Never Wager Against Love (Kellington Book Three) (31 page)

Vanessa’s anxiety about the ball did ease.  But she knew
that it was one thing to have their support for a ball and quite another to
ever entertain thoughts of marrying Arthur. 

Now that the day of the ball had arrived, she went over
their plan in her head, while a maid helped her dress.  She was so distracted
that it wasn’t until she was completely dressed that she finally looked in a
mirror.

“Oh, Miss Gans,” said the girl, Cora, “you look like a
princess you do.”

As Vanessa looked at herself wearing Lizzie’s beautiful gown,
she had to agree.  Never before had she worn anything so elegant.  The dark
green gown set off her hair and the deep V of the neckline showed a shocking
amount of bosom.  She tried pulling it up a bit.

“Oi!  Don’t do that, miss,” said Cora, pulling it down again. 
“You don’t want to spoil the effect, do you?  Just imagine what the gentlemen
will think.”

“That’s why I’m doing this,” said Vanessa, as she gave
another futile tug.

“Shall I do your hair now?” asked Cora in a bid to distract
Vanessa from her neckline.  “Lady Elizabeth told me to use these combs.”

Vanessa looked at the delicate gold filigree combs Cora held
out to her.  Never before had she even dreamed she would wear such finery.  At
first she thought of refusing to use them, but since this was probably the only
time she’d get a chance to indulge, she smiled at Cora and let the girl fix her
hair.

Thirty minutes later, there was a knock at her door.  Arthur
entered and his reaction upon seeing her was everything Vanessa could have hoped
for. 

Cora bobbed a curtsey then left the room, closing the door
behind her.

“We should open the door,” said Vanessa, conscious of the
proprieties and not trusting herself around Arthur and a bed, especially since
he looked particularly handsome in his evening clothes.

“We should leave it as it is,” he said as he pulled her into
his arms and brought his lips down to hers.  With everyone in residence, it had
been difficult to find time alone.  They’d made love the last two nights, but
no matter how many hours they spent together, she knew the ones remaining were
numbered. 

Arthur was finally able to lift his lips from hers then he
took a step back, putting some distance between them.  “You are perilously
close to having your dress hopelessly crushed.  Although I do look forward to
peeling this delightful concoction off you later tonight.”

“Is everything in place?” she asked, in part to keep from
kissing him again.

“Yes.  Half a dozen heavily armed grooms are in the nursery
with Vi.  There’s no chance we’ll risk anything happening to her.  Ned wanted
to send Jane up there, as well.  But she insisted on attending the ball, saying
it would look odd if she didn’t put in an appearance.”

“I still feel bad we could be ruining Lizzie’s betrothal
ball,” said Vanessa.

“She’s just concerned she’ll miss the action if the villains
try to break into Lynwood’s safe while she’s stuck in the receiving line.”

“I hope she stays away.  I would not be able to live with
myself if she were harmed.”

“Riverton will not allow that to happen.  We have Runners in
the garden – although we told them to appear less than diligent in their duties
– the footmen are all armed, Stapleton will be here and, of course, you and I
are on the case.”

He kissed her lightly then turned to leave.  “Remember,” he
said, calling over his shoulder.  “We make a very good team.”

“Yes, Arthur,” she said when he was gone, “we certainly do.”

*                    *                    *

The only other
ton
ball Vanessa had attended was when
she’d posed as a maid in the home of a viscount suspected of financing a
smuggling ring.  She had found it hot and stuffy, the rooms filled with ill-mannered
peers with cloying perfume and wandering hands.  But tonight could not be more
different.  Lynwood House had an understated elegance not seen in many other
homes in Mayfair.  It had beautiful artwork and furniture, but there was a
sense of purpose to the pieces, like they’d been selected because of
functionality or pleasure, rather than as simply a way to show off the owner’s
wealth.

Likewise, the flowers and decorations for the ball were
beautiful, but not overwhelming.  The light pink roses, the greenery and the
hundreds of beeswax candles set the tone, giving the proceedings a romantic
touch.  But maybe what was so different was Vanessa herself.  She felt like a
whole other person in her beautiful gown.  She knew she was still the same on
the inside, but for one night she enjoyed stepping into another world.

Even if her primary mission that night was the apprehension
of a villain, one she likely knew.

The day before the ball, Willingham, Sir Lawrence and
Professor Dumbarton had been invited to Lynwood House to see the layout of the
study.  They were told it was so they could give suggestions for security.  In
actuality, it was to enable one of them to make his plan for the theft. 

For the first hour of the ball, the entire Kellington family
and the Marquess of Riverton stood in the receiving line greeting their guests. 
As the rooms began to fill up, Vanessa walked around observing the guests. 
Stapleton found her and they agreed to split up the rooms, meeting back near
the ballroom’s entrance every twenty minutes to report to each other.  The
footmen had been instructed to relay messages and get help if needed.

Professor Dumbarton was one of the first guests to arrive. 
He spoke at length to Lynwood, mumbled a perfunctory congratulations to Lady
Elizabeth, then went immediately to the refreshment table.  Stapleton had said
he would keep an eye on Dumbarton, leaving Sir Lawrence to Vanessa.  He made
his appearance a quarter hour after Dumbarton.  He also took his time talking
to the duke.  Vanessa still couldn’t believe Sir Lawrence was the mastermind,
but then she had a difficult time believing it was any of the three.

Willingham had sent over a terse note earlier in the day
saying he would be unable to attend the ball.  The Kellingtons were evenly
divided on whether that made him more suspect or less so.  Arthur thought it
pointed to his guilt.  Vanessa was undecided.

She was roused from her thoughts by Arthur, who’d managed to
sneak up on her.  “You are the most beautiful woman here,” he said, brushing
his hand against hers.

“I believe I am wearing the most beautiful gown,” she demurred,
but couldn’t help smiling.  “So far, neither the professor nor Sir Lawrence has
made a move toward the study.”

“We have a long evening ahead of us,” said Arthur.  “Let us
pass the time by dancing.”

“I cannot possibly,” she said.

“You can,” he replied, taking her hand in his as the strains
of a waltz started.  “Do you waltz?” he asked.

“I learned the steps,” she said, afraid of what being in
Arthur’s arms for the romantic dance would feel like.

“You must have learned a great deal at that school of
yours.”

“Actually, it was a mission.  We were searching for a
murderess who preyed on young men.”

“I should have guessed,” he said as he swept her into his
arms before she could protest further.  “You never cease to amaze and impress
me, Vanessa.  And when this is through…”

“Please don’t talk about when this is through,” she said.

“Whyever not?”

“I….I don’t want to lose focus on tonight,” she said.  The
truth was she couldn’t bear to think of not seeing him again.  And she knew
that day was coming.

*                    *                    *

Liam watched his brother dance with Miss Gans.  It was
obvious the two of them cared deeply for each other.  They might even be in
love.  He wasn’t sure what Arthur was planning, but he’d like to find out.

He looked around his ballroom, trying his damndest not to
catch the eye of any matchmaking mamas.  It was an advantage of being tall that
he could avoid their eye line, although he wouldn’t put it past a few of them
to climb on the furniture to attract his attention.

Lizzie and Riverton waltzed by, oblivious to everyone else
in the room.  He couldn’t be more pleased about their match.  Riverton was one
of his closest friends and he knew Lizzie would be safe in his hands, just as
she would look after him.  They loved each other very much and it would be a
happy union.

Ned and Jane weren’t really dancing as much as they were
holding each other and swaying in a corner.  Jane was growing larger by the day
and by the strictest standards shouldn’t even be at the ball.  But this was a
night for family and the occasion wouldn’t be the same without her.

He caught sight of Hal flirting with three young matrons and
one who was old enough to be his mother.   He took almost nothing seriously and
it was his ability to make others laugh that made him so popular with both the
ladies and the gentlemen of the
ton
.  But sometimes Liam saw a profound
sadness in Hal.  He hoped his youngest brother would soon find something to
give his life more meaning than his current pursuit of pleasure.

He scanned the room again and found who he’d been looking
for, the Honorable Rosalind Carson, sister of the scapegrace Viscount
Worthington and daughter of the Dowager Viscountess Worthington who’d just sold
her in marriage to the Duke of Fallmoor, an old fool who wanted to sire a son
off another young woman.  Their engagement had just been announced.  When
they’d come through the receiving line, Lynwood had said all that was proper,
but Rosalind would not meet his eyes.  She was an especially good friend of
Lizzie’s, only slightly older than his sister and half a dozen years his
junior.  He’d known her for years.  But it had only been recently that he’d
truly seen her.  She wasn’t just a family friend.  She was a woman he would’ve
liked to have known better.  Much better.  But now she was engaged to be
married and as an honorable man, there was nothing he could do about it.

But how he wished providence would lend a hand. 

“Lynwood!” came an admonishing voice from behind him.

Liam turned to see his paternal Aunt Agatha, Countess of
Crenshaw.  The woman was one of the highest sticklers in the
ton
.  She’d
been apoplectic when Lizzie had published her treatise, and now blamed Liam
whenever something wasn’t as she wished it in the Kellington family.

“Who is the chit who has been following Arthur about town? 
I hear tell she even had the audacity to come here tonight.  Surely you’ll
throw her out on the street, will you not?”

Liam calmly turned to his aunt and bowed.  He took his
responsibility to family seriously, even when that family member was behaving
like an ass.  “Aunt Agatha, I believe you refer to Miss Gans, an agent with the
Home Office.”

“Is that what they’re calling lightskirts, these days?”

“No, that is what they’re calling agents with the Home
Office.  She and Arthur have risked their lives on a mission for King and
country.  She is also a guest in my home.”

“Your home!  Lynwood, have you gone mad?”

“Not yet, although the night is still young.  I repeat, Aunt
Agatha, that she is my guest and is to be accorded the greatest respect.  I
trust you take my meaning.”

Aunt Agatha narrowed her eyes at him, proving she took his
meaning all too well.  “Arthur’s not getting the fool notion to marry her, is
he?  That
mesalliance
between Edward and the midwife was bad enough.  I
couldn’t go to my whist luncheons for weeks after they married, as it was all
anyone could talk about.  But it would be simply outside of enough if Arthur
married anyone so common.  He would be cut by everyone.  It could even tarnish
my reputation, if you could imagine such a thing.”

Liam very much wanted to tell his Aunt Agatha how little the
opinions of the ladies she played whist with mattered to him.  But she was
right in that a marriage between Arthur and Vanessa would very likely result in
the two of them being cut by most of the
beau monde
.  He didn’t think
Arthur would care, but there was the future happiness of their children to
consider. 

“This is what you are to do, Lynwood,” began Aunt Agatha,
her voice beginning to carry to those around them.

But they were interrupted by a woman slightly older than
Lizzie, with non-descript brown hair, spectacles and beautiful eyes.  “I do
apologize for interrupting, Lady Crenshaw.  It is unforgivably rude of me,”
said Miss Rosalind Carson as she sank into the perfect curtsey.  “But Lady
Elizabeth needs your advice on a matter of etiquette.  She asked that I send
you to her posthaste.”

“An etiquette question,” said Aunt Agatha, nodding. 
“Lynwood, I hold you responsible for not teaching my niece properly.  She’s
soon to be a marchioness, don’t you know.  Never mind, I shall take the gel in
hand myself.”

With that, Aunt Agatha set a direct course for Lizzie on the
other side of the ballroom.   As soon as Lizzie saw what was coming her way,
she gave a perfect imitation of prey wanting to flee, before schooling her
features and giving in to the inevitable.

Liam turned to Rosalind.  “I take it my sister does not have
an etiquette question for our Aunt.”

“Lud, no.  And she’ll likely be mad at me for a week when
she learns the trick I played on her.  But as I was walking by, I could not help
but hear…well…”

“You couldn’t help but hear my Aunt’s scathing remarks about
Arthur and Miss Gans,” Lynwood finished for her.  It felt good to talk to her. 
Even if it was in the middle of a hot, stuffy ballroom.  Even if she was
engaged.

“Yes,” said Rosalind sheepishly.  “I haven’t had the
pleasure of meeting Miss Gans yet, but I know Lizzie likes her very much.  I’ve
been rather busy lately with….”  She trailed off once again.

“Planning your wedding?” said Liam quietly.