Part 12 (1/2)

A man she scarcely knew, really.

That thought occurred to her quite often.

As often as the thought that she had nothing to wear.

To make matters worse, as word spread around Mayfair, she was plagued with a sudden rush of callers. People she knew only casually were suddenly calling as if they were old friends, sniffing around about the details of her wedding and her courts.h.i.+p.

Lady Purnam was, naturally, the first to call, the tone of her voice as disapprovingly unpleasant as her mien. ”How is it possible,” she demanded without preamble, ”that you could agree to something so indecorous?”

”I beg your pardon!” Ava protested.

”Don't behave so missishly with me, madam! This rush to obtain a special license so that you may marry within a fortnight is scandalous! The entire world will think you are with child!” she'd all but shouted, banging her parasol on the floor with each word.

”I hardly think the entire world will be concerned with my wedding, Lady Purnam, but in the event the entire world is concerned, I don't care!”

Lady Purnam gasped with shock. ”Have you any idea how extremely disappointed your mother would be?” she shrieked.

”My mother would congratulate me on a match that was convenient and inspired!”

”Oh! You are incorrigible!” Lady Purnam cried. She did not stay long, so incensed was she that Ava would not listen to reason.

When Miss Molly Frederick and Miss Anne Williams called, Ava suspected that their mutual friend, Lady Elizabeth, had put them up to it. After the obligatory congratulations and talk of the wedding, Miss Frederick mused, ”How do you suppose Lord Middleton came to his decision to offer for you? After all, there were so many debutantes for whom he might have offered.”

”I suppose,” Ava said airily, ”that he was attracted by my inherent charm.”

Phoebe, who was seated across from her, almost spit her tea as Miss Frederick and Miss Williams exchanged a look of astonishment at her cheek.

”You are indeed quite charming,” Miss Williams lied solicitously. ”But I should think you would not like to be married to someone who is known for reckless behavior.”

”Reckless? Lord Middleton?” Ava responded with a gay laugh. ”My fiance does indeed enjoy a good sporting event,” she said, crafting her response from the things she had read or heard of him. ”But I rather think he shall tame his ways once we are married.”

Behind Miss Frederick's head, Phoebe rolled her eyes.

”I am certain he will,” Miss Frederick said with a thin smile. ”But nevertheless, I should not like to be married to a rogue.”

”Indeed?” Ava said, and smiled wickedly. ”I should think marriage to a rogue would be far more exciting than marriage to a vicar,” she said, knowing full well that a parish vicar had made his intent to marry Miss Frederick well known.

And, in fact, Miss Frederick colored quite red and did not mention the rogue again.

When they had left, Phoebe folded her arms across her middle and shook her head. ”You are shameless. ”

”Why?”

Ava demanded. ”Why should I explain my decision to the likes of them? Why is everyone so anxious to know how it is the Marquis of Middleton offered for me, poor Ava Fairchild? Why can't they just accept that he esteems me?”

”Oh, I don't know...perhaps because it happened so quickly without any sort of courts.h.i.+p?” Phoebe asked.

Ava ignored her. She ignored all the prying callers. She had her doubts, of course she did, but she found it insupportable for anyone to believe she was not as deserving of his esteem as anyone else. She was certainly as deserving as Lady Elizabeth. She met their prying questions with scorn-but none of them had prepared her for the arrival of the temptress herself, Lady Waterstone.

She called one day in the company of some of the women from the Ladies' Beneficent Society. ”How very happy you must be,” she'd said, taking Ava's hands and smiling in a way that made Ava's blood run cold.

”Indeed I am,” Ava said, perhaps a bit too forcefully.

”Do you think you'll prefer Broderick Abbey to town?” Lady Waterstone asked, her eyes glittering.”I...I don't know,” Ava answered honestly. ”I've not seen Broderick Abbey.””I think you will find it lovely and the country air divine. It's a wonderful place for children,” she said. ”I'

ve seen it often,” she continued as she took a seat Ava had not offered. ”I particularly admire the master suite. The colors are very inviting.” She looked up, saw Ava's look of horror, and smiled. ”The house is open to the public when he is abroad, you know.”

”No,” Ava said weakly. ”I did not know.”For the remainder of the call, Ava could hardly speak-she was completely obsessed with the questionof just how many times Lady Waterstone had seen Broderick Abbey-and in particular, the master suite? How long had they been lovers? How was it he had left someone as worldly and beautiful as Lady Waterstone for her?

She despaired the visit would ever end, but when it did, she vowed she'd not accept another caller.

Of all the women who had called on her, only Miss Grace Holcomb was kind to her, and seemed truly

excited that she was to marry a marquis. ”He's quite handsome and so charming. I am so happy for your

good fortune, Lady Ava. I hope I will know such fortune one day,” she'd said sincerely.Not even Phoebe was particularly kind-but then again, Phoebe was very exacerbated by the wholeaffair, as she was making Ava's wedding dress by sewing well into the night, as well as helping makearrangements to pick up Ava's life and move it to Broderick Abbey.

”I can't imagine what you must be thinking,” Phoebe snapped at Ava the morning she was to meetMiddleton's father, the duke. ”Granted, you have made yourself a match, Ava, but to wed him in aweek? There is no time to do anything properly!”

”And what will you do for a lady's maid?” Lucy demanded just as adamantly. ”You cannot be amarchioness without a lady's maid! Everyone will talk!”

”That's very true,” Ava said thoughtfully.

No one said anything for a moment, and then slowly, all eyes turned to Sally, who was sitting on the chaise.

Sally's eyes widened. ”Me?””Yes!” Ava cried.”Oh no!” Sally protested, gaining her feet. ”I won't go off and live with country b.u.mpkins!””That's a bit high and mighty if you ask me,” Lucy said.”Beggin' your pardon, mu'um, but I never met a country bloke who knew his a.r.s.e-””I'll pay you handsomely,” Ava quickly interjected before Sally could finish her sentence.”Pay?” Sally said, relaxing a little. ”How much?””One hundred and fifty pounds,” Ava said, ignoring Lucy's squeal of shock and dismay. ”You'll come to Broderick Abbey a week after I arrive there with as much of a trousseau as Phoebe can throw together.”