Although she’d been to the boat races with Lord Payton and for many strolls and carriage rides, this was the first assembly since their fated kiss. She was curious to see what it was like to go to a party as a man’s fiancée, even if no one knew about it as yet. She was still trying to figure out how to make him declare it openly. However, Lord Payton seemed determined to give her fiancé more time to arrive.
Tonight, Glynnis had decided to tell him there wasn’t one. She believed she knew Lord Payton well enough to know it would make no difference. He was quite fond of her, and the absence of a prior engagement would remove the last impediment to their own.
Hearing voices coming through the door she’d left ajar, Glynnis locked gazes with Polly.
“It sounds as if your beau is here, miss,” the maid said, reaching for the gold silk wrap where it lay upon the counterpane. She draped it over Glynnis’s arm.
“Thank you for your assistance.” Everything was about to change. James was leaving Brighton the following day, and Glynnis would stay on another day or two before traveling in a private coach paid for by Lord Payton, all the way home to Wales. He promised to join her there himself to speak with her parents.
“I’m very glad Lord Hargrove chose this house, and that you were here,” she said, for Polly had been an ideal maid.
“Thank you, miss. You’ve been a very kind lady to serve.”
With that, she gave a shallow curtsy, leaving Glynnis to take one last look in the tilted cheval mirror standing by the bureau.
“You’ve done it,” she told her reflection. She had left London, intent upon securing her future, and she had accomplished it. Never again would she need fear Rhys’s capricious and irresponsible handling of money. Her parents could give him the purse strings if they wished, and her stomach wouldn’t have to clench in nervous worry ever again.
“You did the right thing,” she spoke aloud.
Was she trying to convince herself?Ever since the night at the Old Ship’s assembly, James had been coolly polite, but mostly absent. He’d attended whatever event Prinny invited him to for the past few days, but not once had he smiled at her or shared a jest with Lord Payton.
He was probably disgusted with her, thinking her a duplicitous, fortune-hunter. But he was wrong. She wasn’t after Rufus Payton for his fortune, only for the security he brought by being her husband. She didn’t care about the title or the fine house he had told her about in the outskirts of London or his father’s earldom or his family’s country estate upon which stood a little church he thought they should use for their wedding. She cared for none of that so much as no longer having to wonder if the next day would be a hungry one.
And in return for peace of mind, she would give him her utter devotion. She might not love him the way she loved James —with her heart aching for him —but she would show Rufus the loyalty and respect due a husband.
Nodding to herself in the mirror, she took a deep breath, smoothed her dress one last time and strode through the doorway.
***
JAMES LEFT HIS RENTEDhouse before Payton arrived. He was not going to hold his friend accountable for the turmoil in his gut. After all, their friendship had been years in the making, and Payton had not stolen Glynnis from him. On the other hand, James didn’t have to wallow in his envy by watching them together.
If anything, he should pity the man for getting involved with her. Not that he didn’t know firsthand how enticing the lady could be. James was still somewhat amazed she’d used the same tired trick and that it had worked so well.
Even worse, he’d been the one to discover them!
If he had been the only one to come upon them, James would have spared his friend being forced to marry a woman who didn’t love him, a woman who wanted only what was in a man’s coffers. However, with the others coming upon the tenderly staged scene, he’d had no choice but to insist upon the honorable action.
Naturally, Payton had been only too happy to oblige, getting himself a beautiful lady in the bargain. And James was left stupidly wishing with all his heart to switch places with him.
Half a dozen times over the past few days, he’d almost told her that very fact, how she should tell Payton she’d changed her mind. Somehow, he had dredged up a degree of self-respect and held himself back.
With a black satin mask in place, James circulated through the interior of the Pavilion before going outside. Prinny’s birthday party was easily the most well-attended event in August in Brighton, dwarfing the other assemblies they’d already had. That night, every public room as well as the entire grounds were being used for merry-making.
The food was mainly indoors, but since Glynnis, who would go straight for the buffet table once she learned of it, wasn’t there, he went outside. Again, as at the last assembly, a dance floor had been fashioned over the grass, giving plenty of space for the country dances while keeping the guests cool.
James scanned the gardens, easily spotting Prinny, who was unmistakable despite his fanciful mask due to his shape and his style of dress.
“Many happy returns of the day, Your Highness.”
“Thank you. I don’t know who you are, but I shall guess.” The prince sipped his champagne. “Let’s see, dark-haired, tall, and wishing he were elsewhere. Why, it must be Hargrove.”
He succeeded in making James laugh. “I promise you, I am perfectly content to be here celebrating the day of your birth. As are so many others.” He looked around at the crowd again and couldn’t help searching for Glynnis.
“So much fuss made on my account!” Prince George said. “Everything, every ounce of wine and morsel of food are superbious in the extreme. Who would have imagined it?”
James merely smiled. After all, the prince had arranged it himself.
“I noticed the vase on display when I arrived. I’m glad it fits in so well.”
