Secrets of a Spinster (15 page)

M
ary’s ears were positively ringing. The tiny hairs at the back of her neck were sure to be standing on end, her skin was riddled with goose pimples, and it was all she could do to refrain from wincing. But she clapped politely with everyone else when Miss Walters finished her aria, and even managed to smile as the girl curtseyed in a sort of embarrassed delight.

The poor dear had no idea she could kill a man in a dark alley with that voice.

Still, it did take a certain amount of bravery to perform in front of so many people, particularly if one is not encouraged at home.

Lady Raeburn, arrayed in blue silk in all of her resplendent glory, stood and faced the gathering. “I think we shall break for a few moments, and then we will let the rest of the program commence. Refreshments are being brought in.” She gestured grandly towards the doors of the music room, which instantly opened to multiple footmen, each bearing a tray.

This, too, was met with applause, but that tended to happen whenever Lady Raeburn was around. She positively attracted praise and admiration, and demanded attention and respect merely by being present.

Mary stood and smiled at Lady Raeburn, who was watching her with a curious intensity. If it had been anybody else, she might have been disconcerted. As it was Lady Raeburn, she was oddly flattered.

As was becoming common, a few men followed her. What she had once feared was now becoming rather exciting. Who would they be? Would she know them already? Would she be surprised? She had no doubt she had lost a few of her followers as it became clearer that she actually had opinions and thoughts, but where one was lost, another two seemed to be found.

She moved to stand by Marianne Bray, who had more than a few admirers of her own, and smiled at the younger girl.

“Miss Bray, you look very well this evening,” she commented. “That shade of blue does suit you so, I am quite envious.”

Marianne blushed just a touch, which was too becoming on her. “Thank you, Miss Hamilton. It is a favorite of mine, but mostly because it is surprisingly comfortable. The fact that it flatters me is merely convenient.”

Mary laughed, which made the men following her laugh, which made the men surrounding Marianne laugh. It was ridiculous. She could see Marianne felt the same, though she hid it better than Mary.

“Will you take a turn with me, Miss Hamilton?” Marianne asked with a polite smile. “I should love to discuss your gown at great length, it becomes you so marvelously well.”

“I should be delighted, Miss Bray,” Mary replied, taking Marianne’s arm as they moved away. “Thank you,” Mary whispered when they were alone. “I don’t mind being admired, but they do tend to get in the way.”

Marianne snorted a little. “They certainly do. One can never find a single moment to breathe, let alone think. And I am so tired of smiling,” she moaned as she worked her jaw a tiny bit.

“Is it always like this?” Mary whispered as she glanced around, noticing just how many people were staring at them.

“Unfortunately,” Marianne murmured, fixing her smile back in place. “But only in public.”

“How can you keep them from calling?”

Marianne gave her a strange, almost amused look. “You cannot. Why would you want to?”

“It is getting rather crowded,” Mary sighed with a small amount of embarrassment. “And tiresome. I want to weed it down, but I’m not entirely certain how.”

“That, my dear, I can help you with,” Marianne told her with a slightly evil grin. “You have a reputation of being sweet and kind. I do not. There is a reason for this.”

Mary returned her smile, knowing the girl was right. “You are sweet and kind, Marianne Bray.”

“Only in private, and very rarely,” Marianne replied with a shrug. “It serves its purpose. I do good turns, but I cannot afford to be particularly endearing. It would make my attempts at popularity more difficult.”

“I don’t understand,” Mary said in confusion.

Marianne smiled indulgently. “No, I suppose you wouldn’t. You see,” she began, lowering her voice, “if I were to be all kindness and sweetness, I wouldn’t have half of the suitors I do. The thrill of the chase is what they like, and if you don’t give it to them, they will look elsewhere. So shall I come round your place tomorrow to show you how it is done?”

Oh, why not? What harm could there be in allowing the crème de la crème of debutantes teach her how to be more discerning in her prospects? She smiled broadly and nodded. “Thank you, I would be delighted.”

“Good. And I really do love your gown,” Marianne told her, as she considered it. “That pink really brightens your countenance, and the cut is so fine! I’d like one for myself, but I won’t imitate it.”

“No doubt it would suit you better than me,” Mary laughed.

“I don’t think so,” Marianne replied without laughing. “Give yourself some credit, Mary. Now, have you seen Kit?”

“Pardon?”

“Christopher Gerrard. I had heard he was back in town, but I have yet to see him.”

Mary grinned and shook her head. “Another one of your conquests, Marianne?”

“Lord, no,” Marianne insisted with a laugh. “He’s an old friend, more like a brother. I’ll go see if he is around. Excuse me.”

Mary nodded as the girl left, and continued to smile after her. The smile faded ever so slightly as men started to flock to her again, but she managed to maintain the appropriate airs. She didn’t know any of them very well, but that didn’t mean she was unwilling to try.

After a few minutes, however, she was bored. Why could Lord Godfrey or Mr. Timmons or even the Duke of St. Martin not be present this evening? She could do with a few laughs. At least Mr. Burlington had promised to appear at some point. He was always agreeable. Just then, she caught sight of Geoffrey, standing alone next to one of the grand columns that decorated the room. She politely excused herself from the others and made her way over, smiling brightly.

He saw her coming and returned her smile. “What, you tired of your admirers so quickly?”

She snorted and took up a position next to him, taking a beverage from the tray of a passing footman. “Those are the most tiresome lot of the bunch. I have no idea why I have such trouble attracting sensible men at these things.”

“I don’t think there is trouble,” Geoffrey admitted in a low voice. “I think it’s merely crowded.”

“Surely a sensible man would know when a woman likes the attention she receives or not.” She looked over at him for confirmation, but received none. “No?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

He managed a smile. “Because, my dear Miss Hamilton, you are so busy being polite and not offending anyone that you make it impossible for anyone to know how you are really feeling.”

That took her by surprise. “Oh. But surely you know.”

“Sad to say, but lately, I am having the same trouble.”

That wasn’t good. “Oh dear. So I need to be meaner?”

“It would certainly help,” he told her with another smile. “But it would lessen your throng.”

“That would not necessarily be a bad thing,” she muttered as she took a drink. “I’ve just been speaking with Marianne Bray, and she told me almost the same thing. She even offered to help me.”

“Be careful with that, Mary.” Geoff suddenly looked earnest as he glanced at Marianne, then back at her. “Marianne is ruthless. She is spoiled and harsh with attentions she receives. More than one man has found himself entirely unmanned by her words and behavior. She’s not exactly an example of consistency.”

“No, but she is effective,” Mary said with a shrewd look in her eyes. “I can certainly learn a thing or two from her.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, if you will most kindly return to your seats, we shall begin again. And we have already had one request. Miss Hamilton.”

Geoff jerked and saw Mary do the same beside him as she suddenly seized his arm. They’d long forgone the topic of Marianne and he was surprised she’d managed to remain near him for this long. Her throng waited nearby, but didn’t approach, thankfully.

He’d forgotten all about the rest of the musical evening until now.

“Miss Hamilton? If you will be so good as to favor us.” Lady Raeburn smiled encouragingly.

“I fear I play poorly, my lady,” Mary managed, her grip on Geoff’s arm very tight.

“No matter, no matter,” the older woman waved impatiently. “Miss Arden can play for you. You do not play, she does not sing, it’s perfect.”

Miss Arden looked back at her now with a smile, which Mary returned hesitantly. Mary looked up at him with a bit of the same hesitation. “What do you think, Geoff? Should I?”

He smiled and patted her hand softly. “It’s not up to me, Goose.”

“Nor I, I suppose,” she muttered. “I can hardly refuse Lady Raeburn, can I?” Then she smiled more broadly and made her way to the front of the room to applause.

Geoffrey leaned back against the pillar with a satisfied smile on his face. He had never told her, but he really loved to hear Mary sing. She didn’t do it often, probably because she rarely had the opportunity, but he always felt it was his little secret about her. Her voice was a rare treasure in and of itself. In another life, in another situation, she could have been a sensation.

His smile faded ever so slightly as he realized that this exhibition of her abilities would only earn her more suitors, and ones probably more suited to her taste. Ones that would compliment her on talents she possessed long before her transformation ever took place. It was as close to the real Mary as one could get under these circumstances.

He glanced around the room quickly, wondering if anybody present had any idea what they were in for.

The ladies conferred as to the selection, and then Miss Arden started in her accompaniment. A few notes later, Mary’s heavenly voice joined in, and the entire room stilled almost as one. No one could even manage to whisper their shock as they were so captivated by the sound.

Sweet and alluring, in the most perfect tones, Mary’s voice carried them all through the sad details of the song, stirring even the most hardened of hearts. Even Geoff, who had heard her sing on a number of occasions, felt his emotions rise and fall with the melody, and found it impossible to look anywhere but at Mary. She didn’t appear at all nervous up there on display. In fact, he had never seen her more at ease in his life.

She was a natural. And now everyone else knew it.

Her voice filled the entire room, rang from the ceiling with its purity, sending an ethereal air cascading down on the gathering. No one even dared to breathe as she finished, the last note lingering in the air. Geoffrey had to fight to swallow, feeling as though his lungs were dry as a desert.

The applause that followed was bordering on the thunderous. Several gentlemen, even some of the married ones, leapt to their feet to applaud her, and some fool in the front shouting “Bravo!” at the top of his lungs as if she wouldn’t hear him. Her cheeks flushed with pleasure and she smiled in her embarrassment.

Geoff clapped with the others, trying to catch Mary’s eye to offer her a smile of approval. But so thick was the immediate thronging about her that he could no longer see her. He did see Miss Arden making her way out, none of the praise for her, and was about to go over to her himself when the crowd suddenly gave way and he could see Mary once more.

She smiled broadly at all who were around her, but none so fondly as she did Mr. Burlington, who was suddenly at her side, clasping her hand as if it were a lifeline. Mary looked up at the man with a laugh that brightened her whole countenance and gave her a glow that was indescribably beautiful. There was not a single man in the room, unattached or not, who couldn’t see it.

She never looked his direction. Not even once.

Something dark and feral began unraveling within Geoff’s chest. Something he didn’t dare dwell on or attempt to identify. Something that sent him storming from the room, down the hall, and into the card room, where he spent the rest of the evening, silently losing money he no longer cared about to men he usually avoided.

It wasn’t until someone told him that Mary was ready to depart that he remembered he had brought her, and that alone stopped his play. Without a word, he collected his sparse winnings and sparser wits, and made his way back to the music room. Mary was still surrounded by her admirers, looking as though she could endure their attentions for a lifetime.