Page 3 of Enchanted by the Lyon (The Lyon’s Den Connected World #93)
The door to the carriage opened and a footman held out his hand to help the two ladies descend the step to the ground.
When the driver left the curb, another carriage rolled up while Cassandra and Emily began to make their way to the lady’s side entrance.
Curious as to who else was going to be in attendance tonight at the infamous Den, a small smile lit her face when the man of her deepest fantasies alit from his own conveyance and went up the gentlemen’s walkway.
He, too, paused when he noticed the women, and he nodded his head in their direction before resuming his pace toward the front door.
“What are the chances that our dear Lucius would also be at the Lyon’s Den tonight?” Emily purred before letting out a light laugh.
“He’s been here before,” Cassandra commented dryly, hoping to end the conversation, but Emily seemed to want to continue digging into Cassandra’s patience.
“I understand he recently took Virtue Darling as his latest mistress,” Emily declared with a wave of her hand before they, too, continued their way up the walkway. “I wonder if he might reconsider an association with me… that is, if you are honestly not interested in him.”
Cassandra halted and took Emily’s arm. “If you think you can get him back, then go ahead and try. I truly don’t care what you do.”
She quickly whirled away as she fought off an uncomfortable and strange feeling of jealousy.
It caused her to wonder why she was creating an association with another lady who was known to take lovers.
Would this friendship be in her best interest?
Certainly, she could call upon her true friends for company.
Or could she, now that they were all happily married?
Emily caught up to her, muttering a soft apology as they arrived at the side door. Two women bouncers stood guard over the women’s entrance. Since Cassandra had been here multiple times, the ladies were well known to her.
“Good evening, Mrs. Vaughn… Mrs. Yates,” Hermia said, taking hold of the handle of the door.
“Welcome to the Lyon’s Den, ladies,” Helena chimed in as she stood back to allow them entrance.
“Thank you, Helena and Hermia,” Cassandra said with a nod of her head as she entered into the women’s foyer of the Lyon’s Den.
The opulence of the entrance was enough to cause anyone to take pause to appreciate the scene before them.
Golden vases with beautiful roses sat on several mahogany side tables along with other objects of value.
A chandelier filled with candles hung above her head to light the area and the sounds of the women guests coming from the other rooms was enough to know that they were having a grand time and most likely winning at Bessie Dove-Lyon’s tables.
Well-dressed servants holding trays of food and drink quickly came and went from a side room in front of her and Cassandra had always assumed there were stairs behind the wall so they could make their way from the kitchen below.
Now Cassandra glanced to her left to see several women sitting in the parlor and while she recognized some of them, others wore a mask to conceal their identities.
Instead of joining them, she turned toward the right, taking her into the dining area.
A buffet of food was spread out for their enjoyment, but Cassandra was hardly in the mood to eat.
She was a bunch of nervous knots ever since she had bumped into Lucius.
Instead of nibbling on something to possibly calm her, she instead made her way to the observation gallery that separated the dining area and the gambling room for the ladies.
Here they were able to look down and watch the men as they gambled away small fortunes or, if they were lucky enough, come away as a winner.
It was known to all who came here that sometimes the games were rigged in order for Mrs. Dove-Lyon to further establish whatever plans she might have for her matchmaking business.
Emily left to head to the gambling room, leaving Cassandra to make her way to the railing of the gallery to watch the men below.
Her eyes scanned the area trying to find the one man who held some kind of connection to her that she couldn’t reasonably explain.
She quickly found him standing close to Mrs. Dove-Lyon’s private room, which made sense since he had also just arrived and hadn’t had much time to venture further into the gambling room.
He was just… divine this evening. She gave a heavy sigh of appreciation at the sight of the well-dressed gentleman. A lock of his thick, black hair fell rakishly forward and the desire to push back those silken tresses with both hands was almost too much for Cassandra to bear.
He appeared to be looking for someone and raised his hand when he spotted who that person was.
A younger man rushed forward, and the two men clasped hands.
There could be no mistake that these two gentlemen were related as their features and coloring were similar.
They began to move forward into the room when Lucius took a glance upward and a roguish grin crept upward at the corner of his mouth when he saw Cassandra.
Her heart flipped end over end when he once again nodded in her direction before continuing onward with the man at his side.
She once again raised her gloved hand as Lucius’s scent almost caused her to swoon.
“You’re certain you wish me to continue arranging a match between you, Mrs. Vaughn?” a woman’s voice said behind her.
Cassandra turned to see the Black Widow of Whitehall watching her.
Donned in mourning attire, her thick veil covered her face and all but concealed any distinct features that would allow a person to recognize her in broad daylight.
Cassandra supposed that was all part of the mystery surrounding this woman.
She should have been used to seeing her thusly attired given the number of times she had made an arrangement with the widow for her friends.
And now it was her turn to make an arrangement. She hoped and prayed it was as successful for her as it had been for them. Cassandra squared back her shoulders. “I am,” she declared in a firm tone.
Bessie Dove-Lyon came to stand next to her at the railing to peer down into the men’s gambling room. “He will be… difficult.”
“I suspect he will.”
“And you’re willing to do anything in order to make this match?” the woman asked, as though in a warning.
“Yes… anything,” Cassandra quickly answered. She didn’t want to think too much about how difficult it would be—and that she might fail.
“Marvelous… then let us begin the games I’m about to be put into motion.” She took Cassandra’s arm and began leading her from the gallery. “First, your association with Mrs. Yates will only harm any plans we have to see you rightfully placed into Society. She may be considered your friend—”
“More like an acquaintance,” Cassandra interrupted. “A neighbor.”
“All the same, she will only set you back from your goals, Mrs. Vaughn.”
Just as she had thought. But still, she decided she had to defend the woman, who had only done what she needed to survive, by choosing one of the ton’s gentlemen for a lover and benefactor. “I didn’t think coming here with her would harm anything. Who would care if I—”
“I care, Mrs. Vaughn, and for our plans to work, you need to start thinking about your future. Mrs. Yates is the ex-mistress of the man you wish to marry. I hardly think any association with her will be to your benefit.”
“She is someone I can talk to who understands my situation,” Cassandra replied.
“As I just said… Remaining friends with Mrs. Yates will only set you back. It’s time you moved on and sold your townhouse. Get away from Widow’s Row. You have enough friends now in high places that I’m certain you could ask any one of them to allow you to temporarily live with them.”
“I don’t want to intrude on their marriages,” Cassandra said. They were all new into their relationships. The last thing any of them needed—or wanted—was a houseguest.
“I would think, given what you did to make those marriages come about, that they would be eternally grateful for any favor you might ask of them. I suggest you ask either the Marchioness of Saxton or Marchioness of Wickes if they might allow you to temporarily reside with them. They will be duchesses one day and they can see you well settled into Society if you play your cards right,” Mrs. Dove-Lyon said sagely.
“But I would only be intruding on their lives,” Cassandra replied, putting her hand to her forehead, hating the thought of intruding on Moriah or Josephine’s privacy.
“You are not looking at this as an end result, Mrs. Vaughn. Those women are your friends and will do anything in their power to help you. Take advantage of the roles they now hold within Society.”
“It seems like a lot to ask.”
“Friends will always help friends and yours will be no exception. It’s now your turn to look toward your future.
” Mrs. Dove-Lyon finally let go of Cassandra’s arm.
“As I instructed you on our last meeting when you hired my matchmaking skills, you must sell your townhouse, and start work with local charities. I understand you haven’t made those changes as of yet. ”
Cassandra sighed. This woman knew everything ! “Yes… of course.”
“And see which one of your lady friends will take you in temporarily while you look for your own residence. It shouldn’t be too difficult to decide among them.”
The widow left her to mull over all she had said or ordered her to do.
Cassandra took one last glimpse over her shoulder toward the balcony where she knew Lucius would be playing cards.
Her heart bumped and her breath caught, and once again her fingers itched to arrange his tousled hair.
Then she turned away, decisive. She would do anything to try to make a match with him.
How hard could it truly be to change a rake’s mind about his thoughts on never marrying?