Unleashing Bennet - a Historical Royalty Romance by Howell J. Earps

Author:Howell J. Earps [Earps, Howell J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Pride and Prejudice & Related Fandoms, Others POV, Sequels
Goodreads: 204405483
Publisher: Howell J. Earps
Published: 2023-12-26T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

Mary and Lydia were silent on the carriage ride home to Number Seven Mumford Street.

There was plenty to talk about, but neither Mary nor Lydia had any words to give to one another. In fact, all Lydia could do for the whole carriage ride was stare out the window and count street lamps.

Lydia wasn't sure what to make of Adam Elliot's comments on the dance floor. He wasn't wrong in implying that Lydia felt different than all the other "marriageable" women in the room. She knew that was absolutely true. But she couldn't help but wonder if his comments were meant to be mildly manipulative. It wouldn't be the first time a man tried to puff up her sense of importance in order to garner an affectionate response.

"Driver," called out Mary, "could you please stop at the corner of Irving and Lawrence?"

The carriage driver grunted in the affirmative.

"Mary, what are you doing?" asked Lydia.

Mary looked at her sister squarely, only deciding at the last moment that she truly wanted to invite her along. "My friend Tony is throwing an after-party at his salon," Mary began. "He asked that I include you." "A salon?" asked Lydia. "What kind of salon?"

Mary was already frustrated with Lydia's perfectly reasonable questions, but she endeavored to be honest with her sister. "It's a gathering of people who don't quite mesh with the poshness of a ball thrown by Lady Sarton," Mary explained. "It's where all my friends are."

"Will Mr. and Miss Elliot be there?" asked Lydia.

"Good God, no!" laughed Mary. "I can't imagine sweet Adam has any clue that the underbelly of society both exists and is as much fun as it is."

Don't be so sure, thought Lydia.

"Would you like to go in with me?" asked Mary, just as the carriage was pulling up to Tony's residence.

Lydia considered for a moment. She knew that Tony was someone she'd like to know the moment she met him. He was a man who cared not for the affection of women, save for their friendship. And Lydia desperately wanted more of these such men in her life, not gentlemen who saw her only in terms of her marriageability.

Mary stared at Lydia, expecting her to decline. Instead, Lydia huffed out a "Yes, goddammit," and they were both at Tony's door in seconds.

From the outside, it didn't seem that anyone was home, and Lydia was a little nervous when the butler escorted them inside to a rather quiet home. The butler, however, escorted them to a back stairwell that led deep underground beneath the townhouse, the noise insulated from the nosy world above ground. And, indeed, there was plenty of noise to be contained therein.

Mary and Lydia inched their way through the narrow stairwell as the smell of liquor and roses wafted above their heads. The smell reminded Lydia of plenty of discreet parties she'd attended with Wickham, often under his watchful eye with little opportunity to speak to strangers. She felt quite sure she would be speaking to strangers tonight, and her heart skipped a little in excitement.

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