Page 57 of Only Pleasure Will Do

Reginald sighed. “That is the truth, I’ll not deny it. However, I’m still not convinced this will be the best course for her, Dalbury.” Not only must he be concerned Maddy’s identity might be found out, but now the chilling thought that Maddy might in fact choose someone other than him reared its head.

Dalbury peered at him, the lines of his face hardening. “In any case, as you are now a magistrate, you will need to have more of a social life than a simple Runner. Therefore, the woman you marry will of necessity need to be seen with you at public events, be a hostess in your home for various members of Society. Unless you would send her to the country for the rest of her life, Miss Forrester will need to pass muster one way or the other.” The marquess’s dark eyes bored into Reginald. “Best have her introduced with the patronage of my wife, my sister, and their friends, whose respectability is above reproach.”

When put that way, Reginald had to grudgingly admit the necessity of Katrina’s plan. If he married Maddy, he could not keep her hidden. And Katarina was right about one thing. Through no fault of her own, Maddy had been denied the most exciting time of a young lady’s life. If his cousin wished to give her that opportunity, what right did Reginald have to stand against it?

“Very well, then.” Drawing a deep breath, he settled his mind. “If you will let me know when and what entertainments Miss Forrester will be attending, I promise you I will court her with all spirit and enthusiasm possible.”

“Excellent.” Dalbury drained his glass. “Let us go in to the ladies now. I assume they will still be in the midst of planning the debut and we will have to amuse ourselves.” He clapped Reginald on his back and headed for the door. “And as you are here, it will not hurt for you to begin your courtship a little before the others.”

“I suspect your wife will summarily dismiss me as soon as I set foot in the room.” Reginald tossed off the contents of his glass. He was going to need fortifications if he were to outwit his cousin.

“Likely not, but if so,” Morley spoke up, and Reginald recalled that the gentleman had known Katarina for some years in Virginia before she and her brother had come to London, “I suggest you take your leave of everyone in the room as slowly as possible. Perfect manners have a way of defining a gentleman and the longer you linger, the more chance to speak to Miss Forrester.”

“I appreciate that advice, Morley.” Tugging on his jacket to straighten it, Reginald settled it neatly on his shoulders and strode briskly after Dalbury. What had begun as a simple dinner party, during which he had been prepared to propose to Maddy, had turned into a public courtship that might see the woman he had come to esteem and cherish reviled and censured as a common bawd. Still, he could see no good way of preventing the disaster, save going through with the scheme.

He would gladly attend Maddy at any and all entertainments Katarina arranged for her and make it his sole objective to persuade not just Katarina but Maddy as well that he was the best, the only husband for her.

* * * *

“Lady Dalbury!” The shock of hearing herself formally introduced as Aimée, something she’d never believed would happen after the past wretched years, made Amorina’s stomach roil. “My lady, you cannot be serious.”

“But I assure you I am, Maddy.” The marchioness sipped her tea, her eyes snapping with excitement. “Duncan and I discussed it last evening. Quite a lively discussion, I must say, but he came around to my way of thinking in the end.”

“What an exciting idea, Kat.” Lady Juliet beamed at them both. “Just think of you making a grand entrance at a ball, Miss Forrester.” She turned to Lady Dalbury. “We must be the ones to give her very first ball, Kat. Like the one at Morehouse House, that my sisters-in-law gave for me and Amiable at Christmas.” The lady paused, a strange look twisting her face. “Although I sincerely hope your ball is not interrupted as mine was, my dear.” She patted Amorina’s hand. “Just as we began to dance I was abducted by the Viscount St. Cyr.” Cocking her head like a perplexed dog, the lady continued, “You don’t have a husband already, do you, Miss Forrester?”

Both ladies must be quite mad. “No, my lady. I most assuredly do not.” She turned to the marchioness. “Lady Dalbury, you cannot mean to do this. I am a ruined woman with a notorious reputation throughout London. No one will accept me into their home. They will give me the cut direct and with good reason.”

“Nonsense.” Lady Dalbury set her teacup primly in its saucer. “Oh, they would certainly do so to that scandalous woman Amorina Vestry. Miss Forrester, however, they would accept without a qualm. Your father was well respected. You will be as well.”

Some of the shock had worn off, clearing Amorina’s head, although she still shook at the thought of such a venture. “My lady, do you honestly think no one will recognize me? The women will not, of course, but many gentlemen have come to the House of Pleasure during my tenure as abbess there. They will meet me then go home and tell their wives and mothers and that will be the end of me.” She must make Lady Dalbury see reason. This lunatic scheme would do nothing save force Amorina to flee London, thus taking away her only means of livelihood. “If it becomes known that Amorina Vestry is Aimee Forrester, I will have no choice but to leave the city and hide myself somewhere, praying all the while no one finds me. I will also lose all hope of my daughter ever having a decent life.”

The marchioness’s face softened. “Of course we will take good care that you are not recognized. We will put it about that Amorina Vestry has fled the country to France after the attempt on our lives. I am certain Duncan can find a way to produce evidence to that effect, or better yet, witnesses who will swear to have seen her on the Continent. Perhaps he can put it about he has sent someone to try to apprehend her.”

The lady’s face grew animated as she continued to embellish the tale: her eyes widened and her smile became predatory and frightening. Perhaps this was the visage Tommy Redmond had faced over blades in the attic of the House of Pleasure. After a moment, she relapsed into the sweet woman Amorina had come to know a little. “I beg your pardon, Maddy. I become extremely excited when planning any kind of strategy. It’s quite as stimulating as an actual fencing match.”

Amorina could understand better now Lord Dalbury’s attraction to this woman. Not only beauty and courage, but intelligence and tenacity. The two were kindred spirits as she and the marquess never had been.

“The other part of the story we will tell,” Katarina went on, “must take into account where you’ve been for the past six years, why you left the care of Sir Peter and Lady Finch, and most importantly, why you have chosen to come back now.”

Amorina shook her head. It was impossible. With so many threads to maintain, how could they hope such a subterfuge could be carried out without anyone being the wiser? “Even if you manage to explain those things, you must admit that there are gentlemen who will know who I am.”

“Not necessarily, my dear.” Lady Dalbury took up her tea once more, seeming to savor it particularly. “I believe we will be able to alter your appearance sufficiently so that no one will suspect you have ever been anyone other than Aimee Forrester.”

“I don’t see how—”

“Oh, my dear,” Lady Juliet broke in, “please don’t worry. Kat is one of the cleverest women of my acquaintance. If she has a plan, it cannot help but work splendidly.”

“You yourself, Maddy, know very well how to conceal identity. You’ve been doing it for years.” Lady Dalbury’s eyes took on a far-away look. “I remember your words to me the night I was brought to the House of Pleasure and wanted to resist wearing a mask. ‘The mask protects your identity, girl.’ Well, we will remove your Madam Vestry mask, your false identity all these years, and reveal the actual one of Aimée Forrester. Or at least a version of her that everyone will accept.”

Of course identity could be cloaked, as easily as changing clothes in some cases. Amorina did indeed know that. She had, in fact, created Amorina Vestry to shield the name of Forrester from being attached to the notoriety of the brothel. But she’d envisioned using her true name only after leaving London for good. The prospect of attempting to use it in Town, where there would be so much more at stake should she be discovered, filled her with trepidation.

“First, we will highlight your youth,” Lady Dalbury began, her voice strong and confident.

“I am three and twenty, my lady. That is scarcely youthful.”

The marchioness frowned. “Do not address me as ‘my lady’ or ‘Lady Dalbury,’ Maddy. I intend for us to be the best of friends henceforth, and my friends call me Kat.”

A more appalling statement Amorina had not heard. How could she be so familiar with a woman who was socially her better many times over? “I’m not certain I can do that, my lady.”