Lucy

Lucy Radnor couldn’t leave the dance floor soon enough. Would this quadrille never end? She’d come to the Full Moon Ball with the hope of seeing Everett, and they’d shared two dances already. They would only have one more per her father’s rules. And they were only allowed the extra one when they reminded him of their engagement.

Again her partner smiled at her—that was fine. It was when he licked his lips that warning chills raced through her. He’d been doing that the entire dance. Thankfully, the steps required that she move away from him frequently. This time she reached for the man at her corner. Unfortunately, the dance also required her to return to her partner over and over again.

When their hands had to touch, Lucy felt the cold papery skin of the older gentleman. Surely her father didn’t think she’d ever consider this match. She was of age. He couldn’t force her. In fact, she could marry Everett if she wanted. She hadn’t already only because she was hoping for her parents to resolve themselves to her choice, not wanting to be estranged.

Everett was dancing with his partner in the next set over. With all the turning and prancing and partner switching of the quadrille, she caught every possible view of Everett. He looked as ill at ease as she herself felt. She longed to be in his arms, and she could see the desire in his smile as well. Before their engagement they often sneaked off to a distant room at house parties for a private moment together. But since then, her mother had been tasked with the job to be her shadow, ensuring she had no privacy at all.

She repeated the dance steps in her mind, not to remember what to do, but so she could calculate how soon she could escape. The women formed a star in the middle of the set and circled left then right. I’m almost to the end. She swore that when she and Everett married, she’d never dance with another man again.

She’d never been so relieved to escape a dance partner in her life.

Aunt Nellie had been talking with her mother as she approached. “Good evening, Lady Radnor.” Then to Lucy she whispered, “It has been a difficult time for you of late. Not to worry. These things have a way of working out.” Aunt Nellie gave her a wink. “I’ll see to that.”

Lucy returned to the seat beside her mother, feeling encouraged—Aunt Nellie had a way of making matches happen. She wanted to believe Nellie, but she didn’t see how this could end. Everett was constant, patiently waiting for her father to fulfill the marriage contract, but Lucy feared that he was losing hope.

Everett had assured Lucy that he would return for her for the supper dance. When another friend of her father’s, older than all the previous ones, fixed his eyes on her and walked her way, it became clear that he might get there before Everett did. Her heart sank. Her parents had orchestrated this whole evening to introduce her to as many old men as possible—each one titled and unmarried. She would not accept this domination any longer. She jumped from her seat.

Her mother sprang to her feet also.

“Lucy, sit down this moment,” she heard her father say as she walked past him. She couldn’t stop until she assured herself that she and Everett would share the final dance before midnight.

She could hear her mother’s footsteps and voice behind her. “Lucy, slow down. A lady doesn’t rush. Lucy do you hear me? Stop running.”

But Lucy’s objective was within a few feet now. When they finally stepped close enough, they joined hands. Lucy could see Everett looking behind her shoulder where her mother was hurrying to join them.

In a rush, Lucy said, “May I have this dance?”

At that moment, her mother caught up. Hearing her daughter’s request, she gasped out loud.

Lucy could only assume it was at her forwardness. Lucy didn’t care. Her parents had agreed to a wedding with Everett and then seemed to move heaven and earth to keep it from happening. They blamed it on her father’s illness but she had her doubts. Each time they set dates and then postponed them, she became more anxious and lost a little hope.

It was high time for her to become forward.

Everett smiled and his voice rose teasingly. “Why of course. I would be honored.” He took her right hand and tucked it into his arm, then led her away from her mother. “You know you’re going to pay for that one,” he said.

Lucy giggled. “You have no idea. According to my father, I shouldn’t have been out of my seat at all. Then I outran my mother across the ballroom. Finally, I broke all the rules of social decorum by requesting a dance.” She was proud of herself. The whole experience was satisfyingly liberating.

“You know, Mrs. Hawley, I love you more each day.” Everett looked deeply into her eyes, a smile growing on his face. She’d told him that she loved it when he called her by his last name. “Your parents may have sought to separate us, but unwittingly any distance they create makes me appreciate you all the more.”

As they took a position, Lucy said, “Please say it once more.” She saw the uncertain look in his expression. “Say again the name you called me,” she hinted.

Everett’s arm at her waist tightened momentarily. “Mrs. Everett Hawley,” he whispered as he stepped toward her into the first step.

Warmth spread throughout her chest. Everett was right. Her parents had deepened the love between them. But if it went on much longer, she was going to elope.

“It looks like your father’s health has improved again.” Lucy noted a touch of sarcasm in Everett’s voice.

“Oh, it has. Or at least he thinks we believe that.” Apprehension in her chest beginning to grow, she had to tell him, but didn’t know how he would react. She didn’t want to cause a scene in the ballroom. At least not yet. She loved her parents, and wanted to give them a chance to make this right, but they seemed intent on breaking their word to her.

“I have a sort of confession to make, Everett.” Butterflies crashed against her stomach as her tension grew. “You see, my father was never ill. Each time our wedding date came closer, he has pretended to suffer from gout.”

Lucy could hear Everett snickering near her ear. “I suspected as much,” he said.

“I found out through father’s butler. My maid shares . . . private time with him occasionally.” She saw Everett’s eyebrows rise as he looked at her with a smirk. She supposed she could have left that part out, but she wanted him to know that what she was about to say was the truth. “The butler confirmed that father came up with this scheme to buy time for me to marry for a title.”

The pleasant expression on Everett’s face hardened, but she continued. “Father believes that you will give up on me, not wanting to marry into this family.”

“There’s no chance of that, my love,” he said. “I’ll find a way for us.” Everett had a determined look in his eye. “He’s playing a deep game with this, isn’t he?”

Lucy steeled herself, dreading the final detail. She could feel her cheeks blush. She hadn’t wanted to say what was obvious, but she knew Everett had figured it out. “He’s letting you dangle while he looks for someone with a title who will take me. He figures that if he doesn’t find someone else, at least I won’t be an old maid with you around.”

Everett’s eyes looked thunderous. She could tell he was looking at her father.

“So he set up his friends to court you?”

Lucy felt her stomach squeeze. “He has tried to,” she said, “but I remind him and them that I’m happily engaged. One day after a dinner party, he went so far as to say he would break our engagement, but mother gasped and cringed dramatically. I think that’s all that has saved my reputation from being ruined by him.”

“Lucy, you know I want to marry you, and I won’t let him stand in our way. If he doesn’t agree by Christmas, I’ll run with you to Scotland.”

Although she was seeing an ugly side of her parents, they were still her parents, and she wanted them at her wedding. But she wanted Everett more. “I agree.”

The dance ended, and Everett escorted Lucy back to her parents to sit beside her mother. Standing front of her father, Everett said, “You’re looking well, Lord Radnor.”

“I’ve had a little touch of something this past week. I’m not sure that it’s gone. Might flare up, you know. But thank you for asking after my health.”

Everett turned to the side so his conversation would not drift to Lucy and her mother, but Lucy heard him very well when he said, “I wasn’t asking after your health, and you well know it. I expect to set a date which will be published and adhered to. Good night, Lord Radnor. Good night, Lady Radnor.” He sketched a short bow to each. When he turned to Lucy, he bent deeply and said, “Good night, my love.” Then he turned on his heel and left the ballroom.

Lucy’s heart skipped. She admired his strength and courage to be direct with her father. How had she caught Everett’s attention? When would she see him again? Her parents had taken every invitation they could to either introduce her to someone or to keep her from seeing Everett. She missed him so much she ached.

Lady May Cottrell and her mother Lady Cottrell approached Lucy’s mother. “It was a wonderful party Aunt Nellie arranged,” Lady Cottrell said to Lady Radnor. “I do love a party.”

“As do I,” Lady Radnor agreed.

“Will you be traveling to London this season?” Lady Cottrell asked as she sat on the other side, turning Lucy’s mother away from her.

Lucy looked up to find May and Cora beside her. May curled her finger and Lucy stood to join them, taking a couple of steps away from the older women.

“Everett passed by Simon and I,” Cora said. “And he looked furious. What happened?”

“I could guess,” May said as she folded her arms. “Your father again, right?”

Thinking back two years when Lucy and Everett had first met, Lucy had to push back her emotion so she wouldn’t start to cry. “I don’t know how to get my father to set a date and end this engagement. We should’ve been married months ago.”

May patted Lucy’s arm, and Cora leaned close to the women. “Maybe there is something we can do to help,” she whispered.

“If you could do anything, I would be so grateful.”

First Lucy saw the glint in Cora’s eye, and then a sly smile stretched across her lips.

“You’re up to something, aren’t you?” May asked. “Whatever it is, I’m in.”

“I was thinking that I haven’t had a wedding party yet.”

“That’s right, and you really should take up your responsibilities in the peerage. They expect a wedding ball. This is going to help Lucy, right?”

Lucy didn’t feel great hope. She’d attended several balls where Everett also attended, but so did her father. The result made her miserable.

“Our goal will be to have her married by the end of the party.” Cora smiled brightly at May and then at Lucy. “I think it’s time the Duchess of Hertfordshire organized her first ball—a Christmas celebration.”

“That’s in a few weeks!” Lucy’s hands clasped to her chest. “Can you throw a party on such short notice?” Hope flamed into excitement in her chest. She wanted it beyond life itself.

“Can and will,” Cora replied, looking confident.

Aunt Nellie had been walking past and stopped. “I couldn’t help but hear that you’re having a party. How delightful.”

“Yes. I’m extending personal invitations. I would love for you to come,” Cora said.

“Oh, I wouldn’t miss it,” Nellie said with a wink.

“Let’s get this taken care of,” May said. “Of course you’ll need my help, Cora. You don’t mind me coming home with you tonight, do you? And just to warn you, it’s also going to cost you some very nice presents come Boxing Day.”

“I’d love to help as well,” Nellie offered. “I’ll bring my own carriage and a few servants. This will be splendid. I do love a party.” She walked off, mumbling a list of things to do.

“Thank you,” Lucy said as she threw her arms around Cora, and then May. “You’re true friends.” She paused with a troubled feeling in her chest. “How will you persuade my parents?”

May laughed out loud. “The way Lady Radnor . . .” she turned to Lucy, “no offense intended, but the way your parents value a title, they wouldn’t dare dismiss an invitation extended in person to attend a holiday party at a duke’s residence.”

Lucy had to admit they would even cancel their own deaths for such a connection.

“We’ll get you and Everett there, and your parents won’t even know why,” Cora said. “I need to talk with Simon. Take heart.” Cora pressed Lucy’s hands between her own.

“This will happen,” May said as she and Cora excused themselves.

When Lucy had started the evening, she was without hope of more than a few dances. All that would change in two short weeks. She believed May and Cora could bring about this miracle. Cora’s marriage to Simon was proof that unlikely matches shouldn’t stop her.