Beatrice embraced her friend and cheerfully exclaimed, “Oh, I am so happy for you, Minnie! You are to be married!” Holding her friend’s hands, she asked, “Tell me, is it everything you hoped it would be? Is Mr. DeLancy still the most perfect man for you?”
“A thousand times yes!” Minnie answered, her eyes shining with love. “Why, just the other day, he called upon me at my father’s Manor with the biggest bouquet I’d ever seen.” Her happiness was infectious, and Beatrice found herself feeling happier with every passing word. “There were so many that we had to usefourvases. And my mother was so pleased with how well they fit her stylings in our Manor.”
Beatrice turned then so that they could find Mr. DeLancy in the ballroom and gaze wistfully at the merry scene before them. Suddenly, Minnie frowned and asked, “Why are you out here all by yourself, Beatrice?” She teased the girl of twenty, “And what have you been up to that you need an alibi for Lady Ivanry?”
Minnie’s eyes followed Beatrice’s as they subconsciously moved to look at Mr. Grayson who, at that very moment, appeared to be making his way over to them. Beatrice sucked in a sharp breath, pulling herself and Minnie away from the door. He passed by them, both girls holding their breath for fear of being seen, and they watched as he ascended the stairs. It could have been Beatrice’s eyes playing tricks on her, but she would have sworn that the rakish gentleman glanced her way as if he meant to beckon her.
Once they believed him to be out of earshot, Minnie grinned widely. “I was right! Oh, Beatrice, youcannothave a fascination with this man!” Though Beatrice knew why, Minnie seemed determined to remind her. “He has been seen in some of the more…unsavory parts of town with people who are no acquaintances of ours. It wouldn’t be proper for someone like you to show interest in him unless Lady Ivanry made the necessary introductions. And even then, Mr. Grayson would have to make considerable efforts to uphold his grandfather’s legacy or deportment.”
Beatrice let her friend offer this advice, if only because her intentions were good, but still assured the young woman that she had no such designs on the gentleman. “I study him purely for research,” Beatrice explained, “so that I may know what sort of behaviors to avoid in a suitor.” Minnie was not at all amused and rolled her eyes playfully when Beatrice continued, “If he happens to be pleasing to look at, then that is all the more reason for me to examine him…from a safe distance.”
The orchestra began to play a lively jig, and they started to hear singing from within the ballroom. “You are stubborn, Beatrice, and will do as you like,” Minnie admonished, “but perhaps it would not be such a bad thing for you to know my intended’s oldest friend. I have little doubt that Mr. Grayson would not enjoy your company. After all, I do.”
This heartfelt counsel was interrupted by the sound of Mr. DeLancy calling his bride-to-be’s name in search of a dance partner. Beatrice grinned at her friend. “Thank you for your kind words, Minnie. I will be sure to let Mr. DeLancy introduce Mr. Grayson, even though you yourself pursued your future husband like a hawk!”
“I did not!” Minnie exclaimed teasingly. “I simply made sure I was the only girl on Mr. DeLancy’s mind – and how I did so is no one’s business but mine!” Beatrice shook her head blithely, and the young women shared one last hug before Minnie answered the call of Mr. DeLancy.
When she was gone, as was often the case when Beatrice was left alone, she began to conjure up mischief. The young woman stepped toward the staircase that she had seen Mr. Grayson ascend minutes ago. Without too much thought, she decided to follow him.
CHAPTERTWO
Anthony Grayson arrived at Mr. DeLancy and Miss Saumon’s engagement ball at precisely nine o’clock in the evening. His grandfather, Brandon Grayson, was particularly outspoken when it came to punctuality and insisted that it was one’s first impression at any event.
“No matter whether you have been introduced or not,” he lectured as Anthony took off his cloak and handed it to the servant, “you must make every effort to attract the right kind of attention, and being in good standing with your hosts will help you do so.”
Anthony, though intelligent, would often get lost in his grandfather’s platitudes, for they were often rambling and contradictory in all matters except duty. Duty, for Lord Randlay, was as vital as drawing air into one’s lungs and as favorable as a wife with a fair countenance. Long afternoons were spent with Anthony in the imposing armchair opposite his grandfather as the Viscount engaged in teaching his grandson all the lessons he would need as heir to the Randlay Estate. It was a place of stoicism and honor, his grandfather would intone, and it would not be cheapened by anything less than strict decorum.
For himself, Anthony could not see the importance of such stuffiness, but he did his best to uphold the family name. After rumors began circulating about his whereabouts late at night, the Viscount had made Anthony swear to him that it was just a bit of fun and that he would not pursue any of the eligible daughters of the Viscount’s friends.
“Indulging in a young man’s fancy is one thing,” Lord Randlay preached, “but defiling an English rose is quite another. Keep your dealings withthose womensecret and leave me to find you a suitable wife; after this most distressing news, I do not trust you to discern between sensible young ladies and those after only our money.”
With feigned chagrin, Anthony had agreed, satisfied to continue his seductions at the less-reputable establishments in town and leave his grandfather to the disinteresting business of matrimony. That is not to say, of course, that he had not spied several young ladies with whom he wished to share a conversation. It became something of a joke between Anthony, Mr. Solomon DeLancy, and the other gentlemen whom his grandfather was comfortable with him socializing with at balls and parties.
“Shall I wager a guess as to which of the Miss Ivanrys will catch your eye tonight?” Mr. DeLancy asked in mock derision. “Anthony, you simply cannot resist Beatrice, can you?”
Swirling a glass of brown liquor, Anthony replied coolly, “She is certainly eye-catching, my friend, but I do not dare pursue her.”
Mr. DeLancy, upon hearing this, crowed, “Ah! See how he admits it, gentlemen! Pray tell, why have you not asked her to dance yet?”
After thinking for a moment, Anthony explained, “She always looks so timid and shy. I do not wish to scare her away with my reputation and bruise such a precious, little flower.”
Mr. DeLancy smirked and joked, “Is it not your reputation to ruin women’s flowers, Anthony?” Then, the group laughed quietly and moved on to another subject that was more befitting of an engagement ball. What Anthony failed to point out was that his grandfather would not approve of such a match, given his constant bickering with Lady Ivanry. And so Anthony contented himself with the occasional glance and the company of other ladies less inclined to remain by the wall all evening. The engagement ball tonight was no exception.
* * *
After Anthony arrived, and his grandfather gave him a few minutes to talk with men of his own age, Lord Randlay had immediately set out to find himself and Anthony a sensible group to converse with, namely older gentlemen who detested the younger generation. Anthony tried to remain cheerful, adopting a business-like expression and an air of pedantry, but he could not stop his eyes from wandering around the ballroom. They caught the gazes of several young ladies who were more than attentive to Anthony’s flirtations.
“You look exquisite tonight, Miss Shaw. The latest style of dress fits you perfectly.”
“Why, thank you, Mr. Grayson. I’ll take that as a high compliment from someone such as yourself. Tell me, do you think these new dresses fit the figure too tightly?”
“Not at all. In fact, I am of the mind that clothes should display one’s assets, not hide them away.”
“Oh, you’re incorrigible, Mr. Grayson!”
Whenever he was in the mood for delighting the ladies, Anthony would express admiration for something innocuous, like the stitching on a lady’s glove, before moving on to more intimate matters like the color of her eyes or the way she danced. As a rake, he was afforded more obvious approaches than his more gentlemanly counterparts, but that came with a price. And he paid in hawkish observance from his grandfather, who would rather sell the family title than see his grandson beholden to a woman with money on her mind. So there Anthony stood, forced to participate in conversations that held no interest for him while his friends got to dance all night.
This particular conversation that he was a part of currently was about finances and the merits of investing in pastimes such as horses bred for racing.