How to Play the Game of Love (Ladies of Passion) Read online

  Emily frowned as she rearranged the curl at my temple for the tenth time. “It refuses to obey—”

  I clasped my hand over hers and lowered it. “It looks fine, Emily. I’m sure I’ll look the most winsome woman in the room.”

  “Hey,” Daisy protested, pulling a face. When she didn’t do that, she was a beauty in her own right. She possessed a youthful vigor I feared she’d never outgrow. Tonight, the smattering of freckles across her nose was hidden with powder. Emily aimed to dress us as our most resplendent.

  “You look beautiful, too,” I told my sister. “You’d do well not to show others that you know it. A little modesty can go a long way.”

  She stuck out her tongue at me. “When have you ever been modest?”

  I shook my head. “Stop acting like a child. You’re here because you’re almost old enough to be married.”

  That stifled her childish demeanor in a hurry. She scrambled to her feet off the bed, straightening her shoulders in a serene expression even I couldn’t match. I reigned in my envy. She’d be a smashing hit at her come out, no doubt married within the year.

  And myself…well, I’d be married, too. Papa refused to allow Daisy’s come out while her elder sister remained unmarried.

  Tonight was my last chance to ensnare the man of my choosing. I had to lure Frederick away from Miss Johnstone somehow.

  As I rose from the vanity and stepped away, I banged my hip on the corner of the squashed writing desk. I hobbled away, hissing. Why did the blasted thing have to be there? I narrowed my eyes. Wait… I smiled. A woman wasn’t without her wiles. All I had to do was shoo Daisy away for a moment of privacy.

  My sister plucked her hands on her hips. “Plenty of young women come out at my age. I’d already be launched on Society if you weren’t dragging your heels to get married.” She stuck up her chin. “Choose a man already. You’ve had plenty of offers.”

  I shot her my best smile. “Maybe I’ll do just that at this party, if only you’d give me a moment’s peace.” I bit off the words with more spite than I intended. When hurt flashed across her face, I winced.

  I shouldn’t be in a snit. I was her elder sister; I had to set a proper example. Smoothing my skirts, I said, “Forgive me. Would you mind checking on Mary and Francine to see if they are ready to go downstairs? I need a moment to compose myself.”

  Daisy scowled but stomped from the room on the errand nonetheless.

  The moment the door closed behind her, I yanked open the drawer to the writing desk. I unearthed a sheet of paper, a pen, and ink. The blasted stopper on the ink jar refused to pop free. I didn’t have much time before Daisy returned.

  Keeping something secret from my sister was nigh impossible.

  Emily laughed. She stepped forward with an upraised palm. “Miss Rose, please tell me you aren’t writing to your mother to take her back. Your letter won’t do any good, and you shan’t receive a response before the week is through.”

  “I’m not writing to Mama.”

  She tugged the ink jar from my hand and removed the cap smoothly. When she handed it back, I muttered my thanks as I dipped in my pen. I scrawled a single line on the page, an invitation to meet behind the stables tonight. I didn’t sign it. If someone intercepted the missive, better they couldn’t pin the lascivious request on me.

  Emily craned her neck and read over my shoulder. “So you weren’t lying to Daisy. You do have a gentleman in mind.”

  I grumbled under my breath as I blotted the missive with sand. “I curse the day you learned to read.”

  “Then perhaps you should have made more of an effort barring Miss Mary from teaching me.”

  A herd of stampeding horses couldn’t stop Mary from doing what she wanted. I didn’t answer. Waving the parchment in the air, I waited for the ink to dry before I ripped off the bottom half and folded it neatly.

  Emily caught me by the arm as I moved away. “Tell me you aren’t aiming your cap for that soldier.”

  I disentangled from her hold. “Who I choose is my business.”

  Emily lifted her eyebrows. “Oh?” She crossed her arms beneath her chest. “It is my business as well.”

  “How so?”

  “Who has to console you every time you fall out of love?” Emily lifted a finger. She added a second as she continued. “Who has to mend your clothes when you try to rouse passion in the bushes?”

  “Why do you say try? I’ve had plenty of passionate kisses.” Like Warren’s. My chest and cheeks flushed with warmth.

  No, that had been something different altogether. Something I refused to think about.

  Emily raised a third finger. “Who must suffer whatever man you choose as my next employer?”

  “Don’t be silly. Daisy still needs to be married. You’ll stay with her.”

  Emily raised her eyebrows. Her mouth puckered. “Daisy will be a handful, and you well know it. I’m a free woman. I choose where I’m employed.”

  “Not if I refuse to hire you.”

  Emily laughed. She didn’t believe me for a second. In fact, neither did I. Where would I find as loyal and happy a maid as I did in her? Not to mention a friend. No one else endured my occasional dramatics with such aplomb. No, Emily and I would remain together for many years to come.

  Swooping forward, Emily pressed a kiss to my cheek. “I care for your happiness, Miss Rose. Remember that when you entertain this Captain Paine tonight. If he doesn’t treat you like a queen, he isn’t the man for us.”

  I bit my lip, but couldn’t contain a smile. “Thank you. I’m ready to go down to dinner.”

  “Good. By midnight, you’ll have every man beating on your door, begging for your hand in marriage.”

  I laughed. “Not Warren.”

  I didn’t realize the words had slipped from my mouth until a sly smile crossed her face. “Who?”

  My chest constricted. I couldn’t breathe. “It doesn’t matter.” When I tried to trundle past her, she barred my path. For all that I was the taller woman, she proved a sturdy block.

  “I think it does. Who is Warren?”

  “Lord Hartfell,” I answered. “The pain in my behind, and my partner this morning for the games.”

  She lifted an eyebrow. “It sounds as though he made quite the impression. He’s the reason you cloistered yourself in this room all day?”

  “Yes, and I could have used your company.” She knew how I hated to be indoors.

  Her stern look didn’t waver. “You’re changing the subject, miss.”

  I sighed. “Warren is dastardly. I can’t suffer to be in his company.”

  A twinkle entered her eye, but she stepped out of my path. “How fortunate, then, that you have Captain Paine. Shall I deliver the note for you?”

  Good, she wouldn’t try to stop me.

  “Would you? But don’t tell him it’s from me. I’d like it to be a surprise.”

  She smiled so broadly the room brightened. “Don’t worry, Miss Rose. I’ll make sure it is a surprise.”

  I relinquished the note to her and slipped into the hall. Daisy towed a reluctant Francine and Mary along behind her as she emerged from Francine’s room.

  “There you are,” she exclaimed. “You’ve taken hours to get ready.”

  She couldn’t have been gone for more than five minutes, if that.

  She added, “The pudding will grow cold if we don’t go down.”

  If Lady Dunlop didn’t serve a pudding, Daisy might swoon from disappointment. Now that would be a sight. And the perfect distraction to allow me to slip away unnoticed for my rendezvous.

  “Oh, bl—” Mary glanced at me and changed what she was about to say. “Drat. I forgot my fan in Francine’s room. Daisy, would you mind getting it?”

  My younger sister frowned. “You don’t carry a fan.”

  “Oh, that’s right.” Mary turned to Francine with a sunny smile. “Can I borrow yours tonight?”

  Francine blinked. Her long, thick eyelashes fluttered in front of her
eyes. “If you’d like. I think Pauline packed one. I’ll have to ask.”

  “Thank you. Daisy, would you mind going with her? Just so she doesn’t get too distracted.”

  Francine’s mouth dropped open. She scrunched her nose, hurt. “I’m not that bad, am I?” Her voice was small.

  Wrapping her arm around Francine’s shoulders, Daisy steered her away. “No, of course not. It can’t hurt for me to help, right?”

  I frowned at Mary. “I think you hurt Francine’s feelings.” Even if I occasionally found my friend a bit absentminded, I tried not to show it. I loved Francine, for her virtues and her faults.

  Mary made a face. “I think so, too. I’ll have to apologize later. I only wanted to speak to you without Daisy overhearing.”

  “Why?”

  Tentatively, she brushed her hand over my sleeve. “You haven’t come downstairs all day. Are you all right? I know you get—”

  I scowled. “Do not say mood swings. Or doldrums. I’m fine.”

  “Then why did you shut yourself in your room? I thought you wanted to come to this party.”

  “I do. I need…” I pressed my lips tight before I said something I’d regret.

  Mary’s black eyebrows knit together. She adjusted her spectacles. “What do you need, Rose?”

  I forced a smile. What was taking Francine and Daisy so long? “I need to sit down to supper. I’m starved.”

  Her face fell. “Oh.” She started to turn away, but her jaw set in a churlish expression. “I’m not like Daisy, you know. I won’t spill your secrets for all and sundry. Aren’t we friends?”

  I licked my paper-dry lips. “Of course we are.”

  “Then why don’t you share things with me? I know you open up more to Francine.”

  Facing Warren would have been easier. I took a steadying breath. “You must know why I wanted to attend this party.” Unlike her, it wasn’t because my godmother had forced me to attend.

  “You want to find a husband. I want that for you, too.”

  She spoke the words with such bald earnestness that my mouth dropped open. “You do?”

  “Of course. But it has to be the right man. I want you to be happy.”

  I didn’t know what to say.

  With a one-shouldered shrug, she dropped her gaze and added, “We haven’t found the right man for you, yet. We will.”

  Had she, in her own way, been trying to help me find a husband all along? My head spun at the notion.

  I changed the subject. “It was bad form for me to stay away all day. I’m sorry I worried you. Did I miss anything?”

  “Other than Captain Beckwith nearly getting into a row with the hostess, no.”

  She said it with such a casual air, I couldn’t help but grin. “What happened?”

  She matched my smile, her eyes gleaming. “At afternoon tea, Lady Dunlop kept going on and on about what a shame it was Francine couldn’t entice her friend Julian to attend for an afternoon. Finally, Captain Beckwith snapped and told her if she wanted to see the youngest Beckwith so bad, he would tie her to his horse and take her to Julian.”

  I pressed my hand to my mouth to hold in my sniggers. It didn’t help. “He did not.”

  “He did.”

  “What did Lady Dunlop say?”

  Drawing herself up to her full height, Mary donned her best Lady Dunlop impression. She sniffed. “That won’t be necessary.” She dissolved into laughter. “She spent the rest of the afternoon throwing every debutante she could find into his path. Well, except for Francine.”

  “Even you?” I found that hard to imagine.

  “No.” Relief crossed her face. “She seems to have forgotten I exist. But…she won’t take notice of you unless you come down.”

  I tried to smile, but it emerged closer to a wince. “I don’t think she likes me very much.”

  “You haven’t given her a chance to get to know you.” The door to Francine’s room opened. Mary glanced over her shoulder. She lowered her voice. “She’ll come around. If she doesn’t, we’ll have to do it on our own. One way or another, this party will be a success. We’ll make it one. I promise.”

  I gaped. Was Mary Babington-Smith, the notorious man-hater, offering to help me find a husband?

  Chapter Nine

  Francine passed the fan to Mary as she and Daisy returned. “Shall we go?” Her voice was soft. She didn’t meet Mary’s gaze. She was still hurt. I tried to catch her eye, but she didn’t seem to notice.

  I descended the stairs first. Daisy tried to slip past me with her exuberant, clunking footsteps, but I sidled in front of her, using my wider hips to my advantage. When she whined behind me, I smiled to myself.

  “Rose, hurry up.”

  “Wait your turn,” I told her, my voice serene. “A lady is poised. A lady is serene.”

  Mary elbowed her way past. “A lady waits for no one.” She clomped down the stairs.

  I sighed. A fine example she made for Daisy. It took weeks of schooling to undo what Mary encouraged in a moment.

  Daisy squeezed past me and barreled down after Mary. Francine sent me a chagrined smile, as if to say, what can you do about it?

  Nothing.

  Nevertheless, I returned her smile as we descended the steps at a sedate pace.

  Mary and Daisy burst into the sitting room before I reached the foot of the stairs. Clutching the banister, I gulped a steadying breath. No matter how Warren made himself a nuisance tonight, I refused to be deterred. I’d put him in his place this afternoon.

  At least—I hoped.

  Francine touched my arm with a hesitant brush of her fingers. “Are you all right?”

  I peered down at her. “Of course I am. Why?”

  “You seem…different. Aren’t you supposed to be in love and walking on air?”

  Frankly, I was surprised she stopped thinking about books or plants long enough to notice. “I’m fine. A touch nervous is all. This will be my last chance to impress Frederick.”

  “I’m sure you’ve impressed him already.”

  Laughter born of disbelief welled in my throat. I tamped it down. How wrong she was. I sent her the glimmer of a smile. “I’m sure you’re right,” I lied. As appreciative as I was for her support, I didn’t need her consoling me. Not now, when I had a battle to wage.

  She still looked a bit out of sorts, so I added, “Mary didn’t mean anything by her comment. She was trying to get Daisy to leave, not you.”

  Francine’s chin dimpled, a sure sign that she was still hurt. “She needs to think before she speaks.”

  “Undoubtedly. But…I think she means well.” I still reeled from our conversation. For how long could I trust Mary to lend her support? With her brash manner, the cost might outweigh the benefit. I kept that to myself.

  Francine murmured, “Let’s go into the sitting room. We’ll be missed.”

  Together, we approached the door. I paused on the threshold, examining those gathered. As I waited, Lady Dunlop turned toward us. Mary hovered at her side. My stomach lurched. What had she said?

  A hush blanketed the room. Our hostess beckoned to me. “There you are. Let’s adjourn to the dining room.”

  I stepped back and to the side as she trundled forward. Not far enough. She snagged my arm and dragged me with her.

  “Come,” she said. “Sit beside me tonight.”

  Had Mary done this? I struggled to present a serene mien.

  The hostess lugged me into the dining room and down the long length of the table, neatly set with a white tablecloth. The light of a crystal chandelier overhead gleamed off of the plates and cutlery. Overturned glasses waited to be filled with wine or water.

  Lady Dunlop didn’t release my arm until we reached the head of the table. A footman stepped forward to hold out first my chair, then hers as we sat. She eyed the doorway beadily as her guests entered, choosing seats. When Frederick appeared, the wan Miss Johnstone appeared even paler as she followed on his footsteps—to my astonishment, on Warren’s a
rm instead of Frederick’s. Lady Dunlop waved merrily.

  “Frederick, Miss Johnstone. Come sit up here.”

  Heaven help me. Mary had helped, after all.

  The hostess ignored Warren entirely. I smiled. A wise woman. Left to his own devices, he chose a seat at the opposite end of the table. The knots of tension in my shoulders eased.

  Now with Miss Johnstone on his arm, Frederick approached the head of the table. When he reached Lady Dunlop, she directed him to sit next to her, with Miss Johnstone on his right. The young woman, withdrawn, didn’t speak a word. In fact, she looked preternaturally pale. Was she ill? Although we competed for the same man, I didn’t wish for harm to befall her.

  Perhaps she was hungry. She hadn’t been one of the lucky few this morning to eat breakfast, and she’d disappeared with Frederick all afternoon. From the stiff way Miss Johnstone claimed her seat, not even bothering to thank Frederick for holding out her chair, she hadn’t elicited a proposal from him.

  Maybe he had rejected her altogether. I might still have a chance. Had Emily slipped him the note?

  Mary claimed the seat to my left. I squeezed her hand under the table, a silent thank you.

  Down the long line of guests, Warren turned his head in my direction. He answered the young debutante beside him without looking at her. His gaze bored into me. Hot, assessing. A warm blush mantled my cheeks.

  Relief washed over me as a parade of servants poured into the room, each carrying trays. They strode to the head of the table, offering Lady Dunlop the first choice from the dishes. They offered Frederick and me selections next. Happy for the distraction, I broke eye contact with Warren. If only I could banish him from my thoughts as easily.

  Thick beef stew or corn chowder was followed by mutton, roast pork, and a bevy of seasoned vegetables in a creamy sauce. The aroma suffused the air. Conversation ceased as the guests devoured the first and second courses. Thanks to Lady Dunlop curtailing our breakfast, we were all starved.

  As the servants ladled out the third course, the room hummed to life with discourse. Frederick ate his meal in continued silence. The stiff jabs of his fork discouraged conversation.

  Not that that stopped Mary. “Captain Paine,” she said in a chipper voice. “I hear you brought your warhorse to the party.”