Chapter Two #2
Berry breathed a sigh of relief and smiled back at him. “Very good.”
She turned and walked away, hoping this had not been a wasted excursion. When she glanced back to reassure herself, she saw the man still standing at the door, watching her with that utterly bemused look again.
Oh dear.
Deaf and possibly senile.
Should she say something to Mr. Knight when they finally met?
After all, he could place Bonham in another position within his household.
And was it wise to use Bonham as his watchman when thieves could throw a party in this place and he would not hear a thing?
She resolved to alert Melton and her staff to keep an eye out for strangers lurking about Duchess Square.
Having addressed this concern, she hurried home and scooted up to her bedchamber, where her lady’s maid, Harriet, was waiting for her. “Oh, m’lady! There you are. Hurry up. Lord Berwick will be along at any moment to escort you to the theater.”
“Yes, yes. It won’t take me but a trice.” Berry hastily slipped out of her tea gown and undergarments with Harriet’s assistance, wet the cloth by her basin and ewer on her night table, soaped it with a fruity-scented soap—because she was Lady Berry, after all—then quickly scrubbed her body.
She dried herself off and donned her robe while Harriet fashioned her hair in a more ornate, upswept style suitable for the evening.
Once done, Harriet held up the gown she was to wear, a lemon silk that she now put on.
To complete the outfit, she had gloves and silk slippers in the same yellow hue.
“Diamonds or pearls this evening?” Harriet asked, pulling out Berry’s jewelry box.
“Pearls, I think.”
Harriet arched an eyebrow. “Are you sure? Diamonds are quite the thing and will go better with this gown. Pearls are fine for quiet dinner parties or afternoon wear.”
Berry laughed. “All right, we shall go with the sparkly gems.”
She selected a simple diamond heart necklace and diamond studs for her ears. Instead of a tiara, she chose diamond star clips for her hair.
“Your choices are rather understated tonight,” Harriet remarked.
Berry shrugged. “I know, but I am not of a mind to be dripping in glitter this evening.”
“Well, you look beautiful as always.”
Berry heard voices in the entry hall, so she grabbed her lemon silk wrap and hurried downstairs to greet Lord Berwick, her father’s best friend who had been appointed trustee of the fund established for her under her father’s testament.
The dear man had been like a father to her these past twenty years.
“Berry,” he said with a beaming smile as she walked forward to greet him, “don’t you look lovely. Come along, my dear. Lady Berwick awaits us in the carriage.”
They arrived at the Covent Garden theater and settled in the Berwicks’ box shortly before the curtain went up.
She and Lady Berwick enjoyed looking at all the ladies and commenting on what they were wearing.
They often made a game of it, tossing snide remarks at times, although arrogance and pettiness were not really in their nature.
But what was the point of a night out at the theater if one could not people watch and opine on the garish tastes of others?
Lady Winslow, for example, and that ostrich feather she wore on her head.
“I think she put the entire ostrich on herself,” Lady Berwick remarked. “It is in danger of laying an egg.”
Berry laughed. “Oh, she is looking back at us, and now leaning over to whisper to her friend, Lady Gorse. I’m sure they are remarking on my gown, declaring I look like a canary, for I am all in yellow.”
“Nonsense, my dear,” Lady Berwick said, always one to come to her defense.
“It is the lightest shade of yellow and quite elegant. Perfectly suits your complexion. You look quite lovely tonight. Lady Gorse is overdone, as usual. Rings on every finger and bracelets running up her arm. I’m surprised she can lift her arms.”
“Lady Mosby is going to blind someone with all those diamonds she is wearing,” Berry said, taking her turn. “They’ll need to toss a blanket over her once the play starts to keep her from distracting the actors.”
Lady Berwick laughed. “I fear they will think the same of me. I am too done up.”
“No,” Berry insisted. “You are perfect, as always. I am the one who is subdued and felt like dressing myself down this evening.”
“Why, my dear?”
She let out a breath. “I don’t know. I have been feeling out of sorts lately. Mrs. Garland has not been well.”
“Yes, I know,” Lady Berwick said with sincere concern.
“And here I am enjoying a pleasant night out. But it isn’t only Mrs. Garland that has me sad. It is all this.” Berry waved her hand across the theater. “Here we all are in our diamonds and sapphires while others are struggling to fill their bellies.”
“Oh, my dear.” Lady Berwick patted her hand. “You do more than your share to help those in need. You cannot take on all the burden of it.”
Berry did her best to shrug off her malaise because she did not want to ruin Lady Berwick’s evening out.
Perhaps it was that kiss she’d received today. She was still tingling over it.
“Oh heavens. Oh my,” Lady Berwick said, suddenly grabbing Berry’s arm. “Will you look at those beautiful ladies? Have you ever seen two more stunning creatures?”
“Where?” Berry followed the direction of Lady Berwick’s gaze to a box on the opposite side of the theater where a tall, slender blonde and an equally tall and slender brunette, both of them dressed in the height of fashion, were now taking their seats.
She gasped.
It was not the ladies she was staring at but the man now taking a seat beside them.
Gideon. Mr. Knight’s construction man.
“How on earth?”
“What is it, my dear?”
No, it simply was not possible. She had to be mistaken.
“Lady Berwick, who is the man with those exquisite ladies?”
Unfortunately, the play started just then, and she did not receive an answer.
Was it Gideon? Had he noticed her?
Was he looking at her?
She turned to glance at him and saw him looking straight at her, his steel-eyed gaze boring into her.
Then one of the women touched his arm and he turned to her.
Would he be kissing either of those women tonight?