Page 18 of The Valentine Skates
The tell-tale flush on his cheeks told her he was self-conscious of what he considered the sartorial extremes he’d had to adopt to accompany her on a trail of dutiful visits to the women of thetonwho wielded more power from the depths of their reticules and the privacy of their drawing rooms than all the lords and MPs in Westminster.
Even though he looked resplendent in the clothing her brother’s tailor had provided, he was still the shy, gray-eyed farmer she knew and loved with shocks of raven black hair that curled softly at his neck. She’d become accustomed to the feel of the skin and muscles that she’d traced in the dark of the night so many times now in his bed.
The look he returned was stern and a bit agitated which caused her spirits to fall until he flashed her an almost imperceptible wink as he rounded the last set of steps leading to the entry hall.
Howick’s butler, Hamish, handed Frederick his top hat and wool overcoat before they all turned to head out to the carriages which would deliver them to Mrs. Bellingham’s Sunday afternoon soiree at her townhouse on Hanover Square. Howick had arranged for his curricle to be brought around for Frederick’s use so that he and Lili could arrive at the event separately.
“Are you ready for the boxes, sir?” At a nod from Frederick, the butler went to a table in the corner to retrieve several rosewood boxes Lili hadn’t noticed before. He handed the stack to a footman and directed him to load them into the luggage boot of the larger Howick carriage.
“What are you up to?” Lili was curious. She had no idea what the boxes contained.
Howick gave both of them a questioning look before heading out to the waiting carriage.
“You’ll see.” He planted a soft kiss on her forehead since all of the rest of their entourage was headed down the front steps to leave for Hanover Square.
“Please. Surely you can tell me. What’s in those boxes?”
He touched the tip of her nose with his gloved hand. “You’ll just have to wait along with everyone else to find out.”
“Oh, look what Mrs. Bellingham has done with her entrance.” Lady Howick pointed an elegant, gloved finger at a finely detailed and gilded sculpture of a sailing merchant ship which was mounted above the door to the spacious townhouse.
Frederick smiled and squinted closely at the detail which the artist had rendered down to the wind-filled, textured canvas sails and delicate lines of rigging.
Apparently, Mrs. Bellingham reigned over both her late husband’s merchant shipping empire as well as her own. Howick had explained how her French family had dominated for generations a huge shipping empire as well as rum distilleries in France and Martinique.
Her son, a captain with the West Africa Squadron, had recently married a close friend of Lady Lydia Howick, Lord Howick’s daughter.
Until Frederick had met Lili and the rest of the Howick family many years before, he’d never realized how much the real power in the heights of London society was wielded by women. Even though the majority of those same women did not have any legal rights of their own.
As soon as they entered the door, the Howick footman handed off the rosewood boxes to a Bellingham footman with whispered instructions to the butler.
They’d moved inside and were handing off hats and coats to a footman in the midst of a crush of other guests when he felt a light tap on his arm. He whirled in surprise to see a petite woman dressed in a rich, russet gown of satin. Her dark hair was piled high on her head and shot sparingly with vivid veins of silver. A few curls escaped and hung artfully down her neck. He assumed she was at least in her sixties, but the sparkle in her dark eyes could challenge that of a much younger woman.
She motioned for him to dip his head down so that he could hear her. She opened her fan to hide their words from prying ears. “So you are Lady Lilliane’s young man?”
His mouth dropped open, and he was at a loss at how to answer her blunt question, although he realized she meant her words as more of a statement. “Yes, I count myself among the lady’s admirers, but I don’t think I deserve to be called a ‘young man’ anymore.” He accompanied his self-deprecating remark with a quick smile.
“You are quite the charmer. You’ll do quite well. Come with me. We can’t have you acting like her suitor just yet.” She snapped her fan shut and turned, no doubt expecting him to follow.
Frederick fell in behind, feeling more like Tiber, the dutiful Irish wolfhound who’d saved Emily from the icy River Wey, but was now her slave, following her everywhere at Weyford Manor.
Lili had caught the exchange between Honore Bellingham and Frederick. The women who ruled thetonwith iron fists wrapped in silk now had taken over their fates. She had to trust he’d be able to manage on his own.
However, she acknowledged with a tinge of jealousy the way he looked in his new Mayfair image, he was a powerful, compelling man who would be at home anywhere, and, in particular, the center of attention of the women at the afternoon soiree.
As if confirming both her fears and hopes, several groups of women scattered around Honore’s vast drawing room turned their heads and stared for a moment while Honore took Frederick around the room and walked him first to the corner settee where Lady Fitzroy was holding court.
Lili held her breath. Lady Madeleine Fitzroy, “Maddie” to her familiars, was one of the most influential women in theton. Her good regard, or the withholding of said regard, had made, or broken, a long line of social pretenders.
The minute Honore had completed the introductions, Maddie lifted her hand for Frederick to bow over and Lili could see the quick look of approval in the dowager countess’s piercing eyes. Her heart did a quick little jig of a heartbeat, proud of the man she loved.
However, after that anxious moment had passed, the one thing she wanted more than any other was to flee back to the anonymity of Wembledon. But she realized this painful courting of the powerful forces of thetonwas the only way they could be together without harming Emily’s future.
Much later, when they were preparing to depart, Honore caught her attention and pulled her to the side. “You do realize what a rare, wonderful man you have there, don’t you?”
“Well, yes, of course, I…” Lili stopped unable to go on. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Bellingham. I’m not sure what you’re referring to.”
“That wonderful man of yours brought me boxes full of his finest dried lavender.” She pulled a sprig from her bodice and sniffed deeply. “I envy you. Do not let him out of your sight. He made quite an impression on ladies tonight who are not easily impressed.” With that, she bid her farewell and returned to her other guests.