They both looked over at St. James as he was suddenly seized by a fit of coughing.
"Are you all right, sir?" Jerrold looked at him uncertainly.
Zach forced back his smile at the memory of that evening at White's and then after. "I was just thinking that Miss Winslow would enhance any costume she chose to wear."
When she would have protested again, Jerrold patted her hand in that annoying way he had, much like quieting a retriever.
"Not to worry, my dear. We have closets filled to overflowing with all manner of costumes. This used to be an annual event at Fair View, as you will learn. I'm certain we can come up with something for you. And St. James also, of course."
"Of course." Zach acknowledged. He wondered if Elyse would like to borrow his formal jacket and pants for the evening. She did cut such a fascinating figure in a man's formal attire, and equally fascinating out of it.
"Until this evening, Miss Winslow," he said, thoroughly enjoying her discomfort at the direction the conversation had taken, as well as the curve of her bottom under the riding pants. The evening did promise endless possibilities.
* * *
"I thought perhaps an Egyptian queen. What do you think?" Lady Regina stood swathed in yard upon yard of diaphanous silk. A tall headpiece adorned her head, another length of silk trailing from it. Row upon row of bracelets adorned her arms. She did look positively stately, and very Egyptian.
"And you haven't listened to a word I've said. What has you so distracted?"
Her granddaughter looked up from the elegant escritoire set beside a window in her suite of rooms. "I'm sorry." She turned to Regina and gave her an apologetic smile. "I think your costume is absolutely stunning. You'll be the belle of the ball."
Lady Regina's hands fell to her sides. "But you're supposed to be the belle of the ball, not me. I'm just an old warhorse who happens to be the grandmother of the bride. Have you decided what you'll wear tonight?"
"After Jerrold's little tirade this afternoon over my choice of clothes for my ride, I thought of going as a sailor, or perhaps a pirate," Elyse remarked wryly.
She was unable to stir up much enthusiasm for a costume ball, rather put out that Jerrold hadn't told her of it so that she could have brought something to wear from London. As it was, all she had were her gowns and party dresses. And then there was the looming encounter with St. James.
She was a fool to have made that bargain when she should have simply forced him to return the pendant and be done with the situation. However, she had to admit she had no idea how she would have gone about that. The man was not the sort to be manipulated by sweet words or trickery.
"Sweetheart?" her grandmother cajoled, "you must be patient with Jerrold. He's simply not used to your ideas about things. But that's the marvelous part about marriage I suppose," she said encouragingly. "Two people, often quite different, coming together, and they complement each other like two marvelous halves becoming a splendid whole."
"Did it ever occur to you that not all married people share what you had with Grandfather, or what you have now with Uncle Ceddy for that matter?"
"Good heavens, no!" But her grandmother was brought up short nevertheless and grew thoughtful. "Of course, most matches among those we know are arranged, but they seem to work. You certainly don't hear much about divorce. It seems everyone manages to work things out rather well."
"There aren't divorces because the parties involved aren't about to jeopardize family fortunes," Elyse pointed out. "It's much easier to take a mistress or a lover and keep the jewels and estates intact."
"Good heavens!" Lady Regina replied. "Wherever do you pick up such absolute notions?"
"You know as well as I what goes on in some of the finest families in England." She thought of the persistent rumors about Jerrold. "Men taking mistresses and lovers seems to be common practice."
Lady Regina sat down at the upholstered bench at the end of the bed. "I know it happens, but I believe there are many happy marriages. I certainly had one, and look at Lucy Maitland. Her husband is absolutely infatuated with her. And the Queen had Prince Albert."
Elyse rose and crossed to her grandmother. She leaned over, planting an affectionate kiss on her cheek. "Yes, but what about all the others? The simple truth is that many of my married friends share their husbands with mistresses in Coddington Square. There's quite a colony of kept ladies established there. It's no secret that Jerrold has frequented the place." And then there was the recent evening at White's.
"That is well over and finished," her grandmother stated confidently. "I have it on good faith that everything ended months ago. After all, a man in his position and about to be married must keep up appearances."
Appearances? As much as she loved her grandmother, that wasn't convincing by what she had seen for herself. And then there was the disturbing fact that it somehow hadn't bothered her other than the fact that it was a deception. How many more were there?
They both looked up in response to a knocking on the door to the suite.
Elyse was silently grateful for the interruption. How could she possibly explain to her grandmother that she desperately wished she could have the devotion and love of the man she was to marry?
"That must be Mrs. Evers, the housekeeper. Jerrold mentioned that there were several costumes I might choose from." She was across the room in an instant.
Lady Regina smiled, but couldn't help feeling there was a great deal more she should discuss with Elyse on the subject of marriage.
She frowned slightly as her granddaughter greeted the housekeeper. When Elyse returned briefly, to give her a tender kiss on the cheek, Lady Regina caught her hand in her own.
