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Mary’s eyes moved to Jacques, who had followed Lady Sarah into the room. He put a large box down upon a chair before retiring and closing the door upon them.
‘The Duchess of Richmond’s ball,’ said Sarah. ‘My sister is indisposed and cannot go with me. I have told her I have found a perfectly respectable chaperon. That is you, Miss Mary Endacott.’
Mary stared in astonishment at her guest’s smiling face.
‘I hardly think that will satisfy her. Why, I do not know her.’
‘Well, she knows that you are a great friend of Harriett’s and she has seen you with Justin, too.’
Mary felt her cheeks grow hot, but thankfully she was not obliged to reply, for Lady Sarah was continuing blithely.
‘It would be such a shame to waste the invitation.’
‘Surely you can go alone?’ Mary saw the shadow cross Sarah’s face and her eyes narrowed. ‘Is there some reason why you should not do so?’
‘Oh, well, Justin does not know I am still in town.’ She pouted. ‘He almost ordered Blanchards to take Gussie and me out of Brussels immediately, but if the duke has told Lady Richmond that she should hold her ball, there cannot be any immediate danger, can there? So Gussie said we may stay a little longer. She was eager to go tonight, but unfortunately her interesting state has made her very unwell and she is quite prostrate, poor darling. And so I thought you could come with me instead.’
In spite of herself, Mary’s lips twitched. ‘You need a little moral support.’
‘Do you not want to go?’
Mary hesitated. She had not wanted to go and be pointed out as Randall’s mistress, or snubbed because she was not one of the fashionable set, but to attend the ball with Lady Sarah would be an altogether different matter. And the thought of seeing Randall once more was very tempting. Sarah gave a little laugh and clapped her hands.
‘I can see by your face that you do wish to go. Come along, Mary, the carriage is outside, waiting to take us there.’
Mary rose and shook her head, spreading her hands to indicate her sober gown.
‘I cannot go. I am not dressed for a ball, and it is nearly ten o’clock.’
‘Oh, no one arrives at these affairs early. Mary, do not be difficult.’
‘I am not being difficult, but—’
Lady Sarah overrode Mary’s flustered denials by saying triumphantly, ‘And if you are going to tell me you have nothing suitable for a ball, I have brought you one of my gowns! It is only a muslin, so you need not think it is anything very special. There can be no objection to your wearing it.’
Mary stared at the box that Sarah was holding out to her. Common sense told her to refuse, to send Lady Sarah away, but she could not resist carrying the box to the table and opening it.
‘Oh.’ She lifted out the gown and held it up. It was fashioned from the finest cream muslin, gossamer-thin and embroidered with tiny white flowers. ‘Oh, it is quite exquisite.’
‘I have never worn it,’ said Sarah carelessly, ‘it is too short for me, but it should fit you beautifully.’
Mary stared at the pale confection and thought ruefully that it was far too virginal for her now. However, the thought of seeing Randall once more had taken hold. She smiled.
‘Give me ten minutes!’
Slightly more than ten minutes later she was back in the sitting room, shyly asking Lady Sarah’s opinion. Recalling the Rogues’ uniform, she had added a dark red sash to the gown and threaded a matching ribbon through her curls. Another ribbon fixed her only ornament, a small cameo, around her neck and her finest Norwich shawl completed the ensemble.
Lady Sarah clapped her hands delightedly.
‘You look very elegant, Mary! Randall will be so enchanted he will quite forget to scold me.’
‘Let us hope so,’ murmured Mary as her companion took her arm and led her out to the waiting carriage.
* * *
The house the Duke of Richmond had hired for his family was in the less fashionable lower town, but the lights blazed and even at this advanced hour a number of carriages were drawing up. Mary was relieved to think they would not be the last to arrive. She accompanied Lady Sarah into the ballroom where dancing was already in progress. The ladies were arrayed in all their finery and the majority of the men were in uniform, providing a glittering, colourful spectacle. She spotted Randall immediately, catching her breath when she saw his tall, upright figure resplendent in his long-tailed dress coat, the dark blue embellished with gold lacing and scarlet facings. As if aware of her glance he turned and met her eyes. The smile that lit his face put to flight any remaining doubts she’d had about attending. Lady Sarah was swept away by a crowd of laughing cavalry officers and Mary made her way towards the earl, as if there was some string between them, drawing her in. He took her hand and bowed over it.
‘You came.’ His blue eyes glinted, sending little bolts of excitement through her. ‘You will dance with me?’
