What A Rogue Wants (8 page)

“
I’ve never heard of
that.”

“
You wouldn’t have.” Lady
Elizabeth smirked. “It’s scandalous and men make sure we ladies
don’t know about it. But last time I was home, I came across it
quite by accident in my father’s library.”

“
Truly?”

Lady Elizabeth nodded.

“
How very nosy of you.”
She loved that Lady Elizabeth was so bold.

“
It was by accident, I
said.”

“
I know all about
accidentally finding things,” Madelaine replied.

Lady Elizabeth’s face turned red. “Do
hush. And you must go to the grave keeping my secret.”

“
Of course I will. What do
you think your father wants with those pamphlets?”

“
Actually, I think they’re
my mother’s. They’re written
for
women
on how to avoid and catch certain
types of men. Come, let’s keep walking. If we’re to reach my Aunt
Helen’s chambers before the dinner hour, we must hurry.”

“
You’ve an aunt at Court?”
Madelaine couldn’t keep the surprise from her voice.

“
Of course! My family is
everywhere.”

Once again, Madelaine felt the tug of
jealousy. Since her parents had both been only children, she had no
aunts or uncles. “Why are we going to see your aunt?”

“
I believe she can help
you.” Lady Elizabeth rested a hand on Madelaine’s arm as they
walked through the large chambers toward the stairs that led to the
rooms occupied by the king and queen’s most important guest. As a
longtime friend of the queen’s, Lady Elizabeth’s aunt clearly held
great social importance.

As they strolled through the corridor,
the hum of voices mingled with the pounding notes of music to fill
the passageway. “Do we have time?”

“
Just. If we hurry,” Lady
Elizabeth whispered as a group of courtiers passed. They chattered
as they moved down the corridor toward St. George’s hall. The women
and men were dressed in their finest clothing, each undoubtedly
looking forward to a feast.

Madelaine’s stomach twisted into
knots. No doubt her night would be long. If she thought there was
the slightest chance the queen would not notice her missing, she
would skip dinner tonight just to gain a reprieve from Lord
Thorton.

The women scurried up the stairs,
turning right at the top and making their way down a narrow,
candlelit passageway. At the third door, Lady Elizabeth paused.
“I’m sorry for before. I’ve liked you from the start.” She squeezed
Madelaine’s hand.

“
And I you,” Madelaine
said, her throat thick with emotion. After so long without friends
at Court, she almost wanted to cry now that she had one. Silly and
pathetic, but true.

“
My brother says I must
learn to be brave. And I know he’s right.” Lady Elizabeth raised
her fist and knocked on the door.

Madelaine stood with her thoughts
buzzing in her head like bees around a honey hive. So Lord Grey had
really convinced his sister to be Madelaine’s friend. A man who was
simply a rake and nothing more wouldn’t do that. Rakes only cared
for themselves. As the door opened, Madelaine pushed the thoughts
of Lord Grey away and focused on the lady’s maid who stood facing
them.

“
Louisa!” Lady Elizabeth
exclaimed and wrapped the older woman in a hug. Wisps of silver
hair loosened from the servant’s severe bun and fell to touch her
hunched shoulders. “I’d no idea you were accompanying Aunt
Helen.”

“
My lady insists. She
claims nary a servant in the castle can dress her hair as I
can.”

“
It’s true,” replied a
husky voice from within.

Lady Elizabeth released the servant
and tugged on Madelaine’s hand. “Louisa, we shall visit tomorrow.
Tonight, I’m on a mission.”

As Madelaine was fairly dragged into
the bedchambers, she struggled to enter gracefully, but her slipper
caught on the edge of a rug and she tripped into the room. She
quickly smoothed her skirts and then frantically tried to pin back
the locks of her hair that now swung in her face. She must look
ridiculous. Before she could pin the last bit of hair, Lady
Elizabeth’s aunt stepped from behind a dressing screen and stared
at Madelaine with her large, almond-shaped eyes.

This was Lady Elizabeth and Lord
Grey’s aunt? Dark chestnut hair piled artfully atop her head and
laced liberally with sparkling diamonds made the woman look more
fitted as an idol than an aunt. Her creamy skin and perfect hair
made Madelaine uncomfortably aware her own face had not been washed
since that morning nor had her hair been brushed.

And her gown! She wore purple silk
ordained with glittering gems placed alluringly around her bodice.
Madelaine reached to fidget with her mussed gown, but at the smile
of amusement that touched Lady Elizabeth’s aunt’s mouth, Madelaine
forced herself to draw her hands in front of her and clasp them
together as if she had not a care in the world.

“
Hard, isn’t it,
dear?”

“
Pardon?”

“
To hold perfectly still
even though you want to fix your appearance.”

A dratted flush heated Madelaine’s
cheeks. Well, she certainly couldn’t feign bafflement now that her
skin had given her away. “Yes. It’s difficult but has become easier
with practice.”

“
Brava, dear. I like a
woman who is honest.”

“
Well, my flush left me
little choice.”

“
Still, you could have
lied.”

“
I suppose I could have.”
Madelaine could tell already she was going to like Lady Elizabeth’s
aunt.

“
Niece, does this young
lady have anything to do with your mission?”

Lady Elizabeth nodded. “Aunt, this is
my friend Lady Madelaine Aldridge. Helping her is my
mission.”

“
Aldridge, you
said?”

The older woman was staring at
Madelaine with the oddest expression. Madelaine began to fidget
under her scrutiny. “Yes, Lady…?”

“
Oh, gracious. I’m sorry,
Lady Madelaine,” Lady Elizabeth rushed out. “This is my aunt, Lady
Denton.”

Lady Denton smiled warmly
at Madelaine. “You may call me Helen
in
private
. All my friends do.”

Madelaine blinked in surprise. “Are we
to be friends?” Her cheeks immediately flamed again at the
bluntness of her words.

Helen chuckled. “What’s the matter,
dear? Are you not used to having friends?”

“
Not at Court,” Madelaine
answered truthfully.

“
But we are now friends!”
Lady Elizabeth exclaimed as she clutched Madelaine’s hand. “If you
are to call my aunt ‘Helen,’ I insist you call me ‘Elizabeth’. I
know I didn’t show myself to be worthy of friendship before, but I
swear I can be a good friend.”

“
What’s this about not
being a worthy friend?” Helen fixed Elizabeth with a narrow-eyed
look. “Your mother and I taught you better.”

Lady Elizabeth blushed. “Yes, I
remember. However belatedly.”

“
You two had better spit
out what’s afoot. I’m to sit by the queen at dinner tonight, so I
mustn’t be late.”

“
The problem
is
the
queen.”

Helen’s eyes rounded and she waved a
hand at her lady’s maid. “Make sure the door is shut
tightly.”

“
Yes, my lady.” The
servant scurried to the door and a soft click filled the
air.

“
Niece, you must learn to
make sure no one can overhear you before you ever speak negatively
of the queen or king.”

“
I know, Aunt. Grey
already reminded me earlier.”

“
Then do try to actually
remember. Now, is Her Majesty causing you problems?”

“
Not me.” Elizabeth
glanced at Madelaine. “It’s her. The queen dislikes Madelaine for
some reason and she takes every opportunity to belittle her. I
thought if Madelaine knew why, she could work to earn the queen’s
favor.”

Helen regarded Madelaine with probing
eyes. “Do you want the queen’s favor?”

Madelaine shifted her feet. Why was
she constantly being put in a position to either tell a truth that
could hurt her or lie? A fool would speak plainly to someone she
had just met, and she may not be accomplished at feminine pursuits,
but that did not mean she was a fool. “I don’t want to be miserable
at Court.”

“
Take a lesson,
Elizabeth,” Helen said. “This young lady has mastered the art of
answering a question without really doing so. I predict you will
rise to glorious heights in this Court.”

“
I do not want to rise to
glorious heights here,” Madelaine said.

“
I’m pleased to hear
that,” Helen said, surprising her. “I find women who want to rise
to great heights often are the very ones who should not. So you
don’t want to ascend to the top of the social heap, but what do you
want?”

All she wanted was to find a husband
she could love or learn to love, who if she was very lucky would be
pleased, and not horrified, by a wife who enjoyed the same things
he did. Then she would become betrothed and leave this wretched
place of cattiness, debauchery and lying behind. Her mother would
smile in her grave, her father would rest easier, and then she
would feel as if she had somehow made amends for putting a rift
between her parents.

Here she was again stuck in a position
of truth or lies. Instinct told her only the truth might persuade
this woman to help her. And she needed all the help she could get.
“I want to find a good man to marry, so I can fulfill my mother’s
dying wish to see me properly wed. I was not an easy
daughter.”

Helen’s eyebrows raised high. “How
so?”

Madelaine quickly told Helen about her
affinity for all things her father loved and nothing her mother
did. When she was finished, that same niggling guilt that had
plagued her since her mother’s death coiled in her
stomach.

Helen sighed. “You remind me of my
much younger self. I was gloriously willful and my husband
appreciated and adored it.” Helen patted Madelaine’s hand. “Take
heart. There’s a man lurking beyond this door for you. One who will
appreciate who you truly are.”

“
Do you think you can do
anything to help me?”

“
Dearie, I can
more
than help you.”
Helen linked her arm through Madelaine’s and moved toward the
door.

“
Aunt Helen is the keeper
of the castle secrets,” Elizabeth said with a giggle. “She was one
of Queen Charlotte’s very first confidants.”

Madelaine pulled back a bit. “I don’t
want to put you in a position to betray a trust.”

“
Nonsense.” Helen fairly
shoved Madelaine into the hall and motioned for them to proceed.
She took Madelaine’s arm and leaned close as they walked so their
heads were side by side. “No one places me in any position. If I do
something, it’s because I want to.”

That was exactly how Madelaine had
lived her life thus far and a fat lot of good it had done her. But
she refrained from sharing those specific thoughts. “Do you have
any idea why the queen dislikes me?”

“
It’s not you.” Helen
paused in her step. “Well, actually by default of your bloodline it
is. Her Majesty considered your mother an enemy from day
one.”

“
My mother? But she never
even came to Court!” Madelaine clenched her hands together, outrage
for her mother stirring in her blood.

“
Calm yourself,” Helen
hissed, but took Madelaine’s hand in hers and gently tugged. They
started walking again, the tap of their slippered feet echoing in
the deserted corridor. “Did you never wonder why your Father often
came to Court but not your mother?”

Madelaine shook her head. She had
assumed her mother stayed behind with her because she was an
especially doting mother.

Helen sighed. “I knew your mother and
liked her very much. She was childhood friends with Lady Napier,
who was once Lady Sara Lennox. Sara is the heart of the trouble
between your mother and the queen.”

When they reached the top of the steps
that led to the dining hall, Helen paused. “King George was smitten
with Sara. When her family learned of it they made her abandon her
plans to marry a man I think she truly did love. But then our king
changed his mind or rather it was changed for him. He married Queen
Charlotte instead and Sara―let us just say it took her a long time
to find happiness and at great cost to her good name.”

“
What’s my mother have to
do with this?” Madelaine asked as she descended the
stairs.

“
Privately, Sara blamed
her misfortunes on the king and therefore the queen. Your mother
staunchly stood by Sara and never did take to the queen. Your
mother was very beautiful. Beauty has power and the queen did not
like coming newly to our Court only to have a beautiful woman who
did not trip over herself to serve her. And your mother was clever.
She never said an outright unkind word. Yet daily she pointed out
to Her Majesty the little things of our culture she had not
properly mastered.”