Page 34 of Only Pleasure Will Do

Before the conversation could continue, the door opened yet again, and Grayson entered. “Lord and Lady Trevor.”

Tension filled Amorina, as she quickly summoned her Madam Vestry persona. The madam never allowed her emotions to show. If this meeting discomfited Lady Trevor, she could not help that. Their shared past could not be changed. Best let it go and move forward to today’s urgent business.

“Tris.” Lord Dalbury motioned his friend toward the gentlemen’s group. “Good of you to come.”

“Lady Dalbury, ladies.” The tall, darkly handsome viscount bowed to them with a smile. “I’m afraid I am summoned to the cabal.” He gave Amorina a curious look, nothing more. In his note, Dalbury had likely given some indication of her presence at this meeting. Hopefully, he’d shared the information with his wife. After placing a kiss on the lady’s hand, he sauntered toward the sideboard.

Amorina then turned her attention to Lady Trevor. Until recently, Miss Violet Carlton, a woman who’d been so destitute she’d come to the House of Pleasure seeking employment. Having known something of the lady’s circumstances, Amorina had judiciously placed her into the hands of Lord Trevor. The couple’s path to matrimony had not been easy, but from all reports, their marriage was extremely satisfactory to both parties.

With a slight nod to her husband, Lady Trevor turned to Lady Dalbury. “Good afternoon, my lady.” She spoke to each of the ladies until she came to Amorina.

Steeling herself for the cut direct and unsure how they would proceed with such animosity within the group, Amorina met the woman’s gaze.

To her complete surprise, Lady Trevor nodded to her as well. “Madam Vestry, I understand we are here on your account, or rather on account of your daughter. I don’t know if the other ladies are aware of the circumstances, but I’ve been told very little. Will you please tell us what has happened?”

Taken aback, Amorina looked toward Lady Dalbury. She’d been expecting to tell the others why they and their husbands had been summoned, and Amorina was happy for her to do so.

But the marchioness sat back and nodded. “Go ahead, my dear. It is your tale to tell.”

Aware as never before of so many eyes on her, Amorina licked her lips and tried to gather enough moisture to speak in her suddenly dry mouth. “Very well, Lady Dalbury. Ladies.” She glanced from face to face, each one seeming at least a little interested.

Lady Juliet smiled encouragingly. “Yes, please tell us what’s going on, Madam Vestry. You have a daughter? And she is in danger?”

The lady’s obvious concern touched a chord in Amorina usually well hidden. That helped her gather her courage and begin her story. “Several weeks ago, I traveled to visit my daughter, who lives far from London.” As her explanation of her trip and the subsequent abduction lengthened, Amorina’s audience leaned closer to her, their attention fastened on her every word. When she began the recital of today’s events, the ladies’ ears pricked up. Leaving out the amorous interlude with Reginald, she reported every other detail, especially concerning Tommy Redmond’s instructions. As she spelled them out for the ladies, a plan to thwart Redmond’s scheme began to take form in her mind. “And at that point I decided I must trust Lady Dalbury and have faith she and her husband could discover a way to save both my daughter and Sir Reginald.” She twisted her hands together. “I only pray they are both still alive.”

“I have been praying that is so ever since you told me what had happened, Madam Vestry.” Lady Dalbury reached across from the sofa where she sat next to Lady Manning and squeezed Amorina’s hand. “Let us see what the gentlemen have come up with. If they’ve devised a way to rescue the captives, so much the better.” The other ladies began to chatter to one another as the marchioness rose to consult the men. “We will offer help as it is needed with the plan.”

“But, Lady Dalbury,” Amorina leaped up to stop her, “I’ve come up with a plan that I believe may work to free my child and R…Sir Reginald.” She’d nearly forgotten herself and spoken too familiarly.

“That is splendid, my dear. Duncan.” The lady turned and called to her husband. Not a woman to wait when an action would serve better instead. “Madam Vestry has come up with a plan for the rescue. Will you gentlemen come hear it?”

Dalbury’s head had come up at the first sound of his wife’s voice. He came forward with purposeful strides to stand beside her, the other gentlemen clustering behind him. “Madam Vestry has devised a plan?” He cut his gaze toward Amorina. “Have you indeed, ma’am?” His assessing look said he remembered quite well how inventive she’d been when in his bed. Now he’d no doubt wonder if that creativity could extend to matters outside the bedroom. “What do you propose we do?”

“I believe, my lord, that in order to save my daughter and your kinsman, you must do something I fear you will be loath to do. Still, it is necessary.” Squeezing her hands together so hard they threatened to go numb, she tried to make her tone as dispassionate as possible. Her no-nonsense business voice that had served her well for getting her way with gentlemen for years. “I believe, Lord Dalbury, you will have to blow up your house.”