by Vikki Vaught
Charles returned with the most beautiful bouquet that Melody had ever seen. With a dreamy expression on her face, as she gazed at the gorgeous flowers, she said, “Oh my, they are certainly lovely. I don’t think I have ever seen such beautiful roses in my life, but I’m still not going to get my hopes up yet. Remember, I did just meet the man for the first time last night. I’m sure he does this all the time and it doesn’t mean anything.”
“Well, I still say it’s a very good sign, and I, for one, am going to enjoy watching how this all comes about for you,” she replied.
Melody said, “If I’m going to get to the orphanage in time, I need to leave right away. I’ll see you this afternoon when I get back.”
As Melody turned to leave the room, Aunt Miriam said, “Make sure that you take your maid with you and the footman also. Remember, you must be very careful to protect your reputation at all times. This isn’t like the country where you had more freedom. You must be extremely cautious, and make sure that you don’t give anyone any reason to think poorly of you.”
“Yes, Aunt Miriam, I’ll take them both with me, and I’ll be very careful. I do know what is expected of me while in town.” Melody left the breakfast room and returned to her room to get her pelisse. She then went back downstairs and left for the orphanage. It was such a fine morning she decided to walk. Soon, she was at St. Mark’s; she saw her friend Susan Wilton and waved to her.
“Melody, I saw you dancing with a gorgeous man last night at Lady Walton’s ball. How did you meet him? What is his name? I’m so envious!” Susan said.
Melody laughed, and replied, “His name is Lord Montgomery, and he’s the second son of the Duke of Sanderford. Lady Walton introduced us last night, and then he asked me to dance, but I actually met him earlier on the terrace, before we had been formally introduced. He seems to be a very pleasant young man, and he has asked me to go driving with him this afternoon.”
“Oh, Melody, how exciting! I would just die for the chance to meet someone like him. Do you think he has a friend for me?” she asked.
Melody sighed as she said, “Susan, you sound as bad as my aunt. She’s already got us walking down the aisle to get married, and all because some attractive man asked me to dance and go for a drive. I’m sure that it won’t amount to anything, so let’s not talk about it anymore, all right?”
Susan and Melody went into the orphanage and started helping with the children. Soon she forgot all about Lord Montgomery and had a very pleasant morning playing with all the children. Before she realized it, the time had flown by, and it was time to leave. Melody and Susan hugged each other as they said good-bye, and they agreed to meet again in two days.
The bookseller was on the way to the dressmakers, so she stopped in to see if the new Minerva Press novel was in. She was delighted to find that they did have it in stock. Next, she went on to the dressmaker and picked up her new riding habit, which was deep emerald green with red piping on the sleeves and around the waist of the jacket. This was a very good color for her, because it brought out the green flecks in her eyes. Melody could hardly wait to wear it on her morning rides. She loved to ride, but she had never had much of an opportunity when she lived at home, so she was just beginning to become proficient. Lady Helton had a good stable of horses and encouraged her to ride as often as she wished. Melody had taken advantage of this and had gone riding several times during the season with some of her gentlemen callers. She noticed the time and knew that she needed to hurry, if she was going to have time to get ready for her drive with Lord Montgomery.
When she arrived back at Lady Helton’s house, she hurried upstairs and changed. She picked out a sprigged muslin yellow gown, with white ribbons tied under her breasts. It was one of her favorite gowns, and she hoped Lord Montgomery would think she looked pretty in it. Millie fixed her hair, braiding a matching ribbon through it. As she was leaving her room, she glanced over at the beautiful yellow roses she had received from Lord Montgomery that morning. Again, she grew excited about seeing him. Would he look at her the same way he had looked at her last night, or would he realize she was too short and plump to be of interest to him. When Melody heard someone knocking on the front door, she thought that it must be him. The footman came to let her know that Lord Montgomery was there and that he was waiting for her in the drawing room.
Once she arrived downstairs, she stopped at the door to take a deep breath, hoping it would slow her heartbeat down. She did not want to appear too anxious, so she calmly opened the door and entered the room. Lord Montgomery was standing by the mantle and looked up as she entered. Their eyes met, and again, she felt that same sensation she had felt last night when she first saw him on the terrace. Lord Montgomery bowed to her as she curtsied and lowered her eyes.
Lord Montgomery asked, “Are you ready for our drive? I brought my new curricle, and I thought we could go to Hyde Park this afternoon, if that’s agreeable with you?”
Melody looked over at Henry and said, “Good afternoon, Lord Montgomery, that sounds delightful. It’s such a beautiful spring day, and for a change, there’s not a cloud in the sky. I noticed that this morning on my walk.”
Lord Montgomery turned to Lady Helton and said, “My lady, we’ll leave for the park now. I’ll return Miss Canterfield-Smyth within the hour.”
Lord Montgomery offered Melody his arm, and they walked out to his curricle. He helped her up into the seat, and soon, they were off. The traffic was extremely heavy, and there were dozens of carriages all going in the same direction. Lord Montgomery had to give his full attention to driving, so they did not talk. Melody looked around and noticed all the people walking along the street. There were street vendors hawking their wares and little street urchins running up to carriages trying to earn a coin or two. She realized she would miss all the hustle and bustle of London when she returned to Little Smythington. Melody sighed deeply as she thought about leaving London. Now that she had met Lord Montgomery, she was not as anxious to go home as she had been. She surreptitiously glanced over at Lord Montgomery and thought about how much she enjoyed meeting him last night. Even though they were not talking, they were very in tune to each other, just as they were when they were dancing the night before.
Soon, they arrived at the park, and the traffic cleared out. Lord Montgomery turned to Melody and smiled, then said, “You look lovely today, even lovelier than you did last night. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. I know we only met last night, but I’m certainly looking forward to getting to know you better. Did you have a pleasant morning?”
Melody looked at Lord Montgomery as she replied, “I’ve been looking forward to our drive also and, yes, I did have a very pleasant morning. I volunteer at St. Mark’s Orphanage, so I spent part of my morning there. I want to thank you for the beautiful roses … Yellow roses are my favorite.” Melody glanced around at all the other carriages with so many of the ton and felt a twinge of pride because she was with such a handsome man as Lord Montgomery. Several people were looking at them as they drove by in his curricle, and she could see envy in some of the other young women’s eyes. This was the first time that anything like this had ever happened to her, and she was not sure whether she liked it or not. Mostly, she found it a bit embarrassing.
Henry smiled as he said, “The roses reminded me of your smile, all sunny and bright. I’m glad you liked them. They came from the hothouse at my parents’ house.”
They looked into each other’s eyes and smiled. She had never felt so connected to anyone in her life. This instant attraction was puzzling to her, because it had never happened to her before. Not knowing how to handle it, she looked away.
Henry boldly gazed into her eyes as he said, “I would like to get to know you better. I know we’ve just met, but it feels as if I’ve known you much longer. Have you always lived in Lincolnshire? How much longer are you going to be in London?”
As Melody looked around at all the beautiful gardens, with a myriad of color surrounding her
, she said, “I’ve lived in Lincolnshire my entire life, and until I came to London, I had no idea how wonderful all the entertainments could be that are available here. I had never been to an opera or a play, and I found out that I love both of them. I’m supposed to leave London in three weeks, and I’ll miss it terribly. Of course, I do look forward to seeing my parents again. My lord, you told me last night that you were in the army and that you have just returned from the continent. How long have you been in the army?”
“Yes, I’ve just returned, and I’m so relieved that we’ve finally defeated Bonaparte. War is very brutal, and I lost several very close friends over there. These were men that I have been fighting and serving with, for six years. I went into the army when I was eighteen years old. It was always a dream of mine, and since I was a second son, my father bought me my commission when I finished school. I’ll never regret joining the army, but I’m glad the war is finally over. I’m going to be helping my brother with some of the ducal holdings, eventually. I really want to see you as much as possible over the next few weeks before you go back to Lincolnshire. Will you allow me to see you again?” he asked.
Melody felt a tremor in her belly, and her palms were damp with perspiration. It thrilled her that he wanted to see her again. “If it pleases you, I would like to see you as often as you would like.” She looked up at him and just knew, she was in love, and it scared her to death. She had heard others talking about love at first sight, but she never expected it to happen to her. She did not want to be hurt, and she was afraid that she would be, because surely he could not return her regard so quickly, could he? She did notice that he looked so determined and earnest when he gazed into her eyes.
The drive went by quickly and soon it was time to return home. Lord Montgomery turned his curricle around, and they headed back. When they arrived, he helped her down from his curricle, and when he touched her hand, she felt a warmth run through her entire arm. The way he was looking at her, gave her an odd feeling in the pit of her stomach—something she had never felt before. Lord Montgomery’s eyes darkened and he looked so intense that it sent chills up her spine. As she reached the ground, he reluctantly let go of her hand.
He turned to her and asked, “Would it be convenient for me to pick you up tomorrow at ten o’clock? I’d like for us to go riding. Do you ride? If you do, I’d like to do that tomorrow. I’d be happy to procure a horse for you, if you need me to.”
“I’ve been learning to ride since I arrived in London, and I enjoy it immensely. My aunt has several horses in her stable, so I’d be pleased to go riding with you, my lord.” The thought of riding with Lord Montgomery sent shivers throughout her entire body.
Henry escorted her inside, and took his leave from her and Lady Helton. Just as soon as he left, her aunt immediately started asking her questions about the time that they had spent together. As Melody removed her lace gloves, she turned to her aunt and said, “We had a delightful drive, and he has asked to see me as much as possible over the next few weeks, before I leave to go back home, and I told him that I would enjoy seeing him again.”
Miriam pulled her into her arms and hugged her as she said, “How absolutely marvelous! I just knew he was interested, and now he plans to court you. I’m so pleased for you, and he is such a nice young man. Melody, this is one you don’t want to let get away.”
Melody nervously twisted her hands and said, “Aunt Miriam, I’m scared. This is all moving so fast. How can I be sure that my feelings are real, when everything is happening so quickly? I think he is serious in his intent, but I just worry, because it’s so soon after we met. I don’t want to be hurt.”
Aunt Miriam patted her on the arm and said, “Melody, sometimes it only takes a moment to fall in love. That is how it happened for me with your uncle, and we had twenty-five wonderful years together, before I lost him. I’ve missed him everyday since his death, ten years ago. I’ve had opportunities to be with other men and even several marriage proposals, but there will never be anyone that can take your uncle’s place in my heart. All I can tell you is that sometimes, you just have to be brave and take a chance on love. See your young man as often as possible and just let nature take its course. All right, darling? I’m sure that you’ll be fine. I can tell by the way he looks at you that this is going to be an enduring attachment. I’m sure he returns your regard.”
CHAPTER 2
Early August 1814
MELODY AND HENRY spent time with each other everyday over the next few weeks. Each time they were together, they got to know each other a little better. The more time they spent together, the deeper their feelings grew. Each day, they would go for a drive in the park, ride their horses, or go on a picnic. In the evening, they would see each other at some of the parties that were still being held. Even though the season was almost over, some hostesses were still entertaining.
One evening, about a week after they had met, they went out onto the terrace to walk in the gardens. As they gazed into each other’s eyes, Henry could feel such a strong connection with Melody.
Henry gazed into her gorgeous sherry-colored eyes and said, “I’m so delighted that you came to the party tonight. I looked forward to seeing you this evening.”
“I wanted to see you too, my lord. Isn’t it a beautiful evening tonight? Just look at all the stars. Oh look, there’s a shooting star! I’ll have to make a wish!” Melody said.
She closed her eyes to make her wish, and Henry watched her and thought she was the most radiantly beautiful woman he had ever seen. “You’re so pretty with your lovely eyes shining so brightly in the moonlight. I think we have known each other long enough to use our given names, don’t you? May I call you Melody, and will you please call me Henry?”
Melody gazed into Henry’s crystal blue eyes and said, “Yes, I would like that very much, Henry. I agree we have known each other long enough to use our given names.”
Just hearing her say his name made him want to kiss her, so he stepped in closer, put his arms around her, and lowered his head. He felt her lips tremble, and he knew she was enjoying their kiss. As she closed her eyes, he gently stroked his lips across hers. They felt as soft as a rose petal, and he deepened the kiss, yet still keeping it gentle. Her untutored response excited him, because he sensed that this was her first kiss. He made a slight groan and lifted his lips from hers. He watched as she slowly opened her eyes and sweetly smiled at him. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that, but I don’t regret the kiss. Your lips looked so soft that I just couldn’t resist the temptation. Melody, I hold you in very high esteem, and I have the greatest respect for you. Please forgive my forwardness.” He took her hand, raised it to his lips, and he felt her hand tremble as he kissed her fingers, and desire ran through his body, stronger than he could ever remember feeling.
Melody softly whispered, “I’m not offended, and I enjoyed your kiss very much. That was the first kiss I have ever received, and I thought it was wonderful, Henry.”
He felt greatly honored that she had allowed him to be the first man to touch her delectable lips. Her plump lower lip had enticed him beyond endurance, and it pleased him that no other man had experienced her soft sweet lips. He stepped back and said, “As much as I enjoyed your kiss, we need to return to the ballroom, before anyone notices us missing.”
They walked back through the French doors. Both of them were feeling as if something remarkable had just happened. Henry noticed his best friend walking toward them. He turned to Melody and said, “Let me introduce you to my friend Bryan Willingham, the Earl of Weston.”
Weston stopped in front of Henry and asked, “Montgomery, are you ready to leave yet? Who is this lovely young lady with you? Would you please introduce us?”
Henry smiled and said, “Hello, Weston, please let me introduce you to Miss Canterfield-Smyth. She’s from Lincolnshire, and she’s visiting her aunt, Lady Helton.”
Weston elegantly bowed and then said, “Henry has spoken of you on several occasions, and
now I understand why. You’re very lovely. It’s a pleasure to meet you!”
Melody curtsied and said, “Thank you, my lord. Lord Montgomery has mentioned you to me also. He speaks very highly of you, and I’m pleased to make your acquaintance.”
Henry turned to Melody and raised her hand to his lips as he said, “Let me take you back to your aunt. Weston and I are leaving to go meet some of our friends. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow afternoon. I’ll pick you up at four o’clock so we can take our ride in the park. Oh, here’s your aunt coming now.”
Lady Helton smiled at Lord Weston as she said, “Hello, Lord Weston. It’s so nice to see you again. How is your mother? I haven’t seen her this season.”
“Thank you for asking about my mother. Her health has been poor, so she decided to remain at our country estate rather than coming to town this year,” Lord Weston replied.
“Please tell her I asked about her. I’ve always enjoyed your mother’s company. I hope she gets to feeling better soon.” Lady Helton turned to Melody and said, “Melody, I’m ready to leave. We promised to stop by Lady Bradford’s musicale this evening, so we need to be leaving if we are going to get there in time.”
“All right, Aunt Miriam, I’m ready.” Melody turned to Henry and said, “Lord Montgomery, I look forward to our ride tomorrow.” Then she looked over at Lord Weston and added, “It was very nice meeting you, Lord Weston.”
Melody and her aunt turned and walked away. Henry turned to Lord Weston and asked, “Is she not as lovely as I told you she was?”
Weston glanced over at Henry, then he said, “Yes, she is, and she also seems very nice, if a little shy. I can see why you’re so besotted with her!”
Henry grinned as he replied, “Well, I don’t know that I would call myself besotted, however I do enjoy her company greatly. Let’s leave and go meet our friends at White’s.”
The following day, Henry picked Melody up, and they went for a ride in Hyde Park, along Rotten Row. It was obvious that their horses were biting at the bit and wanted a good run. “Why don’t we have a little race to that tree over there? I’ll give you a head start, all right?”
