Persuasion

by Owner

  Persuasion

  By

  Danielle Dubois

  © Copyright by Danielle Dubois, July 2012

  © Cover Art, July 2012

  Published by KK and M

  Lake Park, GA 31636

  kkandmpublishing.com

  This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and places are of the author’s

  imagination and not to be confused with fact. Any resemblance to living

  persons or events is merely coincidence.

  Chapter 1

  While the bustle that was happening around her sent a sizzle of excitement

  through Lady Lily Mercer's veins, it also brought a thrill of fear.

  The hundreds of people roaming around her aunt's London townhouse were

  here for her, and their numbers were steadily increasing as the hours

  passed.

  On a deep inhalation, Lily walked slowly into the crowd and knew that even

  last week, when she had attended court and been presented to the

  sovereign herself, she had not been so nervous. There was something

  distinctly unnerving about a come out. Here, all eyes were on her, on any

  faux pas she might make, on her dress, on her deportment. The number of

  errors she could make were numerous and almost the entire guest list would

  relish the idea of a good gossip at Lily's expense.

  That was another fact that she had come to dislike about London, the

  maliciousness of the people and all because they were bored! Lily had never

  known anything like it!

  Had she had her mama at her side and not her aunt then Lily knew that she

  would have been fine. Instead, her aunt was here and her mama was at the

  family seat in Cheshire, hibernating from life in the family estate as she

  mourned Lily's papa's passing. Although her father had died eighteen

  months earlier, her mother still grieved him as though mere hours had

  passed and not almost two years.

  Gathering her skirts in her hand, Lily grimaced as the action prodded her

  into looking down, and, once again, she spied the golden bodice of her

  dress. It appeared as though her dear Aunt Millie had slipped a whispered

  message to Madame Boliage when she had been measured for the dress by

  her aunt's modiste, one that meant her niece's coming out dress was not the

  respectable white linen it ought to have been and, instead, was a clinging

  white crepe-back satin in the Empire line, but to her provincial sensibilities,

  the bust was entirely indecent.

  She had to quell the overwhelming desire to rush upstairs and return to her

  suite to hide at least a small part of her décolleté with a fichu. The urge was

  uppermost in her mind and, strangely, it eased her nerves to some extent. It

  was with difficulty that she turned from the refreshment tables and cast a

  weary eye over the proceedings.

  The ballroom took up one whole floor of her Aunt Millie and Uncle George's

  London mansion. The heat was oppressive and came from both the crush

  and the extraordinary amount of candles. It made it hard to breathe and she

  wished that she could walk out on to the balcony without being missed, but,

  as the epicenter of this event, she could hardly disappear as she so wanted.

  The three thousand candles, the housekeeper had informed her of this

  number with a sniff, were dotted around the enormous room and as she

  took in the cavernous depths with a glance, she noted that in truth, another

  one or two thousand more were needed. There were areas that were far too

  dark for decency. But she supposed, cynically, that they would make the

  rakes and their married lovers content. Not that she was supposed to even

  know what a rake actually was, but one heard rumors and they were

  impossible to completely dismiss as out of hand.

  The central lines of the rooms were more illuminated. On the largest of the

  six towering candelabras, there were over five hundred candles and the rest

  contained around four hundred apiece! The walls looked as though they were

  moving from the sheer number of flickering flames!

  Ordinarily, it was a girl's family who organized the come-out ball and not the

  girl herself. But Lillian's Aunt Millie was, while a lovely aunt, a tad addled in

  the mind department. Lily knew more about this event than she cared to

  ever know! And for this to be her truly first step on to the marriage mart,

  where she would be called upon to arrange more of these beastly events,

  made her feel positively dreary!

  She was grateful. Truthfully, she was. But she was also mired with apathetic

  gloom. It had assailed her since her father's death and she felt sure she

  would soon choke upon her glumness!

  Many a girl, her age or younger, would have greatly appreciated having this

  grand ballroom at their disposal. And she did. Inwardly, Lily sighed. She did!

  Her tired gaze swept along the huge expanse of space, which was absolutely

  overflowing with the best of the ton's humanity, and switched to the décor of

  the room, which was much more to her taste. It always managed to press

  her into an art-induced stupor, when she took in the magical magnificence of

  the painted beauty this room contained.

  Even though it’s sheer size was vulgar, her uncle's antecedents had at least

  been sage with interior decorating.

  While the room had four walls, they were four very large walls and each

  depicted a Renaissance scene. The murals were overlarge and delightful,

  displaying the frolicking Gods and Goddesses of ancient Rome with the touch

  of a master's hand. The woodland area and the bluer than blue skies that

  were redolent with warmth. The sepia tones that added a patina of vivacity

  and the other rich colors that gave a much needed elegance to the ballroom.

  Cornices and faux columns decorated the wainscoting in a glittering white,

  which had been daubed especially for this grand occasion.

  An orchestra was stationed at one end of the room, the refreshments at the

  other. Music lovers congregated at the former, and the tabbies at the latter.

  In the very center, couples danced merrily.

  It was a jovial scene, yet it inspired no happiness in her.

  Her smile was more of a grimace, as one rather putrid-looking matron

  introduced her daughter and son to Lily. Naturally, this was a breach in

  etiquette. As the daughter of a Marquis, only a Duke or person of the same

  rank could come up to her without invitation or introduction.

  Lily brushed that aside and attempted to greet the three with welcome. This

  was not the first time it had occurred and while her aunt pressured her to

  cut them as was her right, Lily couldn't find it in her heart to do so.

  No. It was her ball and she had to be the hostess.

  It was true that that should have been Aunt Millie's role, but her unfocused

  way of looking at life had been rather infuriating these months past and it

  had been up to Lily to have the ball arranged. In truth, she had preferred

  organizing it! Give her that any day of the week, than attending the damned

  thing!

  Especially considering what it
meant - her first day on the marriage mart.

  She shuddered at the thought of spending the rest of her life with any of the

  men here. But the one consolation she had was the fact that she would not

  have to be pressured into marriage. Thank the Lord!

  She was most fortunate, of that she did know and needed no prompting to

  truly understand the depth of the gift she was being handed. The majority of

  the guests here were friends or acquaintances that she had gradually come

  to know over the period of her life. Lily could, with certainty, calculate that

  at least ninety of the girls here were being pressured into making a match.

  And yet, Lily was independent. Always had been and always would be, as

  she had been raised that way. It was, therefore, difficult for her to be with

  milksop girls who had just left the schoolroom and who were very firmly

  under their mother's control.

  At two and twenty, Lily was long overdue this ball. Yet while most women of

  her social strata would love the regalia and the opulence of this party, she

  wished she could depart! Either that, or hastily spirit herself away to the

  library for a much quieter evening.

  Lily smiled to herself at that thought. Her aunt might be of the eccentric

  variety, but she would be certain to notice that her beloved niece had

  disappeared somewhere on what should have been the grandest night of her

  young life!

  She bobbed a curtsy to the over-bearing mother before her and quickly

  drifted away to free herself from the avaricious lights in the matron's eyes.

  She could almost hear the woman's thoughts, how marvelous to not be

  rejected by Lady Mercer! Perhaps she and Herbert could make a match! The

  social difference isn't too large. After all, he is rather important in

  Westminster! Surely that repairs some of the gap?

  Wrinkling her nose at the thought, for while she had nothing against

  Herberts in general, with this man in particular, she certainly did! A paunch

  at five and twenty? Who had ever heard of the like! Society and the ton did

  encourage a rather dissipated lifestyle, but that did not mean that she had

  to lead that kind of life too! Especially with Herbert at her side! If she were

  to marry, it would not be to a man who needed corsets more than she

  herself did!

  It wasn't that she was a snob.

  In fact, the matron she had just swept herself away from had been the snob!

  But Lily was of the opinion that were she to ever place herself within any

  man's control, she would have to love him. Of that she was dead certain.

  Love did not conquer all- for had her mother not loved her father and yet

  was she not sinking into an early grave? But still, it was vital to a person's

  existence. Of that, Lily did know. Her mama was unhappy now, but her

  years had been filled with felicity and that was down to the love she had

  shared with Martin, Lily's papa.

  A woman swept towards her, dressed in a rather virulent shade of purple. A

  turban sat askew on top of her head and a huge bejeweled brooch sat plum

  in the center of the headpiece. She wore the current Empire-line style but in

  a purple and lilac brocade that ensured she garnered attention. At her throat

  was an overlarge amethyst that glistened and gleamed.

  “Darling!” Lily's Aunt Millie cried and bestowed upon her amused niece's

  cheeks two kisses. Lily always enjoyed her aunt's flamboyance. There was

  something both childish and coy about it that made the woman, who was at

  least five and fifty, seem more of a débutante than herself! Not that Lily had

  learned of aunt's age from Millie herself. Goodness, no. Her father had

  amusedly recounted the dear lady's age, when Lily had compared the older

  woman to a playful nymph once.

  While the thought of her papa saddened her, it did not affect the serene

  mask she presented to the world. Perhaps her eyes were touched with her

  feelings. “Yes? Is something wrong, aunt?” she murmured as she calmly

  patted her aunt’s hand.

  “I'm sure that your uncle has disappeared to the gaming tables, my dear,

  and after I specifically told him not to! What do I do?”

  “What do you do?” Lily repeated with a frown. “Why not simply leave him?

  It’s not necessary to have him here. We both know that he hates to dance

  and that he is only holding the ball because of his fondness for me. Leave

  him in peace, aunt. Let him enjoy his cards!”

  “But I asked him not to!” Aunt Millie responded, a mutinous cast about her

  mouth. She looked perilously close to stomping her foot. “Lud, what am I to

  do with him? You see what I've had to endure these twenty-four years

  past?”

  Privately, Lily thought her uncle a saint, but she kept that thought firmly

  bolted in her head. Lily and Uncle George shared many a tense and strained

  look when glancing upon Aunt Millie's more extravagant tantrums, but not a

  word was ever said against the older lady. Despite her childlike ways, Aunt

  Millie was liable to be deeply hurt by any criticism, and, regardless of her

  nature, which could be both selfish and intolerant, she was well loved by her

  whole family. Lily included.

  “Oh! Leave him, aunt!” she murmured soothingly, inwardly thinking that at

  least one member of their family could be content that eve. “You never know

  he might win something and buy you a present!”

  A tradition had been established long ago by her aunt and uncle, and was

  well-known amongst them all. Uncle George had the poorest luck, but on

  occasion had been known to win and always a large sum. As aunt forbore to

  allow him to gamble, he always purchased her a gift with the winnings.

  “As if that is enough this time, Lily! Honestly. Tis important that we show a

  good face to the ton! Another pendant would hardly do that!”

  Lily waved a hand. “But we've already presented a good face, aunt! The ball

  started over two hours ago!” And she had been counting every minute!

  Aunt Millie looked unconvinced. “It is not as though I ask much of him, Lily!

  Oh, it is too much! As it is your special occasion and I should not be

  burdening you with this, I shall drop this matter. But he shall hear from me

  later! Of that I promise!” she declared and swept away as swiftly as she had

  arrived, regal in her purple attire and rebellious with it!

  Lily ducked her head to hide her smile and simultaneously shook out her

  skirts. She looked up as someone laughed particularly loudly and

  inadvertently caught some of the glances that were thrown her way. Rather

  than be pleased by this, she was displeased!

  Her aunt had decried that it was about time she left the wilderness of the

  country on the very day of her arrival in London one month ago. But Lily was

  not as out of touch as her aunt believed. She had many friends in the ton,

  and during her period of mourning, had received many a letter detailing the

  gossip and news of the foibles that had occurred within the crowded groups

  of the ton's most influential people.

  One of the men that had cast a smile at her mere moments ago, according

  to her friend Lady Sara Doverby, had had an affair with one of his maids

  then cast h
er out, when she had, horror of horrors, become pregnant!

  Certainly not the type of gentleman Lily wished to become acquainted with,

  never mind marry!

  That was the beauty of having friends that were wed, while she wasn't. It

  meant that they told her things that unwed débutantes had no right to hear.

  In truth, if she had to go through this charade of a come out, then she was

  content to do it now and at this stage in her life for it meant that she was

  forearmed and forewarned!

  Of course, being forearmed and forewarned was most unseemly. It meant

  that she knew all that she shouldn't, from what occurred in the marriage bed

  to the affaires du coeur of the ton's most eligible gentlemen. Naturally, she

  cared not but Lily knew that many a man would find her depth of knowledge

  disgusting.

  Out-sweeping her fan, Lily fluttered the decorated and patterned silk and

  enjoyed the slight breeze against her admittedly flushed cheeks. The heat

  was oppressive and the dreadful crush did not help at all.

  She returned to the refreshments table and took a milk ice, its taste was

  mildly pleasant, but she enjoyed it for its coolness and for no other reason.

  Lily watched as myriad maids rushed in and out with small bowls of the

  concoction she was eating. Ices were a nightmare for the cook, but a

  necessity if one were to survive a ball!

  With a determined smile, Lily determined to cease being such an irascible

  bore and to make an effort to enjoy herself. The truth was that a few years

  ago she would have been delighted by this event. Would have spent the

  evening in raptures, as she explored every inch of the ballroom and danced

  along the entire length of the floor!

  Her father's death had changed her and not necessarily for the good.

  She smiled warmly at one of the younger girls, who looked as though she

  had been cowed one too many times by the domineering woman at her side

  and noted the simple elegance of her dress. Deciding that she wanted to

  know the modiste behind that garment -for no longer could she trust her

  aunt's, not after this debacle of a dress at any rate!- Lily stalked towards the

  duo and curtsied.

  “Lady Lily, such a pleasure,” the elder of the two murmured, a slight bloom

  of surprise on her cheeks.

  “The pleasure is mine, Mrs. Sampson. May I steal your daughter for a stroll