Page 13 of Marrying a Marquess (Widows of Mayfair #3)

E ugenia seemed to take forever to do her hair and help her dress for the soirée, while Snowball sat curled up, purring on her lap, and she rubbed his ears.

“Snowball is going to wrinkle your gown, my lady.”

Priscilla continued to swirl her fingers around Snowball’s ears.

“No, he won’t.” Priscilla had decided to wear a cream and gold ballgown with gold ribbon woven throughout her braids, which brought out the gold in her auburn hair.

She was dressed to impress, but which gentleman did she want to impress the most?

Why did the answer always have to be Nick, no matter how he put a sour taste in her mouth when he put her off or angered her?

He used to say she was more like a sister to him than a potential bride.

This afternoon proved it with him sharing his concerns regarding Latham as a potential husband.

He was looking out for her best interests as a brother would.

When it came from Nick, it turned her stomach and made her lash out.

Brother to her he was not and never would be.

On the other hand, hadn’t he been the one to say they’d shared something special last night? And she was the one who’d made light of it. Would the two of them forever be in turmoil?

Finally, Eugenia finished and left her alone to her jumbled-up thoughts.

Men? They were so infuriating, and they said women were.

Quite the opposite. She picked up Snowball, placed him on the bed, and grabbed her gold reticle, fan, and shawl off the foot of her bed.

She petted Snowball one last time and went downstairs to meet her parents.

Her stomach buzzed with bees as she hoped the night would go well.

Out of respect from one duke to another, even her father would attend the soirée tonight, even though she knew he would rather stay home.

They arrived at the Duke and Duchess of Blackstone’s elegant and enormous London home with many other carriages dropping off their occupants.

Anyone who received the lucky invitation to the soirée would never dare to refuse the Duke of Blackstone, who seldom entertained.

And this was the first time since his marriage to his duchess.

Getting through the receiving line outside the ballroom was surprisingly quicker than she anticipated.

Priscilla was very thankful to have the duchess as one of her friends since joining the Ladies’ Society of Mayfair.

They stood outside the ballroom, waiting for the Master of Ceremonies to announce them.

As usual, the man had a loud, booming voice that resonated throughout the room, making no mistake about who he announced.

Priscilla’s eyes darted around the room and landed on Nick standing with Lord and Lady Langford, Mr. James Caldwell, and Lady Beatrice.

David stood on the other side of the room with several gentlemen she recognized but could not name.

Before she had taken ten steps into the room, Nick locked eyes on her and smoothly walked her way, looking dashing in his black evening wear.

“Goodness,” her father said. “Hollingsworth is wasting no time in seeking you out. Perhaps your mother frets for nothing, and a marriage between you two will happen.”

“Father, I refuse to fall into Mother’s delusions of me marrying Nick. The time passed many years ago. We are merely friends now.”

“Pish-posh,” her mother remarked. “I see the predatory way he looks at you. Trust me, your father will announce your betrothal before the month is out.”

“Mother,” she moaned. “I disagree.”

“Duke, Duchess, Lady Priscilla,” Nick said as he reached them and bowed.

“Hollingsworth.” Her father nodded his head. Her mother curtsied, and so did she. “Your mother and I are going to take a turn around the room.”

They were gone before Priscilla could say anything, leaving her alone with Nick. She felt slightly uncomfortable after their quarrel that afternoon.

“Shall we take a turn as well?” His eyes beseeched her to say yes.

“If you wish.” She placed her hand on his arm and joined the promenade of others doing the same.

“I must apologize for upsetting you this afternoon, regarding my opinions on Latham,” he said in a low voice. “I don’t know what got into me. Forgive me.”

“I will forgive you if you forgive me.” She looked around the room and noticed David watching them intently. “You visited me, and I was rude. There is no excuse.”

“I asked you to speak your mind, and when you did, I became upset. That is what I’m apologizing for. I had no right to be cross when I pressed you to share your thoughts and feelings with me. I understand you are interested in Latham, and I must accept it.”

“Yes. Just as I will have to accept it when you become interested in another lady.” Her eyes had not missed the looks he’d received from several beautiful young ladies while they walked. “Do you see what I see?”

“Yes. I never had the chance to tell you about Viscountess Norton.” He relayed their conversation from earlier that day. “She certainly didn’t waste any time spreading her story. And it must be working.”

“It appears so. How freeing for you to be rid of that stigma that has followed you for so long.” She hoped he was correct in his assumptions regarding Viscountess Norton.

“Yes. Between our so-called fake courtship and the viscountess, perhaps my life is changing for the better.”

Her heart sped up at the thought of seeing Nick courting someone who wasn’t her.

The only time she’d experienced it was when he’d pursued Lady Langford, and that had only lasted a short time.

Her stomach hurt with guilt. Why, oh why, did she and Nick have such a problematic relationship that was impossible to define?

And the night in the garden—a night she was not likely to forget anytime soon—had only made it worse.

Lost in her thoughts, she hadn’t realized Nick had led them to their friends. Once greetings were over, Lady Langford said, “It is nice to see you again, Lady Priscilla.”

“You as well, Countess.”

Lilly wrapped her arm through hers and lowered her voice. “Please call me Lilly. And how are you? Rumor has it you are courting both Latham and Hollingsworth.”

Hearing it said out loud had her wincing. “Yes, well, can I be honest with you, Lilly?”

“Yes, of course.”

“I don’t know if Nick mentioned it, but our courting is fake. We hope to make him more attractive to other young ladies. He is not getting any younger and needs to marry and produce heirs.”

Lilly said softly, “Yes, I suppose he does. However, something Viscountess Norton said has been going through the gossip chain, which will greatly improve his chances. I see several unmarried ladies looking at him with interest. He will undoubtedly be besieged by many ladies hoping to become his marchioness now that the truth has been revealed.”

“Oh, look,” Priscilla said. “Here comes Lady Wilmington with her eldest daughter, Grace, who has yet to make a match. Not that I can understand why. She is positively lovely.”

“Grace is lovely,” Lilly agreed. “Although not as graceful as her name implies. But her mother is a terrible gossip and thinks she is above everyone else. I met her for the first time when I’d just come out of mourning for my first husband, and all she wanted was to get information about me.

She was not very pleasant. Emmeline warned me about her, and I have stayed far away.

If Lady Wilmington has set her sights on Hollingsworth for Lady Grace, he should run for the country.

Not from Grace, but from her shrew of a mother. ”

Priscilla watched the exchange between Nick, Lady Wilmington, and Lady Grace with interest. The longer the three conversed, the harder it became to breathe.

Truly, she was happy for Nick to be free of his burden, but it still hurt to see him openly flirt with another woman.

The opening strains of a waltz began, and she knew she owed the dance to Nick.

To her dismay, he offered his arm to Lady Grace and escorted her to the dance floor.

To his credit, he looked over his shoulder at her and shrugged as if to say he didn’t have a choice.

“Lady Priscilla,” David said, as he approached her side. She’d been so engrossed in watching Nick she hadn’t seen or heard him walk over. He turned toward her and bowed, a tentative look was in his eyes. “May I have this dance?”

She buried her disappointment at not dancing the waltz with Nick and smiled at David, placing her hand on his arm. “Yes. I believe I owe you a dance.”

David knew the steps but was stiff and slightly awkward.

She didn’t take notice of it, but tried to pay attention in case he stepped on her toes.

She also tried to ignore Nick dancing across the room with Lady Grace, who turned out to be as ungraceful as Lilly said—the poor thing.

Fortunately, Nick was patient and would never chastise her for missed steps.

“I apologize if I misstep or step on your foot,” David said as he winced. “I don’t normally partake in dancing. I’m more of a watcher. ”

“You are doing fine. Just try to relax and feel the music.”

His features softened. “Thank you. I needed to be reminded of that. I have trouble relaxing. Sometimes, I can’t believe what a mess I made of my life and what I missed out on.

I truly hope you know how much I have come to care for you, and that I will never return to the wastrel I was before.

That man doesn’t exist anymore.” His eyes bore into hers, begging her to believe him.

She did. Even if Nick’s words from that afternoon penetrated her mind, trying to make her disbelieve.

“I believe you. I never knew you then and find it difficult even to comprehend the man you have described as the same man in front of me now.” It was true. She couldn’t. Nick entered her peripheral vision, and she fought with all her willpower not to turn her head and look. She barely succeeded.