Part 27 (2/2)
The Blasedales' huge, ungainly mansion seemed to occupy half of Upper Brook Street with its stalwart granite-and-marble facade of carved cherubim and seraphim. Its many fountains were filled with statues of dolphins, winged horses, and other fantastical figures, while each wall was covered with scenes of mythology and history.
Lidian was dressed in her best gown, the green-and-white satin. A strand of pearls borrowed from Lady De Gray had been twined through her dark hair. Her mother and the De Grays had praised her appearance tonight, saying she had never looked so beautiful. But it was Eric De Gray's opinion she was looking forward to the most. ”I'm positive he'll be there,” Dollie had a.s.sured her earlier in the day, and Lidian had crossed her fingers hopefully. She couldn't explain exactly why she wanted to see him so much, but she was giddy with antic.i.p.ation.
Just before the De Grays had left for the ball, a pristine white box had arrived for Lidian, containing a perfect pink-and-white orchid. There was no message on the enclosed card, only the engraved name of Lord Eric De Gray. Under the smiling regard of the entire family, Lidian had flushed in pleasure and fastened the orchid to her bodice.
Occasionally she touched the fragile petals of the flower as she talked with the other guests at the ball. They were congregating in the ballroom, awaiting an announcement from Lady Blasedale. Lidian's gaze swept the room in search of De Gray, but to no avail. Just as she began to think he might have decided not to attend, he appeared at her side. He was dressed in buff-colored pantaloons, a well-tailored black coat, and a crisp white cravat. ”Miss Acland,” he said, his eyes gleaming warmly, and he raised her gloved hand to his lips.
”Thank you for the orchid,” Lidian said softly. ”If s beautiful.”
”It doesn't do you justice.” His gaze moved over her in a quick, almost proprietary sweep.
She gave him a shy smile. ”Your family seems to think you have taken an interest in me.”
”What do you think, Miss Acland?”
She hesitated and said softly, ”I'm not certain.”
Before he could reply, Lady Blasedale appeared before the a.s.sembled guests. The black plumes fastened in her gray hair bobbed merrily as she nodded her thanks for their applause. ”Welcome, dear guests, to our annual ball! Tonight we will share a delightful repast, and later I hope the young people will dance until their slippers are worn, but for now-our treasure hunt.” She paused as many guests, especially the females, cheered their approval. ”The treasure this year is an emerald bracelet.” She smiled as she heard the rustle of pleased murmurs. ”I have but one clue to offer you as to its location. As you search through the mansion, bear in mind the number four.” She held up four pudgy fingers to emphasize the point and beamed at them. ”Good luck to you all, and if anyone tires of the hunt, please join us for refreshments as we await the outcome. We shall alert you when the bracelet has been found by ringing this bell.” She indicated a large silver bell and pulled a silk cord, sending a loud musical peal throughout the room. ”The treasure hunt has begun!”
The guests scattered immediately, one man pausing to examine the fourth spindle on the staircase, someone else heading for the fourth picture in the art gallery, and others going to investigate such objects as the fourth pot in the kitchen and the fourth room in a particular hallway. Dollie came to Lidian, her eyes bright with excitement. ”Come, let's hurry!” she exclaimed. ”I have some ideas about where it could be.”
Lidian glanced up at Eric. ”Will you join us in the treasure hunt, my lord?”
He laughed and snook his head. ”I have every confidence that you and Dollie will find the bracelet. I'll pa.s.s the time in the billiards room with friends-”
”And come out reeking of smoke and brandy,” Dollie interjected, shaking her head disapprovingly.
Eric gave her an innocent look, as if unjustly accused, and headed toward the billiards room.
Eagerly Dollie tugged Lidian out of the ballroom. ”Let's go upstairs,” she said. ”I happen to know a thing or two about Lady Blasedale. She loves to do needlework, and she has a special sewing room for it. The bracelet could be hidden there or perhaps in the nursery. The Blasedales dote on their children and grandchildren.”
”I'll investigate the sewing room,” Lidian said.
”I'll locate the nursery, then.”
Sharing Dollie's enthusiasm, Lidian hurried to match her pace as they ascended the long staircase. They split apart at the top of the stairs and went on their individual missions.
Just as Eric reached the billiards room, a sixth sense prompted him to glance over his shoulder. A dark figure moved in his field of vision, a man walking through the entrance hall.
”Come in for a drink, De Gray,” someone from inside the billiards room called. It was his friend George Seaforth, his face flushed to a shade of red that clashed with his ruddy hair. Eric threw an absent smile in Seaforth's direction. ”Later. I believe I'll join the treasure hunt after all.”
”I'll wager he's searching for something other than the bracelet,” Seaforth remarked, and there was a scattering of laughter as Eric departed. He made his way to the entrance hall and stared at the man, who had already reached the top of the stairs. Eric couldn't be positive of his ident.i.ty, but he had a fair idea. ”Spencer,” he muttered, his jaw tightening.
Having found Lady Blasedale's sewing room, Lidian ventured inside and scrutinized the small wooden table and the covered embroidery hoops arranged in a row. Each piece of work was in a varying stage of completion. She checked beneath the fourth hoop from the left and the fourth from the right, finding nothing beneath them. Next she searched through the baskets of colored silk thread that were neatly piled on chairs and footstools. To her disappointment, the bracelet wasn't there. As she prowled around the room, trying to think of anything she had left unchecked, she became aware that someone was standing in the doorway. She turned toward the intruder with an inquiring smile...until she heard his voice.
”The only treasure worth finding in this place is you”
Her face turned stiff, and she suddenly felt cold. ”What do you want, Chance?”
5.
Chance gave her a wicked smile, the one he had always employed to charm his way into getting whatever he wanted. His striking presence, so elegantly dark, seemed to fill the room. ”I want to talk with you.”
”It's too late for that,” she said in a low voice. ”Once I might have been interested in what you have to say-but no longer.”
He laughed gently. ”Don't be angry with me, darling. You have every right to be upset about my past behavior, but I deserve a chance to explain-”
”You deserve nothing,” she said fiercely. ”And I don't give a fig for your explanations.”
”Don't you?” He smiled again, his gaze seeming to take in the disturbed quickness of her breath, the rising flush on her face. ”You're not indifferent to me, Lidian, although you're trying hard to convince yourself of it.”
”You're right,” she said, her eyes glittering. ”I'm not indifferent. I hate you because of what you've taken from me.”
He appeared momentarily startled. ”What have I taken, pray tell?”
She shook her head, refusing to explain. ”Just stay away from me. I wish never to see you again.”
”How can you say that? Don't you remember what we shared? We were in love with each other, Lidian.”
”I thought so,” she said, wiping a hot tear that had suddenly trickled down her cheek. ”But apparently we were both in love with you.”
He made a soft sound and moved forward, intending to comfort her. Lidian stepped back, nearly stumbling over a large basket of spools. ”Stay away!”
”Let me remind you how it was between us, and then we'll talk. Come into my arms, darling.” He paused, however, as he saw the change in her face and realized that she was staring over his shoulder at someone else who had just arrived.
Were she not so upset, Lidian might have laughed at the way Chance spun around to see Eric De Gray standing there. Ineffectually Chance tried to dismiss him. ”De Gray,” he said in a pleasant, man-to-man tone, ”as you can see, you've stumbled onto a private scene. If you wouldn't mind leaving-”
”Get out,” Eric said, his face as hard as a blade.
Chance's mouth fell open in shock. ”You don't understand-”
”Out,” Eric repeated, staring at him without blinking.
Completely unnerved, Chance began another faltering protest and cast a bewildered glance at Lidian. She turned away from him, wiping her wet cheeks. She heard him leave, the click of the latch as the door was closed. She had never felt quite so defeated, so weary. Perhaps later she would be embarra.s.sed to recall that Eric De Gray had witnessed the humiliating scene, but for now she was numb. With an unsteady sigh, she looked up at Eric. ”Thank you,” she whispered. ”If you don't mind, I'd like to be alone for a few minutes.”
Strangely, he seemed angry with her. ”You little fool,” he said roughly, ignoring her request. ”You know he's a worthless b.a.s.t.a.r.d. Why can't you let go of him?”
Lidian stared at him through a screen of wet lashes. ”Chance came to me at the time I was most vulnerable. He spun all sorts of beautiful dreams, and made me believe in them. And when he abandoned me, everything withered away, and I was left with much less than I had before. Now I don't trust my own judgment.” She tried to set her trembling jaw and failed. ”I don't know what love is anymore....I thought I did, and I was wrong. All I'm certain of is that I don't want to be hurt again.”
”Everyone is hurt, sooner or later. You can't be so d.a.m.ned fragile that you let one man destroy all your trust.” As Lidian turned away from him, Eric stopped her. He was close enough that his warm breath touched her temple, and she sensed his tremendous power held tightly in check. ”You don't know how much I want to seduce you,” he said, his tone quiet and fierce. ”I could make you feel things you've never dreamed of.... I could make you forget everything except the pleasure you feel in my arms. But I'm not going to take advantage of you. That would make me no better than Spencer. You'll have to come to me, Lidian, when you finally let go of your illusions and decide what you want.”
She jerked back in annoyance. ”There's no need to speak to me as if I were a child!”
”You are still a child, in many ways. But that doesn't stop me from loving you.”
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