Treacherous Temptations by Victoria Vane

Author:Victoria Vane [Vane, Victoria]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Reformed Rake/ Ugly Duckling/Virginal heroine/Georgian era/Scandalous/historical fiction/Entangled/Victoria Vane/South Sea Scandal/The Pretender
Barnesnoble:
Goodreads: 15778153
Publisher: ENTANGLED
Published: 2013-01-20T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

Mary’s entire day was filled with painstaking preparations for the opera. Lady Blanchard had summoned the mantua maker and her assistants to do the final fittings and finish the three formal gowns she had ordered for Mary, mantuas in silk damasks of buttercup yellow, soft ivory, and sea green, with fine laces such as she had never dreamt of wearing.

“Which one shall I wear this evening, my lady?” Mary asked the countess, unable to choose between the three loveliest gowns she had ever seen.

“The ivory,” the countess answered. “It evokes a certain virginal quality, does it not?”

“Oui, Madame,” answered the mantua-maker. “It is parfait for the young maid to make her debut. Since it is the Royal Opera, we shall add the seed pearl stomacher. Oui? It will be charmante.”

“It will do,” the countess replied. “Show yourself to me when you are dressed, Mary.” The countess departed to attend to her own preparations.

For the next three exhaustive hours, Mary was forced to stand and pose until every muscle ached while the sempstresses prodded and pricked her with pins, as they worked furiously to complete the gown.

Another excruciating hour was spent on her hair, but when finished, Mary gazed at her reflection with incredulity. Dressed in the damask sacque of ivory silk with a matching ribbon woven through loose curls, she could hardly recognize herself. It was as if Jenny and the dressmaker had worked some kind of magic. Although she would never presume to call herself beautiful, Mary was nevertheless amazed at the transformation.

“Is it really me, Jenny?” she asked.

“Aye, miss. It only took the right finery and colors to bring out yer natural beauty. Lord Hadley is sure to take notice,” she added with a cheeky grin.

“I don’t care what he thinks,” Mary retorted.

Jenny gave her a dubious look. “Is that so, miss? When only yesterday afternoon—

“Yesterday was a grave mistake, Jenny. I never should have gone with him.”

Jenny’s brow wrinkled. “But I thought you were quite taken with his lordship.”

“Taken in would be a more apt description. I was deluded by his handsome face and fine manners when he’s naught but a scoundrel.” Mary picked up her fan and waved it in front of her heated face.

“Is that the way o’ it?” Jenny grinned. “But aren’t they all rogues? At least the ones any girl would really want.”

“Jenny!” Mary reproached.

“But it’s true! Why do you think all the town ladies are flocking to see the Beggar’s Opera if not for the likes of the highwayman MacHeath?”

“But that’s just romantic nonsense, not real life,” Mary argued.

“Mayhap, miss, but I’d as lief give my heart to a so-called scoundrel like Lord Hadley, than enter a marriage bed with any of Sir Richard’s kind!” The maid’s shudder echoed Mary’s own feelings.

“But I won’t wed a man I can’t trust, Jenny. Lord Hadley would probably squander every penny of my inheritance, and he would never be true to a wife.”

“But Miss Molly how can you know any man would?” Jenny asked. “Men be different from women that way.

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