Chapter 20 #2
The noise of shoes crunching along the gravel path nearby, together with some muffled giggles, brought Elizabeth, at least, back to her senses.
She released Georgina and regarded her with a longing gaze before stepping backwards.
Raising her hands to restore a few curls to her original coiffure, Elizabeth cleared her throat.
To -Georgina’s surprise, she withdrew a clean handkerchief from the reticule at her wrist and used it to address Georgina’s smudged lipstick for her.
She then traced around her own mouth, wiping away evidence of their interlude as best she could in the low lantern light.
Elizabeth tugged her long glove back into place. “Now, allow me to escort you back to your box.”
Entirely flushed, Georgina adjusted her gown. She placed a tentative hand on Elizabeth’s arm and walked alongside her, back down the path. Confusion and desire thickened the silence between them.
Back at Georgina’s box, Elizabeth’s lighthearted mood seemed to have evaporated into dry indifference. She barely made eye contact and declined the drink that Georgina offered her.
“I beg your pardon, Georgina, but I believe I will retire for the evening. Thank you for the pleasure of your company.”
“Will you not stay for the fireworks?” Georgina struggled to fend off the disappointment that threatened to flood her.
Elizabeth shook her head. “Another time, perhaps.” She took Georgina’s hand in hers and drew it to her lips, kissing her knuckles softly. “Goodnight.”
Georgina, conscious of a lump in her throat, watched Elizabeth disappear into the crowd.
She poured more Champagne and drank from it deeply, confounded.
She had never been kissed so desperately before, and yet Elizabeth could not wait to get out of her sight.
She should not care, anyway. This was meant to be fun.
Georgina blinked and sniffed, but this did not stop a determined tear that escaped from the corner of her eye and ran down her cheek. She brushed it away.
***
With her glass in hand, Georgina abandoned her box once more.
If she was going to suffer an attack of emotion, she would be damned if all of society saw.
Her mask would only serve to conceal her sadness so much.
She returned promptly to the dark walk, ignoring the pairs and small groups of lovers engaged in romantic trysts about her.
Georgina walked silently, trying to collect her thoughts, until she rounded a bend and almost collided with the unmistakable silhouette of Miss Emily Coombes.
“Emily, what are you doing walking down here without a chaperone?”
The maiden clutched her mask to her face as though it might protect her from recognition, despite it clearly being too late. “I—I must have wandered off.”
Georgina’s eyes narrowed. She did not believe her for a moment. Emily always acted by design. She had plotted a rendezvous with some chap or other, Georgina wagered.
Hearing footsteps behind her on the walk, Georgina glimpsed over her shoulder a figure making a determined approach. He wore immaculate evening attire and a black mask painted with gold. From his average height, dark skin, athletic stature, and bright smile, Georgina recognized Mr Dalrymple.
His arrival piqued Georgina’s curiosity. Not only had she been convinced that Emily had no interest in the likes of Mr Dalrymple, but if Edmund were to be believed, Mr Dalrymple was also well on his way to being head over heels in love with him.
“Good evening, ladies,” he murmured with a bow. “Might I have the pleasure of escorting this fair maiden for a stroll?”
Emily met Georgina’s eyes with a look urgently begging rescue. No, she certainly had not consented to meet Mr Dalrymple, Georgina decided, wondering who Emily had hoped to encounter. Oh, no. Could it have been Colt? Of course—who else?
“I do not think the fair maiden should be strolling with a gentleman at this hour,” Georgina interjected charitably. “Nor should you, sir. Where is one of your guardians to chaperone you?”
Mr Dalrymple’s shoulders slumped. His attempts to exude a confident coup de main faltered at the first signs of resistance.
“I should like …” Mr Dalrymple began with a stutter, but was interrupted by yet another merrymaker emerging from the darkness.
An individual wearing a well-cut turquoise coat, knee breeches, stockings and glossy black shoes approached.
His generous cravat billowed in an intricate style from his throat.
His mask, adorned with diamond studs, matched his coat, and boasted a rather unexpected peacock plume sticking from the top.
“There you are,” Edmund cooed.
Emily gripped her mask tightly, and Mr Dalrymple spun around on his back foot, his mouth open in astonishment.
“I am most keen for that stroll you promised me, Mr Dalrymple,” Edmund said with a coquettish smile.
Mr Dalrymple’s eyes widened. “Ah …” Now he looked at Georgina for support.
Georgina’s eyes flicked between the two gentlemen. This was an utter mess. “Oh, for goodness’s sake. None of you should be here!” She linked her arm through Emily’s. “Let us all walk together.”
Edmund extended his arm to Mr Dalrymple, his chest swelling with pride.
Mr Dalrymple’s eyes darted from side to side, but he reluctantly placed his hand on the proffered arm.
“This is my first masquerade at Vauxhall,” Edmund began, leading the way. Georgina and Emily followed a short way behind. “I’m most excited about what the evening might hold. The hour advances.”
“I was diverted by the tightrope walker,” Mr Dalrymple remarked, his voice breaking, as they went farther along the darkened path.
“I like the dancing. Nothing as romantic as waltzing with a handsome chap in your arms,” Edmund said, giving Mr Dalrymple a coy smile.
“Take me back to Mother,” Emily hissed, tugging at Georgina’s arm.
Georgina cast her a quelling look. “Do as you’re told, brat. I’ll -return you to your mother shortly. We cannot abandon Mr Dalrymple now.”
It was clear Edmund had mistaken this young man’s affections, just as Mr Dalrymple had misjudged Emily’s, and this whole scene was likely to end awkwardly.
She wished to save Edmund from embarrassing himself if she could.
Besides, the impropriety of the younger folk on the dark walks without a chaperone would be scandalous.
At least Georgina’s escort, however dubious her own reputation was, might spare them some censure.
Georgina saw that Edmund had tried to place a hand on Mr -Dalrymple’s back, but Mr Dalrymple had swiftly turned and hurried to the end of the path, gesturing into the distance.
“I wonder what it looks like during the day,” he squeaked, beads of sweat glistening on his brow.
Edmund, Georgina and Emily joined him and squinted through the darkness. The distinct outlines of a couple making love against a tree near to them emerged from the shadows. They did little to conceal their activities.
Georgina dragged the innocent Emily in the opposite direction.
Mr Dalrymple’s eyes widened. “Good God!”
Edmund blushed. “Oh! You like to be a spectator? Well, I can be quite open-minded.”
Wiping the sweat from his brow, Mr Dalrymple turned his back on the amorous couple. “Oh, no. I did not mean …”
Georgina was about to insist they all return to the festivities when another voice startled her.
“I’m here,” Leggy declared in a joyful tone.
“Leggy,” Edmund said, looking astonished.
“Evening.” Leggy acknowledged everyone else.
“Came after all, old chap,” he said to Edmund.
“Cried off from the aunt’s soiree. Said I had a headache.
Couldn’t well leave you deserted in the garden, all alone.
Decided to join you. Not promising anything, though.
Just a brisk evening walk to clear the mind is all I need. Still no head for romance.”
Mr Dalrymple blinked through his mask. “I—I must find my guardian,” he stammered. “I bid you a good night.” With that, he fled back down the path.
Georgina sighed. At least there was one less person she needed to worry about.
“Oh, Leggy,” Edmund cried out in dismay as Mr Dalrymple scurried away. “I never meant for you to join me.”
“Well, of all that is ungrateful!” Mr Leggett’s indignation suffused his voice.
“I should be listening to Mozart presently, and instead I’m down this dashed dark path, encountering all manner of unsavoury types along the way, and you do not even thank me.
And it cost a shilling for admittance! Had I known I would be lining the coffers of that George Barrett fellow, I might have thought twice about it.
” He seemed quite disgusted and misused.
“I was not keen on the romance side of things, but I’m not the sort to leave a man stranded. ”
Emily tugged meaningfully on Georgina’s arm and received a sharp dig to her ribs in response.
“You are a good chap, Leggy,” Edmund mumbled. “I did not mean to mislead you. Here, I’ll give you that shilling back.” He groped in his pocket for a coin.
This small gesture mollified Leggy. “No need for that, Telford. Plenty of blunt.”
“Was your aunt distressed by your absence?” Georgina asked, guiding them along the winding path towards the Pavilion.
“I should say she was. No one to circulate through her friends.”
“Are you not concerned that she will discover you have deceived her?”
“Why on earth should I? I have a mask. No one will be able to tell her I was not laid up in bed with a headache.”
Georgina glanced up at Leggy’s striking crop of ginger hair. No, she would not point out that the best mask in London could do little to conceal him once someone caught sight of that. Better he discover this by himself.