Page 30 of The Mistletoe Dare

“Good night, my lady.”

Chapter 9

Dear Prue,

Lucian and I are so looking forward to your Christmas ball. It holds fond memories for us, as I think you know.

Philip and Thomas will be there, of course, and have been given strict instructions to dance with the wallflowers. Feel free to enforce my directives if you see them shirking their duties.

―Excerpt of a letter to Her Grace, Prunella Adolphus, The Duchess of Bedwin from her friend, The Most Hon’ble Matilda Barrington, The Marchioness of Montagu.

Night of the 12th of December 1840, Beverwyck, London.

Once again, Evie found herself hurrying through the darkened corridors of Beverwyck en route to an illicit rendezvous with the Comte de Villen, this time in her nightrail and wrap. She snorted with amusement. Well, that made it sound dreadfully scandalous, when it wasn’t really at all. It would be far too difficult to try on the dress quickly if she had to take one off first, though, so this seemed the best solution. She hoped Louis wouldn’t be dreadfully scandalised. He could be very sensitive about such things, which, considering his behaviour, was rather amusing. But he was a man, and she was a woman, so they lived by utterly different rules. It was idiotic, but she couldn’t fight society, so there it was.

She got to the library without incident and crept inside to discover Louis already waiting for her. He frowned as he saw her state of undress, and though he was standing in the shadows, she was quite certain his expression darkened.

“I thought it would be quicker this way,” she said defensively.

“Quicker for what, to ruin yourself utterly?” he asked mildly.

“Well, being alone with you would ruin me, so whether or not I’m dressed hardly seems relevant.”

“Does it not? Alors, how remarkably sophisticated you have become. I feel positively gauche by comparison.”

The sarcasm in his voice was unmistakable, and she flushed as his gaze skimmed over her. No doubt she appeared dreadfully immature and silly in her white cotton wrap and nightgown, with her hair all undone. Very far from sophisticated. However, she did not take his words to heart; he was only cross because he worried for her. Louis was never cruel. He would certainly be used to worldly ladies in silks and satin, the sorts of pretty bits of nothing she’d seen among her mother’s things, but Mama was a beauty too, even now. It was hardly suitable for a young woman like Evie. And besides, why was she even thinking about this? What she wore was of no consequence to Louis. This whole ridiculous endeavour was only because she’d made a fuss over the blasted dress, and he wanted to make her feel better. She shouldn’t have complained so bitterly. It was only a stupid dress.

Evie wrapped her arms about herself. “You said the gown was ready.”

Louis sighed and nodded, gesturing to a large box. Another, smaller, sat beside it and he opened the lid of this one. “You’ll need to put these on first.”

He handed her a shift. It was of the finest muslin, so thin it was almost sheer, and embroidered about the neck and hem with rosebuds.

“How exquisite,” Evie said in wonder, taking the article from him. It felt like gossamer, it was so fine.

“And this,” he added curtly. He held a corset out to her.

Evie took one look at it and gasped in shock. “I-I can’t wear that!” she exclaimed.

“Why not? It is made precisely to the sizes you gave me, and you will find it fits far better than that monstrosity Madame Blanchet made for you, which flattened everything you have.”

“B-But it’s pink and lacey, and it… it has bows. Pink bows and… and I can’t accept this from you!”

He made a brusque sound of annoyance. “Tiens, who will know?”

“My maid?” she suggested.

“Tell her your sister sent it to you. She is a married lady now.”

Evie considered this and looked again at the corset. It was beautiful, and far prettier than any underwear she’d had before. All her wardrobe was of the finest quality, but it was quite inappropriate for a young, unmarried woman to buy such wickedly pretty things before she married. But as a gift from her sister….

Temptation won.

“Very well,” she said, blushing hard. She took it from him, very relieved to discover it did up in the front or the evening could have become awkward indeed.

Evie scurried behind a section of bookshelves, out of sight, and stripped off her night things. It was a most peculiar sensation, being naked in the library at night and knowing Louis was only a few feet away, but she tried to ignore the way her skin prickled with gooseflesh. She slipped the shift quickly over her head and then put on the corset. It took a little while to get it quite right, but Evie saw at once what a difference it made. This corset shaped her generous bust and lifted it, as well as highlighting the curve of her waist and hips. There was no mirror here, but she could certainly see the effect. She looked like an hourglass, but the bust was surely rather immodest.

“Louis?”