Chapter Twenty-Nine
“Oooh, your gown has arrived,” Maddie said to Mari as Effie brought in the box from Madame Dubois the courier had just delivered. “Let’s take it upstairs. I cannot wait for you to try it on.”
“I suppose I had better make sure it fits,” Mari replied.
Effie gave her a sharp look and then preceded the girls to Mari’s chamber where she laid the box on the bed and lifted the silk gown from its nest of tissue. The sun streaming through the window caught the shimmering, iridescent shades of silver and pale blue as she shook it out.
“It is beautiful,” Maddie said breathlessly. “You will be the envy of every girl there. I dare say Mr. Algernon may have to fend off a number of gentlemen as well.”
Mari doubted Jamie MacLeod would be one of them. Almack’s’s ball was this evening, and he had not dropped by the townhouse nor had he sent a note. “I am sure Violetta and Amelia will upstage us all,” she said.
“They border on risqué,” Maddie replied. “You will be beautiful.”
“So will you. The buttercup color of your gown will bring out the red in your hair,” Mari answered. “You will probably have a line of gentlemen waiting to sign your dance card.”
“Mr. MacLeod has promised me a dance already,” Maddie said, a dreamy expression sweeping over her face. “I hope Mama allows him to have two.”
“I sure she will,” Mari said automatically, but her face felt tight.Shewould not be dancing with Jamie. Nicholas was escorting her tonight, and she would be expected to stay by his side.
“Mama and Papa do like Mr. MacLeod,” Maddie prattled on, unaware of the sudden tenseness in her friend. Mari did not answer, removing her day dress instead. She slipped the delicate material of the ball gown over her head, allowing the soft lines to fall naturally along her hips, swaying gently when she turned to have Effie do the buttons. The neckline swooped slightly low, exposing only a hint of cleavage, but Mari tugged it up, not wanting any part of her birthmark to show. The fact she had nattered on about it to Nicholas had already created a scandal. For certain, she wanted no one to even get a glimpse of it.
Why had Nicholas painted her like that? With all the shocked expressions when the portrait had been unveiled, the only one Mari remembered was Jamie’s—a little muscle had twitched when he set his jaw in a hard line, but it was his eyes, darkened to brandy-color when he looked at her, that haunted her. She didn’t think she’d ever seen him so angry, but there was also disbelief and puzzlement in his gaze—and she had not had a chance to explain how Nicholas knew about the birthmark.
“I should be going,” Maddie said. “Mama wants to make sure my hair is done perfectly for tonight.” She giggled as she turned to the door. “Would it not be absolutely wicked if the dance with Mr. MacLeod was a waltz?”
Mari managed a smile. “Perhaps it will be.”
Effie was unusually quiet as she undid the buttons and helped Mari remove the gown after Maddie had gone. Mari was grateful since she did not feel up to casual chatter at the moment. She had absolutely no right to be upset with Maddie who, after all, thought Mari was blissfully happy with the upcoming betrothal announcement. Nor did she have any reason to be jealous that Jamie had promised a dance to Maddie. Still.
Watching her best friend dance—or maybe even waltz—with Jamie was not something she wanted to endure.
“You are going to lose that man,” Effie said abruptly.
Mari swallowed hard. “Whom?”
“Do not play coy with me, miss. You know whom.”
“I am sure I do not—”
“Hmmph. It is as plain as the nose on your face that you love Jamie MacLeod.”
“Do not be silly, Effie. I find Jamie bossy and—”
“I was not blind in Scotland, Miss. I saw the way the two of you looked at each other. Just like Jillian and her husband.”
“What are you talking about? Ian loves Jillian.”
“Do you think Jamie would have risked his life in that blizzard going after you if he did not feel the same?”
“He was just being gallant. Jillian said Jamie reminded her of Gawain from King Arthur’s knights.”
“I do not read much, but it does not take book learning to see what is in front of me. Jamie MacLeod loves you. Or, at least, hedid.” Effie hung the gown on a hanger in the wardrobe and went to the door. “If I were you, miss, I would swallow my pride and go to him before it is too late.”
Mari sank onto the bed in her chemise after Effie left. Dear Lord. What was she going to do?
The ballroom was hot, almost stifling, with the crush of bodies at Almack’s. Why had Mari never noticed how packed these affairs were? Peals of laughter from women’s voices and men’s low rumblings mixed with sounds of scraping chairs and the orchestra tuning their instruments to create a din of noise Mari had not noticed before either.
Violetta and Amelia gushed up to greet her, although neither of them gave her more than a glance before batting fans and eyelashes at Nicholas. Mari had to admit he looked extremely dashing this evening. His blond hair was slicked back, and the green satin of his waistcoat beneath an exquisitely tied snowy cravat and frilled shirt matched his eyes. His boots were so highly polished Mari could almost see her reflection in them. He bowed elegantly to the girls, causing both of them to flutter their fans furiously.
