She spotted him, as well, and a superficial smile came to her lips. How dare that woman smile at Simon after all that she had put him through! For a moment, he considered exiting the ballroom with haste and not giving Lady Susana the time of day. But considering that he was doing his best to play the gentleman, that would not do. Simon walked towards Lady Susana with his head held high. He would not allow the woman to bring him down.
“Ladies,” Simon said, greeting the gaggle of girls and bowing his head. He caught some nervous, admiring laughter, but the only presence that swayed him was that of Lady Susana.
“Simon,” she said, still with that ridiculous smile upon her face as though nothing in the world were amiss.
“Lady Susana,” Simon said flatly.
“Do let’s catch up,” Lady Susana said, taking Simon’s arm and leading him away. Her demeanour was so carefree and heartless that Simon wondered how he could ever love such a woman. Still, his heartstrings were pulled by her presence, and he secretly wished that Lady Susana would be penitent and express her undying love.
“I hope you’ve been well,” Simon said, keeping his tone official.
“I have been well. But I have missed you so.”
Simon stopped in his tracks yet again, not allowing Lady Susana to continue to pull him forward.
“I wonder what your fiancé would think of you saying such a thing,” Simon said, and watched as Lady Susana’a face fell.
“What?” she asked, playing dumb.
“Your fiancé, Lady Susana. Did you think that I would not learn of it?”
“I . . . I don’t know what I thought. It was a mere necessity.”
“And did you wish to have me carry on making love to you whilst I was shrouded in ignorance? Was that the aim?”
“Oh, Simon. Don’t be angry,” Lady Susana said, pouting.
“I don’t think the situation is seemly enough to warrant my anger. If you’ll excuse me,” Simon said, unwrapping her arm from his own.
“Simon, no!” Lady Susana protested.
“What—is there something that you wish to say to me?” Simon asked, turning back towards her. It was Lady Susana’s opportunity to make it all right. She could throw herself into his arms and beg forgiveness or his heart would be cold towards her forever. The ball was in her court.
“Just . . . where are you going?” Lady Susana asked, still pouting.
“To go and greet my own fiancée,” Simon said, feeling tremendous satisfaction as he did so.
“What’s that?” Lady Susana asked, pretending as though she didn’t hear him correctly.
“I said, I’m going to greet my fiancée at the door. You shall have the honour of meeting her this very night if you choose.”
“But who is this woman?” Lady Susana asked, her eyes wide with indignation.
“Emilia Spencer, of the London Spencers,” Simon said, and turned on his heel to walk away. As he walked, Simon willed himself to breathe. Lady Susana’s insensitivity filled him with rage, but all things considered, he thought that he handled the situation well and that everything was falling into place. Why should he still want Lady Susana to profess her love? Lady Susana seemed heartless, at best. Still, he felt some kind of need in regards to her. Was it just revenge? Simon was unsure.
As he made his way to the front door, he stood on the entrance steps and watched as an endless stream of lords and ladies entered the Crawford estate. They were all laughing, smiling, and gay. Simon was still steeped in rage and wished to banish that feeling before greeting Emilia. Even though she knew the details of his situation, it was still Simon’s goal to play the part of the cool, collected gentleman.
There was a sea of carriages out front, but finally Simon recognized the chap that had driven Emilia to Montgomery House and couldn’t conceal the smile that came to his face. As he watched Emilia alight from the coach, thoughts of Lady Susana completely faded, and he felt whole again.
Even from a distance, she was more beautiful than he had remembered her. Behind Emilia, a younger girl came out of the carriage, and Simon assumed it to be Emilia’s sister, although she had never even mentioned siblings upon their first encounter. To think, just days ago, he and Emilia had met for the first time, and now she was his fiancée. At least, for the time being.
As the young ladies approached him, a chaperone in their wake, Simon continued to smile and admire everything about Emilia’s person. She was clothed in green, and the colour only accented her remarkable eyes that seemed to glitter in the evening light, not unlike the stars overhead. Simon genteelly bowed his head, and there was a moment where he and Emilia were looking into one another’s eyes; neither could scarce speak. How could he ever have fallen in love with Lady Susana when there was such beauty in the world?
***
“Good evening,” Emilia finally said, her voice breathless. Simon appeared so remarkably dashing in his suit that Emilia felt mildly faint.
“Good evening, Emilia,” Simon said with a smile.
For a moment, time stood still, and it was as though no one was standing under that night sky but she and Simon. She had so many things she wished to share with him and so many questions about his own person. Emilia felt simultaneously like she knew nothing about Simon James but also had known him for all her life. A warm flush came to her cheek, not unlike the one that she experienced in the carriage ride over when she told Rose about Simon’s stature. That was when Emilia was knocked out of her stupor and remembered that her sister Rose was standing right beside.
“Heavens, forgive me!” Emilia exclaimed, feeling more than a little embarrassed. “This is my sister, Rose.”
“Rose, I have heard much about you,” Simon said with a twinkle in his eye. He was following the plan perfectly; pretending like he knew everything that there was to know about Emilia. In truth, she hadn’t told him that she had a sister at all.
“And it’s a pleasure to meet you, Simon,” Rose said with a little curtsey.
“Come, let’s go inside,” Simon said, leading the way, and that was when Rose grabbed Emilia by the arm and whispered in her ear.
“You didn’t tell me that he was that handsome.”
“Yes, I did!” Emilia whispered back.
“How can you stand to look at him? I felt the need to turn away for shame.”
“Hush,” Emilia said and unclasped her arm from her sister’s, walking forward to be by Simon’s side. She felt him reach out and take her arm to escort her, and Emilia had tingles down her spine as he did so.
“You look beautiful,” Simon said plainly.
“You do, too,” Emilia said and felt that heat rush to her cheeks yet again. Would it ever stop? “I mean . . . handsome. Handsome was what I meant.”
“It’s quite all right,” Simon replied humorously. “I understood what you meant.”
As they walked into the Crawford estate, Emilia could feel that all eyes were upon them. She didn’t mind that they were seeing her on Simon James’ arms, even if they didn’t know who he was. Pride swelled in Emilia’s breast, and she felt safe and comforted holding onto his arm. Also, there was a tinge of electricity as they touched each other so.
“Do you care for refreshment?” Simon asked Emilia, and then turned to Rose. “I’m told the lemonade is capital.”
“I love lemonade,” Rose said bashfully. In fact, from what Emilia could see, Rose was rather shy around Simon, but Rose never seemed to be shy around anyone.
“Let’s get some then,” Simon said, leading the little troupe over to the refreshments table, which resided in a stately room just adjacent to the ballroom.
“I hope that the past few days have treated you well,” Emilia said to Simon.
“They have. Although I must say, I have greatly felt the absence of your company.”
Emilia’s heart began to pound mercilessly in her chest. Was this part of the plan, or no? Was Simon being earnest, or was he just pretending?
“I have longed for your company, as we
ll,” Emilia finally said. “I hear that your encounter with my father was a success.”
“A smashing success,” Simon said with a glint in his eye. He reached over to the table to procure Emilia a cold glass of lemonade and then handed it to her. Their fingers brushed as he did so.
“I saw your painting,” Emilia said.
“Oh?” Simon replied, and there seemed to be trepidation in his voice. Did Simon truly think that there was a chance that Emilia would not like it?
“I knew that you were a great painter, from the moment I first saw you.”
“That can’t be true,” Simon replied humbly.
“You said to me that you had nothing to teach me, and I do not think that is true.”
“It is true,” Simon replied, looking deep into her eyes. “I meant what I said. Your gift is greater than mine.”
Emilia laughed to herself. “I suppose that we could argue about this all evening to no avail.”
“Indeed, we could,” Simon replied warmly.
Yet again, Emilia had quite forgotten about her sister’s presence and turned to Rose who appeared to be frowning. “Did you get some lemonade?” Emilia asked.
“I did. And I fear that it’s too tart,” Rose replied.
“Come, come. It’s best to be gracious whilst in someone else’s home.”
“I prefer the tart lemonade,” Simon said. “I don’t care for things that are overly sweet.”
“I like everything to be sweet,” Rose said, lifting her chin. “I could eat pastry and pudding all day long.”
“It’s not good for your teeth,” Simon said warmly.
“Who cares for teeth when one is living off sponge cake?” Rose asked, and then simply walked off towards the ballroom.
“She’s quite a young lady,” Simon said.
“You don’t know the half of it,” Emilia replied, gently rolling her eyes.
“Do you have other siblings? Now that we’re alone, I can ask you the real questions that I’ve been longing to have answered,” Simon said.
“She is my only sibling. Sometimes I feel more like a mother than anything else.”
“I sense that.”
“Our own mother passed when Rose was quite young.”
“Illness?” Simon asked.
“Indeed. A disease of the lungs. I miss her everyday.”
“I can imagine,” Simon replied, looking down towards the ground.
“And your parents?” Emilia asked.
“Very much alive. And unenthusiastic about my existence.”
“What do you mean?” Emilia asked, knitting her brow. The prospect seemed impossible.
“At an early age I told them there was no life for me other than the life of a painter. Both of them protested and said that I would be disowned. They wished to have me climb the ranks of society. If only they knew about my connection to Lady Susana! They would have been remarkably pleased.”
Emilia felt her heart sink in her chest. Although she was well-versed in the scandal of Lady Susana, she still didn’t like to think that someone had broken Simon’s heart.
As they entered the ballroom, Emilia was filled with excitement. The music and the dancing were intoxicating to watch, and it wasn’t long before Emilia spotted Rose on the dance floor with a young man. My, how her sister was growing up so fast. Soon, Rose would be looking to find a husband, and hopefully there would not be the same pressure put upon her that Emilia felt.
“Rose is an excellent dancer,” Simon said.
“She does love to dance. I fear that she doesn’t get to go to enough balls.”
“Why is that?”
“She worries for father’s health. Both of us do.”
“It is a great burden to bear.”
“You didn’t finish your story. About your parents.”
“Right,” Simon said, knitting his jaw. “I was quite young when this all happened. But I was still old enough to forgo an orphanage. I lived on the streets of London.”
“That can’t be true,” Emilia said in dismay.
“It was true,” Simon assured her. “Like a beggar-boy. I would steal charcoal and sketch upon the sides of buildings,” he added with a delighted grin.
“Heavens.”
“I thought that would be my life, really. There was this one day that I shall never forget for as long as I live. It was raining and cold, and I was feeling miserable as ever, but continued to sketch along the side of a building, all within public view. There was a cloaked figure that came up behind me to see what I was drawing, and I ignored the man. I was used to people’s stares. ‘What’s this?’ the man asked. ‘I’m drawing,’ I replied, not thinking much of the encounter. Finally, the man pulled back the veil of his cloak, and I saw that it was Sir Gregory Kingsley. He had much less silver hair then,” Simon said with a laugh. “But I recognized him instantly. Kingsley said that he was in need of an apprentice, and I said that I was in need of a home. The arrangement worked out perfectly.”
“What a marvellous story,” Emilia said, thinking that she was liking Simon more and more by the instant.
“It was pretty remarkable. Since then, Kingsley has been a father to me. He listens to all my trials and tribulations. I feel as though I can tell him anything. I even told him of our plan, and he approved of it. Kingsley never chose to have a family of his own, so we’re something of our own family. We celebrate holidays as a family might do, and we take all of our meals together.”
“And he has helped you to hone your talents,” Emilia said warmly.
“He most certainly has. When you’re around a great artist like Kingsley all day long, their talent seems to rub off on you a bit.”
“But you already had a great deal of talent to begin with.”
“Yes, I suppose that had I not talent, Kingsley wouldn’t have discovered me the way that he did.”
“You are modest,” Emilia said with a smile, and Simon’s eyes met hers. Yes, from his gaze she could tell that he was a remarkably humble man.
“How did you learn to paint?”
“I taught myself.”
“Is that the truth?” Simon asked.
“Indeed. Also, my mother enjoyed painting, herself. She would sit in the parlour and paint flowers and shrubs; simple things,” Emilia explained. “And she would encourage me to paint simple things, as well. After she passed away, her easel and paints sat there for some time, and I came to the conclusion that they needed new life infused into them. That’s when I picked up my mother’s old brush and completed a painting that she had left fallow. To this day, it’s the most treasured thing that I own.”
“That’s beautiful,” Simon said, looking deeply into Emilia’s eyes.
“Yes, I think so,” Emilia replied, feeling a tear coming to her eye. She looked back towards the dance floor where Rose was dancing with yet another young gentleman.
“She is going to be a heartbreaker,” Simon said.
“Hopefully not like your Lady Susana,” Emilia quipped and watched as his face fell. “What’s wrong?”
The Wild Passion of an Eccentric Lady: A Historical Regency Romance Book Page 7
