Perhaps because of his dull and relentless schedule, he found himself eagerly traversing the streets with his valet, to join the others in watching Beau Brummel get his cravat tied. He shook his head in his own dismay. And he hoped that not one of his friends would see him. But his eyes eagerly searched the crowds of people hoping to catch one particular shiny blonde-haired beauty.
He crowded in with the young bucks, many in their first season, most not titled. All hoping to add themselves to the list of truly distinguished gentlemen, or at least to appear so to the ladies. And so they watched in rapt attention as Beau pranced in front of his bay window, making the most ridiculous show about something so simple as his own dress.
But Oliver searched the crowd, and the more gentlemen who showed up the more disheartened he felt that Lady Eva would not make an appearance.
But then, when Oliver was about to give up, after Beau had fiddled with the same knot five times and forced his patient valet to re-tie this new and overly complicated knot, his eyes found her. And he laughed out loud.
Everyone turned to look at him, and he ignored them all.
Lady Eva stood on the edge of the crowd, up on the toes of her boots, wearing a ridiculous oversized bonnet, a coat twice the size of her and large ribbons tying the bonnet in place which nearly covered her face.
He approached from behind. “Where is Lady Eva, I wonder? For no one here looks anything like her…”
She whipped her head around in surprise and then a mock scowl filled her face. “Oh, be quiet, you. No one else here can tell it is I.”
“I wouldn’t be too certain of that. But why the costume?”
“Do you think I want people knowing the duchess’s dearest friend was at the Beau Brummel presentation unaccompanied?”
He felt his mouth drop in shock. “You’re unaccompanied?”
“You heard me.” She turned away. “Now hush. You’re interrupting one of my bucket list items. This man is a hoot, or rather, he is vastly amusing, don’t you think so?”
“I think he’s a ridiculous fop, but most men of the ton and their valets follow his fashion advice to the letter. My own valet is here. Which is why I should not be.”
“Then why are you?” Her eyebrow raised in a delicious enticing wiggle, and he had the oddest desire to place his lips upon it.
But instead he searched her face. “Why am I here?” He stepped closer, peering in at her under her bonnet rim. “Because I knew if I came, I just might see you.”
Her mouth opened into an ‘o,’ and her eyes widened and then she whispered. “Well here I am.”
“And unaccompanied.”
She turned from him. “I don’t understand what that signifies.”
“How can I accompany you, if you are unaccompanied?”
She shook her head and waved him away. “I have no time for your sensibilities.”
“My attention to the moral strictures of our day?”
“Precisely. If you cannot accompany an unaccompanied woman, then what is the point of being a gentleman?”
He started to respond, but then had nothing more to say. She was perfectly right. As a gentleman, it was his duty to see her home.
“Shall we be off, then?”
“What? I haven’t finished…” She took one more look at Beau pulling out the attempts at a new knot and turned back to him. “Ready when you are.”
“You say the most curious things.”
“Oh, right. Shall we be off then?”
He nodded, then indicated his valet should stay. “Shall we walk?”
“All the way home?”
“Well you cannot very well sit in my carriage with me alone, can you?”
“Again, you’d rather walk yourself into a new set of blisters than simply sit in a carriage with a woman?”
“It’s your own reputation at stake.”
“And I find I don’t bother too much with cares for my reputation.”
He shook his head. “But such a thing is preposterous. Of course you must care for your reputation. It is the most precious thing you have.”
She blinked three times and still could not think of an appropriate manner in which to respond to such a ludicrous statement. One more proof that she and Lord Hereford were incredibly mismatched. And that she could never possibly live in this time period full of such backward thinking.
But then he waved and his carriage came forward.
“What? Where was it?”
“Just across the street there.”
“And you don’t mind riding alone with me?”
“If you are quite prepared for the consequences, then I find I’m not at all concerned.” Still, he looked up and down the street three times before he joined her, and he made certain to shut the window coverings.
“You are rather too nervous about a simple ride home.”
“I cannot understand how you don’t feel the same degree of concern.”
She settled into his seat, and he had to admit the sudden closeness of the carriage, the intimacy of such an enclosed space, filled him with possibilities. He moved to sit beside her. “See now. A ride in a carriage alone even with a gentleman can be quite scandalous.”
She looked up into his face. “It might be.”
“Might it not?”
“Depends what you find as scandalous.” She reached into her reticule and pulled out the jasmine smelling water.
His heart picked up and the corner of his mouth lifted in a small smile. She opened up the lid and dabbed her finger. The carriage filled with the delicious sweet floral smell, and then she ran her finger down her neck from the base of her earlobe to the curve at her neckline.
Oliver watched the moisture dry against her skin and then looked back up into her face. “And now you smell as enticing as I’ve ever seen you appear.”
“A scandal indeed.”
He moved closer, his mouth and nose breathing in the delicious smell of her skin mixed with this new water. Her ran his finger down the same trail following with his nose, puffing a trail of air along the path as well.
“You are as beguiling here in this carriage as you are in any place I encounter your fascinating self. But here, there is no one but yourself to stop me from placing my lips everywhere I wish them to be.” He lowered his mouth so that it hovered just above her skin, so close that he could almost taste her, almost press his mouth. If she moved even a hair, his mouth would be upon her and he would have been lost to her spell.
But she closed her eyes, waiting, until he sighed and moved away. “And there you see the potential for scandal.”
She nodded, her breath coming faster than usual.
“And I might have to move to this side of the carriage so as not to respond to that look in your eyes. Might I call on you, Lady Eva? Might I speak to the duke to make my intentions known?”
She nodded in a dizzy spell of happiness, or so it seemed, and then her eyes widened in concern. “I don’t feel that is necessary, as yet. For we don’t know what our intentions will be yet, do we? It is so early, we having just met…”
“What more is there to know than the thought that I cannot bear to part from you, and when we are together, I can only just barely keep myself from kissing you senseless?”
She turned away, a small smile on her lips. “You say the most wonderful things. I could sit back and listen to you forever.” She sighed. “But we must wait. For intentions to be made known. I’m not ready for that. Lord Hereford, we don’t know the first thing about each other. Call on me every day if you like. I think we’d all enjoy the company.”
He could not understand such a woman, but he agreed to do so.
The carriage stopped in front of the duke’s townhome. Jane came rushing out and peered in the window. “I should have known it was you.”
“I promise that until I met Lady Eva, I had never once encountered a woman alone, nor had I delivered her to her home unaccompanied.”
“And that I can most readily believe.�
� The duchess smiled at him. “Do come call on us tomorrow.”
He dipped his head. “Of that you can be certain.”
She laughed. Eva exited and stood beside her as they waved good bye while the carriage made its way back down the street.
15
Eva prepared for the opera in the most stunning dress she had ever seen. She’d added some of her own touches to the dress, modern ideas that would still look appropriate in a Regency gown. The main color of the gown was a rich navy blue, but the fabric had a shimmer to it she loved. Then she’d asked for a lace overlay in gold color. Woven into the overlay were jewels and flowers. The stitching was stunning in and of itself. She’d had them place matching jewels and stitching on the tips of her slippers so that when her toe poked out it would sparkle in the light and add a hint of beauty. The ribbon along her décolleté was an actual weave of three colors, blue, gold and silver. She’d asked them to create a mock train that flowed from the back of her gown to the floor. Everywhere she could, she added embellishment. And she determined to enjoy her time at the opera.
She couldn’t imagine an evening to be more excited for.
Her maid placed jewels in her hair. Once the maid was finished and Eva was left to herself for a moment, she applied the barest touch of her favorite lip color and then a liberal amount of her jasmine water. She might not see Lord Hereford, but if she did, she wanted to be prepared.
She was a mess. She knew it. But what was she to do? She was falling for an earl in the nineteenth century. And the more she fell, the more she wondered if she could make it work to live in a time utterly not her own. Jane and Algernon seemed blissfully happy. Her heart pounded in fear at the thought. To live here, forever?
When she and the duke and duchess descended from their carriage, she felt like a star with paparazzi all around. People crowded toward their carriage, everyone craning their necks to see her and her friends.
“Is this normal?”
The duke smiled and nodded to someone nearby. “Yes, at the opera. The audience here is varied and includes some we never see among our peers. They tend to be curious.”
“They just want to look at Algernon. I don’t blame them. He’s hot in his breeches.”
Eva snorted. “It’s so odd to hear you talk like that here.”
“You’ll get used to it.” Algernon grinned. “I do. And then I must remember to guard my own tongue depending on who we see.”
“I can imagine. It’s nice you’ve been to the future. You know where she’s coming from. I think that helps.”
Her two friends exchanged glances, but she ignored them and their matchmaking ways. She lifted her chin and smiled at everyone around them. “This is lovely.”
“That dress.” Jane fanned her face. “You will start a whole new trend, mark my words. It’s stunning.”
“I need to thank you for funding my wardrobe. I must say, the future is missing a decent modiste.”
“Or in my case, the funds to have clothes custom made.”
Eva nodded. She had made use of a personal tailor before. But why do such a thing unless making red carpet appearances? And it somehow did not seem half as cool as her trips to the modiste had been. It was so odd to think of her life at home that the world almost jarred to a stop. Too confusing to attempt to live in two realities at once, she pushed thoughts of home aside and renewed her plans to enjoy what time she had in the Regency world.
They walked inside the opera house and the crush of the crowd seemed less for a moment.
“Our boxes are up this way, but we can linger a moment if you’d like to address your fans.” Algernon’s eyebrows wiggled in a ridiculous fashion.
“Your fans, you mean.” Eva indicated the crowd of people off to his left, hovering nearby. “Do they need an introduction? Why are they not approaching?”
“Because the duke must address them first. They are of the class and rank that they cannot approach without being summoned.”
Eva watched the people all around them, fascinated with their rules and status fixations. “I suppose we have similar functions, though not as strongly pronounced. It would be rude for someone to step into a conversation and begin speaking to people they didn’t know.”
“I suppose.” Jane shrugged. “All of societal rules are in strong function here.”
Eva noticed the duke did not deign to converse with any of those huddling to his left. She didn’t ask, knowing he must have his reasons. But it also gifted them with some space, breathing room, and a lovely view of the opera hall. So Eva was grateful.
A commotion rumbled through the crowd, making its way toward them. A man entered from the stairs.
“Beau Brummel.” Jane lifted a hand, and he smiled when he saw them. As he made his way closer, the crowd noise grew louder, all heads now turned in their direction.
“This is so exciting!” Eva wished for a fan. Too bad she hadn’t brought the one she borrowed. She snorted at the thought.
Beau bowed before them. “Your grace. Your grace, and…” His voice rose in question while he appraised Eva.
“This is Lady Eva, our dear friend from the north. And this is Mr. Beau Brummel.”
Eva dipped low and gracefully. “Your reputation precedes you. I’m honored by an acquaintance.”
He pressed his lips to her gloved knuckle. “And I you. I was drawn to your dress from across the room. I’ve never seen a woman so finely appointed, who carried herself so well, and who understands fashion to the degree that you obviously do. I bow to you again and applaud your choices this evening.” He commenced the deepest bow.
Jane lifted a hand to her mouth, and Algernon’s eyes popped in amazement.
People all around them gasped and the news spread from group to group around the room.
When Mr. Brummel arose, she curtseyed in return. “You do me a great honor. Thank you.”
“I am pleased to have at last met someone who understands fashion choices as I do.”
She found her words choked in her throat. She could have never predicted such a thing to occur, to appear on her bucket list. And now that it had, who did she have to share it with? No one at home. She exchanged looks with Jane and could see they were just as flummoxed as she.
They chatted with him for many minutes, and then he took his leave. “I have others I agreed to meet tonight. Perhaps I might call and we together could discuss our common preferences?”
“I would be honored.” She curtseyed again and watched him make his way across the room to a group of men who immediately crowded to hear him.
“I don’t know what to say.” Eva shook her head.
Most of the women eyed her with partially concealed envy and others with calculating expressions.
“We will very shortly see many forms of imitation of this very dress.”
“I’d imagine so.”
Algernon laughed. “I must know. I have to hear from your own lips. Our dear Lord Hereford went to watch the man tie a cravat this week?”
“He did. He sent his valet to learn as well. But we left soon after. I think in the moment Mr. Brummel was retying his cravat for the sixth attempt was the point of his lapsed interest.”
“Just so.” Algernon straightened his back. “Shall we find our box?”
“Oh yes!” Eva attempted to walk stately behind the duke and his wife, to mimic their stance and bearing, but her feet bounced more and her excitement bubbled over until she was barely containing her desire to talk to those around her.
They pulled the curtains aside and moved to the front row seats in his box. Eva looked out over the theater. Across the way, level with her eyesight was a row of boxes. And then down below the seats were filling up.
“That’s the riff raff.” Jane laughed. “Can you believe that orchestra seats are where the poor sit?”
“Not exactly the poor, are they?” The duke indicated the people sitting on the main floor.
They were clean and comely. But none were in the finery Eva had gro
wn accustomed to seeing at the social events of the ton.
“I just want to take it all in. I should have brought my camera, or my phone, anything. Now I just have to hope I remember.”
“Or you could come back. Any full moon you are always welcome to stay with us.” Jane fanned herself. “Though next time you come, could you lug an air conditioner?”
Eva laughed. “And some electricity?”
“Oh, right.” She sighed. “But it really is worth it. I would never change a thing.”
Eva considered her and Algernon as they shared looks of adoration. She appreciated what they had and wished she had something similar.
Her gaze caught on Lord Hereford, sitting directly across the way. His mother sat at his side and Lady Everly was on his other side.
“Well, look who’s here tonight.”
Jane followed Eva’s gaze and clucked. “She’s one of the most sought after debutantes. His mother is smart to bring her to his attention.”
“I think he’s of half a mind to pursue her himself.”
“The other half wonders how to win you over.”
She hoped that was true. And then felt terrible for hoping such a thing. For how could she entertain desires to win the heart of someone she would eventually have to break? Unless she made the leap…
She watched the interactions in Lord Hereford’s box. His eyes remained glued to Eva, except for moments when he responded to his mother or shifted to address something with Lady Everly. And she felt the heat of his interest across the space in between.
She closed her eyes, remembering their moments in the carriage. She’d never wanted a kiss more than in their time together. But she knew such a thing would have to come from him. She would not compromise him in that way. She knew men were much more loose with their morals than women were allowed to be, but she also knew if he were to kiss her, he would be making a promise. He did not seem like the type to participate in a dalliance.
Too bad, since at this point, she predicted she’d always have at least one remaining bucket list item unfulfilled. She hadn’t even thought about Lord Grenville since the night at Almack’s. Though, she couldn’t imagine pursuing him just to get a kiss. She supposed she had her own set of Regency morals. And she was happy about that.
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