Regency 03 - Deception (9 page)

A wave of horror swept the crowd. Levi could just
imagine what was being said.

“
What was that?”

“
What did he say?”

“
He knows?”

“
Miss Weatherby and Lord
Derringer?”

“
Can it be true?”

“
It must be. The duke himself
admitted it.”

“
Oooh, she’s so lucky.”

Levi swiveled his head to see a young girl, barely
out of the schoolroom, being reprimanded by her mother. Good Lord,
if girls that age were daydreaming about Derringer, his dangerous
reputation was becoming highly romanticized.

The baron’s florid countenance paled. As a loving
father, he should have challenged Lord Derringer. At the very
least, he should have insisted the duke marry his daughter. He did
neither. He just stared mutely while his only child dissolved into
horrified tears. Her reputation was irreparably damaged, destroyed
beyond redemption. She would never marry well now.

Levi sighed. Derringer ever was one to settle a
situation to his own satisfaction with little regard for others.
Perhaps he’d found the Weatherbys a nuisance and wanted them out of
Society.

“
How terrible,” Aurora murmured,
the disgust she felt apparent in her tone.

The Weatherbys made their way out, the haughty
glances of the patronesses letting everyone know the truth of
Derringer’s threat.

Before Levi knew what Aurora was about, she’d left
his side. He followed, knowing with a sinking feeling that Suzanne
was not the only one who would lose her reputation this night.

She marched over and looked up at the Duke of
Derringer with righteous indignation. “That was very ill-done of
you, your grace,” she reprimanded in a harsh whisper. “That young
lady now has no chance of marriage because of you. How could you be
so…heartless?”

Derringer looked down at the little pixie-fury and
almost smiled, truly smiled. Instead, he shrugged. “That lady, and
I use the term loosely, is a spiteful witch with less morals than a
cat. She needed to be put firmly in her place.”

“
And who deemed you judge,
advocate, and jury? Have you no honor?”

Any shred of amusement the duke might have felt
disappeared. His eyes glittered dangerously. Levi felt a need to
intervene.

“
Hart, she means well.”

“
Levi, you are like a fly, buzzing
in my ear. Take yourself off.”

Levi released a frustrated sigh, knowing it would
not do to lay hands on a duke in the middle of Almack’s. Even if he
did deserve a sound thrashing.

Aurora sucked in a breath, visibly outraged. “I know
you are capable of insensitivity but this goes beyond the pale. How
can you treat your own friend so shabbily?”

“
Take care, my dear. I anger
easily,” he growled for her ears alone. “One word of what I know
about you and you would be treated worse than Suzanne Weatherby
could ever dream.”

Levi’s brows lifted, having heard just enough of the
duke’s words to arouse his curiosity. What had he heard? And why
was he even looking?

Miss Aurora Glendenning’s complexion paled, her
voice dropping to an agonized whisper. “I don’t know what you are
referring to, your grace.”

Derringer glanced around, his face forbidding anyone
to come closer. Levi ignored the expression, choosing to take his
life in his hands instead.

“
That is quite enough, Hart. You
have made your point. Cease baiting Miss Glendenning and find some
other sport to relieve your boredom.”

The duke eyed his friend for a long moment, his
features revealing little of whatever dark thoughts consumed him.
Coming to some decision—Levi prayed it was one that didn’t involve
bloodshed—he turned back to Aurora. The earl did not trust the
smile on Derringer’s lips.

“
Here is your champion, my dear.”
His soulless black eyes never left the petite blond he tormented.
“Keep her in line, Greville. I’ve no desire to ruin another
reputation tonight.” This last was said loudly enough that several
standing close by heard and the duke’s words darted around the
room.

Leaning down, the duke put his lips nearly to
Aurora’s ear. As Levi stepped forward to put a stop to such
unseemly behavior, Derringer said something that turned her face to
the color of paste. Levi would have sold his mother to the devil to
find out what it was.

“
You are heartless,” she hissed
through white lips.

“
So I’ve heard,” the duke agreed.
“You would do well to remember that.”

~~~~~~

A week later, Aurora still suffered the ill effects
of the Duke of Derringer’s well-chosen and completely hateful
words. Many shunned her despite her remarkable lineage and some
gentlemen had been forward enough to offer her
carte
blanche
. Ladies tended to avoid her company altogether.

Aurora didn’t care. She was more worried about the
duke’s whispered words to her. It was nothing more than a man’s
name, but that man’s connection to her would destroy her reputation
as assuredly as Derringer had destroyed Miss Weatherby’s.

The gossip surrounding her name now would stop just
as soon as someone provided the
ton
with something even
better to talk about. If they discovered her secret, nothing short
of a royal scandal could replace the gossip. And although the
royals were quite willing to make a byword of themselves, lately,
they had been rather circumspect.

Aurora endeavored to give the gossips nothing more
with which to fuel their spite. She spent more time with her sister
and with Ellie. They were often seen in the park by anyone up early
enough—or late enough—to chance upon them.

That was how her acquaintance with Miss Raven
Emerson started. Aurora stood in the park with Ellie and Rhiannon,
watching the ducks one week after the contretemps at Almack’s. The
little girl was exclaiming in delight over the antics of the
ducklings and begging Ellie to catch one for her so she could pet
it. Ellie, of course, did nothing of the sort and merely tugged the
child along the bank of the Serpentine so Rhiannon could get as
close as possible without actually touching the small birds.

Aurora was watching with fond amusement when she
happened to look up and see the most beautiful woman she’d ever
beheld. The woman’s hair was black as pitch, long and glossy and
even straighter than Aurora’s own blond locks. Her dark eyes were
slanted, giving her an exotic look. She glided across the grass in
the latest of French fashions, a little maid at her side. The woman
was easily a whole head taller than Aurora.

She wondered who the beautiful lady was. She had not
yet been to the theater and so did not know that she was looking at
one of the best actresses to tread the boards since Sarah Siddons.
And she would never know unless someone happened to tell her; Raven
had quit the theater right after Levi Greville had dropped her.

Aurora nodded her head in acknowledgment of the
woman’s friendly smile and returned her attention to her friend and
sister. She was surprised when the lady stopped.

“
How do you do?” she asked in a
husky voice that captured Aurora’s complete attention.

“
I’m very well, thank you. And
you?” Aurora replied politely. Heavens! The woman was even more
beautiful up close.

“
I am well,” the woman said with a
sweet smile. “I wonder if you’d mind if I introduced myself? I have
few friends in Society and you appear to be a kindred spirit.” She
gestured for her maid to join Ellie and Rhiannon and then gestured
towards a bench situated not far from the water. “Will you join
me?”

Aurora pondered in what way they were kindred
spirits as she settled herself as comfortably as possible on the
hard bench. She arranged her pale blue muslin skirts around her and
waited for the woman to speak.

“
My name is Raven Emerson,” she
said as she smoothed an invisible wrinkle from her skirt. “I am
recently become independent and I am determined to make a
respectable life for myself.”

These words warned Aurora that perhaps she should
not be speaking with this woman. Was she a member of the
fashionable impure?

“
I am Aurora Glendenning,” Aurora
offered with a wary smile. “I am currently shunned by the
high-sticklers and even some not so high.”

The look Raven leveled on her caused a distinct
uneasiness in Aurora’s chest. Something was not right in the other
woman’s expression.

Raven smiled. “So you are here to enjoy the Season,
nonetheless?”

“
I suppose,” Aurora shrugged. “I
have been everywhere and nowhere, it seems. I had always envisioned
London as exciting beyond words but I have to say I am
disappointed. I have been to the Royal menagerie and Astley’s
Amphitheatre and Westminster Abbey as well as every park London has
to offer. I have been to the opera but not the theater. I have
heard that there is an actress who is worth seeing but I have not
yet been.” She paused with an embarrassed flush. She seemed to have
developed into a veritable magpie.

Raven chuckled. “You have definitely seen just about
all London has to offer. I am sorry to disappoint you in regard to
this wonderful actress in Drury Lane but she has retired from what
I have heard, so you have missed your chance to see her, I’m
afraid.”

“
Oh, well,” Aurora murmured
dismissively. She looked towards the gates of the park and saw Lord
Connor enter with Adam Prestwich and a very tall, very large, and
very handsome redheaded gentleman. Judging by the gentlemen she’d
met so far, one would think all the gentlemen in London were
huge.

“
I have to go,” Raven said
suddenly. She rushed off, calling to her maid as she
went.

Aurora watched her go, perplexed. What an
exceedingly odd encounter, to be sure.

With a shake of her bonneted head, Aurora returned
her attention to the approaching gentlemen. She studied the one
unknown to her. He stood a bit taller than Sir Adam and fairly
towered over Lord Connor. He had a pleasant expression and smiling
eyes. She judged him to be somewhere in his mid-thirties.

“
Miss Glendenning, what a
pleasure,” Lord Connor said with a smile and a bow. She rose and
curtsied to him, then did the same to Sir Adam. The baronet
solemnly mimicked his friend’s bow. Then Northwicke turned to the
third gentleman. “Aurora, allow me to introduce Dr. Garrett Steele.
Garrett, Miss Aurora Glendenning.”

The gentleman bowed and Aurora smiled brightly at
him. Then she gestured for Ellie and Rhiannon to join them. “This
is my very dear friend, Miss Psyche Ellison and my sister,
Rhiannon.”

Within moments of the introduction, Northwicke had
managed to maneuver Garrett and Ellie to take a walk together, the
young maid of Aurora’s to take Rhiannon for a walk behind them at a
respectful distance, and Aurora to return to her seat on the bench.
Then one gentleman sat on either side and leveled stern looks on
her. The young lady’s confusion grew.

“
What did Raven have to say?” Lord
Connor asked with an indifference that Aurora could tell was
feigned.

Adam said nothing but watched the emotions flicker
over Miss Glendenning’s face, waiting patiently for her answer.

“
I don’t understand,” Aurora said
as her welcoming smile was replaced by a frown of worry. “Do you
know Miss Emerson?”

“
Yes, we know her,” Northwicke
replied with a blank look.

Adam leveled a curious look on Aurora. “How well do
you
know her, my dear?”

“
I have only just met her. Is she
not
comme il faut
, gentlemen? Have I furthered the damage to
my reputation?”

“
Provided no one saw you, your
reputation should be at the same level it has been since
Derringer’s comment,” Adam returned dryly.

“
No one saw us,” Aurora assured
them. “Who is she?” She twisted her hands in her lap, dreading what
they would tell her. She had so hoped for a new friend and Raven
had seemed so very pleasant, if a little odd.

“
Do you want to know everything
about her or only the pertinent facts?” asked Adam.

“
How well do
you
know her?”
Aurora asked as her brow furrowed.

“
Better than anyone,” was Adam’s
instant response. “Except perhaps Levi. He may actually know her
better,” he added thoughtfully. “But now I am not so sure any of us
really knew her at all.”

“
What has Lord Greville to do with
Raven Emerson?” Aurora demanded with rising indignation. “And what
was she to you? And why are you turning my happenstance
conversation with the woman into a Cheltenham Tragedy? Tell me what
you are hinting at before I lose my temper and box your
ears!”

Lord Connor chuckled at the angry little fury that
was Aurora Glendenning. Even Adam laughed at her furious
countenance.

The former laid a hand on her arm and begged,
“Please calm yourself, my dear. We simply wanted to be sure that
you were not one of tender sensibilities. What we tell you is not
exactly something that should be mentioned within hearing of the
gentler sex, you see.”

Aurora turned a minatory glare on Adam Prestwich.
“You explain,” she said with deadly quiet.

Adam’s grin disappeared. He frowned heavily. “Very
well, Miss Glendenning. That woman was an actress on Drury Lane
until a few weeks ago. She was my mistress at one time and more
recently, Levi Greville’s mistress. Her appearance in the park at
this hour was more than just happenstance, little Aurora. She was
seeking you out because of your relationship with Levi.”