ushering a well-concealed figure.
“Your guest, sir.”
“Thank you, Jarvis.”
Paul waited until Jarvis retired before moving toward Lucky. She took down her hood and stared around the room.
“This wasn’t quite what I expected.”
He kissed her cheek. “What did you expect?”
She blushed and took off her gloves. “Something a little less like my mother’s morning room.”
“But you have been here before, haven’t you?”
“Only to the private part of the house on Barrington Square.” Her gaze strayed to the painting over the mantelpiece. “This is quite different.”
Paul grabbed her hands. “Are you sure you want to go through with this?”
“Yes, I am.”
“You will see things that might shock you.”
She smiled. “After what that rogue did to me, I fear I won’t be shocked.”
Paul didn’t say anything to that. “If you want to leave at any time, just tell me and we will go.”
“Thank you, Paul, but I am quite determined to see this through.”
For a moment, she looked just as resolute as her father, and Paul wanted to laugh. Instead, he showed her the blue velvet mask he held in his hand.
“You need to be incognito. Turn around so that I can tie this in place for you.”
She obediently turned, and he carefully positioned the mask on her nose and secured the ties at the back of her head. “How’s that?”
“Perfect.” She swung around. “Should I keep my cloak on as well?”
“That is up to you. It might get a bit warm in the various rooms.”
She took off her cloak and laid it over the back of a chair. “I borrowed this dress from my mother’s closet. But I don’t think anyone will associate it with her or me. She wears it when she does her charity visiting back at our country estate.”
The dress was cut almost like a riding habit, with buttons up the front to a high collar and tight long sleeves. The clean lines suited Lucky, and for the first time he could see how much she took after her mother. She’d eschewed her usual curls, and braided her hair on the top of her head in a coronet.
“You look lovely.”
She wrinkled her nose at him. “I look quite unlike myself, which is the purpose, yes?”
“Exactly.” He put on his own mask and offered her his arm. “Are you ready, then?”
“Indeed I am.”
He opened the door for her and headed toward the grand staircase. “This evening I thought I’d give you an overview of the pleasure house and point out the places where I like to . . . enjoy myself.”
Her fingers dug into his arm. Beneath her smiling exterior she wasn’t as calm as she wanted to appear. “You won’t go off and leave me to fend for myself?”
“Of course not.”
“Then how am I to see you ‘enjoying’ yourself?”
“That will have to wait for another evening,” he muttered. “If we survive this one.”
Lucky glanced around as they ascended the staircase and came out on to a large landing dominated by a portrait of an almost naked blond beauty. She nudged Paul in the ribs.
“Is that Madame Helene?”
“Yes, it is. I believe it was painted about twenty years ago by an admirer.”
“She is so beautiful.” Lucky sighed.
“Indeed, and as I’m sure she’s told you, beauty brings both great rewards and great trouble.”
Lucky remembered Helene’s sympathetic gaze and slowly nodded. “Indeed. I don’t think her life has been easy.”
Paul drew her farther along the landing toward a set of double doors. “Here we have the first of the main salons on this level. It is where most of the guests congregate to meet their friends and decide what particular type of entertainment they desire for the evening.”
Lucky peered around Paul’s shoulder and studied the large gold-and-scarlet room. At one end there was a buffet table, and footmen moved through the throng offering various beverages. After that, all similarity to one of her mother’s parties ended. Some of the guests were already naked and sprawled with others on
“Your guest, sir.”
“Thank you, Jarvis.”
Paul waited until Jarvis retired before moving toward Lucky. She took down her hood and stared around the room.
“This wasn’t quite what I expected.”
He kissed her cheek. “What did you expect?”
She blushed and took off her gloves. “Something a little less like my mother’s morning room.”
“But you have been here before, haven’t you?”
“Only to the private part of the house on Barrington Square.” Her gaze strayed to the painting over the mantelpiece. “This is quite different.”
Paul grabbed her hands. “Are you sure you want to go through with this?”
“Yes, I am.”
“You will see things that might shock you.”
She smiled. “After what that rogue did to me, I fear I won’t be shocked.”
Paul didn’t say anything to that. “If you want to leave at any time, just tell me and we will go.”
“Thank you, Paul, but I am quite determined to see this through.”
For a moment, she looked just as resolute as her father, and Paul wanted to laugh. Instead, he showed her the blue velvet mask he held in his hand.
“You need to be incognito. Turn around so that I can tie this in place for you.”
She obediently turned, and he carefully positioned the mask on her nose and secured the ties at the back of her head. “How’s that?”
“Perfect.” She swung around. “Should I keep my cloak on as well?”
“That is up to you. It might get a bit warm in the various rooms.”
She took off her cloak and laid it over the back of a chair. “I borrowed this dress from my mother’s closet. But I don’t think anyone will associate it with her or me. She wears it when she does her charity visiting back at our country estate.”
The dress was cut almost like a riding habit, with buttons up the front to a high collar and tight long sleeves. The clean lines suited Lucky, and for the first time he could see how much she took after her mother. She’d eschewed her usual curls, and braided her hair on the top of her head in a coronet.
“You look lovely.”
She wrinkled her nose at him. “I look quite unlike myself, which is the purpose, yes?”
“Exactly.” He put on his own mask and offered her his arm. “Are you ready, then?”
“Indeed I am.”
He opened the door for her and headed toward the grand staircase. “This evening I thought I’d give you an overview of the pleasure house and point out the places where I like to . . . enjoy myself.”
Her fingers dug into his arm. Beneath her smiling exterior she wasn’t as calm as she wanted to appear. “You won’t go off and leave me to fend for myself?”
“Of course not.”
“Then how am I to see you ‘enjoying’ yourself?”
“That will have to wait for another evening,” he muttered. “If we survive this one.”
Lucky glanced around as they ascended the staircase and came out on to a large landing dominated by a portrait of an almost naked blond beauty. She nudged Paul in the ribs.
“Is that Madame Helene?”
“Yes, it is. I believe it was painted about twenty years ago by an admirer.”
“She is so beautiful.” Lucky sighed.
“Indeed, and as I’m sure she’s told you, beauty brings both great rewards and great trouble.”
Lucky remembered Helene’s sympathetic gaze and slowly nodded. “Indeed. I don’t think her life has been easy.”
Paul drew her farther along the landing toward a set of double doors. “Here we have the first of the main salons on this level. It is where most of the guests congregate to meet their friends and decide what particular type of entertainment they desire for the evening.”
Lucky peered around Paul’s shoulder and studied the large gold-and-scarlet room. At one end there was a buffet table, and footmen moved through the throng offering various beverages. After that, all similarity to one of her mother’s parties ended. Some of the guests were already naked and sprawled with others on
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