Chapter 13
Hours later, Elizabeth was absolutely beaming when she met Jonathan at the front of the dress shop. She’d been talking to a group of ladies when he first entered and was actually laughing. That wasn’t the mood he’d left her in.
Jonathan eyed her warily. A spark, like flint striking a stone, flickered in the back of her eyes and told him that she was definitely up to something. He arched an eyebrow. “It appears you enjoyed yourself, madam.”
“Indeed,” Elizabeth said as she breezed by him. “I saw my old friend who is now Tiffany DeGray. We had a lovely visit remembering times gone by.”
And plotting something new, Jonathan would wager. He fell into step beside Elizabeth. “I recall her,” he said, pausing to open the shop door. “She was a skinny thing the last time I saw her.”
“She has changed,” Elizabeth said, taking Jonathan’s hand as she stepped up into the waiting carriage. She waited while he took the seat across from her. “Her husband is abroad for the next month, so she’s agreed to be my chaperone while I am here in the city.”
Jonathan gave Elizabeth a queer look. “Chaperone? That’s my job.”
“But someone needs to protect me from you,” Elizabeth told him with a hint of amusement in her voice.
Elizabeth laughed at the sour look on his face and thought, if only you knew! “Every proper lady must have a female companion. Granted, I’m a bit older than most, but at least I’ll be proper.”
Since when did Elizabeth ever worry about propriety, Jonathan couldn’t help wondering, but he forced himself to make idle chitchat “We’re invited to the Cheshire’s Ball next week. Will your gown be ready by then?”
“Yes. Mrs. Hepplewhite said she would put someone special on my order. So, don’t worry, I will not embarrass you.”
“Good,” Jonathan said, then dismissed her by turning to the window and viewing but not seeing the many town houses they rode past. He remained quiet for the rest of the trip home, wondering what Elizabeth was up to. She was being much too agreeable.
Did he even care what she wore or how she looked?
Elizabeth wondered. There was a time when she could read his every expression but not now.
Jonathan had a carefully blank expression.
She never knew what he was thinking and it was driving her mad.
She only hoped Tiffany's plan would work.
At the moment, she believed, Jonathan Hird was completely immune to her.
The morning of the Cheshire’s Ball dawned bright and sunny. It was a beautiful spring day. Tiffany had some of her things delivered and she settled into the room next to Elizabeth’s.
By mid-afternoon, Tiffany and Elizabeth sat down at a small table in the garden behind Trent House to have tea and to discuss the upcoming ball.
“Has your dress arrived?” Tiffany asked.
“No,” Elizabeth replied while placing the second lump of sugar in her teacup. “I expect it will be late, but I know the gown will get here. Mrs. Hepplewhite has never let me down.”
“Good. We have three parties in a row to attend,” Tiffany pointed out as she stirred her tea. “I have been busy the last few days on your behalf. I have a good friend, Beau Brummell, who I’ve persuaded to help us.” She placed her teaspoon on the saucer and looked at Elizabeth. “Do you know Beau?”
“No, but I’ve heard of him.” Elizabeth picked up her cup. “He’s all the rage, and a friend of the Prince Regent, I seem to recall.”
“He’s very much in demand. Everyone wants him at their party, and for good reason. He is so handsome with his dark hair and green eyes. He has set a new standard in men’s wardrobe. You remember when men use to dress in those pastel colors?”
Elizabeth nodded. “Sometimes they appeared more feminine than the ladies.”
“Precisely. Well, Beau dresses in black and white and looks magnificent.” Tiffany smiled brightly. “He has also agreed to help us with our plan.”
Elizabeth almost dropped her teacup. “How?”
Tiffany laughed at the surprised look on her friend’s face. “Beau is going to flirt outrageously with you. And by the third party, Jonathan should be seeing red.”
“Do you really think so?”
“If Jonathan loves you, yes.”
Elizabeth focused her gaze on her cup. “Sometimes ‘if’ can be a very large word.”
“We’ll have none of that. No fretting.” Tiffany patted Elizabeth’s hand. “Let’s start preparing for the party. It doesn’t matter if Mrs. Hepplewhite’s dress isn’t ready. We want to save that special dress for the third party.”
“This sounds so devilishly underhanded.” Elizabeth laughed wickedly. “I just love it!”
Back in her room, Elizabeth began preparing for the ball.
Happily, one of the upstairs maids was adept at styling hair.
Elizabeth sat patiently while her dark locks were swept up into heavy curls at the crown.
White flowers intermixed with pearls were woven into her tresses.
After her hair was finished, she chose a black pearl necklace and earrings to match her gown.
She picked up her skirts and fluffed them, enjoying the feel of the material.
The dress was a simple one since there hadn’t been much time to do more.
It was made of white crepe, spotted with white satin.
The skirt was finished at the bottom by a garland of flowers and leaves composed of black silk.
Tiffany swept into the room without bothering to knock. “Are you ready? Jonathan is downstairs waiting.”
Elizabeth nodded, pinched her cheeks to add color, then stood up from her dressing table. “It’s been a while since I’ve dressed for a ball. How do I look?” She twirled around and held her arms out.
“Splendid. The dress is so simple, but you dress it up yourself. Come. It’s time to have fun.” Tiffany slid her arm through Elizabeth’s and they went downstairs.
Jonathan waited at the foot of the steps, his arm propped upon the newel post. Dressed in dark blue, he looked very dashing, Elizabeth thought as she came to stand in front of him.
His hair was combed to the side and slightly longer than he normally wore it giving him a more rakish look. She smiled up at him.
Jonathan made sure his expression didn’t change as Elizabeth and Tiffany approached him. Tiffany had changed from the little girl he remembered to a beautiful woman dressed in green silk. But she wasn’t the one who held his interest.
Elizabeth was simply radiant. It should be a sin for any woman to be so beautiful. The black pearls glistened against the creamy softness of her throat. Her white skin begged to be touched.
Damn, why had he agreed to this?
He wasn’t looking forward to watching a room full of men fawning over her. They had better make damned sure they did nothing more than look.
“Jonathan, do you remember Tiffany DeGray?” Elizabeth made the introductions.
“A pleasure to meet you once again, Lord Longdale.” Tiffany extended her hand. “It has been a long time for all of us.”
“Pigtails are what I remember the most about you,” Jonathan admitted. “Now you are a very lovely woman.”
Tiffany blushed. “I outgrew my pigtails.”
“So I see.” He offered his elbows to both ladies. “Shall we go to the ball?”
Each woman rested a hand on Jonathan’s arm and walked with him to the carriage. Once inside, Tiffany started chattering. “I find these parties so tedious. Don’t you, Jonathan?”
“Indeed, I do. But this time it’s necessary.”
‘‘I hope we’ll find Elizabeth a husband tonight—then we can start making wedding plans,” Tiffany said, giving Jonathan a brilliant smile.
“She’ll want a big wedding,” Jonathan quipped before he thought, then he frowned.
“Then we’ll plan for a big wedding.” Tiffany turned to Elizabeth. “Is that what you want?”
Elizabeth reacted angrily to Jonathan’s snide remark.
Of course, he was throwing her comments back at her.
She remembered asking him for a big wedding; Evidently he remembered it too.
“I’d prefer not to get married at all, thank you.
But since my brother is insistent I guess I have no choice.
Perhaps, I’ll just go to Gretna Green. That’s where all hastily arranged marriages take place. ”
“No!” Jonathan stated so quickly that both women stared at him. “You’ll be married in a church the proper way. And I’ll make certain you show up.”
Elizabeth could almost hear the words, “This time!” A stinging reply was on her lips.
She could say she had a very good reason to run, but it would dredge up a lot of questions she’d have to answer, so she let his remark go and stared out into the darkness.
This night was going to be difficult. Thank God, she had Tiffany to bolster her up.
The Cheshire’s Ball was attended by many, Jonathan thought judging from the carriages lining the long drive. When their turn finally came, a doorman dressed in red and white opened the carriage door and offered a hand to the ladies.
Jonathan pressed his lips into a firm, hard line and prepared to do battle. Between the rakes and the sops there had to be one or two decent prospects attending.
They entered a foyer brightly lit with hundreds of candles. The host George Cheshire, the Earl of Long, and his wife were standing at the head of a long receiving line.
After greeting the earl, they proceeded to the ballroom where Elizabeth was soon surrounded by people she’d not seen in a long time. She and Tiffany talked while Jonathan disappeared into the crowd. It didn’t take any time at all before Elizabeth’s dance card was full.
The musicians were playing a waltz as Jonathan got his first drink from a table laden with finger foods and huge punch bowls.
He turned, and his gaze swept the room filled with debutantes with their mothers or chaperones in tow and the dandies licking their lips as they tried to pick out the perfect mate.
He had never liked these things. “A shocking squeeze” was the first thing that came to mind.
Had he not made his rash promise to Adam, he would be anywhere but here.