Regency 03 - Deception (3 page)

~~~~~~

So far, so good. Aurora was inside Lady Jersey’s
Berkley Square residence watching the glittering throng of wealthy
aristocrats as they mingled and laughed and flirted and gossiped.
She marveled at the depth of spite and malice that seemed to lurk
behind the smiles and manners, secretly disgusted that this
behavior was considered not only acceptable but expected.

It didn’t matter. She actually needed some of the
tales related to her in order to determine how best to plan her
next move. She was an unknown in Society and that group of ladies
and gentlemen were not very welcoming. Especially when they
discovered one had none of the ready.

“
There is the Countess of
Rothsmere,” murmured Miss Ellison as she stood beside
Aurora.

The dependable Ellie had studied
Debrett’s
Peerage
religiously and gossiped prodigiously since their
arrival in Town. As a result, she knew everyone who was anyone.

“
And that satanic-looking rogue
with her is her husband Sir Adam Prestwich. She is increasing, I
hear, and doesn’t even try to hide the fact.” The older woman
paused for a moment before adding, almost unwillingly, “There is
some bit of scandal about her ladyship that is not appropriate for
a young lady such as yourself. She is well known in Society,
however, and her acquaintance may actually help you in your search
for a husband.”

“
You know how I feel about vicious
gossip, Ellie,” Aurora murmured, looking at the couple indicated.
The lady’s husband certainly was handsome, in a forbidding sort of
way, she thought in wide-eyed wonder. The countess was very
beautiful with masses of dark red curls and sparkling emerald
eyes.

“
And that, over there,” Ellie said
with a gesture of her chicken-skin fan towards a tall, elegant man
of average looks and build, “is Lord Delwyn Deverell. He is the
Duke of Traverhurst’s younger son and very rich in his own right.
It is said that he is an inveterate gambler, however.”

The gentleman in question took out an enameled
snuffbox, deftly opening it to make use of the contents. Aurora was
impressed even as her nose wrinkled in distaste.

Miss Ellison swiveled her head to the left. “The
handsome gentleman speaking with Lord Castlereagh, on his right, is
Mr. Eden Farnsworth. He is said to be involved in intrigue to do
with the recent wars with Napoleon, but I think that to be nothing
more than rumor,” she added in a whisper.

Aurora silently agreed with her friend’s opinion.
Mr. Farnsworth was surely too mild-looking a gentleman to have been
involved in espionage.

“
The one on his left,” Ellie
continued quietly, “with the unfashionably long black hair is the
Duke of Derringer. Beware of him, my dear. It is said he is a rake
of the first order. There are, in fact, so very many unsavory
rumors about him that I would hope you would avoid him
altogether.”

“
What rumors?” Aurora asked in
spite of her dislike for harmful gossip.

Ellie pursed her lips for so long a moment, Aurora
didn’t think she would tell her. “It is believed that he has killed
two men in duels, ruined more than one innocent, drinks heavily,
gambles only in the most disreputable of gaming dens, and keeps
several mistresses. His grandfather, the first duke, made his
fortune in piracy. It is said that he amassed so much wealth, the
King, for fear of the man, granted him the dukedom in a bid to keep
the man loyal to the crown. Lady Watson said that the present duke
is involved in some illegal activities just like his grandfather.
No one dares to ask him outright, or accuse him of anything, but
the rumors abound anyway.”

To Aurora, none of it mattered. The man was a
handsome gentleman, to be sure, and appeared every bit as dangerous
as rumor claimed. Why, he wore nothing but black. Even his linen
was black. To match his soul?

Perhaps that would be to her advantage. Many a man
would think twice before tangling with a peer of such appearance
and reputation.

She had to wonder, however, if such a man could be
made to fall in love.

“
Why is he accepted here?” Aurora
asked curiously.

“
Oh, his mother was bosom bows
with Lady Sefton and he is very powerful for all he is only seven
and twenty, nearly as powerful as his grandfather was. Lady Watson
said none of it matters since the duke will die soon,” Miss Ellison
told her young friend
sotto voce
. She was rewarded with a
gasp at this little tidbit. “Apparently, his grandfather was killed
by highwaymen when he was five and thirty. The second duke was four
when he ascended to the title. He died in a boating accident when
he was two and thirty, a year after his wife was found dead in
their home near Folkestone. The present duke has held the title
since he was seven.”

“
But his father and grandfather
died in accidents. Why would that suggest he will die young, as
well?” Aurora asked, frowning.

Miss Ellison shrugged. “It is the way of gossip, I
suppose. One will find intrigues where none exist.”

“
Oh,” was Aurora’s enlightened
reply.

Miss Ellison returned to indicating the notables
present. “Conversing with Mrs. Drummond-Burrell and Princess
Esterhazy is Lord Gideon, the Earl of Holt. I have heard nothing
negative about that very handsome young man,” Ellie informed her.
“He is vastly popular with ladies and gentlemen, never duels,
rarely gambles, and patronizes only Weston, as you can plainly
see.”

The earl was standing with two of the patronesses of
Almack’s, directly behind Lord Castlereagh’s group. He was a very
handsome man with curly blond hair and sleepy brown eyes. He wore
an immaculate burgundy jacket that stretched perfectly over his
shoulders, a pale blue waistcoat embroidered with colorful birds of
paradise, and skintight inexpressibles of dove gray. He appeared
quite the peacock among crows. Aurora thought him too lazy to suit
her, but Town didn’t seem to boast quite the number of eligible
gentlemen she had hoped.

A young man of quite astonishing size and good looks
approached the men surrounding the foreign minister. He was greeted
heartily and handed a glass of champagne by one of Lady Jersey’s
many minions—the lady had decided to break with tradition and serve
refreshments.

Aurora stared at the boyishly handsome young man. He
was dressed rather plain, she thought, in a jacket of dark green
Bath superfine, biscuit colored pantaloons, and plain white
waistcoat. He’d tied his starched white cravat in the Oriental and
his curly dark brown hair was in fashionable disarray. But, oh my,
did he look magnificent. She decided he would be absolutely
delicious in whatever he chose to wear. So many gentlemen used
padding to enhance their appearances but she suspected he was not
one of them. Quite ridiculous since one could usually tell.

She wondered what he looked like without all his
finery.

Her eyes widened in astonishment. Never, in over
three years, had she wondered such a thing.

She found herself contemplating what color his eyes
were when the gentleman undergoing her perusal happened to glance
around the room and catch her eye. Aurora’s eyes were still wide
from her inappropriate thought and she blushed furiously when he
gave her a questioning look, smiled and raised his glass to her.
Turning away, she forced her breathing to calm. The man could use
that smile as a weapon, she thought as she began to fan herself
vigorously.

“
Rory, dear, do still your fan.
You are declaring to the room that you are engaged,” Miss Ellison
warned. “You are also wreaking havoc on your charming
coiffure.”

“
I apologize, Ellie,” Aurora
mumbled. She had tried to learn the intricate language of the fan
but much of it eluded her in times of anxiety. To think, she had
almost made a mull of her marriage prospects by fanning her flushed
cheeks!

She looked out of the corner of her eye at the young
man who had so upset her equilibrium. He was gone. She made a
disappointed sound in the back of her throat before she could stop
herself.

“
Looking for me?” came a very deep
voice from somewhere behind her.

Aurora turned her head and looked up at the large
man standing in the shadows. She attempted to stare him down—which
was a difficult task considering he was so much taller and she
couldn’t see his face very well. She could tell he was grinning,
however.

“
Get rid of your companion,” he
said low enough that Miss Ellison couldn’t hear.

“
Whatever for?” Aurora asked
sharply. Ellie cocked her head and frowned at Aurora’s tone. Miss
Glendenning smiled innocently and patted her hand in a soothing
gesture. Placated, Ellie returned her attention to the dowager on
her other side.

“
I would talk to you,” was his
reply.

Aurora stuck her little button of a nose in the air.
“That would not be wise, sir, as we have not been properly
introduced.” She turned away from him and pretended to study the
other guests.

She heard a rustling of greenery behind her and
assumed he had left her in peace. She didn’t care for the way his
presence affected her breathing. Such feelings were dangerous.
Acting on feelings like the ones she was currently enduring
resulted in illegitimate offspring—as she knew all too well.

~~~~~~

Levi approached his cousin Bri. He had to meet the
pert little minx with the golden hair. If she wanted to do it all
properly, so be it. He just prayed Bri or Adam knew the chit.

They didn’t. Adam agreed she was beautiful; Bri
scowled at her smiling husband and then agreed with both gentlemen.
Lord Connor Northwicke and his wife approached the little group and
after exchanging greetings, inquired as to the cause of Levi’s
frown.

“
He wants to meet the pretty young
lady near Lady Dunfield but no one seems to know her,” Adam
supplied.

Levi turned to leave, mumbling something about
asking Lady Jersey to introduce them since the girl had obviously
been invited.

Lord Connor’s wife Verena stopped him. “I’ll
introduce you to her, Levi,” she said softly.

Her husband looked at her with raised brows. “Are
you acquainted with her, love?”

“
A bit,” Verena answered
evasively.

The earl offered his arm to Connor’s wife and led
her across the room. He chatted with her about her children until
she relaxed. She’d tensed when he’d pointed out the girl he desired
to meet. It was most odd.

As he talked, he mused over the strange little lady
with the even stranger eyes.

When he had seen her wide-eyed perusal of him, he’d
been amused. As he watched her, favoring her with the same
treatment she had so recently given him, he decided he wouldn’t
mind having her in his bed. After those few brief words he’d had
with her, he decided he wouldn’t mind at all being married to the
chit. She was unique and adorable. She would never bore him, of
that he was sure.

If she was rich, he had found his bride. All the
others could go to the devil.

~~~~~~

Aurora saw them approach. She was so nervous to be
face to face with the handsome young Adonis that she failed to
notice his companion. It was not until she glanced away and her
eyes caught sight of a familiar pearl pendant around the woman’s
throat that Aurora turned her complete attention away from the
gentleman and looked into the face of her childhood friend.

Eyes widening, her smile returned as she stepped
forward. “Doll!” she exclaimed, using the pet name Verena had had
since childhood. “Oh, my dearest friend!” She threw herself into
the other lady’s arms.

Verena hugged her back with tears in her eyes and
launched immediately into speech. “I heard you were in Town, but I
had no opportunity to call upon you. The children were ill and
Connor’s a bear and the nanny needed help. I am so sorry about your
parents.”

Levi stood by, forgotten by both young women in
their enthusiasm at being reunited. He cleared his throat. Verena
glanced up, her mouth forming a little ‘oh’ of embarrassment.

“
I am sorry, Levi,” she said, lips
twitching in the most suspicious manner. By this time, they had the
attention of nearly half the assemblage. “Rory, permit me to
introduce Lord Greville. Levi, this is Rory.” She smiled. “I mean,
Miss Aurora Glendenning.”

Levi bowed and Aurora curtsied as was proper.

Miss Ellison looked at Aurora. She took the hint.
“And this is my friend, Miss Ellison,” she introduced dutifully.
Ellie curtsied and Lord Greville bowed again.

“
How is it,” Levi asked with a
look of teasing, “that two such beautiful ladies have managed to
stand here all alone?”

“
Oh, give over, Levi, do,” Verena
commanded, tapping his arm with her fan. “I haven’t seen dearest
Rory in nearly four years. Now leave us be.”

Lord Greville’s thoughts were writ clear on his
handsome face. He was annoyed to be so readily dismissed, but ever
the gentleman, he smiled. “As you wish, my lady,” he replied
formally. He bowed again and, with one last teasing grin for Miss
Glendenning, left.

She watched him walk away and felt her temperature
rise several degrees. Whoever said ladies didn’t suffer from the
same lustful feelings as women of the lower orders had bats in his
belfry. It had to have been a man. No woman could look at a man
like Lord Greville and not wonder what it would be like to be in
his bed.

She bit her lip, startled at her own improper
thought.

“
I declare you have not heard a
word I’ve said, Rory,” Verena exclaimed in exasperation.