Masquerade Secrets (9 page)

“All I know is that I have found Lady Aubrey to be anything but boring and am never disappointed in any circumstance where we have danced or conversed. She is very accomplished in both aspects, and I’d conclude that any man would be fortunate to have her as a partner.”

The table quieted around them at the duke’s defense of her. Several of the mens’ eyes wandered to her, discretely perusing her figure, reevaluating her after hearing the duke’s interest. And the light in their eyes caused her to blush.

Aubrey hadn’t had so much male attention in her life, excluding the maquerade, and it was a little unnerving. These bachelors were looking at her with admiration, with interest.

Seeing that their conversation was no longer private, and that the men’s attention had settled on Aubrey, Lady Victoria smiled coyly. No doubt trying to gain back their attention. “Lady Aubrey is indeed an excellent companion. I never meant to imply otherwise.”

The duke’s hand clenched at his side, only visible to her eyes. He was upset, furious with Lady Victoria. If she didn’t do something, he might say something he would regret.

Reaching forward with her right hand, she took a drink to distract others from seeing the other hand she placed on his arm. He stilled, but gave no indication she was resting her hand on his forearm. Placing his hand on top of hers, he gave a light squeeze as if in appreciation for stopping him from making a mistake before she slid her hand out from under his.

Under the tablecloth, she briskly rubbed the tingles out of her palm. She had meant to reach out to stop him, but instead she had been more affected than she ever thought possible. She had touched him countless times before and had never had this reaction. Why now? Had his interest in her as the masquerade woman, his kiss, unlocked something inside her that had lain dormant?

The rest of the meal was rather uneventful compared to the first half. Conversation mainly stayed to what activities they would be indulging in while in the country, at least until the women left to allow the men to enjoy their brandy and cigars.

Hot tea was waiting on the sideboard in the sitting room as the women filed in. Usually a rather feminine room, the Viscount’s sitting room was neither masculine nor feminine, allowing both genders to feel comfortable in the spacious room. The furniture was neither dainty nor overwhelming, as men’s furniture tended to be, but was a mixture of larger frames with fabric of soft cream. Whoever had decorated this room was a genius, managing to make it comfortable for both genders.

“I don’t know what you thought you were doing earlier, but the duke is mine. Consider this a warning.”

The words were said to her back, but Aubrey wasn’t ignorant of who said them. Turning slowly, she found Lady Victoria watching her, her gaze piercing into hers. The other women were already sitting with their tea across the room, oblivious to their conversation.

Aubrey normally strayed away from confrontation, but in this instance, she couldn’t. “I’m sorry, I hadn’t heard a betrothal announcement. In my mind, and every other debutant’s here, he is still single.”

Lady Victoria’s eyebrows slashed down, the icy glare evident in her features. “You fool,” she hissed. “If you continue conversing with the duke, I guarantee you will regret it.” A cruel laugh escaped her lips. “Others would only feel sorry for you, and the other men, whom you might still have a chance of making a match with, would only see you as rejected by a powerful man. No man wants a woman who was rejected by another. She is tainted, you see.” She examined her nails before looking back at her. “Your chances would be completely ruined.”

“I see. And no doubt further damaged by any rumors that would happen to circulate about me being compromised.” Her eyebrows rose with mock realization. “Oh, didn’t that just happen to someone recently? That’s right, Lady Sera.”

Hands fisting at her side, Lady Victoria’s relaxed appearance completely vanished. “Look here, Lady Aubrey. I will ruin you. Count on that. Regardless of whether you stay away from Wathersby or not, I will make sure your life is a living hell and that you are a pariah, completely shunned by all good society.”

A calmness Aubrey had never felt washed over her. Tilting her head to the side, she looked at Lady Victoria with fresh eyes. “You know, I kind of feel sorry for you. You are so consumed with catching the duke that you have no clue how others despise you, no clue that you have no true friends, and no idea that men, especially Wathersby, know what kind of viper you are.”

Lady Victoria sputtered, clearly unused to others delivering such a set down to her, but Lady Aubrey didn’t care. Breezing past her, she joined the other women in conversation, none of which had any clue about what had just transpired at the sideboard.

Why Aubrey felt as if a challenge had been issued, she had no idea. But a sense of freedom rose up inside her, a freedom that allowed her to shuck off the stigma that had surrounded her since her first season when she was a shy young girl. That girl was gone now but it had been easy to continue to remain on the sidelines of the parties. No more.

Aubrey was ready to live, and no one, especially Lady Victoria, was going to stop her.

Keeping up with the women’s conversation, she barely noticed when the men filed into the room. Lady Victoria immediately pounced on the duke, claiming his attention, keeping him trapped by his gentlemanly manners.

Aubrey couldn’t help but watch him. She was drawn to him, but couldn’t explain it. He didn’t search her out though. He seemed distracted, seemed to be scanning the crowd for something. Or someone.

Was he still looking for her? For the masked woman? Even as she thought it, an awareness settled over her.

It doesn’t matter who you are, he had said. He would find her. His final gaze that night had promised that, and he hadn’t forgotten.

Secretly, she admitted that she wouldn’t forget either. Ever.

She was determined to change, to not be the shy wallflower that everyone knew her as, and tonight was as good as any.

Looking up from her seat, she focused her attention on Lord Acton, smiling invitingly, her lashes lowered coyly as she had seen other women do.

Surprisingly, it worked. Stopping in mid-conversation with another gentleman, he made his way over to her. “You summoned me, my lady?” he asked flirtatiously.

“Yes, Lord Acton, I seem to be devoid of conversation.” She tossed him a flirtatious smile he seemed to lap up.

“Well then, I shall have to do my best to amuse you,” he said as he took the seat next to her, beginning to relate a tale that would have even the most dour matron smiling.

While his attentions didn’t have the flash of fire that Bradford’s did, they were still enjoyable. Why had she shied away from this for so long?

Over the next half hour, several more men had been drawn into their conversation, clearly enchanted by her laughter and her new openness. The interest she saw in their eyes flattered her, the attention they lathered on her amused her.

For an instant she felt grateful for Lady Victoria’s confrontation. It was what she had needed to completely push her over the edge, to free her from the bonds that had kept her from reaching out to others. While she rusty, and no where near completely comfortable, it was a start.

Looking up at Lady Victoria, she was surprised to see her gone, and for Bradford to be standing against the window staring at her, the heat in his eyes evident.

Had he been watching her this whole time? She laughed on cue to one of the men’s jokes, but she hadn’t heard it over the thrumming of her heart. Did he recognize her as the masquerade woman now that she was more outgoing?

He turned his eyes away first, and when they returned to her they were devoid of the passion that had been in them earlier. She couldn’t look at him anymore.

He clearly desired her, but he was still fighting it. It must be hurting him. To be feeling an attraction for her so soon after he gave his word of honor to another. He didn’t know she was the masked woman, and he would feel like he was being disloyal.

She felt moved to approach him, to tell him who she was and to stop his guilt, but she couldn’t. She wouldn’t.

She didn’t want him to want her because she was some mystery woman that he had pledged himself to. If he pledged himself to her, she wanted him to know who she was, to know her and to still want her.

Then, and only then, would she tell him who she was.

CHAPTER 5

After two days of enduring the sight of Lady Victoria cornering the duke, Aubrey had had enough. With the occasional longing looks that Bradford had sent her before cutting them off and regaining his composure, Aubrey was ready to run back to London.

“Bitsy, please go to the stables and have a horse readied immediately. I wish to ride.”

“Shall I request a groom to accompany you?”

“Yes.”

After yanking off her gloves, she fished out a dark blue riding habit.

“Would you like some help dressing? I’m sure it will take Bitsy a while to get to the stables.” Charlotte tossed the book she was reading on her bed and reached for the dress to unfasten the few buttons at the back of the neck that held the material together.

“Thanks.”

“Feeling stifled?”

Aubrey nodded stiffly. What else was there to say? Besides the masquerade, there wasn’t anything else to tell. True, the duke had been looking at her with passion in his eyes, but it wasn’t anything more than what her sister received on a daily basis.

Charlotte helped pull Aubrey’s dress over her head before settling the shining blue material in its place. “I don’t blame you. I think everyone is a bit disgusted with Lady Victoria’s advances. Not only is she corning the duke every chance she gets, but she also seems determined to keep all the other men on her string.” She made a sound of pure disgust. “How she happens to have a brother as decent as Viscount Lawrence, I’ll forever have to wonder.”

Her sister began to fasten the impossibly long row of buttons down her back. “Lord Lawrence? I had not known you were very well acquainted with him.”

“Oh, I’m not.” In the mirror, Aubrey caught sight of a blush on her sister’s cheeks. “I’m just basing my opinion on the few moments when we were introduced and from what I have seen of his character thus far.”

It was strange that her sister was a bit flustered, but Aubrey didn’t press it. “Yes, now that you mention it, I am quite surprised too. I guess with his many businesses the ton hasn’t had very much opportunity to get to know him. In any case, he doesn’t seem the type to haunt the London ballrooms.”

“True,” her sister said, seeming distracted. “There. All finished.”

Aubrey shifted in her dress, trying to settle it in a comfortable position. “Excellent. I feel as if I will explode if I’m forced to stay indoors for too much longer.”

Charlotte grinned. “Will you be home for luncheon? I’m sure mother will want to know.”

Fastening her matching gloves, Aubrey nodded. “I expect so.” Aubrey gave her sister one last smile before heading toward the door.

“Have fun,” her sister called out to her as she left.

It didn’t take her too long to get to the back of the house, close to the stables. It was mainly quiet throughout the manor at this time in the morning, as the guests opted to spend the early hours relaxing in their rooms after staying up so late.

The servants were up though. It seemed as if their lives never slowed, their work never ceased. Aubrey was always grateful she had been born into wealth, knowing that the life of a servant was a difficult one, and she tried to never take her servants for granted. She knew that her life was an easy one because of their hard work, and she was grateful to them.

The sun was shining brightly as she walked outside. The warmth of the sun’s rays instantly gave heat to her skin. The world always looked so fresh and clean in the country, a stark contrast to the dirty and constantly smoggy city of London.