Part 26 (2/2)
No one had ever said anything like that to her before. She readied herself for an insult, an offensive proposition-but she couldn't stop herself from asking, ”What kind of adventure?”
”Just a small one.”
She knew she should refuse immediately...yet the temptation to agree was strong. The thought of going back to De Gray house right now, fresh from such crus.h.i.+ng defeat, was none too appealing. ”What if my mother discovers that I'm gone?”
”You were willing to risk that for Spencer, weren't you?”
”Yes, but...” Lidian fell silent, unable to believe that she was hesitating. Tell him to take you straight home, she thought. After all that's happened, you should know what comes of trusting men, no matter how appealing they seem. She was caught in the position of being unwilling to say no and unable to say yes. She settled for looking up at him helplessly, her brows quirking in a frown.
Suddenly De Gray laughed and straightened her cloak, drawing the hood protectively around her face. ”Come with me,” he said, making the decision for her.
”Where are we going?”
”The pleasure gardens at Vauxhall.”
”I've heard of that place. Aren't there prost.i.tutes there? And thieves?”
”Every kind of person you can imagine,” he said, walking her toward the long line of private carriages waiting outside the club.
Lidian was at once worried and intrigued, wondering how she had come to this turn in her life, going to Vauxhall with a man she barely knew, in the middle of the night. ”Why are they called 'pleasure gardens'?”
”Perhaps you'll find out,” he said in a tantalizing tone.
”Before I agree to go with you, you must promise that you'll be a gentleman.”
He grinned and signaled for his carriage. ”Unlike the other men of your acquaintance, Miss Acland, I never make promises I can't keep.”
4.
With all the whispers of decadence and scandal that accompanied the mention of Vauxhall, Lidian had never actually been quite certain what it was. She quickly discovered that an evening at Vauxhall, an area located north of Kensington Lane, was exactly like attending a party-the most amazing party she could ever imagine. She had never been exposed to a large group of such uninhibited people: aristocrats, dandies, ladies, and prost.i.tutes. Music from a large orchestra filled the air while food vendors sold ice cream, cheesecakes, and biscuits. Lines formed at a lottery booth where tickets were sold for a chance to win colorful trinkets.
Lord De Gray paid the extravagant sum of two guineas apiece for them to enter the gardens. Lidian took care not to meet anyone's gaze and stayed close by De Gray's side. However, curiosity soon got the better of her, and she stared at her surroundings with wonder. The gardens were laid out in a pattern of five walkways, some of them covered with awnings and bordered with trees, with gravel or brick underfoot. A cold night breeze whipped around her, and she s.h.i.+vered, glad for the warmth of her thick wool cloak.
De Gray stopped and purchased a narrow black felt mask for her, similar to those many other people were wearing. ”No proper young lady would be caught without one,” he a.s.sured her dryly, ”as well as husbands spending a night away from their wives, or young bloods who wish to appear das.h.i.+ng-”
”Are you going to wear one?” she asked, letting him tie the strip of felt behind her head.
He turned her around to face him, adjusting the mask until she could see through the eyeholes. ”It's no scandal for me to be here, Miss Acland. You, on the other hand, would be ruined.” Noticing that Lidian's gaze had strayed to a man walking by with a tray of biscuits, he smiled slightly. ”You must be hungry. You barely touched your supper earlier.”
”I was too nervous to eat. I kept thinking about...” Her voice trailed away as she recalled how eager she had been to see Chance.
”Forget about that,” he said abruptly, and drew her toward the Grove, where more than a hundred supper boxes were located. They were filled with couples enjoying plates of ham, tongue, and chicken while listening to the orchestra. The music was loud and invigorating, causing all thoughts of Chance to fade from Lidian's mind. De Gray seated her at a supper box, its interior painted with a country scene by the artist Francis Hayman. The crowd hummed and sang along as the orchestra played a popular tune.
At De Gray's gesture, a waiter brought them plates piled with miniature roast chickens, paper-thin slices of ham, pastry, and cake filled with layers of cream and berry jam. Lidian applied herself to the food hungrily, pausing in surprise as De Gray handed her a gla.s.s of wine.
”I'm not allowed to drink wine,” she said, hesitating.
De Gray lowered his mouth to her ear. ”I won't tell,” he said conspiratorially, his low voice causing a pleasurable p.r.i.c.kling along her spine. She smiled and accepted the gla.s.s, taking a sip of the rich red vintage. De Gray urged more delicacies on her and teased her until she couldn't help laughing at his nonsense. She leaned into the warmth of his side with increasing trust. The novelty of being in such a place and receiving the flattering attentions of a handsome man worked a peculiar spell on her. She wanted the night never to end.... She was in the middle of an enchanting dream. Fireworks were set off at the conclusion of the musical performance, spinning rocket wheels that shot into the sky and bursts of colored light that unfolded into brilliant blossoms. Lidian watched in delight while the crowd cheered at each new display.
Afterward De Gray escorted her from the supper box and strolled with her toward the Grove. ”I wish I could feel this way forever,” Lidian said, still glowing from the wine and entertainment.
”What way?” he asked, smiling at her excitement.
”As if I had wings!” She sighed suddenly. ”Of course, tomorrow I'll have to come back down to earth.”
De Gray stared at her with dark gray-green eyes, and for a moment there was a strange touch of yearning in them. Lidian had the feeling he wanted to say something to her, make her understand something important-and yet something held him back.
Finally he replied in a neutral tone, breaking the spell. ”Tonight isn't over yet.” Stopping at the lottery booth, he paid a few s.h.i.+llings for her to draw a prize. At his urging, Lidian plunged her hand into a bowl of paper tickets and curled her fingers around one. She pulled it out and handed it to the man in the booth.
”A prize for the lady!” the man exclaimed, examining the number on the ticket. He reached behind the counter and retrieved a small object for her. It was a painted tin whistle strung on a blue ribbon.
Lidian hung it around her neck and blew it until she produced a shrill sound. Without ceremony De Gray removed the whistle from her puckered lips and tucked it inside her cloak.
”Now, whenever I whistle, you must obey my summons,” Lidian said with a laugh.
De Gray smiled and made a slight bow. ”Anytime, my lady.”
She regarded him dubiously. ”You won't forget your promise, will you?”
He stared down at her and stroked aside a tiny wisp of hair that had caught on the edge of her mask. ”Never.”
Lidian didn't protest as he slid his arm familiarly around her back. They strolled along some of the walkways, where couples promenaded back and forth and randy young men ogled the women who pa.s.sed. As they neared the end of the Hermit's Walk, Lidian caught a glimpse of two entwined figures, a man and woman kissing pa.s.sionately in the shadows. She blushed and glanced up at De Gray, who had also seen them. Lidian wondered how many other women De Gray had brought here, and if he had ever seduced a girl into forgetting her inhibitions along one of these shadowed walkways.
”Have you ever been in love?” Lidian asked shyly, gazing at his austere profile.
”I've felt something close to it, a time or two.”
”Perhaps someday you'll know what it's like,” she said in her most mature tone.
She heard the catch of a laugh in his throat. His voice was brushed with irony. ”I certainly hope so.” They stopped at the most narrow path Lidian had seen so far. It looked dark and quiet, a tunnel of shadows and rustling leaves. ”That is known as Lovers' Walk,” De Gray said. ”Any young woman foolish enough to venture there is practically begging for a scandal.” He turned to her, one brow arched mockingly, and gestured to the path. ”Shall we?”
”I don't know,” Lidian said, wondering what he wanted from her. Perhaps he was trying to make her look foolish, painting her as a timid, silly creature. But she couldn't possibly go in such a place with him. It was bad enough to be at Vauxhall, away from the protection of her mother, drinking wine...She should put a stop to it now. She had no idea what had come over her, behaving so irresponsibly.
”Are you afraid?” he asked softly.
”Certainly not!” Lidian tried to reason with herself. What was the worst that could happen? He might try to make an advance to her...and then she would reprove him, and that would be the end of it.
Recklessly she started down the path, and he fell into step beside her. Soon they pa.s.sed another couple, whispering and exchanging kisses, and Lidian averted her gaze. She began to feel increasingly nervous as they were plunged into thicker darkness, the trees blocking all but a few gleams of the sky overhead.
”It's very late,” she commented. ”It must be past midnight.”
”Two o'clock, I'd guess.”
She tried to think of another topic of conversation. ”Will you be attending the Brimworthys' ball on Friday?”
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