Persuasion (3 page)

sure she will grow to appreciate and relish them.”

“Is Devlin in town too?” he asked, his breathing heavy.

She shook her head and circled another gentleman, a veritable coxcomb

whose inexpressibles were indecently tight.

Dancing with him for a moment, she found herself entirely uninterested in

him and became centered in her own thoughts, which to be truthful had

taken on a slightly melancholic nature after discussing her mother.

In a way, it stopped her from feeling like a selfish and ungrateful beast for

not enjoying any of this party, because in truth, she was feeling as awful as

her mama.

The Mercer family had always been extremely close and even Devlin felt as

though they were a ship that had lost its rudder without their father. The

late Marquess had been a good and loving papa and she missed him sorely.

Even though eighteen months had passed, it still felt as though he had been

with them yesterday so she could easily understand why her mama could

not let go.

A part of her had hoped that coming here, experiencing the life of a woman

who had been accepted into London society would fill a hole, but it had not.

It had merely caused a larger ache. Being away from her mama and brother

was simply awful. How could she be expected to enjoy herself at this

frivolous excuse for entertainment, when she was both home- and heartsick?

Sighing inwardly, Lily curtsied as Lord Lycombe bowed and the tinkling piano

and the rest of the orchestra came to an echoing and resonant end. He took

her arm and led her once more to the refreshment table. She spied her aunt

and excused herself with a slight smile and another bobbing curtsy and then

fled to the relative safety of her eccentric aunt. At least Millie did not want to

marry her!

Quickly, Lily grabbed her arm and smiled down warmly at the diminutive yet

larger than life figure before her. Politely nodding to each of her aunt's

companions, she delicately coughed. “Excuse us,” she murmured softly.

As they stepped away, Aunt Millie glared at her. “What on earth is the

matter, Lily? I was enjoying my conversation with Isabelle before you rudely

interrupted!” she muttered crossly.

“Is Lord Lycombe on the hunt for a wife?” she hissed, ignoring her aunt's

annoyance entirely.

“Well, he has no heir, love. And his wife died two years ago. So of course.”

Lily shook her head in perplexity. “And? Did that mean you had to invite him

to my come out? I refuse to marry him, aunt. He's older than my father!”

Millie patted her on the arm.

“And don't placate me, aunt. I know that I don't have to marry, if that is my

choice!” Thank the Lord for papa's stipulation in his will- it protected and

gave her the choice to marry when or if she wanted. “Why invite him? I

thought I approved the list?”

Millie patted her nose with her closed fan. “There were a few eligibles that I

added.” Seeing Lily's ire, she tittered in a way that irritated Lily all the more.

“Tis my duty to ensure that you have a good come out, Lily,” she whispered,

her voice serious.

“You consider a six and fifty year old man an eligible? Good Lord above,

aunt! What are you trying to do to me?”

“I'm doing my duty by you and your mother,” Millie replied stubbornly.

“Well, don't! If that gives you the right to make me miserable, then simply

don't! Honestly, aunt, I'm not a green girl straight out of the school room,”

she spat. “I'm a grown woman! I can and will make my own choice and will

not be forced. I only agreed to this ridiculous farce for mother's benefit. I

thought it would prove that I'm not missing out on life by remaining at

Grantlake and I had also hoped that she would come to London and that it

would bring her out of the depression in which she has sunk!”

“Why you can't be like any of the other girls here, I don't know!” Millie

commented with an irritated scowl.

“Oh yes, aunt, let's just wish upon them a dead father and a broken-hearted

mother just so that they can enjoy a good ball!”

“Don't be ridiculous! Your mother isn't broken-hearted!”

“Isn't she? Isn't she really? When was the last time you visited her? If you

had, then you'd see that she has lost far too much weight and is literally

wasting away! But what does that count for aught? You're just interested in

marrying me off! Regardless of whether or not the man is suitable or even

my own age! Lord Lycombe is a rake hell, an aged and decrepit one at that!

And you wish me to associate with him?” Lily's eyes flashed with her fury.

“Oh! Where is your uncle? He'd explain all of this!”

“So it was Uncle George's idea?” Lily huffed. “I don't believe it. Lord

Lycombe and he can hardly even bear to look at one another!”

“No, well, it . . . .” Millie licked her lips and looked about the corner in which

they stood. They were close to the orchestras, so could not be overheard but

if there were plenty of girls like Anna about the room, women that could

read a situation and successfully, then a scandal would soon be borne!

“What did you think to earn from this situation, aunt?”

Shrugging weakly, the older woman frowned down at her fan. “I-I, well, I

simply wanted this to be successful for you. Tis all! Not a crime, is it?” she

said defensively.

“No,” Lily sighed. “It isn't a crime, but it is deceitful! You know that I wanted

to be in control of my come out. And here I am! Dressed in a totally

inappropriate dress, because you meddled with the modiste! Then I find

myself dancing with passé gentlemen! Whatever next? I beg you not to

interfere, aunt! For I shall simply return to Cheshire if you continue in the

same vein.”

“Don't be silly, love,” Millie said, her face panicked. “You can't do that! Think

of your reputation! Think of the gossip.”

“I would not worry about that, aunt. I have cut almost every single

gentleman present and yet they still simper at my heels. I possess the three

'C's' don't you know, connections, capital, and comeliness.”

“Rather immodest, dear,” Aunt Millie responded with a flutter of her fan, but

she did not, Lily noted, disagree.

“Apparently not,” was Lily's taciturn reply. “For I cut and cut and cut, yet still

they smile!”

“You shouldn't be cutting the gentlemen! Honestly! Are you even trying to

find a suitable man to marry? I shall tell your uncle!”

“You tell him, aunt. Pray do! Especially if he can protect me from the likes of

Lord Lycombe!” she uttered, her voice filled with disgust.

Millie glared at her and spun around on her stacked heel and stalked away

with her nose in the air.

Lily merely raised a brow at the tabbies across the room, who stared at her

and smiled inwardly as they ducked their heads. She knew for a fact that

she had the highest rank in this ballroom. For the first time in her life, Lily

understood the importance of society position. She could also understand

why Prinny and his wife managed to subsist in England, when they were

both adulterers! Whispers that became shouts were of no importance when

one was lofty in the social strata.

Inwardly, Lily was disgusted by this rank display of snobbishness. She was

rather hypocritical in that she could enjoy it but disapprove of it at the same

time, but then, such was life!

Lily looked about the room, heard the tinkling of the piano and the slow,

somnolent strokes as the violinist played his instrument and watched the

breathless excitement of the dancers as they enjoyed the quadrille. A part of

her wished that she could share that heady pleasure, but perhaps her

content but socially aware upbringing meant that she simply couldn't, that to

watch this opulent display was both appealing and repellent to her fastidious

nature, that rather than with joy and amusement, she viewed it all with rank

cynicism.

She was unsure as to whether this upset her or not. For was it not every

daughter of the peerage's right to have and enjoy this kind of celebration?

In truth, Lily would have been far happier had she had her mother by her

side, as they ate a simple dinner and finally, after all these months, could

tease a smile out of her. That was a more precious gift than she could ever

imagine.

Ducking her head, she retired to the withdrawing room for the ladies and

sighed in relief as she managed to escape the oppressive crush.

****

that she would do very nicely for his plans, very nicely indeed.

He was hard pressed not to applaud himself for having found the appropriate

woman. One that was so similar to his cousin's dead wife, Camille. In fact,

the similarities in their poise had him hoping that Lady Lily shared Camille's

looseness. For the woman was a veritable beauty and one he would greatly

enjoy bedding!

Looking over her form and the pleasing amount of bosom she had on

display, he wondered if indeed he would be able to sample her delights. She

seemed a strange mixture; a dress of a demimondaine and the figure and

face of a Renaissance angel, deliciously delightful.

In regards to his loins, it was a most pleasing discovery he had made. But

where his plan for Dorian's wealth came into play, having found a woman

who reminded him of Camille seemed almost anti-climactic. The last four

years of searching to have finally come up to snuff . . . was strangely

pleasing yet at the same time, tedious. Plans had to be finalized now he had

found her and that would constitute a lot of work. It would be worth it

though, of that he was certain.

His gaze raked over the delightful form of the woman who was about to take

the center stage of his plans. She was dancing with the old coxcomb,

Lycombe who was making a cake of himself and to a splendid degree. His

eyes seemed to be almost glued to her ample breasts, which jiggled as she

danced and turned. William could well understand Lycombe's predicament.

Had he been more in the mood, it would have taken much less for his own

cock to have hardened at that pleasing sight!

He drained the tumbler of punch that was in his hand and wished it were

some of the illegal brandy his smuggling pals stocked in his cellar. The fruit

punch was far too weak for his tastes and did not have the exquisite burn of

French cognac. William sighed mournfully at the lack of brandy on offer in

the main ballroom then willfully ignored a secret smile that was sent his way

by one of his ex-paramours.

Clinging women had always been the instigator of his departing from any

illicit liaison and Lady Carstairs had done just that and to no small degree.

He'd been pestered and badgered by the tenacious hoyden! Nigh on

harassed by her refusal to believe that he had wanted to cut all ties with

her! The feminine ego could be extremely exhausting he had found.

Slowly turning away from Lisabet Carstairs, so as not to highlight the snub

he was delivering her way, for to do so would create gossip, William dropped

the glass on the mantelpiece of a nearby fireplace and moved further into

the crowd. He only had to retire to the gaming rooms for something more

fiery than ratafia, but, at this moment in time, his plans kept him here.

While Lady Carstairs was indeed a beauty and a veritable goddess in the

bedchamber, those particular attributes were insufficient to deal with her

petty jealousies. The woman had not seemed to understand that while

extra-marital affairs were commonplace, and the gossips and tabbies

certainly ensured the entire ton knew of the relationship, they were never

directly discussed. It had been most embarrassing to learn that she had

actually called at his club to find his whereabouts one evening!

The damnable cheek.

That had been the final nail in a coffin that had been ready to be buried into

unholy grounds. William had had to endure his friends' mockery for almost a

sennight, after one of his chums had spied the lady herself in the vestibule

of White's, asking after him and when the footmen had barred her entry,

according to Chalmsley at any rate, she had damn near thrown a tantrum

like a small babe in the hallowed hall of his club!

Pursing his lips at the memories, William tilted his head to the side as he

studied the lady of the moment, Lady Lily Mercer.

The similarities in appearance between her ladyship and Camille were not

immediately apparent, but William had seen them and he had also noticed

the innocence in the eyes and face that also reminded him of Camille. If he

had, then Dorian was bound to see the same likenesses.

He was rather pleased that his waiting had finally come up to snuff. Four

years was a hellishly long time to wait for a plan to come to a head, but now

the end was in sight, William could rest easy and comfort himself that it had

all been worthwhile.

Seduction was not an easy business. The tabbies and the matrons thought

that it was the food of the rakes but it could be devilishly difficult and

William had a feeling that in this case, Lady Lily would not be an easy fuck.

At times, that could be titillating, but in this case, it would be more in