When I had composed myself and returned to the foyer to give Harriet her mask, she had been joined by Papa and Aunt, and they were waiting for me.
I noticed Max was back in his position at the entrance as if he had never left it. How funny, he must have sneaked away when there was a lull between carriages. My body tingled at the remembrance of his touch. Luckily, no one had come in during our rendezvous. Then again, we were husband and wife. There was no impropriety committed, apart from cavorting in our own parlour and not beingpresent to greet our guests!
‘Shall we go in?’ I said to everyone. ‘They will be preparing for the first dance.’
With a last longing backward glance at Max, I was swept off into the ballroom, where the guests were lining up.
As the father of the bride, Tobias was partnering Lucinda, and Harry had asked Seraphina. Harriet and I, being too late to join in, stood on the sidelines. Papa and Aunt moved off to speak to Evan, who was with Jane and Cassie.
As the dancers began to promenade, a flash of auburn hair midway down the line caught my attention. An elegant slim woman with a swan-like neck looked all too familiar. She was wearing a green-and-gold dress with a matching mask.
I nudged Harriet.
‘Is that Rosalind Whiteley?’
She followed my gaze. ‘Oh, yes, she arrived soon after you left. Her fiancé was with her, but he went off to talk to someone he knew.’
‘Oh. And is he dancing now?’
‘Yes, he’s the tall dark-haired man opposite her in the black mask.’
My eyes sought out who she meant. When they found him, my chest constricted sotightly that I took a step backwards and then another until I was pressed back against the wall, my hand clutching my throat.
‘Are you all right, Fliss?’
I blinked as the man turned away, his back to me now.
‘Rosalind’s fiancé looks familiar … Pray, what is his name?’
Please don’t say it, Harriet,I thought, clenching my fists.Please don’t let it be him.
‘She addressed him as Dorian,’ said Harriet blithely. ‘I’m not sure of his surname. He lives in London, but his family owns a castle in Somerset. He removed his mask to adjust it when they arrived, and he was very handsome indeed! I can see why Rosalind is smitten with him.’
The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.
‘W-where did they meet?’
‘In London. She commissioned him to paint her portrait. Apparently, he’s a sought-after artist for that kind of work. I suppose they must have struck up a rapport while she was posing.’ Harriet sounded amused by it all, but I felt like I was going to be sick ...
For I had realised it wasn’t Max who had kissed me in the parlour. He had never left his station to come and find me.
I scrubbed frantically at my mouth with the back of my hand. From across the room, Dorian’s gaze caught mine andhis lips curled into a smirk.
‘Excuse me, I need a glass of lemonade,’ I said to Harriet, inching towards the doorway.
‘It is getting hot in here, isn’t it?’ she said, fanning herself. ‘Can you get me one too please?’
I nodded and scampered from the room as fast as my legs could carry me. Horrific images started appearing in my mind: me pushing Dorian up against the parlour wall, me rubbing my body against his, me kissing him frantically like a bitch in heat.
Oh, no no no! I thought he was Max!
Darting into the supper room, I practically fell upon the lemonade bowl, ladled a generous cupful, and gulped it down, then took another. I scrubbed miserably at my mouth again, feeling hot and ashamed.I had kissed another man, and Dorian no less. Max would never forgive me!
‘Trying to wash away our kiss, Felicityyy?’ said a voice in my ear.
I whirled around, lemonade slopping out of my cup. Dorian was standing in front of me—larger than life, unmasked, a grin playing across his lips. It was like one of my nightmares.
‘Tsk tsk, you’re acting like I have some terrible disease,’ he drawled. ‘If my memory serves me correctly, I seem to recall you enjoyed it quite alot at the time.’
