Page 7 of A Diamond for Christmas (Diamonds of the First Water #6)

V auxhall Pleasure Gardens were as Caroline remembered them — bustling, loud, and thrilling. And this time, she knew Geoffrey Diamond was awaiting her.

Unfortunately, her mother had taken to the idea so readily because both she and Caroline’s father would enjoy the evening.

Also, Lord Mangue would be there. Lady Chimes had fixed herself upon the idea that if only Caroline spent more time with the viscount, then she would find herself developing a tendre in no time at all.

Caroline ignored the knowledge that he would be thrown in her path that night.

At the very least, if she gave Lord Mangue a modicum of attention, it would keep her mother from watching her too closely.

Moreover, her best friend, Daphne, had responded to an eager request for her presence, agreeing to come since her husband was away overseeing their country estate.

Daphne, whom Caroline had known in Bath, had fallen wildly in love, married young, and she and Lord Hollidge already had a dear little boy. Caroline could only hope for similar happiness.

Thus, she and her parents along with Daphne, whom they had collected at her home, stepped off the ferry boat that carried them swiftly from Westminster to the south bank of the Thames.

After climbing the Vauxhall steps, as they’d been dubbed a century earlier, the four of them entered through the proprietor’s house.

Out the back door, they spilled into the wondrous acreage known as the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens.

Immediately, the excitement of the spectacle took hold of Caroline.

It was impossible not to feel a thrill when taking in the long walks, dining pavilions, groves and grottoes, colonnades and music, and twenty thousand oil lamps hanging from every branch and structure.

Add to that the myriad entertainment and crowds of revelers, and it was impossible for one’s heart not to pound a little more quickly.

After they were assigned one of the supper boxes on the left side of the garden by the Chinese Temples, she and Daphne were ready either to stroll toward the orchestra or to tour the grounds with her parents.

As if it hadn’t been planned by Lady Chimes, Lord Mangue arrived, expressing delight upon seeing them.

“Well met,” he said all around.

Thwarting his hope to monopolize her company, however, Lord Trent also appeared.

Thus, after a few minutes of prattle with her parents, the four single people went to the area where couples danced by the so-called Gothic Orchestra, a two-story structure housing the musicians on the open-air second floor.

Lord Mangue took her in his arms without asking.

As soon as the dance ended, Lord Trent smoothly suggested he and Mangue switch partners.

“You did that expertly,” Caroline told him.

“My dance steps?” Lord Trent asked innocently.

“You know what I mean,” she said. Then feeling like an English spy in Paris or a Bow Street detective, she asked, “Where is Lord Diamond?”

“Down the Grand South Walk near the third Triumphal Arch,” Lord Trent responded. “You know, he is a good chap. It’s a pity about your parents and his.”

“A pity, indeed,” she agreed .

A few minutes later, when the dance ended and the orchestra took a break, Lord Trent returned her to her parents’ table. Daphne and Lord Mangue arrived a moment later.

“May I escort these two lovely ladies down the Grand South Walk?” Lord Trent asked. “We’ll go down one side and back up the other. As a married lady and mother, Lady Hollidge must be considered a suitable chaperone.”

“As long as you don’t go as far as the Firework Tower,” Lord Chimes warned. “I don’t want these girls anywhere near the Dark Walk.”

“We shall turn on the path by the third arch,” Lord Trent promised.

Caroline thought Geoffrey’s plan was going exceedingly well, but Lord Mangue was not to be left out.

“Capital idea,” he said, earning Caroline’s mother’s nod of approval. “Lord Trent and I shall keep them safe and enjoy the gardens at the same time.”

Caroline’s heart sank. How would she get away from him?

The four of them departed the Grove to promenade down the Grand South Walk toward the less busy sections of the Pleasure Gardens.

Simply knowing Lord Diamond was nearby had Caroline tingling with excitement.

As they approached the third Triumphal Arch where Lord Trent had indicated Geoffrey would be, the hair on the back of her neck rose, imagining him watching from the darkness.

They turned as promised to cross the width of the gardens.

A moment later, Lord Diamond sauntered toward them, hailing his friend Lord Trent and also greeting Lord Mangue.

“Do you know Lady Caroline and Lady Hollidge?” Lord Trent asked his friend, sounding sincere.

“I have had the pleasure of making Lady Caroline’s acquaintance,” Lord Diamond acknowledged, taking her hand and bowing over it, giving her knuckles a gentle squeeze before he released her.

“And while I have met Lord Hollidge at my club, I have not yet been introduced to his lovely wife. Good evening, Lady Hollidge.” He turned his full attention upon Daphne, taking her hand and bowing over it.

Caroline almost wished Daphne were single at that moment, for then Lord Diamond could feign interest in her. If he were linked with Daphne in the public’s perception, then they could be near one another more easily.

“Even though it is an odd number, my lord, if you are alone, why don’t you join our happy group,” Caroline offered.

“How gracious of you,” Lord Diamond said.

Soon the five of them were watching the rope-dancing theatre. If only Lord Mangue wasn’t there, Caroline could speak freely in front of their respective friends. Yet despite wracking her brain, she could think of no way to put the man off.

“Are you here escorting your sister?” Lord Diamond suddenly asked Lord Mangue.

“No, why do you ask?”

Lord Diamond made a great show of appearing mortified. “I should have said nothing. I apologize.”

Alarmed, Lord Mangue insisted he answer. “Tell me, Diamond.”

“I would swear I saw her earlier when I arrived. She has brown hair and a single mole on her cheek, does she not?”

“She does, but my family made no mention of her coming here tonight, nor can I imagine whom she was with.”

Lord Diamond gave a grimacing smile. “No matter, then. She wasn’t actually with anyone. Walking along on this very path when I last saw her, and she was quite alone, so that’s fine.”

“Are you mad?” Lord Mangue exclaimed. “That’s not fine at all. Tell me precisely where she was going.”

Lord Diamond widened his eyes as if only just realizing something .

“Come to think of it, Mangue, I believe she was heading toward,” he paused, looking toward the far wall at the back of Vauxhall’s acreage before he whispered, “the Dark Walk.”

Lord Mangue reared back as if facing a tiger.

“You probably should make sure she is well,” Lord Trent advised. “Although odds are she was meeting a friend and isn’t alone any longer.”

“What are you saying?” Lord Mangue demanded.

“I only mean the way Lady Caroline might meet up with Lady Hollidge. What did you think I meant?”

“I cannot abandon Lady Caroline,” Lord Mangue fretted. “I told her parents I would escort her.”

“Please, my lord. You should go find her at once,” Caroline said. “I have these two gentlemen and my good friend with me. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to your sister with no one at all to protect her.”

“Yes, you’re correct. I bid you good evening.” He didn’t even wait to say goodbye to the rest of them before hurrying away.

“Poor girl, I hope she is unharmed,” Daphne said.

Caroline nodded, but when she caught Lord Diamond’s eye, she nearly began to laugh.

Lord Trent shook his head. “Remarkable that you could see a girl’s mole in this dusky light.”

“Amazing, isn’t it?” Lord Diamond said. “I do hope it was the correct lady.”

Just then, the bell announced the start of the mysterious Cascade. And they moved toward it as did many other of the gardens’ visitors. Somehow, Caroline found Lord Diamond directly beside her.

“Are you interested in this?” he asked.

“It is amusing, don’t you think?” When she’d seen the mock waterfall and fake mechanized carriage crossing the bridge the first time, she had never seen anything like it before or since .

“I find you far more amusing and interesting,” Lord Diamond said. “Shall we take a stroll?”

Caroline tensed. This was not the safety of Lady Plain de Ville’s tiny plot of garden. This was Vauxhall where reputations were ruined on a nightly basis.

“Just to talk,” he added.

Caroline hesitated. She barely knew him, but what she did know, she liked. And again, this might be one of the few, precious moments they could spend in one another’s company.

She nodded.

“Lady Caroline and I are going to take a walk. We shall return here shortly.”

“This show lasts about a quarter of an hour,” Lord Trent reminded them.

Lord Diamond nodded. “I shall have her back here and in time for you to escort her to her parents.”

“Understood,” Lord Trent said.

Daphne was watching with her mouth in the shape of an O, and Caroline knew she would have to explain it all to her later.

When Geoffrey got Lady Caroline alone in Vauxhall, he surprised himself. The first thing he wanted to do was talk with her, not kiss her, despite wanting very much to do that as well.

“I want to know everything about you,” he confessed, drawing her arm through his and continuing to move along the path, so they didn’t appear scandalous. “Do you enjoy riding?”

“Very much.”

“And boating?” he prompted.

“Do you mean rowing or sailing?” she asked.

“Either. Both, I suppose. ”

“I have sailed across the Channel to France, but I would very much enjoy an outing in a rowboat.”

“I would enjoy rowing you wherever you wish. As long as it’s upon water.”

She laughed, a beautiful warm sound.

“What is your favorite season?” he continued.

“Spring. It brings such promise for the year, as well as flowers.”

“A good answer,” he said.

“And you, my lord?”

“I believe I like summer best when that spring promise has been fulfilled with sunshine and warmer weather,” he said. “Is there a food you most favor?”

“I like this game,” she said. “No gentleman has ever asked my opinion on even the most mundane things.”

“I honestly don’t think I’ve ever asked another female about her likes, so I cannot speak too ill of my fellow sex in that regard. Only when a man is truly taken with a woman does he care to know more.”

He felt her shiver. “Are you cold?”

“No, not in the least. In answer to your previous question, I enjoy roasted chicken, and I adore sponge cake with thick, warm custard. And now, it is my turn to ask,” she said. “What is your favorite taste?”

His loins tightened at once, and the answer came easily. “You, my lady.”

Her gasp was nearly silent. Then she laughed. “Be serious.”

“I am. When I kissed you the first time, I thought you tasted better than anything else in the world.”

Lady Caroline said nothing for a moment, then spoke. “It was simply the orange blossom and lavender beeswax balm.”

“Maybe at first, but only when mixed with the essence of you. I kissed your skin, too, you may recall. I thought all of you to be exquisite. ”

She shook her head and touched her gloved palm to her face, dropping it quickly in case she was seen.

“You speak like a lover,” she said.

“Or like a man falling in love.”