Miss Verey’s Proposal

by Nicola Cornick

  The room was completely empty. Jane tiptoed forward and reached tentatively for a slice of cold chicken pie. It was absolutely delicious, light and creamy with a flaky pastry crust. She licked her fingers, looking dubiously at the gap left on the plate where the slice should have been. Someone would be sure to notice the space.

  ‘All alone, my lady?’

  Jane jumped violently. She had not heard anyone approach, despite keeping a wary eye out for attentive servants. Yet the gentleman in the dark green domino was standing almost directly behind her.

  The dark gaze behind the mask moved from Jane’s guilty, flushed face to the pie dish. ‘You could rearrange the remaining slices,’ he suggested with a hint of a smile. ‘I am sure that no one would notice. But only if you also removed this-’ And he stretched out a hand and touched Jane’s cheek. A crumb of pastry floated down to the floor.

  He had not been wearing gloves and his touch seemed to burn Jane’s skin. For a moment her startled gaze locked with his, then she took a hasty step back. She knew at once who he was, despite the disguise of the domino and mask. She had known as soon as he had touched her.

  A footman and maid came in, bringing huge silver dishes of fruit, and the silence between them was broken.

  ‘Perhaps I should escort you back to the ballroom,’ the gentleman said gently, and there was a note in his voice that Jane did not understand. He offered her his arm and she took it without a word. She felt as though her whole body was tingling, alive to his touch. The recognition between them was not a matter of names or even faces, but something far deeper.

  ‘You must tell me how I may address you,’ the Duke said lazily, steering her purposefully along the colonnade that skirted the ballroom, and away from Mrs Brantledge’s curious gaze. ‘It is important to settle such matters early on at a masquerade, for you could equally be a Duchess or a milkmaid in disguise!’

  Jane smiled a little, remembering the curious pleasure she had felt when he had called her ‘my lady’. It seemed that they were to pretend to anonymity, which was, after all, the purpose of a masked ball. She had no objection, but she was certain that he had recognised her all the same. And she was wary. Why had he pretended to be engaged elsewhere and then attended the masquerade? What was his intention in seeking her out? And had he remembered that she should have been wearing a rose pink domino?

  ‘Oh, I am nothing so exciting as either of those,’ she said, with a smile, playing for time. ‘I am only a young lady who has but recently come to Town!’

  ‘Then it seems I must be formal, madam, if that is all the help you will give me.’ Alex’s gaze was warm with appreciation as it dwelt on her face. ‘A young lady I could have guessed-a beautiful young lady, perhaps…Does your mama know how dangerous it is to allow you to wander unattended at a masquerade ball? There are plenty of gentlemen less scrupulous than I who would be eager to take advantage!’

  Jane could see that this might well be true. Before they had arrived that night she had wondered at the appeal of a masked ball. Now she was experiencing it for herself. Freed by the disguise of a mask and domino, one might pretend to be whomever one pleased and flirt as one chose. It was strangely seductive, even to so level-headed a girl as Jane.

  ‘I prefer to keep my name a secret, sir,’ she said, ‘just as you do yours, so you must call me what you will!’

  ‘Ah…’ she could see that he was smiling now ‘…but then I might offend you by having to call you sweetheart! Such endearments suit you well!’

  ‘I thank you, sir, that is quite enough!’ Jane realised that a strategic retreat was necessary already-he moved far too quickly. ‘I said that I was a young lady-’ she stressed the word ‘-and you must believe it, sir! No doubt my chaperon will be so good as to reinforce the point when you return me to her!’

  The gentleman inclined his head. ‘Your point is well made and well taken, ma’am! And that being the case, may I not keep you from her side a little longer? It is seldom one has the chance to match wits with a diamond of the first water!’

  ‘A diamond, sir?’

  ‘The sharpness, ma’am, as well as the beauty-do not tell me that you do not understand me. Diamonds cut diamonds, they say.’

  Jane caught her breath. She could not deny that this was an intriguing skirmish, but it was hardly wise. She remembered her mama’s strictures that ladies should never appear to be too clever, ‘For you have a distressingly mathematical turn of mind, dear Jane, and I do beg you to dissemble it as much as possible. The gentlemen will not understand, nor wish to humour you…’

  Yet the Duke of Delahaye had always expressed himself delighted to have the chance to pit his wit against hers, just as he was doing now.

  ‘Have we met before, sir?’ she asked innocently, testing how far he might take the pretence.

  ‘No, indeed,’ the Duke said smoothly, ‘for I should not have forgotten!’

  ‘How odd! I could have sworn…Then it is strange-’

  ‘To feel such recognition, ma’am? I am flattered that you should think so!’

  ‘I was about to say that it is strange that you should seem to presume on a longer acquaintance, sir!’ Jane finished sweetly, and heard him laugh.

  ‘Do you know, ma’am, I have the oddest feeling that the more time I spend in your company, the more I shall have to accustom myself to such set-downs!’

  ‘Then pray do not put yourself through the experience, sir,’ Jane concluded gently. ‘My chaperon is just a few steps away and may take me off your hands!’

  There was a silence. The pillars cast long shadows and Jane suddenly experienced the illusion that they were quite alone, rather than within feet of a ballroom full of four hundred people.

  ‘Your suggestion holds little appeal, I fear, ma’am,’ Alex said silkily. ‘I would far rather dance with you!’

  Jane opened her eyes wide. ‘A most autocratic invitation, my lord!’

  ‘You attribute a rank to me, ma’am?’

  ‘A high one to suit your manner, sir!’

  He laughed. ‘Come and dance with me, if you please!’

  The music was just striking up.

  ‘A waltz!’ Jane hung back.

  ‘I collect that you must have danced at Almack’s?’ Jane realised that he was teasing her. Who would know that better than he?

  ‘As you know, sir! But-’ Jane was suddenly wary. It was too late. He had swept her on to the floor with an expertise that was very familiar.

  There was also a difference between verbal fencing and this altogether more disturbing intimacy, Jane thought breathlessly. Clasped so close to the Duke, the dancers around them dipping and swirling, she felt frighteningly powerless. The awareness that was flooding her body was familiar and exciting, threatening to sweep her beyond common sense. The atmosphere of the masquerade, daring and raffish, could only encourage such abandonment.

  ‘The supper dance is next,’ Alex remarked, reclaiming Jane’s attention from her wayward thoughts as the last strains of the waltz died away. ‘You will not be wanting to miss that.’

  ‘No, indeed.’ Jane blushed at the memory of being caught with her mouth full of chicken pie. ‘I am promised for that dance, sir. I must beg you to return me to my chaperon.’

  ‘A pity. Remember to hurry into the supper room at the end of the dance and you may be able to take another piece of pie before anyone notices,’ her escort said smoothly. ‘Otherwise there will be endless speculation on who the mystery eater could be-one of the servants may even be dismissed as a result!’

  ‘You are unchivalrous to remind me, sir,’ Jane murmured. She could see her partner for the supper dance approaching Mrs Brantledge. ‘What could be more humiliating than being found stealing the food?’

  ‘But it shows an interesting trait of character, perhaps…’

  ‘That I like food?’

  ‘That you will take risks to achieve what you want, ma’am.’

  Their eyes met again, a quizzical expression in his. Jane wrenched
her gaze away. What was this peculiar affinity that threatened her, this attraction that was like nothing she had ever experienced before? She had told herself that it was only common sense to try to keep out of his way, but the shaming truth was that she had no wish to do so. She was not at all certain of his next move. It was like an engrossing game of chess, but with an added edge of sensual awareness between the two of them. Jane frowned. His Grace of Delahaye might well be accustomed to playing such sophisticated games, but she was not at all sure that she would be able to carry it off!

  ‘Lord Harvey is waiting for me, sir,’ she said, a little at random. ‘Please excuse me.’

  He bowed. ‘Certainly, ma’am. I shall see you later, perhaps.’

  Jane, trembling inside, hoped that that was unlikely. Now that good sense had reasserted itself, she intended to do everything in her power to avoid him. From the dance floor she watched the green domino skirt the edge of the room and take up a position by the door of the supper room, resting his broad shoulders against the wall as he watched her with undisguised interest. Jane shivered a little. She was becoming too entangled in this! Her feelings were hopelessly engaged and it seemed that Alex did not intend to allow her to withdraw.

  Lord Harvey’s bland presence was soothing. He made few conversational demands upon her and Jane began to relax as the country dance progressed, although Alex’s continued scrutiny was unsettling. It was only as they progressed through the set that Jane realised that Philip and Sophia were also dancing, Sophia resplendent in the pink domino that should have been Jane’s own. Jane risked another glance across at Alex and saw with a sinking heart that his gaze was also following Philip and Sophia. She knew that he would not be slow to put two and two together.

  Jane realised that Simon had abandoned the card tables and was also dancing, his partner being a slender girl with very fair hair. Jane did not recognise her and wondered who she could be. There was a look on her brother’s face that arrested her attention, for all that he had the protection of the mask. Jane sighed silently. So Simon was also succumbing to Cupid’s arrow! It seemed that she was surrounded by romance and her own foolhardy heart had to choose an entirely inappropriate subject for its affections!

  For once Jane did not enjoy supper, not because she was worrying about the piece of pie but because she was like a cat on hot bricks trying to locate the Duke of Delahaye. It seemed, however, that the green domino had vanished and, once fortified by food, Jane felt a little better. Her dance card was full and the rest of the evening fled, until Sophia touched her arm late on in the evening.

  ‘Jane! It is only ten minutes to the unmasking! Are we to exchange dominoes?’

  They slipped away to Lord Aston’s study. There, the pink and the blue dominoes were hastily exchanged and Sophia hurried back to the ballroom to be blamelessly at Mrs Brantledge’s side at the unmasking. Jane tarried a moment, so that they should not be seen returning together. She smiled a little, thinking of the neatness of her plan and how well it had worked in the end. Lady Verey knew that her daughter’s domino had been pink and Sophia’s blue. Now there would be plenty of people to report to her that Lord Philip had spent all evening dancing attendance on the pink domino…Her smile faded as she thought of the Duke of Delahaye. He too had known that her domino was supposed to be pink. That meant that either he had not recognised her earlier, and would flirt with any pretty girl he met, or that he was just playing along with her to see where the deception was leading, or that she had been mistaken and the green domino had not been the Duke at all…Jane gave up. It was a tangled web and she was becoming hopelessly confused.

  She checked the clock and decided to give Sophia another minute before she followed her back to the ballroom. Lord Aston had a carved marble chess set on a round table before the window. Jane moved the Queen idly.

  ‘All alone at the unmasking, Cinderella?’

  She had not heard anyone come in. Whirling around, her heart pounding, Jane caught her breath on a gasp.

  ‘Oh, sir, you startled me! I was about to go back to the ballroom…’

  The green domino’s gaze fell on the chessmen.

  ‘It is a fine set. Do you play?’

  ‘Yes,’ Jane said, ‘my father taught me.’ She put the Queen back in her appointed place.

  ‘A game of cunning and strategy.’

  ‘If played well…’ Jane saw the glimmer in his eyes and smiled back in spite of herself. ‘I make no claims to be a good player…’

  ‘I am sure you are not doing yourself justice, ma’am! What other games do you play?’

  ‘I do not gamble, sir, if that is what you mean…’ Jane’s breath caught a little. She knew exactly what he meant. Any moment now he would identify himself and upbraid her for her latest trick. He must know now that she had exchanged dominoes with Sophia and that it was Sophia, not she, who had spent the evening with Lord Philip.

  ‘Excuse me, sir.’ She was glad that her voice did not betray her. ‘I think I should rejoin my party. They will be missing me…’

  The long-case clock in the corner chimed the hour, making her jump.

  ‘It is time for the unmasking,’ the green domino said, his eyes intent on her face. ‘Am I to be denied knowledge of the identity of so fascinating a companion? I assure you, it is the only reason I have lingered so long at the ball…’

  He put out a hand to pull back the hood of Jane’s domino, reaching for the ties to her mask.

  She could feel his fingers amongst her tumbled black curls and her whole body started to tremble. The mask came away and Jane felt as though she were naked. There was no chance of escape now. To play the innocent could be her only defence.

  ‘You have the advantage of me, sir…’ Her voice was husky. His hand brushed her cheek for a moment, sending more quivers of sensation along her nerve-endings. He pulled his own mask away with a quick, impatient gesture.

  ‘Not so, Miss Verey. You have known my identity all evening, have you not?’

  Jane cleared her throat. ‘All evening, sir?’

  Alex’s dark eyes pinned her to the spot. ‘Come now, Miss Verey, where is your much-vaunted honesty? Are you denying that you spent some time in my company earlier?’

  Jane’s wide green eyes met his virtuously. ‘How could I know, sir? All the guests have been masked…’

  She could see from his expression that he did not believe her and he looked to be torn between laughter and exasperation. He took a step forward and Jane’s heart leaped into her throat. Her instinctive movement away caused the pale candlelight to shimmer for a moment on the rose pink domino; the shadows shifted and then Alex stood back suddenly, his voice changing abruptly.

  ‘A pink domino, Miss Verey?’

  ‘As you see, sir.’

  ‘No doubt Miss Marchment is in blue?’

  ‘Indeed she is.’

  ‘But you were wearing the blue domino earlier this evening?’

  ‘You might well have believed that, your Grace.’

  Alex looked as though he was uncertain whether to shake her or kiss her. For a moment Jane was held captive by the expression in his eyes, then he said,

  ‘Oh, Miss Verey, I believe that it is not safe to let you from my sight!’

  He sketched a slight bow and watched her positively run from the room. The oak door latched with a firm click behind her.

  Alexander Delahaye slumped into an armchair, running a hand through his rumpled black hair. It was only with the greatest effort of will that he had made himself let Jane Verey go. His instinct, more powerful than anything he had felt in a very long time, had prompted him to crush her to him and kiss her until she could no longer stand.

  As soon as he had met her in the supper room he had recognised her, blue domino or not. He remembered her references to wearing a pink domino and suspected that she had tricked him again. When he saw Philip paying court to the lady in pink, he had been certain.

  Nevertheless, some impulse had led him to flirt with her, a whim tha
t he barely understood but was forced to admit he had found deeply enjoyable. Jane’s quick wit and willingness to cross swords with him were most stimulating. She was an intriguing conundrum, at once so daring and yet so innocent, risking a little then drawing back! Alex sighed. These were not the feelings he should be having for his brother’s future bride! He stretched out his long legs and looked covetously at the decanter of brandy standing on Lord Aston’s bureau. Suddenly he needed a drink.

  Simon Verey was having a bad evening. He had lost the angelic beauty who had granted him one dance earlier in the evening and now his sister had disappeared as well. Belatedly remembering that he had promised his mother that he would look after Jane and Sophia, he started to search the ballroom for them.

  A blue domino was visible in one of the alcoves, talking to a gentleman in black who looked completely besotted. Simon frowned. Had Jane been wearing pink or blue? Was that Sophia? Her face was turned away from him but the fair hair curling from beneath the hood certainly suggested that it could not be Jane.

  Scowling, Simon ventured into the empty supper room and out into the conservatory. There were plenty of people strolling there, but none of them were Jane. Finally Simon stepped out into the garden, where the cool night air was refreshing after the humid atmosphere in the house. Giggles and rustling from behind the bushes suggested that the most amorous of the party-goers had decided to further their acquaintance in the relative privacy of the darkness. Simon did not for one moment believe that his sister would be amongst them, but he was almost ready to strangle her anyway. He retraced his steps to the terrace.

  ‘I beg you, sir, to let me go! Your suggestions disgust me!’

  Simon swung round abruptly. He knew that it was not Jane, but he recognised the voice. The shifting shadows of the terrace moved a little to show the slender shape of a girl struggling violently in the grip of a burly individual almost twice her size. There was a ripping sound and an exclamation from the man, who appeared to be bending her back against the parapet until it seemed she must break in half. Simon hurried forward and took him by the collar.