Chapter 13
Ellis regarded herself in the mirror as she donned her gloves. The dark brown wig was an improvement over the men’s wig and facial hair, but Ellis missed her own hair. She looked forward to the day when she could be fully herself again.
How quickly that had changed. When she’d started working for Roman, she’d been happy not to be herself.
In her haste to leave the Duchess of Henlow’s house, Ellis had brought just two gowns that would be considered appropriate for evening events. She’d donned one of them this evening, a pale blue gown from two years ago with ivory ribbon stitched at the hem and the waist.
Roman’s maid, Patience, had offered to assist Ellis with dressing if she needed it. However, Ellis had only taken clothing from her old life that she could manage herself, which, admittedly, comprised most of her wardrobe.
Her allowance for clothing had been minimal, especially when compared with Min, of course, and she’d never been permitted to have anything that was too fashionable.
Per the duchess, only the plainest and utilitarian garments would do.
No one would care or even note if Ellis wore the same dress multiple times in a Season or over multiple Seasons.
Occasionally, Min’s maid had helped Ellis don a ballgown or style her hair.
Although “ballgown” was an exaggeration, for Ellis’s evening wear was nothing like what other young women wore.
Her garments were made of the least expensive materials possible and sported little or no ornamentation.
Min fought for her to have more impressive clothing, but Ellis had never particularly cared.
Still, Min often made sure Ellis’s costumes were decorated with extra ribbons, like the gown she wore tonight, or flounces, and that she had jewelry to wear.
Indeed, every piece of jewelry that belonged to Ellis had been gifted to her by Min.
And Ellis hadn’t brought a single one with her when she left the household.
She now felt regret, for Min must have been upset—and she’d every right to feel that way.
Ellis’s only defense was that she’d been more distraught than she’d ever been in her life, and she hadn’t been thinking clearly.
She’d just wanted to leave as quickly as possible.
Gloves in place, Ellis plucked her reticule and cloak from the bed, then made her way downstairs where Roman was waiting.
It would just be the two of them traveling to Marylebone for dinner since Oliver Pritchard had not accepted Roman’s invitation to stay whilst he was in London.
Instead, he would be visiting his uncle, a barrister who resided in Bloomsbury.
Since Mr. Pritchard wasn’t staying here, the Laceys had offered to host dinner tonight, which Roman had eagerly agreed to. He didn’t like to entertain.
Ellis was relieved Mr. Pritchard was staying elsewhere.
For now, she and Roman didn’t have to worry about the librarian being in the same house with them whilst they tried to conduct a secret affair.
At least she hoped it remained secret. She couldn’t tell if anyone in the household suspected the intimacy between her and Roman.
Whilst she tried to keep their interactions purely professional and respectable, Roman sometimes couldn’t help his reactions to her, namely every time he saw her dressed in something that wasn’t men’s clothing.
He reacted with giddy excitement, and though it was very sweet, she worried someone would notice.
He waited for her at the bottom of the stairs and behaved as she expected. His eyes were bright with admiration and anticipation as he swept her with an approving perusal.
“Beautiful.” He spoke softly, for Graham was surely in the entrance hall waiting to open the door for their departure.
“Thank you,” she replied. “Would you mind helping me with my cloak?” she asked, handing it to him.
“I would be delighted.” He held the garment for her and wrapped it around her shoulders. She fastened it at her throat.
“Let us depart,” he said.
She did not take his arm as she preceded him into the entrance hall. They were employer and employee as far as anyone else was concerned. Outside, Roman helped her into the coach, and they were shortly on their way to Marylebone.
“Have I told you how relieved I am that Pritchard isn’t staying with us?” Roman said from beside her. They now shared a seat when traveling in the coach.
“Yes, you might have mentioned that.” The edge of her mouth ticked up sardonically in an almost-smirk. “Although without him staying with us, you’ll need to find a way to speak with him regarding Margot.”
“That’s true,” Roman said. “I will pull him aside this evening and discuss our plans to walk in the park tomorrow after the meeting at the New Bond Street library. You will serve as chaperone, which they may balk at.”
“They may, but I’m afraid we must insist. And yes, I’m aware of how hypocritical this is given our…
activities and the fact that I am not actually a widow.
However, I’m willing to engage in a bit of deception to protect Margot’s reputation.
Hopefully, she will soon wed the man she loves, and it will all have been worth it. ”
Ellis truly hoped this would all work out for Margot. Whilst Ellis didn’t necessarily believe in happily ever after, at least not for her, she was wholly in favor of it for others, especially her friends.
Roman tipped his head toward Ellis and nuzzled her cheek.
“What are you doing?” she asked with a smile.
“Basking in your lovely scent. Have I also mentioned how exceedingly glad I am that you now smell like a woman?”
She laughed. “Keep your hands to yourself until later. I don’t want you dislodging my wig as you did with the beard.”
“Yes, Mrs. Ellis.” He clasped his hands in his lap and sat straight, smiling.
Ellis reached over and took one of his hands. “This is acceptable.”
He gave her a squeeze. “I’ll take what I can get.”
They soon arrived at the Laceys’ palatial home. Ellis stared at the imposing wide facade. It seemed even larger than the Duke of Henlow’s house in Grosvenor Square.
“Their house is spectacular,” she whispered. She could only imagine the size of the dowry Roman had received when he married their daughter. Ellis’s curiosity was great, but she wasn’t going to ask.
“Lacey has done very well for himself,” Roman said as they walked toward the door. “In addition to his business interests, he’s made keen investments. He could not be more different from my father.”
Ellis understood why he was especially close to Josiah Lacey. Roman had even indicated Mr. Lacey was the father he wished he’d had.
The butler greeted them whilst a footman took their accessories. Ellis tried not to gape at the awe-inspiring entrance hall with its soaring ceiling and gleaming marble floor.
“This way,” the butler said as he led them up to the drawing room, where Mr. and Mrs. Lacey were waiting. Mr. Pritchard was already there. He stood with Mr. Lacey, whilst Mrs. Lacey was seated.
Again, Ellis tried not to stare at the incredibly large and elegantly appointed room.
It spanned the front of the house and clearly adjoined another, likely similarly-sized room at the back.
The paintings and décor were astonishing, and the number of seating areas exceeded those at Henlow House by one.
It could not, however, compare with the large drawing room—not to be confused with the small or family drawing rooms—at Beacon Park, the Duke of Henlow’s country estate.
In her survey of the room, Ellis noted Margot was not yet present.
She and Roman exchanged greetings with their hosts and Mr. Pritchard, who was the same age as Ellis.
He was affable and handsome in a wholesome way.
He had dark red hair and warm, golden-brown eyes to accompany his cheerful demeanor.
Sweeping into the drawing room in a beautiful gown of pink silk decorated with several flounces at the hem and ribbon along the neckline and at the edges of her puffed sleeves, Margot greeted everyone with a smile.
She wore a beautiful pearl necklace with matching earbobs, and her hair was intricately styled and adorned with a pearl comb shaped like a flower.
Her smile widened slightly as her gaze landed on Mr. Pritchard.
Right away, Ellis saw the love Margot felt for him.
It was the way Persey looked at Wellesbourne, Tamsin looked at Droxford, Gwen looked at Somerton, and Jo looked at Sheff.
Ellis hoped it was the way Min looked at her new husband, Evan.
That Ellis hadn’t witnessed that with her own eyes made her feel terrible.
Deep emotion pulled at her throat for a moment as Mr. Lacey introduced Mr. Pritchard to his daughter. The two made a good show of pretending to meet for the first time.
Right away, Roman and Mr. Lacey began to talk about the New Bond Street library and the meeting tomorrow with Mr. Inman.
Margot joined in the conversation eagerly.
Ellis, however, was drawn to a portrait hanging to the left of the magnificent marble fireplace.
A similar portrait hung on the right, and Ellis recognized the subject as Margot.
She deduced the one on the left to be Clarissa, Roman’s wife.
She’d never realized he did not have a portrait of her at his house, at least not that she’d seen.
Ellis studied the likeness of the woman Roman had married.
She had lighter hair than Margot and a longer face.
Her brows were thinner and more arched, her features more aquiline and delicate.
She looked a bit like a doll. Something about her provoked a cold sensation in Ellis.
Perhaps it was just that the poor woman was deceased.
Mrs. Lacey came up beside Ellis. “That’s Clarissa.”
“She was very pretty,” Ellis said.