Page 57 of Seducing the Marquess (Lords and Ladies in Love 1)

Lord Barrymore joined his sister in the center of the room. “Card tables have been set up in the billiard room so the men can enjoy either, while the ladies visit.”

The men looked quite pleased to escape the ladies and enjoy the male camaraderie of whiskey, cards, and billiards. Frankly, the last thing Eugenia wanted was to sit through another “cozy chat” with these women.

Her eyes had recently been opened to some of the falsehoods she’d been told of ton life, à la her book. Now all the male posturing, female fluttering, and cruel gossip left her with a desire to retire to her room. Perhaps a headache might work.

“Lady Devon, do come and join us. I have the most delicious on-dit from a very reliable source.” Lady Sterling motioned to her and shifted on the settee, where her impressive bottom rested, to make room for Eugenia. How the woman could discover some new on-dit when they had all been away from London for a week would remain a mystery.

With a sigh, Eugenia made her way across the room and joined the matron who had probably ruined more young ladies’ chances with her viper tongue than anyone else. “You will n

ever guess what Lady Adams did only last week.” Lady Sterling plastered her palm against her chest and drew in a breath. “I feel quite dismayed for her.”

The gloat on her face, and the way she looked around the room to be certain she had the largest and most attentive audience sickened Eugenia, and in fact, did bring on a headache. Her thoughts drifted as Lady Adams joined in and giggled and sighed as she smeared a recently married young woman.

Her eyes glazed over as the verbal attack continued. She thought about finally going home the next day and spending time with her book, thinking up new ways to entice her husband. Lady Sterling was well into a new foray about another young debutante when Eugenia’s eyes lazily wandered around the room, and she drew in a breath.

“Yes, I know,” Lady Sterling paused and directed her comment to Eugenia, thinking she had been reacting to her charges. No, indeed. It had just come to Eugenia’s attention that Lady Abernathy was not in the room with the rest of the ladies. When had she left?

She told herself it mattered not, since the woman might just have gone to visit the chamber set up for a ladies’ retiring room. But she appeared to be the only one missing, and most ladies of her acquaintance adhered to the unspoken rule that ladies did not make a trip without company. Her heart sped up, and a sick feeling settled in her stomach. Had Devon succumbed to Lady Abernathy’s wiles? Were they this very minute upstairs in the trollop’s room?

A fine sheen of sweat broke out on her face, and she felt as if the walls were closing in on her, smothering, taking all the air. She hopped up, interrupting Lady Sterling’s harangue, who stopped and looked at her expectantly. “Are you all right, Lady Devon?”

“Er, no. I seemed to have developed a headache.” She turned to Lady Agnes. “I am so sorry, my lady, but I feel as though I should retire to my room and lie down.”

Her hostess viewed her with anxious eyes. “Would you like me to walk you up?”

“No. That is not necessary. I will send Sally for a cool cloth.” Before she could say anything else, Eugenia quit the room, hurrying away as if the hounds of hell were barking at her heels. She barely made it out the door when Lady Sterling resumed her tirade about young Miss Davis.

Once she entered the corridor, she forced herself to take a deep breath. She was being absolutely silly. Devon was in there, playing cards or billiards. The sound of men’s voices alerted her that the two pocket doors to the billiard room had been left open. It would be an easy thing for her to stroll by, glance in, and be on her way. She slowed her steps and, as if she were taking the morning air in the garden, she wandered past the opening.

No Devon.

’Twas not possible. Stiffening her shoulders, she licked her dry lips and wandered back the way she’d come.

No Devon.

She forced herself to take another deep breath and decided to give it one more pass, since now she feared one of the men would look up from his game and see her. As slowly as she could, she paced her steps one more time, her eyes scanning every corner of the billiard room.

No Devon.

The blood drained from her head so fast, black dots appeared. She gripped the wall next to the room.

“My lady, are you in need of assistance?” A burly footman, dressed in the blue and gold livery of Barrymore approached her, his brows furrowed.

“No. I am fine.” She offered a strained smile. “I feel quite fatigued and am just going to my bedchamber to take a lie-down.”

“May I call a maid to assist you upstairs?”

“No.” She waved her hand. “I will be fine. But thank you for the offer.”

With leaden legs she left him and made her way up to the second floor, where the bedchambers were located. Earlier in the week, she’d seen Lady Abernathy leaving her assigned room. Eugenia counted the doors until she reached the one she knew to be the wicked woman’s bedchamber.

Eugenia pressed her ear against the door. No sounds. No panting, or moaning, or groaning, or headboard banging against the wall. She held her breath so even that did not interrupt her hearing.

Nothing.

She blew out a relieved breath and smiled to herself. Obviously, Lady Abernathy was not entertaining Devon in her room. With a lighter heart, she continued down the corridor until she reached her own bedchamber. Closing the door quietly, she toed off her slippers and padded across the thick carpet to the cushioned bench in front of the window.

The scant moonlight lit the garden beneath her, casting the early summer flowers in an eerie glow. She drew up her knees and rested her chin. She closed her eyes, breathing in the lovely scent from the flowers below the open window.