Infernal Devices (All Steamed Up) by Barnette Abigail

Author:Barnette, Abigail [Barnette, Abigail]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Romance
ISBN: 9781607352334
Publisher: Resplendence Publishing, LLC
Published: 2011-02-20T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

In the posh London townhouse that was the home of the Deering family, every gas light was lit, every sideboard laden down with food, every surface dusted sparkling clean for a party thrown in honor of Miss Permilia Deering and her intended, Wallace Sterling.

Miss Permilia Deering herself seemed to be the only fixture in the home that was not party-ready. “This is a mistake.”

“No, running around London in the dead of night is a mistake.” Molly studied her mistress through dark-ringed eyes. “I should have known better. I swear, my head had only just hit the pillow when it was time to get up again.”

Permilia pursed her lips. Of course Molly would be exhausted. Any woman would be, after what had gone on at the club the night before. But Molly didn’t know that it had been Permilia watching her from the other side of the glass, and it seemed it would be more comfortable for both of them if it were to stay that way. “Are you nearly done?”

Truth be told, Permilia was a bit jealous of her maid. Molly had been so beautiful and free, so seemingly unashamed of her body and its responses. She could be. She was just a servant, who cared what she did in her private life? As far as most of Permilia’s peers were concerned, servants didn’t have private lives.

It would have been so much less complicated.

Molly tucked another of Permilia’s glossy black ringlets into place and secured it with a pin. There were so many in the mass of hair secured at the back of her head that Permilia was certain she must have gained a stone in pins alone.

“Finished,” Molly declared, a skeptical look on her face. “Are you sure you don’t want it arranged the way it was last night?”

“No!” Permilia stood and went to her full-length looking glass and raked her eyes over her reflection. Her gown was lovely, but the furthest thing from immodest. Her hair was tightly, perhaps unfashionably, coiffed. There would be no mistaking her for the seductress that had gone to the Two Aces the night before. “Imagine if someone at this party actually went to…you know where. I wouldn’t want them to recognize me!”

“I suppose if they did, they couldn’t very well call you out. At least, not without revealing that they were there, themselves.”

Permilia scowled. “That’s not the point. Now run off. I have to go downstairs to my—” she made a retching noise, “—intended.”

Downstairs, the guests literally glittered, all decked out in their finest jewels for the social occasion of the year. Even Mrs. Sterling had arrived bedecked in jewels, though it would cause much whispering behind many hands. Widowed now for five years, Mrs. Sterling had been left with only the smallest yearly allowance. Practically a pauper, she had been completely reliant upon her grown sons for her well-being. To their credit, they had provided for her admirably, allowing their mother to live in style. Still, the ton wished to force her into the role of a tragic widow, though she would not comply.

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