Chapter Twenty
Nothing could havemade Eliza attend the Harbury ball. Nothing, that is, but the combined insistence of Lady Asquith and all four of her sisters.
Lady Asquith, for her part, argued that everyone would think Eliza did not approve of her sister’s triumph if she failed to appear. Millie, Lenora, and Nettie demanded the best gossip. How were they do know if Eliza did not go? Cassie didn’t tell a story nearly as well and would be far too busy with Harbury to make an accurate report. But what finally tipped the balance was Cassandra.
She begged Eliza to be there to share her triumph with the assurance that she knew, from Harbury’s sister, that Redver had declined his invitation.
So, Eliza had dressed in a gown of lutestring in gold with a brocaded overdress almost as heavy as her heart. She further girded herself by lightly rouging her pale face and pasting on a smile she hoped only she could tell was false.
The duke’s ball was everything Eliza had expected.
Grand, expensive, and quite the crush.
Word had gotten out that Harbury was to make an announcement, and speculation ran rampant. For the first twohours, Eliza demurred all subtle (and not so subtle) inquires as to what it might concern. She danced, simpered, and curtsied until her cheeks were aching and her swollen toes begged to be freed from her confining slippers.
By the time Harbury spoke to the assembled guests, announcing his great pride in his newly betrothed—who had blushed prettily—Eliza was ready to be taken home. But she’d a duty to hold her place between Cassandra and Harbury’s sister Lady Sarah, helping the couple absorb the tide of well-wishers.
Unlike Eliza’s plan, Cassandra’s, for now, had worked. Thetonwas welcoming the Misses Wainwright back into their collective embrace, the scandal at Almack’s (almost) completely forgotten.
The deed was done.
All that remained for Eliza to do was to assure Mr. Vane he was free from their almost-agreement as well. Which she intended to do, just as soon as she could extract herself from a conversation between Harbury’s sister, Lady Sarah, Harbury’s cousin, Lord Neville, and a Colonel Jasper and his wife.
Mrs. Jasper was the animated sort, bright as a Covent Garden puppet. She’d been chattered on amiably for quite some time, leaving Eliza plenty of opportunity to surreptitiously scan the ballroom for Mr. Vane. Finally, she located him near the terrace doors.
He and Lady Redver were speaking earnestly to one another—and they weren’t alone. Her gaze came to rest on a too-familiar, dark-haired gentleman. Her initial, involuntary excitement gave way, and her plastered smile faltered.
Adrian must have felt her stare, because met her gaze, turned back to bow to his stepmother and Mr. Vane, and then began making his way through the crowd of people.
She glanced back to Mrs. Jasper. A bit of sparkle caught her eye—sparkle coming from Mrs. Jasper’s diamond eardrops. Shehadn’t noticed them before, but now that she had, she wondered where she had seen them before.
“Not that I would ever—”
Mrs. Jasper interrupted her ongoing story with a trill of laughter.
“Just listen to me! Always saying more than I should! I never mean to, of course, but how other people manage to keep everything all bottled up inside is a mystery to me!”
Lady Sarah exchanged a knowing glance with Lord Neville.
“Good thing,” Lord Neville said to Mrs. Jasper, “present company has no secrets.”
“Why even you must have a secret or two.” Mrs. Jasper tapped her fan against her lips. “Let me think…why, yes. I’m sure I’ve seen you at a certain gaming club…”
Eliza’s dread turned to horrified recognition. Mrs. Jasper was the woman who never took a breath from the Lyon’s Den!
“You know the club I mean.” She fluttered her eyes at Lord Neville.
Lady Sarah smirked. “What club might that be, Lord Neville?”
“The one run by—oh!”
Colonel Jasper had nudged his wife’s elbow, causing the lady to drop her fan. The fan came to a skittering stop right next to Cassandra’s foot just as Adrian reached her side.
“If you’ll allow me.” Adrian bent down to pick up the fan.
He didn’t immediately straighten.
“Naughty man, don’t you know better than to stare at a lady’s—” Mrs. Jasper stopped abruptly. “Oh, I see what’s caught your eye. My, why a unique shoe buckle.”
