AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter16
Mary took a deep breath as the carriage slowed to a halt outside the assembly rooms where the masquerade was being held.It was impossible to forget the image that had stared back at her in her dressing table mirror when Amelia’s maid had finished dressing her.Her hair was up but the mass was very loose, the pins arranged throughout with little jewels that winked under the light.The artfully casual style gave the appearance that her hair was about to come tumbling down with the slightest shake of her head.
And her dress!It was white, but that was where the nod toward purity ended.The bodice clung to her slight curves, somehow making her bosom seem larger and in danger of falling out of her bodice.That was a look her sister had perfected, but Mary had never tried to emulate it.When she stood, the skirts fell away from the high waist in a straight line with no extra folds of fabric.Between that and the almost diaphanous material, it clung to her hips and legs as she moved.
Mary turned to Amelia, who was sitting next to her in the carriage.“I can’t believe you convinced me to do this.”She pinned Lowenbrock, who was sitting opposite them, with narrowed eyes.“Or that you’re allowing it.”
Lowenbrock shrugged.“My wife and I have an agreement.If she wants to do research for a book, she must allow me to accompany her.We both know she’s going to find a way to do it with or without my permission.”
“I’m sitting right here,” Amelia said.But from the twinkle in her eyes, it was clear she wasn’t annoyed with them.“You look beautiful, Mary.Ashford won’t be able to take his eyes off you.”
That made her sit up straighter.“He didn’t tell me he would be here tonight.”
“He has to extricate himself from a dinner his mother has arranged,” Lowenbrock said.“He’s not sure how long that will take.”
She was torn between hope and a touch of dread and couldn’t help but feel a little ridiculous in her outfit.The circlet of flowers Amelia had woven into her hair just before they’d left the house, telling her that tonight she would be Venus, the goddess of love, made her feel like a little girl playing dress-up.
Amelia and her husband were dressed as Cupid and Psyche.
Lowenbrock helped them both down from the carriage, and together they made their way into the large building.It was already midnight, and from the music and raucous sound of voices wafting outside, the masquerade was well underway.
Lowenbrock had agreed to accompany his wife and her friend to the public ball that everyone knew would be frequented by members of the demimonde, but he’d already warned Amelia that they wouldn’t be staying until dawn, when the masquerade would draw to a close.He’d agreed to two hours only, after which he was whisking them away to safety.
They stood on the edge of the ballroom, taking in the masked figures that crowded the room.Mary couldn’t help but note the double standard that seemed to exist.Amelia was dressed in a similar fashion to her, but Lowenbrock looked much like he always did at each of their evening entertainments.She’d thought he was being stubborn and refusing to wear a costume.But it was clear that many of the men present wore their normal evening attire, added a domino or full face mask, and declared themselves dressed for the masquerade.The fairer sex, on the other hand, all wore the flimsiest of gowns, which clung to their bodies.
As she took in the beautiful women that surrounded them, some with slits in their dresses cut indecently high, she couldn’t help but hope Ashford wouldn’t make an appearance.What had seemed like an ordinary event on the surface took on darker undertones as she caught sight of women and men tucked away into small alcoves that were situated around the perimeter of the large ballroom.
Amelia was trying to take in everything at once, her eyes wide as she looked around the room.Mary was surprised her friend hadn’t already taken out the notebook Mary knew she was carrying in her reticule and started scribbling down notes on the scandalous scenes that played out before them.
Lowenbrock’s posture was tense, but he kept an arm firmly around his wife, allowing Mary to take his other arm.That he was with two women wouldn’t raise eyebrows here, not when Mary had seen two men escorting a young woman to one of the alcoves.
Mary’s eyes skittered away from that scene when they began pressing their mouths to the woman’s exposed skin, their hands roaming over her body, without even closing the curtain that hung to one side!
She turned her gaze toward the middle of the room, hoping there would be less shocking events taking place there.And, of course, caught sight of Ashford on the far side of the room.Her mind blanked when she realized he was striding in their direction.
In a panic, she released the marquess’s arm and took a step back, thinking only that she needed to get out of that room.Amelia’s arm on her elbow brought her to a halt.
“Where do you think you’re going?Do you want one of these other men to grab you and take you away?Because that could very well happen if you leave us.”
“Ashford is here, and he’s headed this way.How did I ever allow you to talk me into this?”She lowered her voice so she wouldn’t be overheard.“I feel as though I’m not wearing any clothes.”
Amelia’s eyes danced with merriment behind her white mask.“I hate to tell you this, but I don’t think the sight of a female body is going to be a shock to Ashford’s sensibilities.”
Mary didn’t like the images that sprang to mind at her friend’s statement.She knew Ashford was worldly and imagined that he’d experienced far more than she could imagine.But just thinking about him in the arms of another woman, especially after the kiss they’d shared, made her heart ache.She didn’t want to examine why that would be the case since the man wasn’t hers.He could be with any woman he wanted.
“Ladies.My lord.”
Mary’s eyes closed for a second before she braced herself and turned around.Ashford’s eyes were on hers and… Yes, there it was.He swept his gaze over her body.But instead of feeling as though she were going to die of embarrassment, a different sort of heat began to work its way through her.Especially when he met her gaze again and she saw the heat of awareness reflected there.
