Page 4 of Wallflower Games: Lady Be Vengeful
“You’re going?” Blake raised a brow. “I did not think you would accept the invitation.”
“I feel obliged to,” he said in a solemn tone. “As Thornton will be there and I’d like to spend Christmas with him. Cora will want to be with her sister, and it is at Lady Harcrest’s house where this party is to take place. Everything is all tangled up and I don’t like it.”
“I don’t either, my friend,” Blake said honestly. “But what are we to do?”
“We are going to attend this party.” Castlebury met his gaze. “And we are going to have each other’s back. Neither one of us is going to find ourselves attached to a lady at the end of it. I will not be finding a wife at this house party.”
Blake stared at him, shocked at the suggestion. “You don’t actually believe that is a possibility, do you?”
“We have been at two house parties this year,” Castlebury said. “And at them three of our friends fell in love. It could happen.” He sighed. “And I do not wish it to. So we will go and we will stay by each other’s side. At the end, we will return home as unattached as we are now.
“All right,” Blake agreed. “We will do that. I don’t wish to have a wife either.”
“Good,” Castlebury said. He drained his brandy, then stood. “I’ll make the arrangements and we can travel together. Maybe we can find a reason to depart early too. I don’t want to remain at Harcrest Manor longer than we need to be. We can find some sort of convenient excuse to take our leave.”
“I will have my valet prepare my trunks. When will we leave?”
“Tomorrow morning,” the duke said. “If that is all right with you.” He stood and set his empty snifter on a nearby table.
“It is,” Blake said. “I’ll be ready.” Not that he wanted to go, but at least they had a plan.
The duke nodded and left the room. Blake looked at the invitation again. What was it about house parties, anyway? Why had his friends fallen in love at the last two? He must find discover why, so he didn’t fall prey to that befuddling emotion. He would never be so weak as to need a woman or go mad without her. Not him. Not ever.
Two
Emma tingled with anticipation. Everything was falling nicely into place. Every one of the invitations she’d sent had been accepted. The manor would be full for Christmastide. It would be marvelous, and not just because her revenge would finally come to fruition. Her friends would be there and they could celebrate together. She’d only had one friend before the wallflowers had sealed their pact, and that friend she hadn’t seen in years. That too, would change soon. At least she prayed it would.
She strolled into the sitting room and grinned. They were all there. The other guests wouldn’t arrive for another day or two, but the most important invitations went to the four ladies waiting forher—Lilah hadn’t received an invitation since, technically, she was the hostess. They were all drinking tea and chatting as if no time or distance had separated them. “Hello,” she said, then went over to join them. “I’m so happy to see everyone.”
Victoria grinned. “We are glad to be here.” She patted the side of the settee next to her. “Come sit. Tell me everything. I want to know your plans.”
Emma went over to the settee and sat next to Victoria. She should have poured herself a cup of tea first, but hadn’t thought of it. Perhaps she’d have some later.
“We all want to know,” Cora said, then sipped her tea. “I was excited when the invitation arrived. I suspected this was a scheme of yours. Especially, since Lilah hates socializing.” She wrinkled her nose. “Though bravo for having her be the hostess. You know all those harpies are savoring at the opportunity to see if Viscount Harcrest is still besotted with her.”
Lilah rolled her eyes. “That man adores me,” she said with a contented sigh. “I am truly fortunate to have won his heart. Though if you had asked me that prior to that house party, I would have thought you all mad.”
“Indeed,” Emma agreed. “The truth is that mybrother is the fortunate one. He could have ended up married to the likes of Lady Daisy Allen.”
“She’s awful,” Selena said. “He is indeed lucky that she didn’t sink her claws into him.” She took a sip of her tea. “Has anyone heard what’s happened with her? Anything new?”
“As far as we know,” Emma said with an evil grin. “She’s still at that finishing school her father sent her to.” Emma was all too familiar with that finishing school as she’d attended it. Lady Daisy was likely just as awful as the girls Emma had attended with. She would likely fit in famously. Though she wished with her whole heart that Lady Daisy was not treated well. Because otherwise that girl would never learn and would continue to believe herself above everyone. Just because she was the daughter of a duke did not mean she could be so awful to those around her.
“I still think she deserved worse than that,” Lilah said. “She nearly ruined my life. All because she thought Henry belonged to her. She was willing to do anything to have him. It’s just…wrong.”
“It is,” Selena agreed. “But she didn’t win. That is what you need to remember.” She nodded toward Emma. “And that’s now why we are here. This house party is for her to get her revenge.” She leanedback and stared at Emma. “What do you need from us?”
“Nothing,” she said. “But I suppose I can tell you my plans. Just in case help is needed that I haven’t already foreseen.”
“Go on,” Lilah encouraged. “What do we need to know?”
Emma stood and went over to the teacart to pour herself a cup of tea. She put two lumps of sugar into her cup, then stirred slowly. She wasn’t certain where to start or what she should tell them. How much was too much? She sighed and went and sat next to Victoria again. Emma sipped her tea and then closed her eyes briefly. When she opened them, all four of her fellow wallflowers were staring at her expectantly. “There is much I’ve told no one,” she said. “I mentioned as much to Lilah when we were discussing the invitation.”
“You did,” Lilah confirmed. “Are you ready to discuss it now?”
“Not entirely,” Emma said. “It has to do with my own experience at finishing school.” She hated thinking about that time. “Henry thought it would be good for me to go. I was terribly shy back then. I begged him to let me stay home. In some ways, it helped me to accept myself. I did grow bolderbecause of my time there.” She’d had to. If she hadn’t started to stand up for herself, she might not have survived that school. “But I am afraid I was always destined to be a wallflower.” Emma didn’t do well in social situations.
“What happened to you at school?” Victoria asked.
