Page 53 of Lord of Mischief
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Passing through the front of the house later that morning, Freddie found a letter slipped under the door.He picked it up and turned it over.
Lord and Lady Pole.
He eagerly tore it open.The Poles were regular entertainers in their Mayfair mansion.Entertainment meant a break from the monotony of living alone with a dog.It also meant a warm house and servants bearing platters of hot food.
A relieved smile found its way to his lips.It was an invitation to an informal gathering of friends and family for later in the week.An informal gathering for Lord and Lady Pole meant several hundred guests.He would make a brief appearance, eat, and then leave before he encountered anyone he knew.
Inside his father’s study, he found paper and pen and wrote a note of acceptance.Without thinking, he picked up his father’s bell and rang it.The ring resounded in the empty house.
“Fool.No one is going to take your note to them.”He would have to walk over to Mount Street and hand-deliver it himself.“Damn.”
Getting back into society in order to get a hot meal also meant skirting around its edges to keep news of his current financial situation a secret for as long as possible.His pride had taken enough of a battering.“Well if I am to play postmaster general, I may as well get a few other letters out,” he said.
He picked up a fresh piece of paper and set to work.It was a short note—there didn’t seem much point in going into too much detail.Osmont Firebrace would know the exact reason for Freddie’s resignation.When he was finished writing the letter he folded and sealed it.
“Well, that is one first I can lay claim to for myself.I am the first Rosemount to work at the House of Commons, and the first one to resign.”
Eve was not going to sit at home and pine over Freddie.As far as she and Caroline were concerned, the sooner she got back on the proverbial horse, the better.
“There are thousands of other fish in the sea,” said Eve.
Caroline handed Eve her cloak and patted her sister on the arm.“Absolutely, and you shall dance with every single one of those fish tonight.”
Eve looked at her sister and swallowed back the lump in her throat.It was odd that it had taken a broken heart for her to realize the pain she had caused her sister.Eve rejoiced in the rediscovery of her close friendship with her younger sister.The hours they spent together, talking, shopping, and laughing, were the well-needed balm to her soul.
Arriving inside the grand mansion in Mount Street, Eve and Caroline took their time to check their cloaks and make certain their gowns had not creased during the short trip from Dover Street.Francis took Eve’s arm and, as had become customary, Harry offered Caroline his.Eve and Caroline shared an encouraging smile.It was good to be out and socializing again as both sisters and friends.
Once inside the main ballroom, Francis wasted little time in finding an excuse to leave the girls.As he and Harry headed off to find the nearest cluster of unmarried young ladies, Caroline turned her back on them.“Thank the heavens they have gone.If Harry looks at me one more time tonight with those puppy-dog eyes I shall scream,” she said.
Eve was surprised to hear her sister speak in such a harsh way about their friend.Everyone knew Harry carried a flame for Caroline, but she had assumed Caroline was kind enough to tolerate him.
“Oh, don’t look at me like that, Eve.Harry is constantly lurking around me.I was a fool to spend time with his mother and sister.He now thinks he has a real chance of making me his wife.”
“You have told Francis to have a word with him, have you not?”replied Eve.
Caroline flipped out her fan and held it in front of her face.Eve leant in close.“I told him myself.He was making all manner of silly remarks at Will and Hattie’s wedding about me being the next one to be married.I took him aside and spoke plainly but carefully to him.I told him there was no chance for us.That if I hadn’t fallen in love with him by now, it was never going to happen.”
“And what did he say?”
“He said, time wore down even the largest of stones,” replied Caroline.
It was obvious there was nothing Caroline could say that would deter Harry.He had set his heart and mind on marrying her.
“Anyway, it doesn’t matter.I shouldn’t be talking about messy relationships considering how things—” Caroline stopped mid-sentence and gripped Eve’s arm.She raised a pointed finger toward a space over the other side of the ballroom.A space which was currently inhabited by the not so Honorable Frederick Rosemount.
Caroline drew in a haughty breath.“The cheek of that man showing himself in public so soon after what he did to you.”
Eve’s gaze settled on Freddie, and there it remained.“Yes, well, his misdeeds are not well known in society, so I expect he feels he can still attend social gatherings.”
Eve’s heart began to race.It felt like a lifetime since he had stood over her in the barn and told her he didn’t want her.A lifetime since he had ripped her heart to shreds.
She began to walk toward the dance floor, her gaze still locked on him.He turned and caught sight of her.She saw him flinch.His discomfort was deeply satisfying to her.
“What are you doing, Eve?”whispered Caroline beside her.
“Nothing.Just toying with a mouse,” came the reply.
