Just then, the door to the powder room opened, and two ladies came in. The moment she saw them, Vanessa forced herself to stop crying.
However, it was too late. They had seen her. For a second, Vanessa sat frozen, waiting for them to look at one another and giggle then rush out to tell the gossip to the rest of thetonthat the future Duchess of Thornfield was crying in the powder room.
Instead, the women shared the smallest of worried glances before they both rushed forward.
“Whatever is the matter, my dear?” one of them asked, the older of the two, her brow furrowed as she sat down next to Vanessa.
“You must tell us,” the younger one said, her eyes twinkling. “We do ever so much love to rescue damsels in distress.”
Vanessa laughed and smiled shyly at the two of them. “Is that not a gentleman’s job?” she asked.
The younger woman, who was very pretty with dark red curls, deep blue eyes, and a face as white and smooth as marble, shook her head. “In my experience, it is usually gentlemenfrom whomdamsels need to be rescued.”
Vanessa laughed again, and as she stared up at this young woman, she felt a sense of awe as well. Who was this young woman who spoke her mind so sharply and clearly? How had they not met before?
“Don’t scare her, Phoebe,” the other woman said, her dark eyes laughing as well. “There are plenty of very chivalrous gentlemen, I am sure. Whoever it is that has made you cry—I promise that he is not worth it.”
“He is not,” Vanessa said, shuddering slightly. “It is only a gentleman who wished to marry me and is now furious that I am to wed someone else.”
The woman called Phoebe pursed her lips together. “There is nothing so tiresome as a man who feels rejected,” she said. “Hopefully the man youareto marry can set this man straight.”
“My betrothed is not here this evening,” Vanessa muttered, looking down at the floor. “I am afraid…” she trailed off, not sure how much of herself and her worries she ought to reveal. She didn’t know these women. Perhaps they would report everything she said to a gossip column, once they learned her identity.
Instead of pressing her, however, the younger woman held out her hand. “I am Miss Phoebe Redding,” she said. “And I am very pleased to make your acquaintance.”
“And I am Lady Selina Wexford,” the other woman said, smiling kindly at Vanessa. “I do hope that you are not too distressed. Is there anything we can do to help?”
“No,” Vanessa said, shaking her head. “But I very much appreciate the offer.” She hesitated but knew she would have to introduce herself—it would be too impolite not to. “I am Lady Vanessa Langley,” she said, shaking Miss Redding’s hand.
“Lady Vanessa Langley!” Miss Redding’s eyes lit up at once. “Then you and I are to become family! Oh, this is just a wonderful coincidence, is it not?”
“We are?” Vanessa asked, her mouth falling open in surprise.
“Yes! My cousin is the Duke of Thornfield. I do not see him often, mind you, as he has always kept to himself, but now that he is to be married, I am sure that we will see each other much more often! After all, a duchess needs friends. It can be a lonely life at the top of the peerage, or so my parents say when speaking of your soon-to-be-husband.”
“The Duke’s cousin…” Vanessa was amazed. She had not even known the Duke had a cousin although, of course, it made sense. He just seemed so cold and aloof that she had never pictured him with a family, let alone related to someone as warm and kind as Miss Redding.
“I saw the marriage announcement in the papers,” Miss Redding explained, “and my parents have been able to talk of little else since. But none of us knew anything about you! So, I am very pleased to meet you at last.” She paused for a moment, looking over Vanessa with concern. “It is not the Duke that has made you cry, is it? It is this other gentleman?”
“No, it is not the Duke,” Vanessa said, shaking her head. “Although I do wish he was here…”
“In order to keep away this other gentleman?” Miss Redding finished for her.
“Yes,” Vanessa said, looking away.
“Well, if he is not here, thenwewill help keep this pestering gentleman away,” Lady Selina said, patting Vanessa’s hand comfortingly. “This is what we ladies of thetonmust do: watch out for one another.”
She was smiling so warmly and so confidently that Vanessa couldn’t help but feel a surge of hope.Perhaps they really can help me escape Lord Langdon tonight.
Bang.
All three ladies jumped as someone pounded loudly on the door of the powder room.
“Lady Vanessa! Come out of there!”Vanessa’s heart sank. It was Lord Langdon. He had found her.
“That’s him,” she whispered, seizing Miss Redding’s hand as if by instinct.
“And he is disturbing you in the powder room?” Miss Redding asked, aghast. “What an uncivilized brute.”
