hate for you to become a spinster like myself. I want the world for you, my sweet."
Lissa squeezed her eyes shut, emotion gripping her. "I know you do. And I love you for it." She pressed her face into her aunt's shoulder. "But I have been feeling so beset lately, what with all the gentlemen from Town dancing their attendance upon me. Oh, Aunt Pru, I did have a scheme where Lord Wylde was concerned. I—I thought that if I created the illusion of a liaison betwixt myself and his lordship that I—I would scare away my many suitors with just one sweep. But I—I had not thought about what would happen if it actually came to pass."
"I am afraid it has come to pass, dear."
Lissa felt truly miserable then. "Drat that Tilly for repeating my haphazard plot! Only think of what Lord Wylde will do when he learns I have cast my name with his—and for such a scheming reason!" Lissa shuddered at the thought.
Prudence pulled her closer. "Perhaps it will not come to that. Perhaps nothing will come of this."
Lissa wasn't so certain. "He is not a man to be crossed, Aunt Pru," she whispered. "I felt that immediately. In fact, I fear he will not suffer being made a fool."
"But you've done nothing, really, to cast him in such a light. As of now it is merely gossip borne from a servant's lips. The world is full of such nonsense. Who knows? Perhaps this talk has gone no farther than the domestic circuit."
Lissa pulled back, tipping her tear-streaked face up to her aunt's. "You truly think so?"
"It is possible," offered Prudence. "After all, not all of the gentry in Derbyshire are as familiar with their servants as you and your father—and even I, myself, since coming here—have been with your servants. Believe it or not, Lis, others of Polite Society do not indulge their servants as your father taught you to do."
Lissa smiled a bit at this."Father was a bit of a democrat, yes? I grew up to believe our servants were part of our family. And though Tilly tries my patience at times, I do adore her."
"Yes, well," said Prudence, "getting back to the matter at hand, no matter how far this tale has spread, given time, it may very well all blow away like a dark cloud taken out to sea by the wind."
"I certainly hope so," said Lissa in earnest.
"What you must do in the meantime, my sweet, is hold up your chin and smile as though the world harbors nothing to frighten you."
"You make it all sound so simple."
"You must make it simple, dear. Your reputation is at stake. What you need do is steer clear of Lord Wylde and act as though you did not linger overly long in his presence this day. And the two of us shall hold fast to the possibility that this vile rumor has gone no farther than the servants." Prudence dabbed at Lissa's eyes with a scrap of lace. "Now paint a smile on that lovely face of yours and do get ready for Vinnie's birthday celebration. If I cannot have the pleasure of seeing my niece married off, at least allow me the happiness of playing matchmaker for our favorite friend."
Lissa forced a smile. "If it is a wedding you hanker for, why not orchestrate one of your own, Aunt Pru?"
"Pshaw!" said Prudence. "I am far too old to be swept off my feet! I fear there does not exist a man who can make my blood move. Now off with you. I've ordered a massage with hot oils, and you know how I adore a good rubbing with oils."
Lissa got to her feet and allowed her aunt to shoo her out of the bedchamber. She was feeling better as she threaded her way to her own chambers, and wasn't even bothered that Tilly was not present to help her dress for the night's festivities. Her gown had already been laid out, as had a hot tub of water, and in truth she rather looked forward to doing her own toilette. She would dress her hair simply—a neat chignon at her nape, with a few tendrils hanging loose, she decided.
Lissa was actually glad for the time alone, for she knew that the minute she saw Tilly her blood would boil. She and her abigail had much to
Lissa squeezed her eyes shut, emotion gripping her. "I know you do. And I love you for it." She pressed her face into her aunt's shoulder. "But I have been feeling so beset lately, what with all the gentlemen from Town dancing their attendance upon me. Oh, Aunt Pru, I did have a scheme where Lord Wylde was concerned. I—I thought that if I created the illusion of a liaison betwixt myself and his lordship that I—I would scare away my many suitors with just one sweep. But I—I had not thought about what would happen if it actually came to pass."
"I am afraid it has come to pass, dear."
Lissa felt truly miserable then. "Drat that Tilly for repeating my haphazard plot! Only think of what Lord Wylde will do when he learns I have cast my name with his—and for such a scheming reason!" Lissa shuddered at the thought.
Prudence pulled her closer. "Perhaps it will not come to that. Perhaps nothing will come of this."
Lissa wasn't so certain. "He is not a man to be crossed, Aunt Pru," she whispered. "I felt that immediately. In fact, I fear he will not suffer being made a fool."
"But you've done nothing, really, to cast him in such a light. As of now it is merely gossip borne from a servant's lips. The world is full of such nonsense. Who knows? Perhaps this talk has gone no farther than the domestic circuit."
Lissa pulled back, tipping her tear-streaked face up to her aunt's. "You truly think so?"
"It is possible," offered Prudence. "After all, not all of the gentry in Derbyshire are as familiar with their servants as you and your father—and even I, myself, since coming here—have been with your servants. Believe it or not, Lis, others of Polite Society do not indulge their servants as your father taught you to do."
Lissa smiled a bit at this."Father was a bit of a democrat, yes? I grew up to believe our servants were part of our family. And though Tilly tries my patience at times, I do adore her."
"Yes, well," said Prudence, "getting back to the matter at hand, no matter how far this tale has spread, given time, it may very well all blow away like a dark cloud taken out to sea by the wind."
"I certainly hope so," said Lissa in earnest.
"What you must do in the meantime, my sweet, is hold up your chin and smile as though the world harbors nothing to frighten you."
"You make it all sound so simple."
"You must make it simple, dear. Your reputation is at stake. What you need do is steer clear of Lord Wylde and act as though you did not linger overly long in his presence this day. And the two of us shall hold fast to the possibility that this vile rumor has gone no farther than the servants." Prudence dabbed at Lissa's eyes with a scrap of lace. "Now paint a smile on that lovely face of yours and do get ready for Vinnie's birthday celebration. If I cannot have the pleasure of seeing my niece married off, at least allow me the happiness of playing matchmaker for our favorite friend."
Lissa forced a smile. "If it is a wedding you hanker for, why not orchestrate one of your own, Aunt Pru?"
"Pshaw!" said Prudence. "I am far too old to be swept off my feet! I fear there does not exist a man who can make my blood move. Now off with you. I've ordered a massage with hot oils, and you know how I adore a good rubbing with oils."
Lissa got to her feet and allowed her aunt to shoo her out of the bedchamber. She was feeling better as she threaded her way to her own chambers, and wasn't even bothered that Tilly was not present to help her dress for the night's festivities. Her gown had already been laid out, as had a hot tub of water, and in truth she rather looked forward to doing her own toilette. She would dress her hair simply—a neat chignon at her nape, with a few tendrils hanging loose, she decided.
Lissa was actually glad for the time alone, for she knew that the minute she saw Tilly her blood would boil. She and her abigail had much to
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