“That’s what I expected,” her friend laughed. “Should I call for tea… or something stronger?”
“Wine,” Bridget told her. “I think for what I shall tell you, wine is best.”
A quarter of an hour later and with all secrets divulged, Bridget kept her eyes down, not ready to see her friend’s face or the judgment it might carry.
“I must say,” Ellie cleared her throat finally. “Thatcertainly is a tale.”
“I must be apple-pated to ask him for such a favor,” Bridget bemoaned, hiding her face with both hands. “I should have gone to Graham instead. What was I thinking?”
“Mayhaps how well he kissed, paired with the fact that he owed you a debt,” Ellie teased.
Covering her face in her hands, Bridget groaned. “Please help me. I do not have the faintest inkling of what to do here.”
“What were the options Duke Arlington has given you again?” Ellie added a splash of wine to her glass and after Bridgetreiterated them, the lady sighed. She gave Bridget an unwelcome grimace. “I know you do not want to hear this, but the third option is the best.”
“But Lord Hansen!” Bridget’s mouth dropped. “He is—”
“He will understand if you outline the situation to him as you have done with me,” Ellie counseled. “Lady Prudence Warrington is holding a ball tomorrow night. I have it on good authority that the ball is going to be a crush and thecrème-de-la-crèmeof the ton will be attending. Talk to him there.”
“Ellie,” Bridget’s voice was wavering. “I am three-and-twenty, on the cusp of spinsterhood. If I do not marry now…”
“You will be fine,” Ellie said strongly. “As I said, explain it to him. If he is still willing to be with you, he will offer to do these things for you! If not, invite him to attend these meetings with the duke and yourself. Find a loophole in the situation, just like the duke did. Honestly, Bridget, the duke’s offer supersedes anything Hansen could ever give you.”
“But… why are you telling me this now?” Bridget asked, confused. “You told me to see out Hansen.”
“That was before I knew the truth about you and Arlington, and it seems to me you have already made up your mind on who to choose, whether you want to accept it or not,” Ellie smiled weakly. “I am so sorry, dear.”
Squeezing her eyes shut, Bridget hated to accept that truth… that deep down, she knew full well, her friend was not wrong.
CHAPTER 16
Dark emotions flickered in William’s eyes, the muscles of his neck cording with tension as he downed the contents of his glass and snagged another glass from a passing waiter; crushes were not his forte.
With a cynical eye, he looked over the teeming masses, the women clad in all shades of the rainbow and the men, most of them—barring a few dandies in embroidered velvet suits and colored cravats—clad in dark ball ensembles.
“Look at these beauties,” Andrew marveled. “I think I just spotted Lady Amelie, this season’s Diamond of the First Water.”
William grunted.
He had no intention of seeing anyone, dancing or god forbid being forced to woo a lady—as was his uncle’s intention when he had shown up at William’s doorstep, invitation in hand and a frank order on his lips.
“Good god man,” Colin bookended William’s other side. “Could you be any less of a troglodyte for one night?”
“I find no pleasure in the violent delights,” he murmured. “Besides, I have a fight tomorrow evening.”
“All the more reasons to enjoy yourself now before you become a sight the devil wouldn’t like to look at the following day,” Colin laughed. “You’re not handsome otherwise anyway.”
“The women who graced my bed would disagree with you,” William slid an eye to the man he was reconsidering calling his friend. “Besides, I am here under duress, not of my own volition. My uncle forced me to come, saying he needed me to meet some lady. The daughter of this LadyRuthless, I believe.”
Colin whistled. “I do not envy you there, old boy. The lady’s moniker should tell you what you need to know already.”
“Speak of the devil,” Andrew nodded to a lady, slender and clad in a turquoise silk tea gown, her hair curling in waves down her shoulders. “Thereis Lady Cassandra, the sole daughter of Lady Ruthless. Rumor says the lady wants nothing less than a duke to wed her daughter. She has turned away earls, viscounts, and she breaks out in rashes if a merchant even comes within six yards of her.”
Rolling his eyes, William turned away; he had no interest in anothertonlady, one he was sure was trained in coy mind-games and manipulation. As he pivoted on his feet—Bridget was descending the stairs.
A few tendrils had flown loose from her pinned curls, her white satin puffy sleeves had slipped further down each shoulder, and her empire waist gown with a low v-cut neckline exposed two creamy white swells. Her cream gown billowed behind her with a cloud-like grace.
Just looking at her made his arousal stir.
