What the devil was she talking about? “A wager? Is that what you think of me? That I’d wager on you?” Wonderful, now he was growling at her in the middle of the bloody ballroom. “No, it is not part of any stupid wager.”
“Then what?” She gazed at him warily.
“I—I want to make it up to you.”
“Well, you cannot.” Silvia practically spat the words. “And I refuse to have this discussion here.”
“No, not here.” He glanced around. “On the terrace.”
“You must be mad. We haven’t even finished the dance yet. You would create a scene.”
Damnation.She was right. “After supper.”
“I have another dance partner.”
Why the devil had he thought standing up with her was a good idea? Carrying her off would have been much more efficient. “Then you name a time.”
“Never.” Silvia’s voice was hushed but fierce. “Don’t you understand? I do not ever wish to see you again.”
He lowered his voice, making sure no one but Silvia could hear him. “I’m not sure what you heard, but it didn’t happen the way you must think it did. Just hear me out.” Her eyes flashed, but her countenance was frozen in a polite smile. Christ, he was going to have to beg. “Please, Silvia.”
“Very well. Day after to-morrow in the morning. Come to Mount Street. I’ll give you ten minutes.”
“I’ll be there.”
And Nick would make her listen to him. It could not merely be that her father had said good-bye on his behalf. There must be something more. For better or worse, he’d discover what the hell had happened to make her so angry with him.
The next day, after returning from morning visits, Vivian had gone to find the bouquet Lord Stanstead had sent. She looked first in the rooms the other bouquets had been placed, searching in the family drawing room and the morning room. She finally found them in her parlor. What did it mean that someone had placed them here?
The vase was large, and she set about arranging the blooms to take full advantage of the color contrast. How he had found sea asters in Town, she didn’t know, but they were beautiful and one of her favorites.
Half-way through last evening, she had almost regretted remaining at home. Although, it was not as if he would have told her if he had received the letter she’d sent him. Her stomach clenched. Would he come? Part of her hoped that he had been a little mad when he was kissing her in her disguise and now regretted his behavior. That it was the dark hair he could not resist. Yet the other part wanted desperately to be with him and wished he would have kissed her when she was not disguised.
As for tricking Clara and Silvia, guilt had pricked at Vivian’s conscience when she’d lied about feeling poorly. Still, if she had seen Lord Stanstead last night, she could not have trusted her reaction to him. Better to wait until to-night.
She stroked the soft petals of the clematis, and its light, sweet fragrance wafted into the air. He certainly knew how to please a lady.
Shortly after she completed the arrangement, Punt entered the parlor. “It’s all ready. The cook won’t be able to start until to-morrow.”
One worry fell from Vivian’s shoulders, only to be replaced by another. What would she do when Lord Stanstead arrived this evening? “I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“There is still time to back out.” Her maid’s tone was hopeful, as she busied herself packing items into a bag.
“No, I have to go through with it.” Otherwise she would never know what it was like to be with a man who seemed to want her.
“As you will, then.” Punt straightened. “I’m going to take these things over to the house.”
“Perhaps you could arrange a bottle or two of wine and something to eat as well.”
“Already done, my lady.” She turned, her hands on her hips. “The other servants will be gone when we arrive. I won’t pretend to know why you’ve taken this start. It seems to me there was another way, but I promised your mama to protect you as best I could, and that I’ll do.”
Vivian’s throat closed as tears blurred her sight. “Thank you. I do not expect this to last for long.”
Her maid gave a curt nod and left the room, bag in hand.
The plan was for Vivian and Punt to depart the house shortly after Clara and Silvia did. Vivian had told her cousin she had an engagement, but did not fully answer the question of which one it was. If Lord Stanstead arrived at the appointed time, she could be home by midnight at the latest.
Although the day had been filled with shopping, morning visits, and a walk in the Park, the clock seemed to move at a snail’s pace. Finally it was time for dinner. She dressed in a silk evening gown, which she would change once she arrived at the house on Hill Street.
