Chapter One
“I’m in acrisis,” Lady Leonora Heart declared to one of her good friends, Harriet Hillstow, now the Marchioness of Leeds, amidst the crowded ballroom of Lord and Lady Haversham’s event.
“You’re in a what?” Harriet asked, concern on her face as she glanced over at Leonora.
“A crisis,” she repeated. A big one.
“Here? Right now? A crisis of what sort?” Her friend lowered her voice. “Thatsort?”
Leonora waved her hand dismissively. “No, notthatsort. Amomentsort.”
Harriet blinked, confusion crossing her face. “Then I’m not sure I am following...”
“I need a moment, Harriet. A. Moment.”
Harriet arched a prompting brow.
Leonora fought for a way to explain, for she herself couldn’t quite pin down the specifics of the moment she sought. Only the magnitude. Presently, her life felt unmoored. Something essential feltmissing. Every smile she gave, every laugh she laughed, every dance she shared seemed almost hollow, as though she were an actor playing the part of herself, rather than living as herself. It was disheartening, this vague sense of lack.
“A moment to rule all moments,” Leonora declared.
“Well, that doesn’t sound ominous at all.” Her friend cocked her head to the side, studying her. “Why do you need a moment to rule all moments?”
Leonora stared at her empty—by choice—dance card with a small frown. “Because I’m tired of waltzing to the same tune. I’ve been swaying to the same melody for a whole season. I need something else. Something more.”
“So choose another song.”
“But it should bethesong.”
Harriet leaned over to peek at the card. “I can hardly believe your card is not full of all London’s rakes and rogues tonight. I believe you—you are in a crisis.”
Leonora pursed her lips. “Tonight is different.”
“Did something happen to bring on this sentiment?” Harriet asked.
Yes. Something had happened, yes.Nothinghappened. Well, notnothingnothing. She supposed it had actually started with her brother reading the paper and him doing nothing. Just reading the paper. But it was a hard sentiment to convey to someone whose nothings were still full of the person they loved.
“You are married,” she said to Harriet, “so you will not understand.”
“Perhaps you are right. I cannot understand your thinking. But don’t you usually revel in dancing? Especially when you are dancing with rakes? You once said it’s delightfully exhilarating.”
“Yes, but even that has lost its appeal.” With one notable exception. Her gaze tracked the crowd for a certain, tall, blue-eyed rogue.Heremained the only breath of fresh air in an otherwise stifling landscape.
“Really?” Harriet murmured with blatant curiosity. “And this is why you want a moment to rule all moments?”
Leonora gave a single nod. “Exactly.”
“Interesting.” Harriet slowly fanned her face in thought. “What if what you need is not a moment to rule all moments but a dream to rule all dreams?”
“A dream? I believe they belong in my sleep.” And moments belonged to waking life.
Harriet scoffed. “No, adream. Like love.” Her eyes narrowed on Leonora. “You want a love match, do you not?”
Love? “I haven’t given too much thought to the future, to be honest. As you know, I’m more of a woman who revels in the present.”
“Well, you should consider it. Perhaps you can try your hand at reforming a rake.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Her eyes tracked the crowd again, searching. “I have no intention of reforming any rake. If anything, my future husband shall have to reform me.”
