Page 70 of Lady for a Season
The ride was too short to cool her flushed cheeks. She entered Atherton House with her mask dangling in her hand, her heart beating fast at the knowledge that she would see Edward again shortly.
But of course the Duchess was standing in the hallway with Edward, passing her cloak to the footman. “We can only be grateful there is not another ball tomorrow night,” she was saying as Maggie entered, “I am quite worn out. Goodnight, Margaret,” she added, catching sight of Maggie and evidently expecting her to go immediately to bed.
Maggie hesitated, but to pause too long would look odd and so she made for the stairs. “Goodnight, Aunt Caroline.” She could not bring herself to utter Edward’s name without her voice shaking, so she began walking up the stairs, desperate to glance back but afraid to do so would show her feelings on her face.
Edward called her back. “Margaret.”
She turned at once, eager for the very sight of him.
He stood silent, one hand on the banister, his gaze steady on her. “Goodnight, Margaret,” he said at last, his voice low and warm.
“Goodnight, Edward.” Her voice shook, but she smiled, knowing from his tone that there was more he wanted to say, that only the Duchess’ presence was stopping him. For a moment longer she gazed at him, then walked quickly up the last stairs and turned into the corridor to her room.
At once the Duchess turned inquisitorial. “Did you dance with Miss Belmont?” she demanded.
Edward could not recall, but no doubt he had; he had danced with her at most balls this season. “Yes.”
“Good.”
She paused, as though about to say something else, but Edward needed to be alone with his thoughts, with the feelings rushing through him. “Goodnight, Mama.”
“Goodnight, Edward.”
He took the stairs two at a time but paused for a moment outside Maggie’s door. If he were to knock softly, she would come to him, he knew it, but that was too much, too soon. He was not sure that he could restrain himself if she were in his arms again. And there would be a difficult path to tread ahead, he knew that. It would be wise to sleep now. In the morning, they would speak together in private, they would find a way to be together, he would hold her close again and touch her lips with his, would whisper to her the words he had been denied speaking. In his room he lay smiling in the dark, waiting for a new day to dawn on this, their secret joy.
Maggie awoke to full daylight as Jane pulled open the curtains. For a moment tiredness from the night before overcame her and she closed her eyes again. But the masquerade came flooding back to her and she sat up in bed, cheeks flushed, heart beating faster.
Edward had kissed her.
He hadkissedher.
And he had known who she was, the intimacy had not been meant for someone else. He had removed both their masks and gazed into her eyes before he kissed her. And his hands on her body… his lips on her neck… the shining blue of his eyes…
“The blue, Miss?”
“What?”
Jane stood waiting; a blue muslin dress draped across her arms. “The blue?”
“Yes… yes of course, Jane, thank you.”
She had to wait for long agonising moments while Jane carefully dressed her in the shift, laced her stays, put on the stockings and tied her garter ribbons, adding the petticoat and finally the dress with its endless array of buttons. Her shoes. Her hair. All of it seemed to take far longer than it usually did. She did not much care how she was dressed, all she cared about was finding Edward. Finally released from Jane’s care, she all but ran down the stairs, smiling when she heard his voice coming from the drawing room, then came to a sudden halt in the hallway as a man stepped out of the shadows and she came face to face with Doctor Morrison.
“A word, Maggie.”
She gasped as a cold hard knot lodged in her stomach. “Doctor Morrison.”
“Is there a room where we can be alone?”
She swallowed and made a small gesture towards the morning room, glancing towards the drawing room, hoping against hope for Edward to appear.
“His Grace is speaking with Her Grace,” said Doctor Morrison, catching her gaze. “As you can imagine, he has some explaining to do.” He stepped briskly into the morning room and stood back, waiting for Maggie to join him. Once she did so, he closed the door behind her.
She waited for him to speak. Perhaps he knew nothing.
“I told you that I would be watching, Maggie,” the doctor said, his voice kindly. “I may not be exalted enough to attend these social occasions to which, through deceit, you have found yourself invited. But I have my… eyes and ears within this world. And what I was told unsettled me. I have heard of a growingcloseness between you and His Grace, a fondness, which I had hoped would progress no further. But last night, Maggie, last night,you were seen.”
She opened her mouth, but he shook his head. “Do me the courtesy of not protesting innocence, Maggie. You were seen. Edward waltzed with you, and then… you kissed.”
