivered again, only this time from the cold. Lord Farris wrapped his arm around her and pulled her snugly to him. He frowned with disapproval.
Laura saw his frown. “Do you like my dress?” She could not help herself.
Lord Farris scowled at her. “I like it too well.”
She laughed and said coyly, “I will have to remember that should I need a favor from you.”
“You can earn a favor simply by promising to never wear that dress in public again. It is much too distracting.”
She smiled brilliantly at him. This must be the charm he was so famous for, finally.
His answering smile quickened her heart. The brilliance of the white snow illuminated his dark looks, drawing her to him as if he were her beacon. Her gaze settled on his lips, and he lowered his head for a kiss. He kissed her as if she were his anchor, and he would be lost without her. Laura responded in earnest and lost all track of herself as a person. She was a slave to the sensations he ignited in her and would not fight it if she wanted.
He pulled her on to his lap, and she let herself get swept away in a dream. A dream that suggested, maybe he really did love her and wanted her to be his. She maneuvered herself until she straddled him with her skirts up around her thighs. She deepened the kiss, feeling very empowered and in control. Thrilling at her boldness, she lightly nibbled his lower lip. An answering growl resonated from Lord Farris. The heat between them was building as Laura wriggled against him. She wanted more of him but did not know what more was.
Lord Farris growled again and fluidly swung Laura up against the gazebo wa
ll without her moving from her straddled position. Her legs were tightly wrapped around his hips, and he firmly pinned her arms above her head. His lips trailed hotly down her neck, but Laura did not approve of the absence of his lips on hers. She had never felt more alive, or more frustrated. “Gavin, please.” She moaned, as she writhed, hoping he would kiss her again.
Lord Farris stilled and then stepped back. His sudden absence left Laura bereft and cold. Her nerves were tightly wound in a bundle, just waiting for anything to set them off. Lord Farris cursed and paced, sweeping a hand through his hair.
“Forgive me. I did not intend this to happen.”
Setting her skirts to rights, Laura paused. What had he intended then? She was ashamed of her wantonness, but it had at least meant something to her. She asked coldly, “What did you mean to happen?”
He laughed sardonically, “I meant to have a nice chat with you, but I can never seem to keep my hands off you, or say the right thing at the right time. You could have been ruined out here, you know. If we had kept kissing like that…” His voice trailed off.
Laura began to understand. She had been wrong. He did not want to marry her, after all. She was so stupid. Numbness engulfed her as she gazed at this man that she loved so. “I apologize, my lord. I also had not intended to behave so indecently. Now, if you will excuse me.” She began to walk back to the ballroom, the snow falling like pinpricks on her overly sensitive skin. She was so ashamed.
Lord Farris hurried to her side and effectively stopped her by taking hold of her arm. “Please, do not go. You did nothing wrong, and any other time your wantonness would have been very much appreciated.”
Keeping her face averted, Laura could not control her expressions and did not want him to see how she felt. Her hopes were shattered, again. “I see no reason to remain. There is nothing here for me.”
Lord Farris turned her face to him and exhaled. “Come back to the gazebo.”