Prince Charming

“Hampton, get out of his way so he can see,” Morris ordered.

“Lucas is a good head taller than every other man here,” Hampton muttered. “He can see well enough. Besides, I can’t take my gaze off the vision long enough to even consider moving anywhere. God love her, she showed up,” he added in a whisper, the adoration in his voice unmistakable. “She’s got courage, I’d say. Oh, yes, courage, indeed.”

“There’s your maverick, Lucas,” Morris announced in a voice thick with pride.

The young lady under discussion stood on the top of the steps leading down into the ballroom. The Englishmen hadn’t exaggerated. She really was an incredibly beautiful woman. She wore a royal blue evening gown with a scooped neck that was neither overly revealing nor overly concealing. The dress wasn’t molded to her figure, yet it was impossible not to notice her softly rounded curves and her creamy white skin.

She was all alone, and from the faint smile on her face, she didn’t seem to be the least bothered by the stir she was causing. She didn’t seem to care that her clothing wasn’t considered fashionable either. Her skirt wasn’t all poofed out at odd angles, and it was apparent she wasn’t wearing one of those wire contraptions underneath. Her hair wasn’t bound up tight in a braid. The long, golden-colored curls fell in soft waves around her slender shoulders.

No, she wasn’t dressed in the uniform of the other women at the ball, and perhaps that was one reason she held every man’s rapt attention. She was a refreshing diversion in perfection.

Lucas was certainly affected by the sight of such loveliness. He instinctively blinked. She didn’t disappear. He couldn’t see the color of her eyes, but he already knew they were blue . . . candlelight blue. They had to be.

He was suddenly having difficulty drawing a breath. A tightness settled inside his chest, and his heart started slamming a wild beat. Hell, he was acting like a schoolboy. It was humiliating.

“She really is a maverick,” Hampton agreed. “Will you look at the marquess? He’s standing directly across the ballroom. I declare I can see the lust in his eyes even from this considerable distance. I imagine his new wife sees it, too. Look how she’s glaring at him. Lord, this really is quite delightful. I do believe justice is finally being served to the blackheart. He’s getting his due now. God, I’m sorry, Lucas. I shouldn’t be talking about your half brother with such disrespect.”

“I don’t consider him family,” Lucas replied in a hard, unbending voice. “He disowned the rest of us years ago. And you’re right, Hampton,” he added. “Justice has been served in more ways than even you realize.”

Hampton gave him a quizzical look. “You’ve made me mighty curious, Lucas. What is it you know that we don’t?”

“He probably heard all about the humiliation,” Morris speculated. He didn’t wait for Lucas to confirm or deny his statement but hurried on to give the full report just in case he hadn’t heard every single little detail.

“The beautiful vision in blue smiling so sweetly was engaged to your half brother, but I’m certain you already knew that much of the story,” he began. “William could have had it all. He was quite smooth while he courted her, and she, so young and innocent, surely found him attractive. Then, just two weeks before the wedding was scheduled to take place, William eloped with his fiancée’s cousin, Jane. Over five hundred people had been invited to the celebration, and of course, all had to be notified of the cancellation. It was going to be the bash of the season all right. Can you imagine the disgrace of having to call the thing off at such a late hour?”

Hampton nodded. “Do you see how Jane is clinging to William now? Oh, this is priceless. It really is. William isn’t even trying to hide his lustful thoughts. I wouldn’t be surprised if he started drooling. Jane’s a pale shadow next to what he gave up, isn’t she?”

Lucas wasn’t amused. “He’s a fool,” he muttered.

Hampton agreed with a nod. “I despise William Merritt. He’s a crook and a manipulator. He duped my father, then publicly boasted of his cleverness. My father was humiliated.”

“Look what William did to his own brothers,” Morris said.

“He almost destroyed Jordan and Douglas, didn’t he?” Hampton asked.

“He did,” Morris answered. “William’s getting his just reward, all right. He’s going to be miserable the rest of his life. Jane’s every bit as vile as he is. They make a frightening couple, don’t they? Rumor has it she’s carrying his child. I pity the babe if that gossip is true.”

“She could be carrying,” Hampton agreed. “The two were blatantly carrying on while he was engaged. Jane’s going to be sorry, too. She thinks William has quite an inheritance left.”

“Doesn’t he?” Lucas asked the question.

Hampton shook his head. “It will soon come out with the wash. He’s as destitute as a beggar. The fool speculated and lost every pound he had. The bankers own his land now. He’s probably counting on Jane getting a fat inheritance when old Lady Stapleton dies. She was ailing, but I understand she made another miraculous recovery.”

The music started up again. The crowd was forced to quit gawking. Taylor lifted the hem of her gown and walked down the steps. Lucas couldn’t take his gaze off her. He took a step toward her, then stopped to look at his timepiece again.

Ten more minutes left. He could last that long. Just ten more minutes and then he would be free. He let out a loud sigh of satisfaction and smiled in anticipation.

Lady Taylor was also smiling. She was following her grandmother’s orders to the letter. She had forced a smile on her face the second she’d walked through the doorway, and by God, no one was going to do or say anything to make her frown.

She would smile. She would celebrate. It was agony. She was so sick inside over the mockery of it all, her stomach felt as though it were on fire.

Taylor forced herself not to give in to despair. She must look forward to the future, she thought, echoing her grandmother’s words to her. The babies needed her.

Young, unattached men came rushing forward. Taylor ignored them. She looked around the ballroom, trying to find her escort. She spotted her cousin, Jane, then William, but refused to allow herself to stare at either one of them. Her heart started pounding. Dear God, what would she do if they came over to her? What would she say to them? Congratulations? Oh, God, she’d die first or throw up. She hadn’t considered the possibility they would attend the affair. Her mind had been consumed with her worry about her grandmother. There hadn’t been room for lesser concerns. Ironically, Madam had made quite an improvement that afternoon, and when Taylor had taken her leave, she was hopeful her grandmother had truly been given another reprieve.

An eager young man she knew she’d met before but couldn’t remember where or when begged her for the honor of escorting her onto the dance floor. Taylor graciously declined. He had just turned away from her when she heard Jane’s distinctive high-pitched laughter. She turned to look, spotted Jane’s malicious smile, and then noticed a young lady turn and hurry toward the exit. Taylor recognized the girl. She was Lady Catherine, the youngest of Sir Connan’s offspring and barely fifteen years old.

Getting married hadn’t improved Jane’s disposition. Catherine had just become her latest victim, Taylor decided, when she saw the look of devastation on the poor girl’s face.

Taylor was suddenly overwhelmed with melancholy. Cruelty was a sport some of her relatives thoroughly enjoyed. She was sickened by their meanness, and in her present state of mind, she simply didn’t know how to combat it any longer. She felt useless, inept. She had always known she didn’t fit in with the upper crust of England’s society, and perhaps that was why she always had her head in the clouds and her nose in the dime novels. Yes, she was a dreamer, just as her grandmother had accused, but Taylor didn’t think that was so terrible. Reality was often quite ugly, and it would have been completely unbearable if she hadn’t been able to daydream every now and then. It was escapism, pure and simple.  She loved romantic stories most of all. Unfortunately, the only heroes she’d ever known were those dashing figures she’d read about. Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett were her favorites. They were long dead now, but the romantic legends surrounding their lives still enchanted writers and readers alike.

Madam wanted her to become a realist, and all because she believed there weren’t any heroes left.

Lady Catherine was in such a state of despair, she very nearly knocked Taylor down on her way to the steps. She was thinking only of running away from the cruelty.

Taylor grabbed hold of the distraught girl. “Do slow down, Catherine.”

“Please let me pass,” Catherine begged.

Tears were already streaming down her face. Taylor refused to let go of her arm. “Quit crying,” she ordered. “You aren’t going anywhere. If you leave, it will be all the more difficult for you to show your face in public again. You can’t allow Jane to have such power over you.”

“You don’t know what happened,” Catherine wailed. “She said . . . she’s telling everyone I . . .”

Taylor gave her a little squeeze to get her to calm down. “It doesn’t matter what vile things she’s saying. If you pretend to ignore her and her slander, no one will believe her.”

Catherine pulled a handkerchief out of the sleeve of her gown and mopped her face. “I was so mortified,” she whispered. “I don’t know what I did to cause her to turn on me the way she did.”

“You’re young and very pretty,” Taylor answered. “And that is why she turned on you. Your mistake was getting too close to her. You’ll survive, Catherine, just as I have. I’m certain Jane’s already looking for someone else to try to make miserable. Being cruel amuses her. She’s quite disgusting, isn’t she?”

Catherine managed a weak smile. “Oh, yes, Lady Taylor. She really is disgusting. You should have heard what she just said about you. The sapphires you’re wearing should belong to her.”

“Is that so?”

Catherine nodded. “She says Lady Esther’s gone dotty and . . .”

Taylor cut her off. “I’m not interested in anything Jane has to say about my dear grandmother.”

Catherine peeked over Taylor’s shoulder. “She’s watching us,” she whispered.

Taylor refused to look. Lord, just a little longer, she thought, and then she could leave this godawful place.

“Catherine, would you do an enormous favor for me?”

“Anything,” Catherine fervently promised.

“Wear my sapphires.”

“I beg your pardon?”

Taylor reached up to unclasp the necklace from the back of her neck. She removed her earrings next.

Catherine was gaping at her. The look on her face was quite comical. Taylor smiled in reaction.

“You cannot be serious, Lady Taylor. They must have cost a fortune. Jane will scream if she sees me wearing them.”

“She will become upset, won’t she?” She drawled out her question and smiled again.

Catherine burst into laughter. The sound echoed throughout the hall. It was cleansing, honest, joyful. Taylor was suddenly feeling much better.

Taylor assisted Catherine in putting the jewelry on before speaking again.

“Never be ruled by possessions, and never, ever make wealth more important to you than your selfrespect and your dignity. Otherwise you’re bound to end up like Jane,” she warned. “You wouldn’t want that, would you?”

“Dear heavens, no,” Catherine blurted out, appalled by the very idea. “I promise I won’t be ruled by possessions. At least I’ll try not to be ruled by them. I feel like a princess wearing this necklace. Is it proper to feel that way?”

Taylor laughed. “Yes, of course. I’m glad they bring you such joy.”

“I shall make certain Papa hides these in a safe place. Tomorrow I shall personally deliver them to you.”

Taylor shook her head. “I won’t need them tomorrow,” she explained. “They’re yours to keep. I’m not ever going to need such jewels again.”

Catherine almost fell over. “But . . .” she began. She was clearly too astonished to continue. “But . . .”

“They’re my gift to you.”

Catherine burst into tears. She was obviously overwhelmed by Taylor’s generosity.

“I didn’t mean to make you cry,” Taylor said. “You look beautiful, Catherine, with or without sapphires. Wipe your tears away while I find a suitable dance partner for you.”

Milton Thompson caught her eye. Taylor motioned to the young man. He came running. A scant minute later, Catherine was being escorted onto the dance floor.

She looked radiant. She was giggling and flirting and once again acting like a fifteen-year-old.

Taylor was content. The feeling didn’t last long. Where was her escort? She decided she would circle the ballroom, being sure to make a wide arch around her cousin, of course, and if she came up empty-handed, she would simply leave. She had arrived fashionably late and would leave fashionably early. She had smiled enough for one evening, and Grandmother would never know she only stayed fifteen or twenty minutes. Yes, Madam would approve of her performance.

Taylor was waylaid from going anywhere by three well-meaning friends. Alison, Jennifer, and Constance had all attended Miss Lorrison’s School of Charm and Scholarly Pursuits with Taylor. They had all been fast friends ever since. Alison was a year older than the others, and for that reason alone, she believed she was far more sophisticated.

She led the procession over to Taylor. Alison was tall, a bit ungainly, and had dark blond hair and hazel-colored eyes.

“Darling Taylor, you look beautiful tonight,” she announced. “I do believe I look drab just standing next to you.”

Taylor smiled. Alison called everyone darling. She believed it made her appear to be more sophisticated. “No one can make you look drab,” she replied, knowing instinctively that was what Alison wanted to hear.

“I do look lovely, don’t I? The gown is new,” she went on to explain. “It cost Father a fortune. He’s determined to get me married this season even if it bankrupts him.”

Taylor found Alison’s honesty refreshing. “I’m certain you could have your pick of any gentleman here.”

“The only one I’m interested in won’t give me a single glance,” Alison confessed.

“She’s done everything possible to gain his attention,” Jennifer interjected. She reached up to pin a strand of her brown hair back into her coiled braid before adding, “She could try swooning in front of him, I suppose.”

“He probably wouldn’t catch her,” Constance said. “Do leave your hair alone, Jennifer. You’re making a mess of it. And put on your spectacles. Squinting makes wrinkles around the corners of your eyes.”

Jennifer ignored Constance’s suggestions. “Alison’s father would have heart palpitations if that man did pursue her.”

Constance nodded agreement. Her short, curly bob bounced in reaction. “He’s quite the bad boy,” she told Taylor.

“Boy? Darling, he’s a man,” Alison chided.

“A man with a black reputation,” Constance countered. “Taylor, do I look all washed out wearing a pink gown? Jennifer said my red hair and freckles don’t go at all well with any shade of pink, but I was so partial to this fabric . . .”

“You look beautiful,” Taylor replied.

“He does have a black reputation,” Alison admitted. “And that, you see, is what intrigues me about him.”

“Melinda told me she’d heard he’s taken a different woman to his bed every single night this past week alone,” Constance interjected. “Can you imagine? He can have anyone he wants. He’s very . . .”

“Seductive?” Alison suggested the description.

Constance immediately blushed. “I’ll admit there is a certain raw appeal about him. He’s so . . . huge. His eyes are simply divine. They’re a dark, dark brown.”

“Who are we talking about?” Taylor asked, her curiosity caught

.

“We don’t know his name yet,” Alison explained. “But he’s here tonight, and he isn’t leaving until I get an introduction. There is something sinfully erotic about him.” She paused to wave her fan in front of her face. “I declare he makes my heart skip.”

Taylor suddenly noticed Jennifer was frowning at her and giving her what she could only conclude was a pitying look. “Is something the matter, Jennifer?” she asked.

“Oh, Taylor, it’s so terribly brave of you to come here tonight.”

Alison smacked Jennifer on the shoulder with the edge of her fan. “For God’s sake, Jennifer, we said we wouldn’t bring up her humiliation.”

“Now you’ve done it,” Constance snapped. “Shame on you for being so thoughtless. Taylor, is your heart breaking?”

“No. I really . . .”

She wasn’t given time to say more. “Rumor has it that Jane’s carrying his child,” Jennifer whispered. “The two were carrying on all the while he was courting you.”

“Did you really need to bring that up?” Alison asked.

“She has a right to know,” Jennifer argued.

“We didn’t know,” Constance interjected. “We would have told you, Taylor. We never would have let you marry such a scoundrel.”

“I really don’t want to talk . . .”

Once again Taylor was interrupted before she could finish her thought. “He’s here, you know,” Jennifer informed the group. “I saw Jane grab hold of his arm the minute Taylor walked in. She hasn’t let go of him yet. William Merritt should be hung for his sins.”

“I really don’t want to talk about him,” Taylor said.

“No, of course you don’t,” Alison agreed. “Mark my words, darling. The time will come when you’ll realize how fortunate you were to be jilted.”

“We shall stand by your side for the rest of the evening,” Constance pledged. “If anyone tries to say anything thoughtless, I shall personally give him or her a setdown. You have my word, Taylor.”

“Thank you,” Taylor replied. “But I’m not so thin-skinned. You don’t need to worry anyone’s going to hurt my feelings. I can take care of myself.”