Chapter 20
After she excused herself from the Coombes family, Georgina meandered away in search of her hired box. By now, the festivities were well underway. She accepted a glass of Champagne from a passing attendant and scrutinised her surroundings. There was yet no sign of Elizabeth.
Georgina had spent a significant amount of time perfecting her appearance for this occasion and hoped it would not be wasted.
She wore a gown of lazuli-blue silk, which she understood drew out the colour of her eyes.
This would be her first meeting with Elizabeth since sharing the scandalous novel with her, and Georgina wished to look appealing.
As Vauxhall was a sensual affair, she had no qualms that her bodice was cut a little low, and she’d dampened the fabric of her gown so that it clung more precisely to her curves.
She donned a matching mask, tied at the back with a satin ribbon.
Georgina often kept her hair fastened back, but tonight she allowed her lustrous curls to tumble down her back.
One long tendril rested over her shoulder.
“All alone, my little thief?” Elizabeth’s voice murmured as she entered the box.
A gown of black satin with a shimmering silver overlay shrouded her tall frame.
The dress had little gossamer puff sleeves with silver threading, and she wore long black gloves that extended above her elbows, revealing only a glimpse of the smooth, pale skin beneath.
Diamond-clustered pins that glinted in the lantern light fastened her hair into place, and she wore a simple black mask.
“Not anymore,” Georgina replied, taking Elizabeth’s gloved hand and kissing it. She poured her a glass of Champagne and filled her own to the top again. “You look exquisite.”
“As do you,” Elizabeth responded. She glanced at the assorted activities happening nearby. “Allow me to thank you for the novel.”
Georgina endeavoured not to choke on her Champagne. She had not expected Elizabeth to mention the gift so swiftly.
“My pleasure,” she answered. “It is a tale that is close to my heart.”
“I was not previously familiar with the work of Mrs Goodchild. You have opened my eyes,” Elizabeth responded with gravity.
“That pleases me.”
“Yes, I thought it might,” Elizabeth retorted. “Perhaps not quite as eye-opening as Mem Lavigne’s club, nevertheless.”
“Few things can rival Mem Lavigne’s establishment in that regard. Would you care to borrow another book?” suggested Georgina.
Elizabeth, sipping her drink at this moment, nearly choked as laughter overcame her.
Georgina grinned. “Control yourself, Elizabeth. You are making people stare.”
Elizabeth smoothed out her expression. “You, my dear girl, are uncommonly provocative.”
“I am?” Georgina asked with wide-eyed innocence. “Would you prefer me to be commonly provocative?”
“Heaven, help me,” Elizabeth uttered under her breath, a smile breaking through. “I would prefer you to behave.”
“I always behave. Sometimes even well!”
Elizabeth gave her a pointed look as she took a sip. “Indeed. And where is your escort presently?”
“Coulthurst disappeared in search of amusements beyond what I could offer him. He dislikes you immensely, by the way.”
Elizabeth’s eyes glinted. “I am crestfallen,” she returned in a dry tone.
“He thinks you judge him, and it makes him uncomfortable. I’m sure he would like you if he knew you better.”
“You alarm me. Please do not encourage him to pursue our closer acquaintance.”
This made Georgina laugh. “Alas, it is beyond my power to promote a friendship between the pair of you, so I vow not to attempt it.”
“A great relief,” Elizabeth replied. “And how is young Joshua? I trust he has settled in?”
Georgina detected a teasing glint in Elizabeth’s cool gray eyes, but she responded earnestly.
“Joshua is quite at home. He is already a firm favourite of my housekeeper, who has a maternal partiality for him. My butler, Jarvis, seems to be reserving his judgment. Aside from running errands, his primary duties include walking the dogs and helping in the stables. I’ve never encountered such a vivid imagination before.
Every chance he gets, he tells me some gruesome story or other.
He shocks my father regularly with his bloodthirsty tales.
Also, he has adopted the role of quality management in the kitchens.
And he feels the need to sample everything that is prepared.
” Georgina grinned. “I cannot blame him for that. He was part-starved when we found him. When you found him,” she corrected.
“Ah yes, I apologise for the underhanded stratagem,” Elizabeth said with apparent contrition. “A necessary evil.”
“Necessary?” Georgina repeated. Something about watching -Elizabeth’s face behind a mask was especially intriguing. Mysteries behind mysteries.
Elizabeth took a long sip of her wine and eventually raised her eyes to peep coyly at Georgina through the slits in her mask.
“I knew I could not rely on you to find yourself a project. But now you are entitled to compromise me.” Georgina’s lips parted in surprise as she noticed Elizabeth swell to her full height, as though ready to accept the challenge.
“What is your plan to do so? I suspect you have something in mind. You always seem to.”
Elizabeth’s sudden candour made Georgina also stand upright. “I confess, Elizabeth, I have no such plan. To date, you have proven singularly difficult to engage in such caprice. I always feared you would not submit to the attempt.”
“How very unlike you to indulge such fears,” Elizabeth remarked. “Let us see about submission, shall we?” She extended her arm, and Georgina linked her own through it.
As they abandoned the box, Georgina marvelled that Elizabeth had a destination in mind, threading a way through the abundant revellers around them. She brought them to a clearing in front of an archway shrouded in ivy, the entrance to a dark walk.
Georgina’s heart raced in her chest. She had enjoyed many pleasurable walks through the darkened gardens of Vauxhall, and yet a strange shyness presently overcame her. That Elizabeth would, in fact, entertain her flirtation tonight had never crossed her mind.
Georgina walked with Elizabeth through the archway and down the lane that led them deeper into the gardens. Few lanterns hung along these walks, offering only minimal illumination. A knot of exhilaration developed inside her, and her breathing quickened.
They took one path that led to a small circle of rose bushes edged with stone benches. The aroma of dew-covered flowers encompassed them. At the heart of the clearing towered a solid Grecian statue.
Elizabeth released Georgina’s arm and turned to face her. In silence, she stood so close that the hems of their gowns brushed against each other. Being much taller than Georgina, Elizabeth’s figure loomed over her. Their eyes locked.
Georgina’s cheeks warmed beneath her mask. Her back rested against the stone idol behind her, and her pulse leapt as Elizabeth extended an arm over her shoulder to lean on the statue. A feeling of both surprise and wonder flooded Georgina as she gazed up at Eliza-beth.
“You requested to compromise me, did you not?” Elizabeth murmured in a husky voice, leaning towards her.
The hint of lamplight behind Elizabeth cast a silver glow around her, and her figure seemed to hover over Georgina like a masked and luminous specter.
Georgina inhaled the faint citrus aroma of Elizabeth’s perfume. The warmth of her body, standing inches from hers, excited her. Exquisite anticipation left Georgina bereft of speech.
Words were unnecessary, as the next moment Elizabeth drew her closer, meeting her lips in a kiss.
Georgina’s mouth matched Elizabeth’s desperate need as they tasted each other for the first time. The fervency of their kisses revealed their mutual desire at last. Yet there was familiarity, as though they had been kissing forever. Beyond today, everything between them would be different.
Georgina’s hand reached instinctively for Elizabeth’s arm, the glove a frustrating barrier.
She clawed the glove down to Elizabeth’s wrist and trailed a finger back up her forearm, delighting in the softness of her skin.
She continued this movement along Elizabeth’s chiselled jaw and into her hair, before reaching an arm around her slender neck.
Georgina’s fingers dipped beneath the silken collar of Elizabeth’s gown, trying to touch more of her intoxicating skin.
A groan rose in Georgina’s throat as Elizabeth’s own hand drifted to the middle of her back and pulled her even closer. Far from withdrawing, her hold on Georgina tightened.
Instinctively grasping Elizabeth’s face to deepen their kiss, -Georgina’s thumb traced the corners of their lips.
She leaned towards her, her fingertips digging into the skin of Elizabeth’s shoulders, her breasts crushing against Elizabeth’s chest. She pulled her mouth away from Elizabeth’s and trailed a line of kisses down her throat and across the edge of her bodice.
Elizabeth’s head fell back in response, her chest heaving with each ragged breath. She allowed one hand to stray past Georgina’s waist. She squeezed Georgina’s behind through the fabric of her gown, her muscles tensing in response, and pulled her even closer.
Georgina would have happily continued kissing Elizabeth indefinitely. The world was suddenly timeless.