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When Lord Ludbridge—or Teddy, as Ralph affectionately called him—had excused himself to dance with Araminta, Lissa gazed with surprised wonder at her companion.
“You never told me, Ralph,” she whispered, fiddling with her fan.
“I told you I’m as poor as a church mouse, and that’s the truth.” He grinned. “I didn’t think it relevant to add that my eldest brother has a title and a daily battle to ameliorate the damage our grandfather wrought upon the family fortunes, due to his fondness for the gaming table.”
Lissa shook her head. “That doesn’t matter. Whether you’re drowning in the River Tick is nothing compared to birthright. So you’re Lord Ludbridge’s younger brother, and I am...stained and beyond redemption.” She tried to sound forceful when really she felt like crying. “For my own self-preservation, I can’t see you again after tonight, Ralph.”
“No, Lissa!” He clutched her hand, dropping it quickly as he glanced about the room.
But the throng of people seemed too occupied by each other to notice the young couple on the edge of the dance floor.
“Lissa, I know what you’re saying, and it doesn’t matter to me that—”
“That my parents aren’t married??
?? She couldn’t look at him, though she stared, stricken, about her. “Why has the room not gone silent? Why have I not been struck by lightning and told to leave?” she wondered aloud.
“Because no one knows and they won’t care. Besides, I don’t care a jot, and once my mother meets you, she won’t be able to help but love you.” Ralph’s soothing voice eased her feelings a little though she knew it was not true. He indicated their fellow revelers. “You are not the only one, my love. Look at Miss Claremont over there. Yes, quite respectable and set to make a fine marriage, despite the fact she has been left two sizeable inheritances by two different men claiming to be her father.”
Lissa put her hand to her mouth. “Or because of it,” she said with a wry smile. “I have not a feather to fly with and no father listed on my birth certificate. No, Ralph, there is no future between us.”
Araminta chose that moment to waltz by in Teddy’s arms, smiling her most engaging smile, and Lissa was assailed by an unexpected wave of grief. Her half-sister had the lineage to be entirely eligible for Ralph’s brother. With her beauty, she could navigate that path if she chose, though Lissa wasn’t sure if she should warn Ralph that Araminta had a less charming side.
And then she heard Mr. Crossing’s name and remembered why she was here.
Ralph patted her shoulder at the obvious panic in her voice when she reminded him of her mission. “Lady Smythe will have seen her if she’s arrived. She invited her. Ah, there is the good lady. Allow me to introduce you to her for, of course, you were added to the guest list at Teddy’s behest.”
It was clear why Lord Debenham employed Ralph, for he was a charming diplomat, Lissa soon realized. The boyish charm was a façade that put his quarry quite at ease as they supplied him with the information he sought. Lissa had thought him shy and diffident but, it seemed, that was only with her. And it was a ruse, besides.
“Why, there she is, and looking as pretty a picture as the day she married.” Lady Smythe pointed across the room to a petite young lady who resembled a piece of Dresden china in an exquisitely embroidered gown of pale blue net over a white satin underdress. The tiny pearls sewn into the swathes that trimmed the hem were reflected in her flaxen hair, which was swept into a high topknot with tendrils curling down her neck.
Lissa had captured her prettiness in the sketch she’d done of her, though at the time, Mrs. Crossing had been tousled and anxious-looking with a high color. Now she looked the epitome of serenity beside her florid-looking husband, who towered menacingly over her. Lady Smythe murmured the word “doting” but Lissa thought “possessive” was a more appropriate adverb.
“Newlyweds?” Lissa asked innocently.
“You might think it, the way her husband never lets her out of his sight, but they were married in the spring four years ago, in fact.” Lady Smythe was still smiling at the harmonious-looking Crossings when Lissa and Ralph made their excuses and left.
“How are we going to get them apart?” Lissa asked, suddenly panicked when she saw Cosmo advancing upon her.
“Leave it to me.” With a nod, Ralph went smoothly up to Mr. Crossing and engaged him in conversation.
Lissa did not wait to hear what he was saying, and she certainly didn’t want Cosmo to notice her engaging Mrs. Crossing before he reached her. Fortuitously, Miss Maria Lamont chose that moment to tug at her brother’s arm, and Lissa swept up to her quarry, almost hissing, “Mrs. Crossing? Yes, I thought so. I have an urgent message for you. Do you have a moment?”
The flare of terror in the young lady’s eyes was very real as she glanced at her husband. But he was so engrossed in conversation with Ralph, he did not notice her follow Lissa into a darkened corner of the room.
“A message? What message?” She fiddled convulsively with her fan, and Lissa replied in a rush, “There is a picture of you and a...gentleman at Vauxhall Gardens. A sketch that was commissioned. I wanted to warn you before it was handed to your husband.”
“What...do you mean?”
For a moment, Lissa feared the young lady would faint clean away. She’d never seen anyone so white before. “You know what I mean. In the supper box at Vauxhall Gardens. Your husband commissioned someone to follow you and sketch who you were with.” There was no time to mince words. “That sketch is to be handed to your husband tonight.”
Mrs. Crossing put her hands to her face and her shoulders began to shake. Lissa quickly moved in front of her to block her obvious distress from appearing too public.
“Oh, dear Lord, no. He’ll kill me,” she whispered. “I knew he would one day. I should never have imagined I’d get away.”
“Please, all is not lost!” Lissa gripped her wrist. “There may be a way.”
