A Woman Made for Pleasure (30 page)
“Your memory fails you, Aimee. Millie’s to be with Mr. Eddington this evening,” Jennelle reminded her.
“I forgot nothing, but the way Millie looks tonight, her plan to make Lily jealous will be quickly completed.”
Jennelle stood, looking at her friend. “You do look beautiful, Millie. Quite exquisite.”
Tears had formed in Millie’s eyes. “You do as well, Jennelle. And you, Aimee. Believe me. No one can overshadow either of you.”
“Mayhap, but tonight, all eyes will be focused on you.”
Madame Sasha had intervened, producing a burgundy cape. “Wear this when your escort comes to retrieve you. Do not let anyone see your gown until you reach the ball this evening. Promise?”
“I promise.”
“Do you have the item?”
Millie had nodded, patting the small pistol. “In my reticule.”
That had been almost two hours ago.
Millie instinctively felt for the small purse on the carriage seat, reassuring herself of its contents.
Basil was aware of Millie’s apprehension. “You look lovely this evening, my lady.”
Millie smiled, welcoming any conversation that would refocus her mind off of what was to come. “Earnestly? How could you tell? We practically ran out of Hembree Grove.”
Basil laughed, and Millie could hear that he, too, was nervous. “My pardons, my lady. I must admit I am more anxious in regard to tonight’s proceedings than I imagined I would be.”
The carriage rolled to a stop. The party exited and headed toward the main entrance. Just before entering, Basil squeezed Millie’s hand and whispered, “Do you think this will work?”
Millie removed her cloak and was surprised to find Mr. Willis, the guardian of Almack’s, suddenly in front of her, offering assistance. She guessed that this week Lady Castlereagh had him doing double duty.
Mr. Willis collected her cloak and greeted her. “My lady, you look most lovely this evening. Come in and enjoy tonight’s events.”
“Thank you, Mr. Willis. Please let me introduce you to Mr. Eddington, another of Lady Castlereagh’s guests. He has been kind enough to escort me to this evening’s ball.”
“Good evening to you, sir.”
As they entered the main room, Millie noticed Basil’s uncustomary expression of witlessness. “Mr. Eddington, are you well?”
Basil was still trying to collect his thoughts. Never had he seen anything like Lady Mildred Aldon. Her gown was of a white creation overlaid with a sheer silvery material that glittered in the lamplight. The material flowed straight down, allowing the underlying white satin to outline her figure as she moved. Across her shoulders and breasts were several intricate strands of rhinestones. The draped pattern of embroidered jewels continued throughout the sheer overlay.
“Ah, yes, my lady,” Basil answered, swallowing. “Very well indeed. My heart is securely taken, but if it were not, it would be in jeopardy this evening. I have a feeling that I will have more than just your marquess to deal with tonight.”
Her marquess?
But before Millie could covertly inquire as to his meaning, she was whisked inside to the awaiting patroness. Millie wondered if it was her imagination, or did the level of noise in the room suddenly diminish?
But before Millie could covertly inquire as to his meaning, she was whisked inside to the awaiting patroness. Millie wondered if it was her imagination, or did the level of noise in the room suddenly diminish?
Lady Castlereagh approached the couple, but, as expected, the other patronesses of Almack’s were right behind her. “Lady Mildred Aldon. How lovely it is to see you again, my dear. Mr. Eddington. Delighted you could escort our newly discovered diamond. Come and let me introduce you to my friends Lady Cowper, Lady Sefton, and Lady Jersey.”
“Lady Mildred Aldon. Mr. Eddington,” Lady Jersey crisply acknowledged.
Millie curtsied. “Lady Jersey, how are you this evening?”
“Tolerably well. And you, my dear, outshine us all. Are you sure it wise to dress so that you attract every man’s attention?”
Basil could feel the tension in Millie rise. He had been warned about Lady Jersey’s theatrics and ill-bred manners. Suddenly he felt very protective of the petite beauty standing quietly beside him. Only Lady Sefton’s kindness and impeccable timing permitted him to continue with his plan for recapturing Lily Moreland’s heart. If Lady Sefton had not intervened, he would have opened his mouth and most likely been summarily kicked out of the stately home.
“Come now, Sarah,” Lady Sefton admonished softly. “Lady Aldon is no contest for you. You must realize that most of these men attend for our attentions and not for those of our guests.”
“I am in complete agreement,” Lady Castlereagh said, winking at Millie. She pointed to the growing crowd. “Lady Aldon, Mr. Eddington, please enjoy yourselves this evening. It looks as if you have time for a quadrille before the meal is served.”
Basil took his cue, bowed, and quickly removed Millie and himself from further scrutiny. His thoughts immediately went to Lily, and he wished he could prepare her somehow for the inquisition.
Millie exhaled. Basil smiled. “Well, you did it, my lady. I have been officially accepted. Would you like to celebrate our first achievement with a dance?”
Millie flashed him a dazzling smile. “I would be delighted, Mr. Eddington.”
Just as the dance started, Millie spied her friends arriving and knew Lily Moreland was enduring her own interrogation. The dance was almost over when Jennelle signaled her that all was well.
“Good news, Mr. Eddington. Miss Moreland has arrived and has successfully been allowed entrance.”
Basil instantly switched his attentions from Millie to surveying the room.
“Calm yourself, Mr. Eddington. Remember the plan. Miss Moreland must look for you, not the other way around.”
Basil refocused his gaze back to his partner. “My apologies, my lady. I forgot for a moment that you, too, have a lot riding on our performance.”
Millie was just about to ask him for an explanation when the dance ended and her friends gathered near. Millie smiled. She knew she was about to be somewhat cruel, but silently assured herself that her intentions were good. “Miss Moreland! How lovely it is to see you again. Please let me introduce you to my escort for this evening. Mr. Eddington, Miss Moreland.”
Basil inclined his head in greeting. “My lady, Miss Moreland and I are acquainted. We met earlier this Season.”
Millie’s eyes popped open in innocence, an expression she had perfected on Charlie as a child. “Really? Miss Moreland, how did you ever let him slip through your fingers?”
Lily stood in stunned silence for several moments, digesting the fact that Basil, despite her father’s suggestion otherwise, had been accepted by the queens of Society. “I’m not really sure I know, my lady. Mr. Eddington is a very kind gentleman.”
Jennelle observed Basil’s plight. “Mr. Eddington, would you be so kind as to fetch me something to drink? I find myself quite parched all of a sudden.”
Millie watched Basil leave as she continued. “Such a fetching man. Quite a nonesuch. You cannot imagine my surprise, after meeting him, to learn that no lady had captured his attentions.” She paused for emphasis. “Miss Moreland, you have known Mr. Eddington longer than I. Tell me, what is it about the man that caused you to reject him as an eligible suitor?”
Lily began staring at her satin slippers. “I truthfully cannot say, my lady. Mr. Eddington has no faults that I am aware of.”
Aimee, beginning to feel guilty about the ruse, jumped in. “Let me guess. It was your father. Fathers are always the ones to interfere where love might bloom. Fear of losing their daughters, I presume. Was it Mr. Moreland?”
Lily looked up at Aimee’s kind green eyes, her own swimming with unshed tears. “Yes, it was my papa. He believes I can do much better than a merchant.”
Millie rolled her eyes for effect. “Well, there are merchants, and there are
highly successful
merchants. And Mr. Eddington falls into the latter category, I assure you. And if you do not believe me, ask the patronesses. My guess is that they would also conclude he is a man without fault.”
highly successful
merchants. And Mr. Eddington falls into the latter category, I assure you. And if you do not believe me, ask the patronesses. My guess is that they would also conclude he is a man without fault.”
Aimee elbowed Millie and gave her a threatening stare. “My father also interfered with my choice, Miss Moreland. But despite Society’s rules, I am waiting for him, and if ever given the chance, I will be his forever. Despite what anyone might say, I will not marry a man I do not love.”
Seeing the crowd move toward the supper tables, Jennelle suggested they relocate to the dining area. As dinner progressed, Basil noticed Lily become more and more agitated as she watched him converse and laugh with Millie. As soon as it was socially acceptable, Lily excused herself.
Millie leaned over and whispered, “Go to her, Mr. Eddington. Tell of her your true feelings.”
“What of you?”
Aimee leaned over. “You are losing your chance, Mr. Eddington. Hurry now. We’ll stay with Millie.”
The Three watched as Basil chased after Lily. Jennelle turned to her friend. “I think we can add this to our list of successful adventures, Millie.”
Millie wiped a tear of happiness and nodded.
Knowing Millie’s performance tonight was just a sham, Chase had intended to forgo Lady Castlereagh’s. Even after meeting the dashing Mr. Eddington and hearing the man praise Millie, Chase was determined to be unaffected. His resolution started to waver upon hearing his mother’s indifference to his decision not to attend. But when he received a last-minute reminder of Millie’s marriage pact, Chase found himself not only at the ball, but secretly watching her from a distance.
Chase’s eyes roved possessively over Millie’s every move. The gown sinfully accentuated every graceful movement and each perfect curve, elongating her petite frame to rival that of a statuesque beauty. Suddenly, his father’s murder, the Rebuilders, revenge—all were secondary in importance.
Several times, he had to retreat to the cool outside air in order to remain in control. Millie was completely unaware of the attention she was getting. He had never believed the mere sight of a beautiful woman could entice a man into marriage, but over and over again he was hearing exactly that. Men of all ages, rank, and wealth were suddenly considering Millie the most desirable woman on the marriage mart.
With each comment, he reminded himself that none of these men had a chance with his Millie. She had vowed never to get married. Yet even as he convinced himself of her disinterest, he would observe her laughing and engaging a drooling gentleman.
No longer trying to stay out of sight, he made it easy for her to detect his presence. But not once did she look in his direction. His desire to make known to all present that she was his, and only his, steadily intensified.
Chase had never been a jealous person, but he suddenly felt unbearably possessive, and he knew the feeling wouldn’t go away anytime soon. He would never be content until she was his. Not just in spirit and in mind, but to the world.
“My lady!” Millie turned to see Basil coming toward her. Behind him was a smiling, blushing Lily Moreland. “My lady, I must extend our gratitude again for making this possible. After tonight’s acceptance by the patronesses, Mrs. Moreland believes that her husband will lift his objection. Regardless of her father’s decision, though, Lily has agreed to marry me!”
Millie beamed at the jubilant faces before her. “I am so happy for you both. So very happy. And I happily relinquish your escort responsibilities this evening to Miss Moreland.”
Lily reached out to grasp Millie’s hand, true happiness shining in her eyes. “I must beg your forgiveness and leave to see to my mother, but I cannot appreciate my gratitude enough, Lady Aldon.”
After watching Lily weave her way through the crowd reaching her mother, Basil returned his attention to Millie. “I would like to accept your offer, but how would you get home?”
“Never fear, I will ride home in the Wentworth carriage, leaving you free to accompany Miss Moreland and her mother back to their residence.”
Basil grinned with the sheer joy of a man in love. “I knew you would understand.”
“Understand? It was part of the plan!”
Basil leaned closer and whispered, “But the whole plan has not gone accordingly, has it?”
“Mr. Eddington, I am afraid you are under the misconception that there was a secondary motive to tonight’s events. I assure you there was none.”
Unconvinced, Basil asked, “Are you indeed sure, my lady? There is a sadness in your eyes that never leaves, despite your demeanor and smiles.”
Millie stared at him, melancholy darkening her eyes. “Mr. Eddington, I promise you I am well. Now go back to your intended.”
Basil was aware of the marquess’s lurking presence and decided to try one last ploy to help his new friend.
Millie was very surprised when Basil leaned down to give her a hug and a slight peck on the cheek, whispering again his thanks for her help in securing his own happiness. To embrace in public was a highly unorthodox thing to do. They were fairly secluded from the crowd, but not completely hidden. But before Millie could react one way or the other, a fist appeared out of nowhere and Basil Eddington was looking up at her from the floor.
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