Ten Ways to Ruin

They walked into the assembly room, and the overwhelming odor of pungent food hit her nose. The patroness of the evening sat on her dais overlooking. Upon entering, Countess Lieven waved with her fan to indicate that they come close to her.

“My lady,” Emma and her mother said with a curtsy.

“Yes,” the countess said with a look of disdain. “Miss Drake, I must take it upon myself to ask you to leave and not return this season. I will inform the other patroness.”

Her mother shuddered as if she might faint. Emma clutched her mother’s elbow. How dare this haughty woman attempt to eject her out when she hadn’t even done anything yet!

“Might I inquire as to the reason?” Emma asked quietly.

“It has come to my attention that you were seen in a certain gaming hell dressed as a boy.”

Her mother gasped before saying, “My lady, that is a falsehood in the extreme. My daughter has never done such a thing.”

“It happened nearly a fortnight ago, Mrs. Drake. I received the information from an excellent source tonight.”

A source? Who the devil would have spoken to her about that adventure? Only a few people knew of her folly, and Emma trusted all of them implicitly. All except Mr. Kingsley. That meant the devil himself must have spoken to her.

“Come along, Mamma. I don’t believe I wish to dance here tonight.” Emma led her mother out the door before she created a scene. Holding her head high, she walked out the door. The gossips would love to hear how the countess denied Emma entrance. One more foible for a Drake sister.

And she shouldn’t care. This was what she’d wanted. Except she wanted to be the one to make it happen. She wasn’t supposed to be banished for something that no one should even know of.

“Take me home, Emma.”

“Of course.”

“Please tell me what Lady Lieven said wasn’t true,” her mother said when they were finally secluded in their carriage. “I couldn’t endure it.”

“There must be some misunderstanding, Mamma. I must speak with Susan tonight to find out if she knows anything about this matter. I will go to her as soon as we get you home.”

“Thank you, my dear. I’m not sure my nerves can handle much more tonight.” Mamma rested her head against the carriage, seemingly forlorn at the possible loss of marriageable men for her daughter.

After settling her mother into their home, she drove to Susan’s home only to discover that she was at Almack’s tonight. Where else would she be? Blast. Now what? She had no desire to go home to hear her mother l

amenting her inability to marry her youngest daughter off. Emma wanted a drink to calm her nerves. And there was one place she could do it without caring what the owner would say because he wouldn’t be there.

“Rogers, please take me to Hell.”

“Hell, miss?”

“Yes.”

“Are you certain, miss?” Rogers asked tentatively.

“Yes!”

“As you wish.”

Thankfully, she’d picked up her reticule before leaving for Susan’s house, and the bag still contained Emma’s winnings from last week. Perhaps luck would be on her side again tonight. But just in case, she placed twenty pounds in the drawer under her seat. That way, she wouldn’t be tempted to lose more than she could afford. She would need that money for a painting instructor.

After stepping down from the carriage, she walked to the entrance with far more confidence than a week ago. When a hulking man with ginger hair opened the door, she gave him her card.

“This way, Miss Drake.”

“Don’t I need to pay an entrance fee?”

The large man laughed. “I’m quite certain King would have my head if I made you pay. You know the way?”

“Yes.”