Chapter Four
“I cannot wear this. Absolutely not.” Maddie stared at herself in the mirror, her breath catching on sight.
Or more precisely, on her bosom. Two pale swells were scandalously perched atop the low-cut bodice, defying gravity and good sense.
She hadn’t shown this much skin in her entire life.
Now Ashley had commissioned a few scandalous dresses designed to seduce.
Her mother would faint when she saw the bill. Possibly twice.
It’s all to catch your duke.
Ah yes. Her duke. Paisley. The one her mother might have pursued herself had she not been wed to her father for three decades. And that was saying much. Paisley’s mother, after all, was the viscountess’s friend.
She rolled her shoulders back, squaring them like a soldier facing battle. The bodice would certainly catch his attention. Any man’s, for that matter. But keep it?
She had her doubts.
Still… the gown was rather pretty.
Soft pink. Gentle and romantic. Not at all what she usually wore—and precisely why it felt so foreign. So dangerous.
“Men are visual creatures,” Ashley said from behind, smoothing the hem with the ease of a general preparing her soldier for the front lines. “The duke won’t know what hit him. That color does more for you than all your mother’s gray and pale blue gowns combined. I’ve told you that for years.”
Maddie lifted her gaze. She hardly recognized herself.
Her hair, loosened from its usual prison of pins and practicality, tumbled into gentle curls. A touch of rouge, a soft sheen on her lips. It was her—and yet not. A different version. One no one else had ever met.
She looked down again. “I do admire your taste,” she said, dry as bone, “but surely catching a duke requires more than cleavage.”
Ashley tilted her head. “That’s how you start. If you want his heart, use your mind. But first—” she plucked a small glass bottle from the vanity “—we get his focus.”
The stopper popped. “Lilies and sweet orange. I chose it just for you.”
Maddie eyed the vial warily. “It’s not poison, is it?”
Ashley’s expression faltered. Just for a moment. But it was enough. “No, that I’d choose for Paisley.”
Maddie turned to face her. “What is it?”
Ashley set the bottle down. Her fingers lingered too long on the glass.
“You know how I feel about Paisley.”
Maddie exhaled. “Yes, yes, he wounded Thomas’s pride at Ascot.”
Ashley’s eyes snapped up. “He did more than that. He humiliated him. Stole from him. Tricked him. Publicly. Cruelly.”
Maddie blinked.
“Don’t get that look,” Ashley said, her voice sharp now. “I know he’s a duke. I know he’s titled and important and he walks into a room like he owns the world. But don’t forget—he’s human scum.”
“Harsh,” Maddie whispered, but her heart fluttered. True.
“No title will change that,” Ashley continued. “And I don’t want you, of all people, falling for a man just because he’s powerful and polished. You’re better than that.”
Maddie felt heat rise to her cheeks—not from the gown, or the rouge, or the indignity of her exposed bosom. But from the weight of Ashley’s words.
“You deserve a man who sees you,” Ashley said, softer now. “Not just your dress. Or your title. Or your potential to birth heirs.”
Maddie swallowed hard. The idea of Paisley’s heirs made her cringe. She glanced at the mirror again. The woman in the reflection looked… capable.
Capable of seducing a duke.
Capable of falling for one, too.
And possibly, terribly, capable of choosing wrong.
Perhaps she could redirect her capability to a better man? Not just another title, another candidate, but a better man with a heart and soul? Perhaps she could just stand up to her mother this once.
Maddie sniffed. “It smells lovely.”
“Dab your wrists. Neckline, too.”
“What exactly will this do?”
“Men are ruled by more than their eyes. Scent matters. And speaking of senses…” Ashley’s gaze flicked upward. “You’ll want to touch him.”
Maddie blinked. “Touch him?”
“Dancing, ideally. Or if fate’s kind, a near fall into his arms will suffice.”
Maddie narrowed her eyes. “And how do you know all this?”
Ashley’s lips curved. “You’re not the only one who reads.”
She gestured toward Maddie’s little apothecary collection on the shelf. “And how do you know so much about tonics and tinctures?”
“It’s just for personal benefit.” Maddie dismissed the topic swiftly. No one needed to know every detail of what ailed her—especially not during the warmer months. She breathed freely only in winter, when the flowers were gone and the world quieted. This was her season.
“You’re always full of surprises,” Ashley said softly.
Maddie smiled.
They’d known each other for years, though lately, Ashley had been swept away in the glow of love and impending marriage. Even now, standing beside her, Ashley practically shimmered with love and contentment.
She could hardly believe she had once worried Ashley was rushing into a disaster. But no. She’d chosen right.
Her mother’s words flashed across her mind.
How could I have given birth to such an odd daughter? You have nothing to recommend you, Madeleine, except your dowry. Be glad our family has a fortune. Otherwise, who would even look at you?
Maddie glanced at her reflection.
No. She was more than a dowry. She had knowledge, wit, and friends.
She squared her shoulders. I can do this.
“I’m not just going to fall into his arms like one of those swooning geese,” Maddie muttered, tugging at her bodice. “He’ll have to earn my kiss.”
“Ah, so we’ve moved from bashful to bold,” Ashley said, crossing her arms. “That should be more than enough to win that man. His heart is another matter since I’m not convinced he’s in possession of one. I just hope love can transform him.”
“I don’t know yet,” Maddie said primly. “But I must find out.”
Ashley arched a brow.
“I just… I’ll feel it. In my bones. There’ll be a shiver. A spark.” Maddie swept her hands across her body, dramatically tracing the air. Somehow the duke didn’t come to mind, though.
Ashley smirked. “And you’re certain Paisley, the dreadfully scheming gambler Paisley can manage that spark? I still have my doubts.”
“Of course.” Maddie hesitated. “He’s a duke. He’s likely been very well educated.”
And probably kissed a hundred girls.
The thought made her stomach drop. How would she know what a perfect kiss felt like unless she tried it?
And if she tried it, well, that was a different sort of ruin entirely.
A knock rapped on the door.
“May I come in, or shall I brace myself for a scandalous display of chemises and corsets?” Charlene’s familiar voice called from behind the door.
“Char!” Maddie called, laughing.
“About time,” Ashley said with a grin. “Took you long enough.”
“Oh, hush. Rotheworth and I had a moment.” Charlene swept into the room, curls bouncing like the heroine of a romantic novel.
“I came straight in search of you when I heard the gowns had arrived. Oh, you look ravishing,” she declared, halting mid-step to beam at Maddie. “I’m almost of a mind to swoon.”
Ashley pulled Charlene closer. “She will steal everyone’s gaze tonight.”
Maddie scoffed. “For your sakes, I hope not. How many bachelors are here tonight? One? Two?”
Her friends laughed.
“You are both glowing,” Charlene said before inspecting Maddie’s gown. “But this is sorcery.”
Maddie groaned.
“Our friend is finally dressing like someone with sense,” Ashley said smugly.
“And she’s griping about it,” Maddie added.
Charlene surveyed her with a critical eye. “You must wear it. The world deserves to see your bosom.”
“Char!” Maddie exclaimed. “You know my mother will faint if she finds out.”
“She probably will,” Charlene chirped. “But that’s her problem.”
“Where’s Rotheworth?” Maddie asked about Charlene’s husband, the Duke of Rotheworth.
“Oh, he went to go inspect the horses, naturally.”
“Again?”
“Of course.” Ashley giggled like only a woman in love would indulging her husband’s affection for his equestrian friends.
“Are you ready to head down?” Ashley asked, giving her a reassuring smile.
Maddie inhaled. “I’m ready.” And as soon as she spoke the words, she knew she hadn’t meant them. Being ready was terrifying.
Ashley beamed. “Then let us surprise everyone with your beauty.”
“Wait,” Maddie said, gripping Ashley’s arm. “I’m not ready.”
“Why?” Charlene asked. “What’s the matter?”
Maddie let out a breath. “You’ll think I’m foolish, but… What if everyone laughs at me?”
Ashley blinked. “Why would they?”
Maddie hesitated.
“If they do,” Ashley said, voice firm, “it’s only because they’re intimidated. And that, Maddie, is their problem. Not yours.”
Maddie laughed weakly. Jealous? Of her?
She glanced at her reflection again.
She’d dared to defy her mother. That had been difficult. Surely she could handle a little embarrassment. A little fear.
Embrace discomfort.
Yes, this counted.
This most definitely counted!
And Maddie was about to find out what happened when a girl like her dared to be seen. Even to a small group of people. Most of whom she already knew. The question was who did she want to see her?
*
Sebastian tugged his greatcoat tighter around his shoulders as a chilly winter wind hit him from all sides. He wanted to be in bed but as Thomas’s best friend, he felt a responsibility to greet the other guests. The good ones at least. Excluding, of course, Paisley.
His nose burned from the cold, but he had to escape the suffocating stuffiness of the castle, which reeked of perfume, smoke, and far too many logs burning on too many hearths.
And whatever water the ladies were dabbing themselves with.
His boots crunched on the frozen stones as he approached the barn.
A faint nicker greeted him, followed by the comforting scent of hay and horseflesh as he stepped inside.
He inhaled deeply, ignoring the tickle in his throat.
Much better.