““Mon Dieu, Lucy, you should have seen the look onMère’s face when Thomas asked to court me. Then you should have seen the look on Thomas’s face whenMèretold him that she’d already promised me to Clarence. If my life wasn’t such a disaster at the moment, I’d laugh about it.”
It was later that same afternoon and the two friends were sitting in the gold salon. Lucy had returned from the country, and her first order of business had been to find Delilah and ask what had happened with Madame Rosa and the elixir. Mother,merci a Dieu, had gone out to shop for the weddings, but not before rebuking Lucy for allowing her daughter to be part of a common play.
“It was not common at all, Lady Vanessa,” Lucy had replied, tucking an errant curl back into her coiffure. “It was extraordinary, if I do say so myself.”
“To ensure you never do anything like that again,” Mother said, narrowing her eyes on Lucy, “I intend tohire a new chaperone for Delilah. One who will keep a close eye on her until her wedding.” Mother had never cared much that Lucy was a duchess and far above her in social standing.
“Wedding?” Lucy asked, her eyes wide.
“Yes, Delilah is going to be Lord Clarence Hilton’s bride.”
“Egad,” Lucy had replied, eliciting an angry glare from Mother before she quit the room, leaving Delilah and Lucy alone. Delilah had just finished telling the duchess the entire tale.
Lucy shook her head. “Dear, it’s no laughing matter. This is all quite serious. I cannot think of a reason in the world why your mother would prefer Clarence Hilton to Thomas. It makes no sense.”
“My guess is that she doesn’t want to disappoint her new fiancé, Lord Hilton.”
“Yes, dear, but even Lord Hilton should understand why a mother would choose a wealthy duke over a future earl who may be a bit light in the pockets.” At Delilah’s questioning look, Lucy continued, “I’ve heard rumors. Now, we must think of a way to convince your mother to allow Thomas to court you, at least.”
Delilah sat up straight. Had she heard Lucy correctly? “Thomas cannot court me.”
Lucy took a sip of her heavily sugared tea. “Whatever do you mean? Of course he can.”
“I mean, he only thinks he’s in love with me because he’s been enchanted by a perfume. It’s utterly ridiculous. Meanwhile, I’m betrothed to a man who makes me shudder every time I’m in the same room with him. I’d toss myself off a cliff, but I fear that’s too dramatic.”
“It’s far too dramatic, dear. There are much simpler and less gruesome ways to deal with problems. But Idon’t understand why you don’t want Thomas to court you. You cannot mean you’d rather marry Clarence?”
“Of course not,” Delilah replied, “but I’m not about to trick Thomas into marriage only to save myself from Clarence. I’ve done enough damage to Thomas. I won’t use him to save my own skin.”
Lucy blinked at her. “I suppose that’s somewhat noble of you, dear, but I’m not certain how I can be of any help. What would you like me to do?”
Delilah thought for a moment. “While I don’t want Thomas to court me, I do need to be alone with him so I can explain what happened. With the perfume, I mean. I owe it to him to tell him the truth. Perhaps he’ll be able to overcome the spell if he knows the potion is what’s making him think he loves me.”
Lucy shook her head and took another sip of tea. “I seriously doubt that, dear. If it were that simple, Madame Rosa would have told you.”
Delilah hugged a throw pillow to her chest. “I know, but I have to try, and Thomas deserves the truth.”
“Very well,” Lucy replied. “I’ll help you get alone with him.” A slow smile curved her friend’s lips. “Your mother mentioned she’s in the market for a new chaperone for you, didn’t she? I happen to know the perfect candidate. Her name is Mrs. Bunbury.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
The next morning, Lucy took Delilah riding in the park. Ostensibly, the trip was to meet the elusive Mrs. Bunbury, so Mother allowed Delilah to go. It didn’t hurt that Mother was entirely preoccupied with the wedding planning. That, and Lucy had spent a considerable amount of time picking discreet friends who hurried over to Delilah’s house and told Lady Vanessa that Mrs. Bunbury was the most strict, rigid chaperone who ever drew a breath. The plan had worked perfectly, and Lucy had arrived later, claiming a connection to the woman in question and promising to take Delilah to meet her posthaste.
They pulled up in Lucy’s coach to a secluded area behind Rotten Row. Thomas’s curricle was stopped behind a large hedgerow. Thomas sat in the driver’s seat, an inscrutable expression on his face. Delilah jumped down and rushed over to him. Thomas grinned at her. He looked as handsome as always, and Delilah’s heart gave a little flip as he reached to help her up into the curricle.
“Don’t be more than an hour, loves,” Lucy called, waving her gloved hand. “Mrs. Bunbury has plans this afternoon.” She threw back her head and laughed as her coach took off toward the entrance to the park.
“I’m glad you could get away,” Thomas said as soon as Delilah had settled herself and her skirts on the seat next to him.
She turned to face him and put her hand on his sleeve. “Listen, Thomas, I need to tell you something. Something important.”
“Very well, but first I have to ask you…” His smile faded a little. “Why are you engaged to Clarence Hilton? How did that happen?”
Delilah sighed. “It’s my own fault. When I came home from the house party without an engagement to Branville, Mother insisted I marry Clarence.”
Thomas cocked his head to the side. “I hear Branville is courting Lady Rebecca.”
Delilah nodded. “I’m not surprised. He told me he fancied her, but I thought she was set on you.”
