Page 8 of Unmask Me My Love

“Quiet.” He peered around the yard, but nothing stirred. “For pity’s sake, Celinda. You will get us leg-shackled yet.”

“I’m sorry, but you can be rash.” In the faint light, she smoothed her gown and seemed to calm a bit.

“I was jesting. I met her for perhaps ten minutes, too short an acquaintance to form any meaningful attachment, even for me. Although…” He paused, haunted by a sudden whiff of hyacinth that brought with it the memory of Mademoiselle d’Aventure’s beauty, charm, and soft lips.

“Hal.” Celinda’s voice reached him, returning him to the darkened garden. “This young lady has bewitched you, it seems.”

“You may be correct, cuz.” She’d cast a spell on him, to be sure. All he could think of was seeing her once more. “So will you help me?”

“You haven’t told me yet who she is, why she wants to meet Lord Rother, or why you can’t simply introduce her.” Celinda tapped an impatient toe.

“Well…” Damn. He couldn’t put her off any longer. She had to know the truth. Whether that would make any difference in the end was up to Celinda and her sense of romance. “Her name is Gabriella d’Aventure—there are a few other names between that I forget—lately from France.”

“Miss d’Aventure? I certainly would’ve noted such an unusual name. My forte, you may remember.” Celinda rolled her eyes.

Hal did recall how much she disliked her curious name.

“Why have I not met Miss d’Aventure? Who is her chaperone?”

Inwardly, Hal groaned. He’d rather not have to deal with these questions at the moment, but if he must… “She is with Lady Chalgrove.”

“Lady Chalgrove?” The suspicious look on his cousin’s face told him he must stop trying to hedge the subject. “Lady Chalgrove has no daughters. Is she a niece?”

“She is her ladyship’s lady’s maid.”

Celinda blew out an exasperated breath that threatened to ruffle his cravat. “Come, Hal. Enough of games. Tell me.”

“That is the truth.” He crossed his heart. “Word of honor.”

“Hal!”

“Shhh.” He froze. Footsteps approached from the direction of the French doors. Hal pushed Celinda behind him, further into the shadow of the veranda’s overhanging roof. If he could hide her, they might think he was waiting for an assignation rather than in the middle of one. Suddenly, marriage to his cousin, so attractive a short time ago, had become unimaginable. He held his breath, and the footsteps retreated. His lungs burned, but he refused to breathe until he’d counted to thirty then gulped in air and stepped aside.

“I’m sorry.” She grasped his arm, her hand soft and warm. “Well, then, please tell me everything.”

Thank the good Lord. He launched into his tale, leaving out only a few bits, like that spellbinding kiss. Some things Celinda simply did not need to know.

“So I’m to rendezvous with her at Lady Atherton’s and tell her if all is arranged for her to meet the duke. You will be attending the musicale, won’t you?” He’d relaxed as his cousin had become more and more entranced by his tale.

“Of course. Mamma and Lady Atherton are bosom bows. But all you want me to do is introduce Miss d’Aventure to the duke?” She narrowed her eyes. “Why can’t you simply introduce her yourself?”

“Uh…I must have left out a bit… She thinks I’m Carpenter.”

“Your valet!”” Celinda’s mouth dropped.

“For God’s sake, keep your voice down.” Hal glanced around frantically. “Have you always been so noisy, and I simply haven’t noticed?” He ventured out to stick his head around the corner of the house. No one else stirred in the crisp air of the early May night. “Yes, I told her I was my valet so as not to startle her when she first came upon me. I was in shirtsleeves, if you remember. And his was the only name I could think of.”

“So you are your valet and she is a lady’s maid.” Even the dim light couldn’t disguise Celinda’s dismay. “How am I to introduce a lady’s maid to the duke?”

“Simply as a young lady of your acquaintance?” he asked hopefully. Celinda had never failed him before. Pray God she did not now.

“There is something going on here, Hal.” She shook her head. “Something you’re not telling me or something she’s not telling you.” Celinda rubbed her arms, and Hal shivered in the cool air. “Let us go back inside before I catch a chill and Mamma has an attack of the vapors.” Moving out from behind Hal, she headed for the French door. “Tell me again why she’s so set on meeting a duke? And Rother in particular?”

“Some girlish dream, she said. Her mother met a duke when she was a girl. I suppose she told the story to Gabriella so many times it made an impression on her. Now she wants to meet an English duke as well.” He peered into her face, pale in the half-moon light. “Do you still have girlish dreams, Celinda?”

“I dream of a handsome man marrying me before I’m an ape leader, but I’ve had no luck convincing Father to approve the men I find interesting. Now that I’ve found another one, you’ve dragged me off into your scheme and left him with Kate. She’ll either have cowed or conquered him by the time I find them again.” She sighed, a sadness in her eyes. “I’ll send word as soon as I’ve written to Lord Rother. When can we arrange for them to meet?”

“Bless you, Celinda.” He breathed deeply once more. “I will ask Miss d’Aventure what day she can manage.” He took Celinda’s arm and escorted her back to the ballroom.