Page 71 of Dukes All Night Long

Falstaff raised his voice. “Good evening. On behalf of the duke and I, we are pleased to welcome you all here this evening. I have only lately returned from university and will enjoy the chance to meet each and every one of you. I would also like to share that on display in the next room is the duke’s prized set of ruby cufflinks that he got on his travels.

The rubies were allegedly purloined by one of our ancestors during the Crusades and made later into men’s cufflinks.

So please do go and admire them and enjoy your evening. ”

Miss Butters’s face fell. She turned away.

“What is it?” Falstaff asked. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I just thought you were announcing something else, that’s all.” She reached for a glass of champagne, drank it quickly, and walked away.

*

He’s the duke’s nephew? Falstaff? No. It couldn’t be.

She’d been kissing a duke’s nephew. And he knew her to be a servant. He clearly had not been serious about her.

“They are sure to be worth a fortune,” one guest in a wolf mask said, drawing Lucy’s attention back. Oh, the cufflinks. “That’s foolish to have them out like that and so boldly too.”

“The thief is bound to hear of it,” said another guest, this one dressed as a peacock. “But there’s no thief here. That’s the beauty of a party in the country. No thief would travel. Not when there are parties in London every night.”

Lucy looked for Miss Adeline, but she was talking to some of the other guests. Then a woman in purple filled her vision. She wore a lilac purple dress with many ruffles and an ornate lilac mask tied around her face.

“Who are you?” the woman demanded. “I don’t know who you think you are, but I’m not sure you have any business here kissing Mr. Elliot when you’re just a guest here.” She added in a hushed voice, “ Ladies don’t do that sort of thing.”

Lucy instantly felt small. She rather felt cornered like a mouse by a cat, and she only wanted to retreat into herself like a turtle.

Part of her instantly stiffened and wished to apologize.

She was but a servant, after all. But then she thought, Wait a minute.

This woman doesn’t know who I am. I could be anyone.

She doesn’t know I’m a servant. For all she knows, I’m a lady.

She said, “I’ll have you know I am a guest here. And to be honest, he kissed me . I did not expect such behavior from my host.”

The woman in lilac bristled. “Well, but you didn’t have to go along with it. I saw you two together.” Her tone was accusing.

Lucy cocked her head at her. “I’m sorry. Are you more annoyed that he kissed me or that he wasn’t kissing you ?”

The woman in lilac balked.

“Well, I never. Just what did you say your name was? I’m sure I didn’t invite you.”

A gloved, feminine hand took her arm, and Lucy breathed in a cloud of familiar rose water perfume. “She’s with me, Clara, a close personal friend. Don’t be jealous. It causes wrinkles.” And with that, Miss Adeline swept her away from the woman in lilac.

“That was impressive.” Miss Adeline grinned.

“It’s rare that anyone will cross Clara Butters.

She’s always so fierce and I learned tonight that apparently she’s fancied Mr. Elliot since they were children.

Ha, I had no idea the chap who helped me from the carriage was the very same duke’s nephew.

He cleans up well. Funny thing hearing about a man but never actually meeting him until a costume party.

But never mind. I had no idea his tastes ran in another direction. ”

“What do you mean?” Lucy asked. Her blood pounded in her veins as the exchange with Miss Butters had left her feeling nervous and exhilarated at the same time.

“Apparently, she and the delicious Mr. Elliot have been sweethearts since they were children. Now that he is back from university, she is hoping he’ll propose to her any day now.

She probably had her heart set on him doing it this evening, or at least until she found you two kissing.

You rather broke her heart with that kiss. ” Miss Adeline giggled.

She’d been kissing the duke’s nephew. Good Lord. She still couldn’t believe it.

Lucy instantly felt sorry. She hadn’t meant to hurt the young woman, even if she was somewhat high-handed.

“Don’t worry yourself. She may be the daughter of a viscount, but instances like tonight are good for Miss Butters.

It just goes to show she can’t get absolutely everything she wants, no matter how much money her family has.

And by the way, how did you manage that?

I left you alone for only a minute. Lord, I should have you play matchmaker for me.

You’d have me married to a lord in no time. ”

Lucy gave a light, little laugh, even though she did not feel like it.

“Now I want to see these fancy cufflinks he’s talking about,” Miss Adeline said.

Together, they followed some of the crowd into the room where the ruby cufflinks were on display.

“Well, well,” Miss Adeline said in a hushed voice, “Would you look at that?”

In a fine display case, a pair of large, ruby cufflinks shone in the light. Worth a princely sum, to be sure, they were surrounded by other aged, ornate carved boxes, some cameo rings, and old maps.

An audible noise of disgust sounded behind them.

There stood an older woman in a mask wearing a gray-and-silver dress.

“It’s disgraceful. I cannot believe the duke would let his nephew be so careless as to display his cufflinks like this.

It’s positively gaudy. I might as well be at a circus or exhibition or something. ”

“Oh?” Lucy asked. Miss Adeline rolled her eyes and walked away.

“Yes, those cufflinks are so gaudy. Yes, they’re of historical value, but it’s positively distasteful to put them on display like that. They ought to be in a closed vault for the family, or only brought out and born on special occasions. But these men, they can be eccentric.”

“Now, Mrs. Godalming, there’s no harm letting people see a bit of history.” An older man in a gray mask that resembled the wind came upon them. He looked upon Lucy with a kindly eye and smiled.

“Well, I for one, disapprove, Your Grace. You’re practically taunting the Ton thief. It’s rude. And frankly, for your sake, I hope the thief doesn’t strike here tonight. But if you ask me, you are simply looking for trouble.” Mrs. Godalming sniffed.

“Then it’s just as well I didn’t ask your opinion.” The older man held out his arm to Lucy.

Lucy took it and they walked on. She was instantly reminded of strolling around the family gardens with her grandfather and felt more comfortable than she felt in a long time, even though this man was a stranger.

The duke said, “Mrs. Godalming never was shy about sharing her opinions, and ever since her own jewels were stolen by this Ton thief, she blames anyone else who dares show a bit of wealth.” The older man shook his head. “What do you think about this business?”

Lucy replied, “I think it is brave of you to show the cufflinks, but Mrs. Godalming has a point. It could be seen as reckless.”

The man’s expression clouded.

She continued. “But I think anyone that brave will also be on their guard, so you will likely have a plan, in case the thief is here this evening.”

The old man smiled. She could see the warmth in his eyes.

“Your nephew seemed to have an idea for such an occasion.”

The duke grinned. “No doubt he does.” He chuckled.

He gently disengaged his arm from hers. “What is your name, miss?”

“Lucy Potts,” she said immediately.

“Of Hertfordshire? Your father is Albus Potts, son to Martin.”

“Yes, Martin was my grandfather.”

“By Jove. I do know him. We used to play at the club together. Your great-grandfather was the third earl of the estate, wasn’t he?”

And there came that little note of recognition she had been expecting, a sense of who she was and where she fit in the duke’s view of the world based on the small and ever-widening circle of peers and social connections to be found into Debrett’s .

If one’s family couldn’t be looked up in there, well, it was just a bit unfortunate.

“And how is your grandfather?” the duke asked. “I haven’t seen him at the club for some time.”

“He passed away last spring.”

“Oh, my apologies. And your mother and father, they are well?”

She paused, at a loss for what to say. The duke was only being kind.

But Lucy couldn’t admit that her family had fallen on hard times, and she had all but completely withdrawn from society to work as a servant when little else had been open to her.

She couldn’t be a teacher, for she couldn’t command a classroom.

And no one, it seemed, wanted a companion, but there was a demand for an extra lady’s maid.

Working hard day in and day out was exhausting, but it beat the constant veiled barbs and put downs of her brother-in-law’s family. And it prevented her from being completely financially dependent on them, which was a relief.

“Pardon me, Uncle,” Falstaff interrupted. “But this young lady and I have a dance. Miss?” He offered his hand.

Lucy met Falstaff’s eyes and blushed as they raked down her body. She remembered his warm hands on her waist and the pressure of his lips upon hers. Her pulse sped up, and she felt her cheeks heat up as she took his hand.

He gave a small smile just for her and led her away from his uncle, back into the main hall and through to the ballroom, where people were dancing. As he escorted her to the dancing, he said, “I wasn’t sure if you would accept my invitation.”

“It’s only a dance,” she said.

“But it wasn’t just a kiss,” he murmured.

She removed her hand from his, and he laughed. Blast him. She liked his laugh.

He led her out to where the next dance was starting, and they joined the next set. As the dance began, he said, “So you dance at balls whilst posing as a maid. You must have an interesting story. What else do you do in your spare time? My uncle seems intrigued by you.”