Page 26 of Unmask Me My Love

The quiet carriage ride back to Lady Hamilton’s gave Gabriella time to plan. Without the duke’s acknowledgment of her and the hope of him being a part of her life, the possible pathways to a happy life were few. The overwhelming choice would be marriage to Horace. In time, she’d write her mother and ask about the duke’s claim that she swore to write him if she were with child. Meanwhile, she would look to Horace for her happiness.

The carriage rolled to a stop in front of Lady Hamilton’s. Now to steal back up to Lady Chalgrove’s chamber as if none of this had occurred. “I should go up the servant’s stairs, my lady.”

Lady Celinda nodded. “Allow me to go in first. I will get rid of the butler and give you a chance to steal down to the servant’s hall.” She marched up the steps to the front door, hand raised to the knocker, when the door jerked open.

Tate looked past Lady Celinda to Gabriella. His eyes narrowed, making her catch her breath. He pursed his lips in disapproval. “At last.”

Lady Celinda sent her a stricken look but plastered a smile on her face and stepped over the threshold.

Dread descended on Gabriella like a suffocating cloak. She swallowed hard, her mouth drying under Tate’s unfriendly glare. Something must have happened, and her absence discovered. Her luck was certainly out today. Nothing to do but go forward, however.

Resolutely, she followed Lady Celinda into the house.

“She is here, my lady.” The butler’s disapproving tone sounded like a nail in her coffin.

Unsure whether the man meant her or Lady Celinda, Gabriella sped past the butler, praying she could reach the stairs.

Tate immediately blocked her way. “Lady Hamilton and Lady Chalgrove require your presence, Miss d’Aventure.”

The sinking feeling she’d ignored earlier returned, and her stomach rolled. Better to have drunk herself into oblivion at Lady Celinda’s home than fall victim to what would certainly be a very public disgrace here at Lady Hamilton’s. Squaring her shoulders, she nodded and turned toward the crowded drawing room.

At first glance, the room appeared to contain every lady in London. When her vision cleared, however, there were only five. A lady she did not know was seated on the sofa beside two younger ladies who favored her greatly, all three pairs of eyes wide and staring at her. Then the two women in companion wing-backed chairs: Lady Hamilton, gracefully calm, and Lady Chalgrove, glowering directly at her. A gentleman stood at the sideboard, his back to her, thank goodness.

“Where have you been, Gabriella?” Lady Chalgrove’s shrill voice shattered the hushed silence.

“I asked her to accompany me, my lady.” Lady Celinda spoke up quickly.

God bless the lady. Speech seemed beyond Gabriella.

“There was an emergency with one of my gowns, the one I am to wear tonight.” Lady Celinda spoke with such conviction that Gabriella would have believed her had she not known the truth. “I knew of Miss d’Aventure’s excellent sewing skills from a conversation with Lady Chalgrove, so I thought she would be able to help me.”

“What kind of emergency, Lady Celinda?”

“Uh, there was a rip in my gown that would’ve ruined it, had not Miss d’Aventure used all her talents to mend it.” Lady Celinda cut her gaze to Gabriella, but she could think of nothing to help bolster the story.

“Then why did you not ask me for the loan of my maid?” Lady Chalgrove’s voice stabbed like icicles in the too-quiet room.

“I…I…” Lady Celinda cast her gaze at her mother, but that lady simply shrugged.

“Why did you change your gown, madame?” Gabriella spoke as much to create a distraction as from a wish to know what on earth had happened while she was gone. Her ladyship had been wearing a cream-and-pink checked gown when she went down to receive callers. Now she sat in her blue taffeta, the sleeves mashed slightly and her coiffure straggling from beneath her cap.

“So kind of you to ask, Gabriella. Especially when I needed you to help me with a true emergency. Lord Halford spilled tea on my gown, and you were nowhere to be found.”

“Forgive me, madame. I did not think I would be needed.” Gabriella kept her gaze firmly on the floor. If she prayed very hard, perhaps all would be forgiven.

“In that you are correct. I require the services of a maid I can depend upon. Not a lazy girl who gallivants about town willy-nilly. Therefore,” Lady Chalgrove lifted her chin, triumph in her flaring nose, “I no longer require your services, Miss d’Aventure.” The woman’s smile would have curdled cream. “You may leave, without reference and without pay.”

Gabriella couldn’t breathe. Little as she liked working for the comtesse, the position had kept her employed for months. She’d been housed, clothed, and fed more or less comfortably, but her quarterly salary had not yet come due, and she’d spent the last of her money on the materials to make this lutestring gown. Now she would have nothing.

“Hal,” Lady Celinda called to the gentleman standing at the sideboard.

His back stiffened, but he did not turn around.

“Hal, you must do something.” The lady went to him, plucked at his arm. “You must explain.”

“I do not see that this is any of Lord Halford’s business, Lady Celinda,” Lady Chalgrove snapped.

“Actually, it is my business, Lady Chalgrove.” The man turned toward her.