Tonight the blue-eyed, flaxen-haired matron wore a semitransparent ivory silk tiffany gown, showing off, in intimate detail, her voluptuous curves. The gown was cut low and her stays strung tight, causing her breasts to rise so high they looked like fleshy globes, bouncing with every movement.
The poor gentlemen gathering in the candlelit blue-and-gold salon seemed hardly able to look her in the eye, their gazes instinctively straying downward whenever she stopped to speak with one of them. Try as they might, their gazes seemed to flit back to those bouncing breasts, then quickly veer away once more, as if the spectacle was an undeniable magnet. Edwina was more than a bit fascinated and simultaneously disgusted by the display.
“Good evening, Lady Ross.” Nodding to Edwina, Lord Elliott moved to stand before the wine service. “Two, please,” he asked the servant.
As the white-gloved servant poured the claret, Edwina asked, “Perhaps you could assist me with something, my lord.”
He faced her. “Yes, my lady?”
“You’re an excellent dancer and I’m having trouble remembering the second turn in the Rubingé. Would you indulge me a moment and show it to me?”
The man scratched his balding head. “Here?”
“If you would, it’s been plaguing me…”
“Very well.” Positioning one foot across the other, he did the fanciful turn, exposing the entire soul of his black-bottomed shoe.
It had been a long shot, but it was worth a try. And it took her mind off of Lady Pomfry’s bouncing bosom. Edwina gave him a winning smile. “Ah, now I recall it. Thank you, my lord. I am most appreciative.”
“You are very welcome.” Accepting the two glasses of claret from the white-gloved servant, he nodded his farewell and trotted off.
“The man must think me daft,” Edwina muttered under her breath as she moved to stand by the open French doors leading to the empty terrace. She’d be known as daft, clumsy, left at the altar…
Her pride pricked, but thinking of how Prescott didn’t worry overmuch about how the world viewed him settled Edwina’s ruffled pride. Perhaps she wasn’t completely like her father after all.
The cool evening breeze pressed pleasantly against her back, and the fresh scent of the garden was preferable to the heavy aroma of wax from the many candelabra in the chamber. She sipped her claret and enjoyed the moment.
Leaning heavily on her cane, Ginny joined Edwina. Upon noticing Lady Pomfry across the room, Ginny glowered. “Her stays must be cut down. I’ve seen it done before, the better to expose her breasts for every licentious eye.”
“I don’t think she intends it for every eye.” Janelle approached them. “Where is Prescott anyway?”
Trying to hide her discomfiture about Lady Pomfry, Edwina sipped her drink. “Since we knew that Lady Kendrick likes to gather for a time before moving in to dinner, we took a quick turn at Lord Cunningham’s room after he’d gone.”
“You went into a gentleman’s bedchamber?” Janelle interrupted.
“Pray give me a little more credit than that.” Edwina scowled. “I stood guard. There’s a perfect alcove for observing Lord Cunningham’s rooms…” And for hot, toe-curling kisses once the searching was over…Those kisses did more for Edwina’s confidence than any protestations that it was all over with Lady Pomfry.
“Are you feeling ill?” Janelle’s gaze was sharp. “Your face is flushed.”
Lifting the stemmed glass to her lips, Edwina swallowed the red wine. “I’m fine. It was just a bit…rushed.”
“Well, did you find anything? Those frog shoes?”
Edwina shook her head. “No, but today is only the first day and we’ve already canceled two men off our list, Sir Lee and Lord Cunningham. That’s good progress, for sure. And Lord Elliot is not wearing the shoes tonight.”
Ginny’s eyes flitted about the chamber. “I know I need to be patient, but…to know he’s here…pretending to be one of us…”
Edwina grasped Ginny’s hand, soothing. “Soon, Ginny. And we’ve hired two Bow Street Runners to wait for word at the local inn. Discreetly, of course. When the time is right, the knave will be gone faster than a flea can hop.”
“So where’s Prescott now?” Janelle eyed the crowd.
“He wanted to have a quiet word with the boot boy, to see if anyone has noticed a pair of the red-marked shoes we’re looking for.”
“I should have given him that cat hair,” Janelle commented, eyeing Lady Pomfry as she threw her head back and a tinkling laugh filled the chamber. “From the looks of it, we’re going to need it.”
Edwina’s gaze suddenly caught Lady Pomfry’s. The lady smiled and raised her glass, her eyes glaring with challenge, as if to say, I’m more beautiful, wittier and more fashionable than you’ll ever be.
Pasting on a smile, Edwina lifted her glass and drank. The fine claret suddenly tasted like vinegar.
“You’re not going to let her win,” Ginny muttered.
“It’s not a competition,” Edwina lied.
Turning to look out the French doors, Janelle smiled. “Meow.”
“You’re despicable.”
Sighing, as if greatly put out, Janelle sipped her claret and gazed about the crowded chamber. “So whose room’s next on the list? I think it should be Lord Woodard or Mr. Gingrich. Or possibly that fat fellow, Lord Sloan. He seemed very interested in gossiping about the other guests when we spoke to him this afternoon.”
“Which of us isn’t?” Edwina huffed. “Prescott has a short list with Mr. Todd, Lord Unterberg, Mr. Gingrich and Lord Sloan. After dinner we will search Lord Unterberg’s rooms. We understand that he likes to linger over his port, which should give us plenty of time if we make an early exit. Then Mr. Todd’s.”
“You actually think Mr. Todd could be the one?” Ginny turned to stare at the subject of their discourse, her eyes wide with apprehension. “He looks, well, too gentlemanly for such nastiness.”
Mr. Todd stood speaking with Lord Kendrick, and the two men could not have appeared more different. The agitated Lord Kendrick was stout, with wiry blond hair and generous, bulbous features and skin colored by a constant flush. By contrast, the calm Mr. Todd was dark-haired and lanky with a handsome, moon-pale face. Where Lord Kendrick fluttered about in a persistent state of agitation, Mr. Todd stood at ease, his only movement in the dark eyes, which veered frequently to Lady Pomfry’s bosom.
“He is a fine-looking man, I’ll grant you that.” Janelle tapped her chin. “And has a decent enough reputation. Is recently from Nottingham or thereabouts, where he owns quite a handsome property, I’ve heard. He’s known to be good at cards and pays his debts with alacrity.” She sniffed. “Lord Unterberg also seems unlikely. He has a respectable portion from an uncle who’s a landowner in Wales and is generally well regarded. No gambling problem that I could uncover. No scandal between the sheets.”
“You’ve quite the talent for this espionage business,” Edwina marveled. “Your mind is like glue.”
Janelle beamed. “Why, that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me, Edwina.”
“Uh-oh,” Ginny murmured. “Cat on the prowl.”
Lady Pomfry approached Mr. Todd, her hips rolling to great effect. His eyes flew to her chest, and her half grin let him know she knew full well he was staring at her bosom. He said something, and the lady’s laugh rang throughout the chamber, as if she wanted everyone to grasp how entertaining she was.
Edwina turned away. “One of us must try to get a peek at his shoes. Perhaps at dinner. Prescott says we must consider every male guest a possibility…”
“Prescott’s been so astoundingly sweet.” Pressing her hand to her chest, Ginny’s eyes were bright. “And he’s thrown his heart into this matter with such conviction. I am so blessed to have such dear friends.”
Edwina stepped close and gave her small shoulders a hug, inhaling the familiar rosewater scent. “We all are.”
Ginny’s smile was shaky. “Prescott is such an excellent judge of chara
cter. We’re so lucky to have him with us.”
“I’ve been thinking that…when all is said and done here…” Edwina’s cheeks heated as she looked down at the rim of her glass. “Perhaps Prescott can assist me and my cousin Henry with our Cambridge development. Calm the muddied waters, so to speak, and help me repair the transaction. It’s not that far to Cambridge from here…” And it would give them more time together without having to say good-bye.
Just the thought of parting from Prescott felt like an iron shroud draped on her shoulders. He did seem fond of her. Mayhap not as infatuated as she was, but possibly fond enough to continue with the affair.
“I think that’s a wonderful idea.” Ginny smiled. “I know how disappointed you were with the failed negotiations.”
“Yes, well, I will have to persuade him. He only promised us a short time…”
Gently hugging Edwina’s waist, Ginny teased, “Somehow I don’t believe that it will take much convincing.” Her confidence soothed.
Another tinkling laugh rang in the chamber, along with some sounds of distress.
Edwina turned. Mr. Greene was flurrying about Lady Pomfry in a fit of agitation as he practically ogled her breasts while poor Mrs. Greene’s face was beet red, her bosom heaving with obvious distress and her face crumpled as if she was on the brink of tears.
“What happened?”
Janelle scowled. “Mr. Greene dropped his quizzing glass into Lady Pomfry’s wine glass.”
“Oh dear,” Ginny raised her hand to her mouth. “Poor Mrs. Greene.”
Ever the perfect hostess, Lady Kendrick took the distressed Mrs. Greene by the arm and led her out of the room.
Lady Pomfry, on the other hand, had no notion of being anywhere but at the center of the attention. Her face was rosy, her smile wide and her eyes bright as they scanned the room with a self-satisfied gleam.
“I’ll bet she’s only disappointed Prescott wasn’t here to see it.” Janelle swirled the claret in her glass as she glared at Lady Pomfry. “No doubt she’ll ensure that he hears of it, while she weaves it into the most comically entertaining story of the century. It will be practice for recounting the tale to the rest of society, a thousand times over back in town.”
Edwina shook her head, disgusted. “Mrs. Greene will never live it down.”
“I never thought I’d be the one to say it,” Ginny intoned, “but I think I might hate that woman.”
“Get in queue,” Janelle muttered.
Lady Pomfry suddenly stilled, her bosom lifting, her glance ablaze as she turned to face the threshold.
Prescott stood in the doorway, resplendent in his black-and-white formal attire. His hair was slicked back with pomade, making his face seem sharper, more angular and his lips all the more sensual for the contrast.
Edwina’s heart skipped a beat as she held her breath.
Lady Pomfry glided over to Prescott, a warm smile on her peach-colored lips. Edwina wasn’t near enough to overhear, but she could just imagine what the matron was saying.
Prescott’s eyes fixed on Lady Pomfry, his attention set.
Edwina’s heart sank.
Then Prescott bowed and stepped around the sputtering Lady Pomfry as his gaze traveled the room. His eyes met Edwina’s and he smiled.
Something lightened inside Edwina’s chest and she breathed once more. Smiling shyly at him, she realized that it wasn’t just her cheeks that warmed when he was near. Since knowing him, her body seemed to smolder in a constant heat, then blaze instantly when Prescott touched her. He was the flint, and she the wood, just waiting to be ignited. Oh, dear, she really was head-over-heels infatuated.
“Ladies.” He accepted Janelle’s extended hand and bowed, his swept-back hair glistening dark in the candlelight.
“You are looking very handsome tonight.” Ginny beamed as he bowed in turn to her.
“I am but a pale shadow to the three muses standing before me.” Reaching for Edwina’s white-gloved hand, he raised it to his lips. “Especially, my fiancée, the muse of chaos.”
The slow burn began at Edwina’s fingertips then up her arm to every patch of skin. “Chaos?” Her voice was breathless.
“My mind seems to muddle when you are near, leaving only one thought.”
“What’s that?” Her heart began to dance and her skin flame.
“How long it will be until we are alone again,” he said, his tone a husky burr. He lingered over her hand, his warm breath caressing her through the silk, a clear indication of what he would do to her once they truly were alone.
With his fingers caressing the underside of her wrist, the blood rushed through her veins so powerfully that she felt light-headed. If he weren’t still holding her hand, she might just melt into the floor.
“That practicing seems to really be working,” Janelle commented with a wry twist of her lips. “You’re getting much better at this, Edwina. Even I’m half-convinced you’re in love with him.”
Edwina blinked. Then her cheeks heated. She removed her hand.
Prescott released her, yet the promise of what was to come flashed in his emerald gaze so powerfully, she felt as if they still touched.
“Prescott, darling.” Lady Pomfry glided up and slipped her white-gloved hand into the crook of his arm. “You’d run off.”
Edwina’s heart sank as she saw Prescott’s gaze drop to the woman’s exposed bosom. Her heart dipped even lower when Prescott didn’t break his arm away from the lady.
He tilted his head. “My lady.”
“My lady? Oh, you’re being so silly, darling. After how close you and I have been you know you can only call me Daphne.”
“Yes, well, you know my friends, Lady Blankett, Lady Genevieve—”
“Yes, yes.” Lady Pomfry waved her hand. “We’re all acquainted.”
“Good.” Prescott extricated himself from her arm and moved to step beside Edwina. “Then you also know that Lady Ross is my betrothed.”
Edwina wanted to sing, but instead pasted a cool look of disdain on her face. She knew he was doing it for the ruse, but still, it was as cold a shoulder as he could give his former paramour.
Snapping open her fan, Lady Pomfry waved it about her face as her hand trailed her exposed shoulder, reminding Edwina of one of Fanny’s maneuvers. “I can hardly believe…”
“Believe it.” Prescott’s tone was cool. “For it’s true.”
Lady Pomfry’s eyes flashed blue fire. “A man makes mistakes, and upon realizing them, if he begs forgiveness, he may be welcomed back—”
“Daphne,” Prescott warned.
“It’s inconceivable that you’d choose this ugly, beak-nosed—”
“Didn’t you feel the door slam on your derriere?” Janelle snapped. “The man sent you packing. Have the good grace to know when you’re no longer wanted.”
Lady Pomfry’s eyes widened and then narrowed. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised by your bitterness…” Stabbing her fan in Janelle’s direction, she turned up her nose. “I’m sure the loss of your husband’s affections must be very hard on you…”
Janelle’s face drained of color.
“And if my son was such a public disgrace, a slobbering drunkard who—Ahh!” Lady Pomfry’s gauzy ivory dress was suddenly coated in burgundy liquid.
Edwina looked down to find her wineglass empty. Discovering an ogre inside her glass wouldn’t have shocked her more.
Lady Pomfry was shaking with fury, her mouth opening, then closing and then opening again, like a bug’s.
The room fell silent, only broken by Lady Pomfry’s gasping. Her breasts heaved and her eyes flashed with hatred.
“Bitch.” Lady Pomfry tossed her entire glass at Edwina.
Prescott caught the glass, miraculously, but not before it splattered both of them with claret.
“I think you’ve caused enough trouble for one night, young lady.” Sir Lee grabbed Lady Pomfry’s arm. She struggled to pull away, but his grip was too tight. “Enough!”
“You’re hurting me!” she hissed.
“It’s time for you to retire to your rooms.” Sir Lee’s tone was hard.
“I’ll go when I’m damn well ready and no sooner!”
“You’ll go now,” came a voice from near the door. Lady Kendrick’s lower lip quivered and her eyes were bright. “I think we’ve had enough of your brand of entertainment, Lady Pomfry. I believe I’m ready for some of mine.”
Edwina’s heart twisted with guilt over her contribution to this debacle; their hostess had worked too hard to see her party crumble in a social mêlée.
Lord Kendrick moved to stand by his wife, for once calm as he offered his arm. “If you would lead the way, darling. I, for one, am ready for dinner.” They turned and left the room, arm in arm, heads held high.
Lady Pomfry eyed the remaining guests as a cornered fox eyes the hounds. She lifted a shoulder, pretending to be comme il faut. “I’ve always said that country life is boring. I was just trying to liven things up.”
Slowly, each member of the party drifted to follow Lord and Lady Kendrick, leaving only Lady Pomfry standing in a pool of candlelight, alone with her stained tiffany silk and her bitterness.
Chapter 27
Later that evening, Prescott and Edwina stood next to an ivory column in the candlelit conservatory. By mutual consent they’d lingered with the other guests and not slipped out to search Lord Unterberg’s rooms as originally planned. Their efforts to unmask the blackmailer were put aside, for the moment, as they tried not to draw more attention to themselves and to be the kind of guests that Lady Kendrick deserved.
All of the other guests had apparently felt the same, as they relaxed on or around the spindly Chippendale furniture near the French doors leading into the house. Janelle and Ginny stood with Sir Lee nearby, next to a lovely fountain with a statute of Gaia, Mother Earth, pouring water from a stone pitcher.
Sir Lee had been particularly attentive to Janelle since the incident with Lady Pomfry, and Prescott made a mental note to thank the man for it later. Sir Lee seemed to be a good sort and a natural addition to their small circle.
Sari Robins - [Andersen Hall Orphanage] Page 22
