CHAPTER1
Meredith Notley fought against the urge to tug at her ivory gloves again as she glanced around the packed ballroom. This was her coming out, her first ball, and her first time being thrown into the customary game of the marriage mart. As she stood by an exquisite display of wall tapestries among a crowd of vaguely familiar faces and tittering ladies, a flutter of butterflies danced in her stomach. This was truly the upper echelons of society, and although her father had the good grace to provide her with this opportunity, she still felt like an intruder. She tried not to let it show on her face, smiling politely and offering the slightest inclination of her head at each comment addressed to her, as propriety had taught her.
She knew full well that if tonight didn't work out as planned, if she continually failed to entertain a suitor, then her father wouldn't hesitate to arrange for her a marriage of convenience. It was a part of the Notley family tradition and something she had been warned about. Out of instinct, Meredith touched the book hidden in her reticule and counted to ten.
I will marry for love. I will not allow my life to be dictated… But that is a matter for another time. For now, I must find a way to excuse myself so I can finish reading this final chapter.
“Ah, Lady Meredith,” a young woman in an in-fashion red chenille gown spoke over the boisterous ramblings of the ton.Lady Harriet Gladstone. They had only been introduced on one other occasion, and certainly not under the best of circumstances. “I hope the Duke’s private ball has exceeded your expectations as it so often has mine. My, what fortuity you must entertain to be debuted here.”
Meredith nodded and smiled before finding her voice, “I fear I shall only be disappointed from here onwards, Lady Harriet.”
“It truly is a shame the Duke of Allerton does not attend his own balls with the rest of polite society,” she moved a little closer and lowered her voice, “I have heard on-dit he prefers gaming hells and the company of light skirts.”
“A fashionable hobby for a fashionable gentleman, I’m sure,” Rose Middleton, Meredith’s cousin, chimed in, arriving by her side with a cup of punch in hand. Meredith breathed a sigh of relief at her cousin’s entrance—getting entangled in gossip was not her idea of a fun pastime.
“Of course,” Lady Harriet grinned smugly, as she swept back with the force of a typhoon. Her gaze fell on Rose’s drink. “Oh, dear. That reminds me, I am absolutely parched. Lady Meredith, might you do me the favor of fetching a cup of punch? I would be eternally grateful.”
Meredith felt her cheeks flush but nodded, looking around for the closest refreshment table. Before she could walk off and aid Harriet with her request, Rose grasped her arm. “I’m sorry, Lady Harriet, but Meredith is not here to be your personal servant tonight. If you need something, it would be advisable that you get it yourself.”
The lady raised her thin eyebrows in surprise as if challenging Rose, who did not appear intimidated in the slightest. “I see,” Harriet murmured, “Very well then. You may have a wonderful evening.”
Once Harriet had retreated, Meredith turned to Rose with a look of surprise and gratitude. The surrounding guests appeared blissfully unaware of the brief confrontation, which offered Meredith some relief. “Thank you, cousin,” she mouthed.
Rose smiled warmly. “You needn’t thank me, Meredith. You need to start standing up for yourself and not let people push you around. You are capable of much greater things than fetching drinks or being told what to do all the time,” Rose softened her voice as she arched closer to Meredith’s ear, “Besides, did you see Lady Harriet’s face? Oh, was it satisfying to sour her smug expression.”
The two cousins shared a conspiratorial glance before giggling together. For a moment, thanks to her older cousin, she seemed to enjoy the ball, despite her nerves. She did feel foolish upon realizing the truth in her cousin’s words, however, and a sense of shame flowed through her.
Before the conversation could continue, a tall gentleman approached them. He had piercing blue eyes that were a striking contrast to his dark hair, and he bowed politely. “Ladies,” he spoke with a hint of a smile in his voice.
Meredith felt her heart skip as she nervously eyed Rose, who seemed surprisingly calm and collected despite the unexpected arrival of their visitor.
“I couldn’t help but notice the two of you conversing so gaily and wished to know what the rest of us were missing out on,” he continued charmingly before turning to Rose. “Lady Rose, perhaps you could catch me up during the next dance.”
Rose glanced at Meredith as if asking for permission. She knew Meredith could use the company, but Meredith was already searching for a secluded area in the full ballroom to retreat to with her book. Meredith immediately nodded at her cousin and encouraged her to engage with the charming gentleman.
“It would be a pleasure, My Lord,” said Rose.
Meredith watched as the gentleman and Rose disappeared onto the dancefloor, leaving her alone once more. The lively whirl of elegantly dressed guests was both thrilling and overwhelming in equal measure. She took a deep breath and continued looking for an area to find a respite.
Finally, after navigating through several nooks amid the throngs of people, she stumbled upon a small alcove tucked away in the corner of the ballroom. She carefully parted the thick brocade curtains, almost expecting crowds of people to be behind it when instead she found a long empty hallway that stretched at least twenty meters ahead. There were rooms on each side of a regal red carpet that divided the marble floor.
Once she was sure no one was around, she removed the book from her reticule and a wistful smile graced her lips as she was drawn back to the chapter she had been reading before the ball. The couple had finally professed their love for one another after their passionate kiss, a scandalous one that no one could ever know of. Her cheeks flushed and she reread the romantic words before continuing.
Suddenly, a stab of pain shot through Meredith, and her book nearly fell to the marble floor. Meredith yelped, assuming she bumped into a hard pillar. She clutched the romantic novel firmly against her bosom, as if protecting it with her life, before looking up in question at the one responsible for her near-injury.
A pair of eyes, a captivating blend of blue and green, gazed back at her with confusion and she took a step back from embarrassment. Whoever the stranger in front of her was, he was exceedingly handsome. He stood tall, with his dark brown hair messy over his head, emphasizing the sharp angles of his face. He wore a tailored midnight blue coat that fit him perfectly, outlining the broadness of his shoulders and tapering down to a narrow waistline. Around his neck was a gold-colored cravat with a sapphire pin that glittered in the candlelight.
He tilted his head slightly to one side as if studying her, and then snatched the book from her hands as if it belonged to him.
“Pardon me, My Lord,” Meredith yelped, trying to get her book back. “This does not belong to you!”
“Oh, I am aware. I was simply wondering what a beautiful creature like you is doing hiding away in the dark corners of my castle. Is this the cause?” he asked.
Meredith’s cheeks flushed at his compliment and she shook her head. “I was not hiding away, I was merely…in need of some fresh air.”
“Perhaps I can escort you to the gardens then?”
Wait – did he say ‘my castle’? Could he perhaps be the Duke of Allerton? No. Of course not. That man has a reputation for staying clear from his private gatherings.
