Page 22 of My Lord, My Rogue
“A sparkling gold gossamer with a white satin under gown. It will be stunning. I have ordered a Venetian gold mask that will cover the top half of your face. No one will know you, and you, of course, will not tell!” her aunt exclaimed.
“Should I even ask what color you are wearing?” Honora ventured.
“A purple gossamer with silver threading. We picked out a beautiful deep lavender muslin for the underdress,” she said, wickedly. “I had to have it when I saw it!”
Shaken, Honora refused to believe her parents would consider this craziness. “Papa thinks this idea is good?”
“Not exactly. I have not spoken to your papa. Yet, your mother liked it. He usually goes along with whatever my sister wants to do. Honora, there will be over one hundred people there. We will hardly be noticed.” Aunt Violet became persistent. “Did I say the queen will be in attendance? These were difficult tickets to gain!”
A shudder of foreboding passed through Honora. “Perhaps if Queen Charlotte is there, Society will focus on her and we will be unnoticed.” This did not feel like a good idea. She had less than a week to think of a reason to stay home.
* * *
Benjamin feltthe need to wind down after a day that had been rather eventful already. He had risenonce againwith the sun to meet Jess who, he found, had contrived a temporary position among the queen’s entourage. He poured himself a brandy and turned his chair toward the window, content to sit and relax.
His rendezvous had been expeditious, although informative. It seems another lady-in-waiting left unexpectedly to attend to a family emergency, and the queen expected her to be detained for an extended period. The womanconvenientlyrecommended Jess to cover during her absence. Queen Charlotte enjoyed keeping her full court of ladies-in-waiting about her, especially when she traveled. He wondered how involved the regent had been in getting that to happen. He had met Jess this morning. The store had just opened and with no other patrons about, no one had noticed them.
“I have taken care of the earrings, Willington,” she said. “The real ones remain under lock and guard in the palace. Only a professional could see the difference between the ones she has and the real ones. Our focus will be on tracking him.”
“Tell me what you know about him,” he pressed.
“Only that his escapades become more dangerous each time. And that he seems to enjoy the Bard’s works.”
“How can I reach you?” he asked.
“It could be awkward. I will reach you. Should an emergency occur, leave this lace glove with the hotel desk as though you found it in the lobby. I will have let them know of its loss and sentimental value to me. I am also with the queen most of the time. When you see her, know I am near. Jess handed him a white lace glove and left the store.
He looked at the glove, noticing the tiny initialsJLBin the corner before stuffing it in his pocket. He had browsed an extra minute and spotted the peppermint sticks, a candy he recalled Honora loved. Giving his heart free rein, he had selected a few and had them wrapped in a small package before leaving.
He smiled, thinking of her reaction to the treats, anticipating he would present them to her on their outing. He had only been home an hour when Weathersby opened the door to his study and announced his mother’s arrival. They caught Benjamin daydreaming and staring out of the window behind his desk, from which he could still see the greenhouse in the distance.
He spun around in his chair and stood as his mother swished past the stunned butler. Benjamin bit his lower lip to keep from laughing. She was always unnerving Weatherby. The man had been with them all his life but had never learned to tolerate his mother’s straightforwardness—especially when she entered the room right behind him.
“Hello, Mother! I was just removing to the parlor, thinking you would be here shortly. I trust you are staying the night?”
“Yes, thank you. I asked Marie to see to the rooms.”
“No need. They are ready for you,” he said as a smile edged his mouth. It was rare to best his mother at anything. He took great delight in anticipating her needs and seeing to them before she could ask.
“Thank you, Benjamin. You will make a good husband, one day.” She gave him a coy look.
Good grief. I do not even have to guess as to the meaning of that sly look. What mischief has she stirred?Determined to avoid any discussion of marriage, he forged ahead with topics he thought benign. “Cook has been making your favorite turtle soup and some other dishes she mentioned. I confess, something distracted me when she was listing them.”
“Oh?” She arched an eyebrow. “Would it have anything to do with the greenhouse? My goodness! I forget who mentioned it, but someone told me you were replacing the glass panes. I know you have had no horticultural interests,” she said, pulling off her gloves and deliberately looking at her hands to avoid his ire.
“You arespyingon me, Mother?” he asserted good-naturedly.
“Oh heavens, no! I was merely listening to what others felt I should know,” she said, smiling. “I try to keep up, you know.”
“Of course, you do. Is it something that I should know?” he played along, pouring her a small glass of sherry and picking up the glass of brandy he had been nursing for a half hour.
“I ran into an old friend today,” she said, adjusting into the chair in front of his desk and taking a sip. “Lady Violet Drake.”
Benjamin started to say something but resisted. Instead, he schooled his face to show nonchalance. She wanted him to react. His mother was up to something.
Hearing nothing from her son, she continued, “Yes. I have not seen Lady Violet since long before Lord Drake passed, bless his soul. I was in Madame Chantalle’s looking at fashion plates, trying to decide on a new gown for the ball. We got to chatting, and I invited her to the ball being held in the queen’s honor next week. You do know Queen Charlotte will be here, I assume? They are readying the Roman Baths and all of her favorite places. She is to be here to take the waters and relax, according to what I have heard.”
“I had received that bit of news before I left London. You say you invited Lady Drake to go with you?”
