Page 14

B ack inside her room, Emmeline washed up to prepare to dress for dinner.

She and Amanda decided on an elegant medium-blue ballgown embroidered with flowers and swirls in pale-blue silk thread down the skirt and across the hemline.

The high-waisted bodice and scooped neckline were trimmed with tiny embroidered flowers and seed pearls.

The short sleeves also had a touch of embroidery and pearls.

Matching gloves and slippers completed the look.

There was a knock on the door, and the baroness entered, dressed in a navy gown and turban.

Emmeline’s mother’s hair had grayed and thinned at a young age, so she always wore a turban, even in the privacy of their home.

Lilly—now Lady Langford twice over—had once commented that she didn’t know whether Mother even had hair or what color it might be, but Emmeline knew her mother’s turbans helped her feel stylish and more confident.

“My dear,” her mother said as she looked her over. “You look breathtaking. Blackstone will be unable to speak when he sees you. Come, we don’t want to be late.” She led the way to the door and paused before opening it. “Have you managed to get him alone and seduce him yet?”

Emmeline nearly choked at that. Even if she had seduced him, she would not share that tidbit with her mother! Good God, what a conversation that would be. She would, however, appease her. “We strolled through the lovely gardens and visited a gazebo the marquess built with his own hands.”

Her mother looked disappointed. “Well, there is still time.”

“We just arrived today. Of course, there is time.” A little stab of guilt pained her insides.

She did want to seduce Andrew but not to force him to marry her.

Widows were allowed certain freedoms in the eyes of the ton , and it would not be such a scandal or ruin anyone’s reputation if it somehow became known.

No, she had no desire to trap him. But if he felt compelled to offer for her afterward, she would not refuse the man.

She loved him, and that would never change.

And if he never proposed and they only slept together, at least she would have the memory of being with him to draw from for the rest of her life.

The large drawing room was crowded with guests waiting for the dinner bell.

Emmeline took a glass of ratafia from a passing servant.

When she turned around to speak with her mother, she found herself alone.

Her mother had a knack for disappearing in a crowd.

Seeing Catherine standing with her husband, she made her way toward them instead.

“Viscount, viscountess,” she said as she curtsied.

Catherine took her hands in hers. “Please call me Catherine and my husband, William. In the country, we are not so formal as in London.”

“Catherine, William,” she said with a smile.

“My dear,” William said to his wife, “I will leave you two to reminisce.”

“He didn’t have to leave,” Emmeline said as William retreated.

Catherine smiled. “William is shy and would prefer to be off alone or with other gentlemen. He is uncomfortable around ladies. Especially when they start talking about ladies’ things.”

Emmeline didn’t quite know what to say to that. “Are you happy? You seem very happy to me.”

Catherine beamed. “Yes. William and I are very much in love. He is not so shy with me.”

“That is good. I’m happy for you,” Emmeline said, then took a sip of her punch.

Catherine touched her hand. “What about you? I’m surprised you haven’t married again yet. Six years is a long time.”

Ignoring the knife stabbing her heart, Emmeline didn’t see a reason not to tell her friend the truth.

Catherine had gone through her first Season with her and all her struggles in choosing between Aiden and Andrew.

“Honestly, I simply stayed home, not socializing much at all these past six years, at least until recently. Not because I couldn’t move on from losing Aiden, although it was hard, but I chose to spend my time with my mother and a small circle of ladies in Mayfair doing charity work.

Going out at night to balls and musicales didn’t interest me for one reason and one reason only.

” She paused, placing her hand on her chest, hoping to slow her heart down before it beat out of her.

“Andrew struggled after Aiden’s death and refused to see me—for years.

His father nearly disowned him, and finally, three years ago, he joined Langford and Caldwell in their business.

” Her eyes glanced around, and she lowered her voice for Catherine’s ears only.

“I loved Aiden with everything I had and never regretted one moment of our marriage. But after my year of mourning ended, I realized my love for Andrew had never disappeared, either. I didn’t want to spend time dancing and conversing with other men I had no interest in, nor would I ever.

I’ve been waiting for him to return home and come to his senses. ”

“I had a feeling that was why,” Catherine said as she smiled sympathetically.

“I must admit, if it weren’t for Caldwell being with you two this afternoon, I would’ve sworn something intimate had happened between you and Blackstone.

Both your complexions were flushed and the looks you shared.

..” She fanned her face with her hand. “Flaming hot.”

Emmeline’s cheeks heated. “Caldwell was our lookout,” she whispered. “We did embrace and kiss.” Sighing, she pursed her lips. “My first time kissing him.”

“No,” Catherine gasped.

“Yes.” Her lips curved up into a dreamy smile, thinking back. “Words cannot adequately describe how it made me feel.”

“If you don’t mind my saying so,” Catherine looked around and opened her fan, leaning close, blocking most of their faces, “you are not inexperienced, and it has been some time for you. You must be elated at the prospect of an affair or, hopefully, a marriage to Blackstone.”

“I would prefer marriage but would settle for an affair if that’s all he’s capable of.” Her hands trembled. “Is it shocking of me to think about an affair?”

“No, it is not. You have been widowed for a long time. And if you manage to procure a marriage proposal from Blackstone, can you imagine the screams throughout the London drawing rooms from all the mamas and their daughters looking to snare the duke?”

Unease settled in her stomach. “I don’t care about Andrew being a duke.

I would love him if he had no title and were penniless.

But I understand he is this Season’s most sought-after eligible bachelor.

” As the words left her lips, her eyes landed on Andrew, dressed impeccably in dark grey and looking handsome as the devil, ambling toward her and Catherine.

“Here you are,” Andrew said as he grinned and lowered his head. “Mrs. Fitzpatrick, may I have the honor of escorting you into the dining room?”

Both Catherine and Emmeline giggled. “We were so engrossed in our conversation that we never heard the dinner bell,” Emmeline said as she dipped her head. “Thank you. That would be lovely.”

“Here comes my dashing husband,” Catherine said as she took his arm. “Let us talk again soon.” Her eyes moved from Emmeline to Andrew.

Andrew leaned close to Emmeline’s ear. “Why do I have the feeling you two were discussing me?” The heat from his breath caused her body to tingle in the most intimate places.

She batted her lashes because she felt like a young debutante. “What an inflated sense of importance you have, Your Grace.”

Chuckling, he said, “It has nothing to do with my own importance and everything to do with how you blushed when I approached. And the viscountess looked at me and then you with a knowing smile and a twinkle in her eye.”

“She never could hide her emotions, but she can keep secrets.”

“Come, let us join the dinner crowd.” Placing her hand on Andrew’s forearm, she felt heat travel up her arm and curl around her heart.

As they stood at the long rectangular wooden table, Andrew paused, his brows raised.

“Will you look here? We are seated next to one another.” He winked. “I wonder how that happened?”

As if she didn’t know. Either Claire took it upon herself to have foresight, or Andrew had asked her to put them side by side.

Either way, she would not question it and would enjoy her time with him.

As he helped her sit, she looked around the table and witnessed several Marriage Mart Mamas glaring at her and several of their daughters pouting.

Poor Andrew must hate all the attention he had received since his return to London. Her heart sank. Or perhaps not.

No. She knew him well enough to know that he hated the attention. He always had for as long as she’d known him—ten years, to be sure.

“My sense of importance has just deflated,” Andrew said softly with an exaggerated frown. “What has caught your attention besides me?”

She tried very hard not to laugh, and she succeeded.

“Mrs. Smythe and the Countess of Chelsea glaring daggers at me. Not to mention their daughters’ sulking.

” She lowered her voice to barely a whisper.

“The daughters are lovely and should make advantageous matches, but unfortunately, their mamas scare off potential suitors.”

“That can be an issue.” He draped his napkin across his lap as the first course arrived—fish stew.

“I don’t believe their mamas will be too much of a detriment, as I witnessed several young bucks following them around after I first arrived.

” He looked at her and waggled his brows. “Love is in Bath.”