Loving Lucy by Lynne Connolly

Author:Lynne Connolly [Lynne Connolly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Regency Romance
Publisher: LMC Publications
Published: 2012-06-06T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Lucy let the brim of her new bonnet cast its shadow over her face. To her horror Mrs. Drummond-Burrell was heading straight for them, her steely eyes fixed on an imaginary spot in front of her. She would be bound to notice Lucy, and then it would all have been for nothing. Oh how could she bear it, the shame, what could she say? Frantically she began to think of a lie that would cover this contingency. The best she could think of was to pretend to be Fiona Moore and hope that Mrs. Drummond-Burrell would accept a remarkable family likeness.

She glanced up and could hardly believe her eyes. Mrs. Drummond-Burrell, her gaze fixed, walked straight past them. Lucy thought she had stared directly at her for a brief moment, but couldn’t be sure. She felt so dazed it overwhelmed her for a moment and she put one hand up to her forehead. “Are you all right my dear?” asked Christina solicitously.

“Perfectly,” Lucy assured her, looked at her and beamed with such a joyful expression Christina stared back at her in surprise. The relief was wonderful, and in a moment Lucy realised the reason for her narrow escape.

She wasn’t dressed in the kind of garments Mrs. Drummond-Burrell would expect. Her mind must be so attuned to the fashionable world she didn’t notice anyone outside it. The signs she would be expecting - the modish gowns, the fine materials, the maid and liveried footman in attendance - none of them were present, therefore Lucy was nothing to do with her.

“Will we go to Almack’s?” she asked disingenuous in her naïveté.

Janet heard her and laughed. “Us? No, I’m sorry, Fiona, we’re not Almack’s material. You only get vouchers at the discretion of the Patronesses, and their rules are very strict. It’s the centre of the Marriage Market, the crème de la crème.”

“What are the criteria? Surely you are good enough?” Lucy sincerely believed this. She knew their wealth would be approved of. “We’re Trade,” said Christina shortly. She smiled at Lucy. “Don’t worry - it’s very boring, and we have our own places to go which are much more fun.”

Lucy could believe it. The only point of Almack’s was to see and be seen. The rooms could be draughty, the refreshments offered paltry and inadequate. Only fashion kept the place current. There must be more amusing places than that for girls who nobody wanted to see and assess as the future Brides of England.

They sauntered up the street. Lucy let Frances and Janet go ahead of them, protecting her from recognition. Mrs. Drummond-Burrell wasn’t the only fashionable face on the street, and others might be more observant

“Where does Lord Royston live?” she asked. “I mean I know he lives in Grosvenor Square, but whereabouts is that?”

“Not far from here,” her new friend told her. “But we can’t call on him. He lives alone, with no female to act as his hostess.”

“Oh, I see.” She paused. “Is he interested in anyone?”

“He’s never

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