Persuasion
By
Danielle Dubois
© Copyright by Danielle Dubois, July 2012
© Cover Art, July 2012
Published by KK and M
Lake Park, GA 31636
kkandmpublishing.com
This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and places are of the author’s
imagination and not to be confused with fact. Any resemblance to living
persons or events is merely coincidence.
Chapter 1
While the bustle that was happening around her sent a sizzle of excitement
through Lady Lily Mercer's veins, it also brought a thrill of fear.
The hundreds of people roaming around her aunt's London townhouse were
here for her, and their numbers were steadily increasing as the hours
passed.
On a deep inhalation, Lily walked slowly into the crowd and knew that even
last week, when she had attended court and been presented to the
sovereign herself, she had not been so nervous. There was something
distinctly unnerving about a come out. Here, all eyes were on her, on any
faux pas she might make, on her dress, on her deportment. The number of
errors she could make were numerous and almost the entire guest list would
relish the idea of a good gossip at Lily's expense.
That was another fact that she had come to dislike about London, the
maliciousness of the people and all because they were bored! Lily had never
known anything like it!
Had she had her mama at her side and not her aunt then Lily knew that she
would have been fine. Instead, her aunt was here and her mama was at the
family seat in Cheshire, hibernating from life in the family estate as she
mourned Lily's papa's passing. Although her father had died eighteen
months earlier, her mother still grieved him as though mere hours had
passed and not almost two years.
Gathering her skirts in her hand, Lily grimaced as the action prodded her
into looking down, and, once again, she spied the golden bodice of her
dress. It appeared as though her dear Aunt Millie had slipped a whispered
message to Madame Boliage when she had been measured for the dress by
her aunt's modiste, one that meant her niece's coming out dress was not the
respectable white linen it ought to have been and, instead, was a clinging
white crepe-back satin in the Empire line, but to her provincial sensibilities,
the bust was entirely indecent.
She had to quell the overwhelming desire to rush upstairs and return to her
suite to hide at least a small part of her décolleté with a fichu. The urge was
uppermost in her mind and, strangely, it eased her nerves to some extent. It
was with difficulty that she turned from the refreshment tables and cast a
weary eye over the proceedings.
The ballroom took up one whole floor of her Aunt Millie and Uncle George's
London mansion. The heat was oppressive and came from both the crush
and the extraordinary amount of candles. It made it hard to breathe and she
wished that she could walk out on to the balcony without being missed, but,
as the epicenter of this event, she could hardly disappear as she so wanted.
The three thousand candles, the housekeeper had informed her of this
number with a sniff, were dotted around the enormous room and as she
took in the cavernous depths with a glance, she noted that in truth, another
one or two thousand more were needed. There were areas that were far too
dark for decency. But she supposed, cynically, that they would make the
rakes and their married lovers content. Not that she was supposed to even
know what a rake actually was, but one heard rumors and they were
impossible to completely dismiss as out of hand.
The central lines of the rooms were more illuminated. On the largest of the
six towering candelabras, there were over five hundred candles and the rest
contained around four hundred apiece! The walls looked as though they were
moving from the sheer number of flickering flames!
Ordinarily, it was a girl's family who organized the come-out ball and not the
girl herself. But Lillian's Aunt Millie was, while a lovely aunt, a tad addled in
the mind department. Lily knew more about this event than she cared to
ever know! And for this to be her truly first step on to the marriage mart,
where she would be called upon to arrange more of these beastly events,
made her feel positively dreary!
She was grateful. Truthfully, she was. But she was also mired with apathetic
gloom. It had assailed her since her father's death and she felt sure she
would soon choke upon her glumness!
Many a girl, her age or younger, would have greatly appreciated having this
grand ballroom at their disposal. And she did. Inwardly, Lily sighed. She did!
Her tired gaze swept along the huge expanse of space, which was absolutely
overflowing with the best of the ton's humanity, and switched to the décor of
the room, which was much more to her taste. It always managed to press
her into an art-induced stupor, when she took in the magical magnificence of
the painted beauty this room contained.
Even though it’s sheer size was vulgar, her uncle's antecedents had at least
been sage with interior decorating.
While the room had four walls, they were four very large walls and each
depicted a Renaissance scene. The murals were overlarge and delightful,
displaying the frolicking Gods and Goddesses of ancient Rome with the touch
of a master's hand. The woodland area and the bluer than blue skies that
were redolent with warmth. The sepia tones that added a patina of vivacity
and the other rich colors that gave a much needed elegance to the ballroom.
Cornices and faux columns decorated the wainscoting in a glittering white,
which had been daubed especially for this grand occasion.
An orchestra was stationed at one end of the room, the refreshments at the
other. Music lovers congregated at the former, and the tabbies at the latter.
In the very center, couples danced merrily.
It was a jovial scene, yet it inspired no happiness in her.
Her smile was more of a grimace, as one rather putrid-looking matron
introduced her daughter and son to Lily. Naturally, this was a breach in
etiquette. As the daughter of a Marquis, only a Duke or person of the same
rank could come up to her without invitation or introduction.
Lily brushed that aside and attempted to greet the three with welcome. This
was not the first time it had occurred and while her aunt pressured her to
cut them as was her right, Lily couldn't find it in her heart to do so.
No. It was her ball and she had to be the hostess.
It was true that that should have been Aunt Millie's role, but her unfocused
way of looking at life had been rather infuriating these months past and it
had been up to Lily to have the ball arranged. In truth, she had preferred
organizing it! Give her that any day of the week, than attending the damned
thing!
Especially considering what it
meant - her first day on the marriage mart.
She shuddered at the thought of spending the rest of her life with any of the
men here. But the one consolation she had was the fact that she would not
have to be pressured into marriage. Thank the Lord!
She was most fortunate, of that she did know and needed no prompting to
truly understand the depth of the gift she was being handed. The majority of
the guests here were friends or acquaintances that she had gradually come
to know over the period of her life. Lily could, with certainty, calculate that
at least ninety of the girls here were being pressured into making a match.
And yet, Lily was independent. Always had been and always would be, as
she had been raised that way. It was, therefore, difficult for her to be with
milksop girls who had just left the schoolroom and who were very firmly
under their mother's control.
At two and twenty, Lily was long overdue this ball. Yet while most women of
her social strata would love the regalia and the opulence of this party, she
wished she could depart! Either that, or hastily spirit herself away to the
library for a much quieter evening.
Lily smiled to herself at that thought. Her aunt might be of the eccentric
variety, but she would be certain to notice that her beloved niece had
disappeared somewhere on what should have been the grandest night of her
young life!
She bobbed a curtsy to the over-bearing mother before her and quickly
drifted away to free herself from the avaricious lights in the matron's eyes.
She could almost hear the woman's thoughts, how marvelous to not be
rejected by Lady Mercer! Perhaps she and Herbert could make a match! The
social difference isn't too large. After all, he is rather important in
Westminster! Surely that repairs some of the gap?
Wrinkling her nose at the thought, for while she had nothing against
Herberts in general, with this man in particular, she certainly did! A paunch
at five and twenty? Who had ever heard of the like! Society and the ton did
encourage a rather dissipated lifestyle, but that did not mean that she had
to lead that kind of life too! Especially with Herbert at her side! If she were
to marry, it would not be to a man who needed corsets more than she
herself did!
It wasn't that she was a snob.
In fact, the matron she had just swept herself away from had been the snob!
But Lily was of the opinion that were she to ever place herself within any
man's control, she would have to love him. Of that she was dead certain.
Love did not conquer all- for had her mother not loved her father and yet
was she not sinking into an early grave? But still, it was vital to a person's
existence. Of that, Lily did know. Her mama was unhappy now, but her
years had been filled with felicity and that was down to the love she had
shared with Martin, Lily's papa.
A woman swept towards her, dressed in a rather virulent shade of purple. A
turban sat askew on top of her head and a huge bejeweled brooch sat plum
in the center of the headpiece. She wore the current Empire-line style but in
a purple and lilac brocade that ensured she garnered attention. At her throat
was an overlarge amethyst that glistened and gleamed.
“Darling!” Lily's Aunt Millie cried and bestowed upon her amused niece's
cheeks two kisses. Lily always enjoyed her aunt's flamboyance. There was
something both childish and coy about it that made the woman, who was at
least five and fifty, seem more of a débutante than herself! Not that Lily had
learned of aunt's age from Millie herself. Goodness, no. Her father had
amusedly recounted the dear lady's age, when Lily had compared the older
woman to a playful nymph once.
While the thought of her papa saddened her, it did not affect the serene
mask she presented to the world. Perhaps her eyes were touched with her
feelings. “Yes? Is something wrong, aunt?” she murmured as she calmly
patted her aunt’s hand.
“I'm sure that your uncle has disappeared to the gaming tables, my dear,
and after I specifically told him not to! What do I do?”
“What do you do?” Lily repeated with a frown. “Why not simply leave him?
It’s not necessary to have him here. We both know that he hates to dance
and that he is only holding the ball because of his fondness for me. Leave
him in peace, aunt. Let him enjoy his cards!”
“But I asked him not to!” Aunt Millie responded, a mutinous cast about her
mouth. She looked perilously close to stomping her foot. “Lud, what am I to
do with him? You see what I've had to endure these twenty-four years
past?”
Privately, Lily thought her uncle a saint, but she kept that thought firmly
bolted in her head. Lily and Uncle George shared many a tense and strained
look when glancing upon Aunt Millie's more extravagant tantrums, but not a
word was ever said against the older lady. Despite her childlike ways, Aunt
Millie was liable to be deeply hurt by any criticism, and, regardless of her
nature, which could be both selfish and intolerant, she was well loved by her
whole family. Lily included.
“Oh! Leave him, aunt!” she murmured soothingly, inwardly thinking that at
least one member of their family could be content that eve. “You never know
he might win something and buy you a present!”
A tradition had been established long ago by her aunt and uncle, and was
well-known amongst them all. Uncle George had the poorest luck, but on
occasion had been known to win and always a large sum. As aunt forbore to
allow him to gamble, he always purchased her a gift with the winnings.
“As if that is enough this time, Lily! Honestly. Tis important that we show a
good face to the ton! Another pendant would hardly do that!”
Lily waved a hand. “But we've already presented a good face, aunt! The ball
started over two hours ago!” And she had been counting every minute!
Aunt Millie looked unconvinced. “It is not as though I ask much of him, Lily!
Oh, it is too much! As it is your special occasion and I should not be
burdening you with this, I shall drop this matter. But he shall hear from me
later! Of that I promise!” she declared and swept away as swiftly as she had
arrived, regal in her purple attire and rebellious with it!
Lily ducked her head to hide her smile and simultaneously shook out her
skirts. She looked up as someone laughed particularly loudly and
inadvertently caught some of the glances that were thrown her way. Rather
than be pleased by this, she was displeased!
Her aunt had decried that it was about time she left the wilderness of the
country on the very day of her arrival in London one month ago. But Lily was
not as out of touch as her aunt believed. She had many friends in the ton,
and during her period of mourning, had received many a letter detailing the
gossip and news of the foibles that had occurred within the crowded groups
of the ton's most influential people.
One of the men that had cast a smile at her mere moments ago, according
to her friend Lady Sara Doverby, had had an affair with one of his maids
then cast h
er out, when she had, horror of horrors, become pregnant!
Certainly not the type of gentleman Lily wished to become acquainted with,
never mind marry!
That was the beauty of having friends that were wed, while she wasn't. It
meant that they told her things that unwed débutantes had no right to hear.
In truth, if she had to go through this charade of a come out, then she was
content to do it now and at this stage in her life for it meant that she was
forearmed and forewarned!
Of course, being forearmed and forewarned was most unseemly. It meant
that she knew all that she shouldn't, from what occurred in the marriage bed
to the affaires du coeur of the ton's most eligible gentlemen. Naturally, she
cared not but Lily knew that many a man would find her depth of knowledge
disgusting.
Out-sweeping her fan, Lily fluttered the decorated and patterned silk and
enjoyed the slight breeze against her admittedly flushed cheeks. The heat
was oppressive and the dreadful crush did not help at all.
She returned to the refreshments table and took a milk ice, its taste was
mildly pleasant, but she enjoyed it for its coolness and for no other reason.
Lily watched as myriad maids rushed in and out with small bowls of the
concoction she was eating. Ices were a nightmare for the cook, but a
necessity if one were to survive a ball!
With a determined smile, Lily determined to cease being such an irascible
bore and to make an effort to enjoy herself. The truth was that a few years
ago she would have been delighted by this event. Would have spent the
evening in raptures, as she explored every inch of the ballroom and danced
along the entire length of the floor!
Her father's death had changed her and not necessarily for the good.
She smiled warmly at one of the younger girls, who looked as though she
had been cowed one too many times by the domineering woman at her side
and noted the simple elegance of her dress. Deciding that she wanted to
know the modiste behind that garment -for no longer could she trust her
aunt's, not after this debacle of a dress at any rate!- Lily stalked towards the
duo and curtsied.
“Lady Lily, such a pleasure,” the elder of the two murmured, a slight bloom
of surprise on her cheeks.
“The pleasure is mine, Mrs. Sampson. May I steal your daughter for a stroll