Page 1 of The Viscount and the Wallflower (The Unlikely Betrothal Series #4)

Chapter 1

London, England - Spring 1813

L ady Lily Fairfax braced herself for her mother’s discerning eye as she descended the stairs of her parents’ opulent London townhouse to attend her first ball out in society. She had made her bow before the queen, marking her as an eligible debutante on the Marriage Mart. So Lily would do as she was expected and she would attend the season with the intention to make an advantageous match with a gentleman of the highest title. At least that was what her father expected of her. Her father was an earl and preferred his daughter to marry a man of the same station or higher, but at a minimum a titled gentleman was expected .

Lily was nothing but practical and she knew she wouldn’t be the type of lady that the pompous men of the ton wanted for their wife. She much preferred time spent reading a book or play as opposed to household matters, and she didn’t have even the slightest interest in the latest fashions. If that weren’t enough, her unfashionable red hair and light smattering of freckles on her nose and cheeks weren’t what was considered beautiful in the eyes of society. Then, when you added her gold-rimmed spectacles, which she needed if she were expected to see far away without everything turning fuzzy and blurry, she would be overlooked for one of the more fashionable beauties seeking a husband.

So, in her mind, it went without saying that she would not command the attention that a diamond of the first water would, or even as much as the debutantes a few rungs below that. Lily figured it was their loss as she quite liked the way she looked. When she looked in the mirror, she just saw herself, a lady who loved the written and spoken word, had a sharp wit, and understood the way of the world from watching it. She couldn’t look like or be anyone but herself, even if that meant she would end up a spinster, to her father’s disappointment.

If nothing else, she had her books and her plays. The thing she most looked forward to about being out in society was going to the theatre, so she might see some plays she had read so much about. She was enamored with the display of passion and emotion from the works that she had read, particularly from Shakespeare. Stormy Wells, a torrid playwright who had taken society by storm, was all abuzz in the news sheets. She hoped she would get to experience one, or all of them, for herself.

As Lily made her way down the last few steps to meet her parents, her confidence wavered. It was one thing to feel confident in one’s own home, but was quite another to be out in society where everyone seemed to have opinions and rules for everything. It baffled her how their society lived by a system where women were property and pompous men continued to decide what was acceptable behavior for all. How convenient that it was acceptable for men to attend brothels and keep mistresses, but women must be pure and devoted to their husbands.

“Lily, really?” her mother called out. “Give me the spectacles.”

“Mama, don’t you wish me to be able to see the gentlemen?” Lily knew it was too much to hope that her mother might ignore them. She should have tucked them in her reticle and then put them on once they arrived.

“You will see well enough without them. And you can make use of your quizzing glass if the need presents itself.”

Lily huffed and tucked her spectacles in her reticule, hoping that would appease her mother. Her parents meant well. They cared about her, she supposed, but they were products of their society. They cared most about titles and social standing. Lily’s younger brother would be the next earl, and it was her responsibility to marry well to further the family’s connections. Or some such shite that Mama had told her more times than she cared to count.

“There, much better,” her mother said. “Perhaps we should have powdered your hair.”

“We must leave if we don’t wish to sit in the carriage for an hour from the traffic,” her father said, tapping his foot as he checked his pocket watch. He wasn’t the kind of man that one typically said “no” to. When he wanted something, he typically got it, either by intimidation or throwing money at them.

For once, her father’s impatience would work in her favor. She would much rather cause a scene in their foyer than have her hair powdered. It wasn’t like the gentleman who married her wouldn’t find out she had vibrant red hair.

They departed and boarded their carriage with no further primping and assessing of Lily’s assets. At least, that’s what her parents believed were her assets. She would argue that her ability to read and comprehend any text with ease, memorize plays, and to speak multiple languages would be assets, but what did she know? Nothing, it would seem in the eyes of society, which was certainly more their problem than it was hers. Not that anyone cared she thought so, as she wasn’t the one who made the rules.

Once they arrived at the Fletchers’ ball, they greeted their hosts and then were announced into the ballroom. She collected a dance card, and then her mother helped to place it on her wrist. There were fans fluttering everywhere from the other young ladies on the Marriage Mart, excited for the first ball of the season. Lily fought not to laugh at the display and wondered how effective the fans were in catching a man’s attention.

She followed her mother to where some of the other matrons had gathered. She had already met all of them when they visited during the calling hour, so she offered her best curtsy when they greeted her. They spoke of some of the beautiful debutantes and who they believed would make grand matches. It wasn’t lost on her that none of them deigned to compliment her appearance. Not that she required their hollow words, but she would have thought social protocols might have warranted as much.

The entire evening passed by at a snail’s pace. Not a soul asked her to dance, and she wondered if she had somehow disappeared from view for all the gentlemen since they didn’t glance in her direction either. Although she supposed she didn’t bother to acknowledge them either.

Her mother made a few introductions, but each gentleman had to speak to someone about a matter of import, or something of the like. They could at least get more creative with their excuses to escape her presence without asking for a dance. Mama simply reminded Lily that she needed to smile and appear approachable as if she were the one who did something wrong.

If she put all her self-worth on how popular she was within society, she would be at rock bottom by then, throwing herself onto the floor with no will to go on. But she was her own source of strength and contentment and used the time spent ensconced against the wall, pretending to watch the dancers while she did a few complex calculations in her head and recalled some of her favorite Italian poems from memory. When it was time for supper, she mentally acted out a few of her favorite scenes from A Midsummer Night’s Dream in her head while she ate. She was reciting some of Puck’s lines to herself when her mother informed her they were ready to depart.

They wouldn’t stay for the rest of the ball. Thank God for small favors. She flashed a victorious grin at her mother and then followed her parents out to wait for their carriage. Once they had settled into their squabs, she knew it was only a matter of time before one of her parents commented on her lack of success, so she stared out the window and waited.

“Did you meet anyone of interest?” her father asked.

“She didn’t dance a single time,” her mother said, her tone one of annoyance and contempt. Again, making it appear as Lily’s fault that a gentleman didn’t ask her to dance.

“Not at all?”

She almost took it as a compliment that her father was surprised. Then she thought that she should contemplate what a sad state of affairs that was.

“If you don’t catch a man’s interest during the season, I will make an arrangement,” Papa said, confirming that there was no compliment intended.

“I am sure I will meet someone at the next ball,” Lily lied. She just didn’t want her father to play matchmaker or her mother to get any ideas about powdering her hair again.

The next few balls were much the same. Lily dressed in the most fashionable dresses, according to her mother, and spent her evening as a wallflower. Worst of all, in her mind, was that she had made no friends. The other debutantes either didn’t take notice or perhaps wished to avoid catching whatever misfortune they believed had landed her on the wall.

She fiddled with her spectacles as she watched the dancers at Lady Harrowby’s ball and recalled lines from Hamlet that evening. She glanced down the hallway that was within her view from her place alone and saw a handsome gentleman appear from one of the rooms, adjusting his cravat as he returned to the ballroom. A couple of seconds later, a blond woman appeared from the same room and caught Lily’s eye as soon as she emerged.

Lily’s eyes widened, not sure how to react. The woman smirked at her and started straight for her. Lily swallowed hard, trying to decide what she would say. Did she pretend she didn’t witness them leaving their tryst in the middle of a ball?

The woman came to stand by her side. “You can keep a secret, can’t you?”

“What secret?” Lily asked, giving her a knowing look.

“Exactly,” the woman said. “I don’t believe we have met. ”

“Lady Lily, the Earl of Fairfax’s daughter,” Lily said, giving a small curtsy.

“Lady Preston,” the woman returned. “But I shall call you Lily, and you shall call me Rosina. Friends can dispense with the formalities, can they not?”

Lily wasn’t sure that witnessing the woman’s dalliances made them friends, but she wasn’t in the position to turn down even the hope of having someone interesting to talk to.

“Of course,” Lily replied. “If I had the luxury of disappearing for a while, I might do so. These things are rather dull.”

Rosina laughed, then snapped her hand over her mouth. “I thought I was the only one. Do you see the way these debutantes act like this is all they live for? It makes me quite glad that I married and didn’t have a season.”

Lily’s eyes grew wide at the realization that Rosina had a husband.

Her new friend noticed Lily’s reaction and spoke again quickly. “My dear husband passed away. I have decided that I am open to making new…acquaintances.”

Lily noticed the pain in Rosina’s eyes. “I am very sorry about your husband,” she said, offering her a small smile. She thought a subject change might serve Rosina well. “Perhaps that is why I haven’t danced a single time this season. Not enough fan fluttering, I imagine. Is the flutter supposed to wave the gentlemen to them?”

Rosina laughed again and gripped Lily’s arm to steady herself. “You are far too interesting for any of these idiots. Well, not all of them are so bad. I shall introduce you to the best people of the ton to befriend.”

Lily cringed as her mother approached.

“Lily, stand up straight,” her mother admonished, then positioned her shoulders where she wanted them. “And try to smile, dearest. You want to appear approachable.”

“Mama, have you met Lady Preston?” Lily said, hoping her mother would realize she was being quite rude not addressing her.

Her mother realized her error and Lily almost laughed at the light shade of pink that reached her mother’s cheeks. “My apologies. I’m not sure where my head is. It’s so taxing with a daughter on the Marriage Mart. It is good to see you out of mourning, my lady.”

“Thank you, my lady. Your daughter and I have become fast friends. She is one of the most lovely young ladies out this season. ”

Lily fought not to laugh at her mother’s reaction, unsure what to say in response to such a compliment to Lily.

“Indeed. She is sure to find her match soon.”

Lily knew her mother didn’t believe that in the slightest. To her good fortune, one of the matrons waved her mother over, and she excused herself.

“Your mother is quite overbearing,” Rosina sympathized.

“You didn’t have to compliment my appearance, Rosina. I am far from the beauty these titled gentlemen shall set their caps at.”

Rosina pulled Lily’s arm so that she faced her. “None of that talk. You are unique and quite beautiful. I imagine that red hair of yours is quite eye-catching in the sun. Don’t let anyone compare you to the young misses who all look the same. When you meet the right gentleman, he shall take notice, and you shall be the only person he will ever have eyes for. Who cares if you dance with one or a hundred gentlemen? Only that one shall matter.”

Lily decided not to point out that it was easy for Rosina to say such things when she had blond hair and perfect skin—and had already been married once before.

“I shall think about what you said.”

“You just need to be around others that appreciate you. You appear more approachable when you are afforded the opportunity to be yourself. I am going to make sure you are invited to the Ockhams’ house party at the end of the season,” Rosina said, clasping her hands together in excitement. “I’ll convince your mama to let me be your chaperone. We must get you out of these dreadful ballrooms.”

Lily would enjoy the opportunity to be away from her parents and perhaps meet other interesting people. “I would appreciate that if it isn’t too much trouble.”

“Nothing is too much trouble for my friend. And now you will have me to spend time with at these events.” She paused and glanced around them. “When I’m not otherwise engaged.”

“Is it too forward for me to ask questions about your…engagements? Mama won’t tell me anything about what to expect when…” Lily let her words trail off, assuming her friend would understand her meaning.

A playful smile appeared on Rosina’s lips. “I shall answer any question you wish.”

“I am going to hold you to that. Perhaps we shall take tea together soon.”

“I’m going to attend the theatre tomorrow. Would you like to join me? Your mama might let you attend without her since I am eligible to be a chaperone. You could join me for dinner at my townhouse and then we could attend together. It would be so much fun.”

Lily fought to keep from letting the depth of her excitement show. Going to the theatre with a friend would be an absolute triumph compared to the insincere pleasantries and forced enthusiasm of yet another tedious London ball.

“That would be wonderful. I believe Duke About Town , the newest play by Stormy Wells is playing, is it not?”

“You are correct. Do you follow the theatre?” Rosina asked.

“I do as much as I can, but I’ve never seen a performance before. It would be such a delight to see one of Stormy Wells’ plays.”

Rosina looped her arm in Lily’s. “Then come with me to find your mama. I will arrange everything.”

Lily might not have succeeded in landing a husband, but as far as she was concerned, the season was looking up.