She stuffed her embroidery into her bag, longing for the chance to be alone for a moment before dinner. She needed to clear her thoughts and raise her defenses for another tedious meal where she spent more time blocking Lord Thorton’s wandering hands than eating. At the rate she was going her clothes would all be falling off her by Christmas.
She bent to gather the rest of her embroidery thread and when she straightened Lady Elizabeth stood before her. “Come with me,” Lady Elizabeth urged with a quick glance at the other ladies.
She needn’t have bothered. They were all still far too busy giggling over Lord Grey and which of them would be the one to ensnare his heart and make him reform his ways. Madelaine dismissed them and focused on Lady Elizabeth. A pink flush still covered her skin and her eyes gleamed. “What are you up to?”
Lady Elizabeth tilted her head toward the hall and pressed her lips together as she grasped Madelaine’s hand.
It took Madelaine a breath to decide this was too intriguing to pass up. Excitement filled her. Lady Elizabeth wanted to share a secret with her and treat her as a friend. She followed Lady Elizabeth out of the queen’s drawing room and down the hall.
“Those women infuriate me,” Lady Elizabeth said as she stopped.
A spark of hope filled Madelaine. Lord Grey had been the first man at Court to truly capture her attention. If the women had been wrong about him… “So Lord Grey is not a rake?”
“Oh, he is. Most definitely. But they know nothing of him. They think the prettiest face will win his heart and change his ways. But they’re wrong.”
Madelaine was intrigued despite knowing she should not be. “What do you think?”
“Iknowwhat Grey needs is to feel loved. Then he’ll change.”
Madelaine snorted. She couldn’t help it. “Don’t you think your brother feels plenty of love from the bosom of your family and the bosoms of all the women he has apparently seduced?”
“No.” Lady Elizabeth smiled but then her mouth drew into a frown. “It’s a story for another time, but Grey is an outsider with my father and our older brother.”
“I don’t understand.” How did being an outsider make one a notorious rake? Feeling excluded usually meant someone would feel little confidence. She ought to know. Lord Grey exuded confidence.
“Neither do I. But I vow he’s like he is because he never had Father’s attention. He wants to feel loved.” Lady Elizabeth’s words held a ringing note of wistfulness. Madelaine’s heart fluttered with pity for the man, even though her head was not sure he deserved it.
“I find it hard to believe your brother doesn’t feel loved when so many women apparently want him.”
“I’m told on very good authority that there’s a marked difference between love and lust.”
“Whose authority?” Madelaine scarcely believed she was having this conversation or that it appeared she now had a definite friend. Whatever Lord Grey might be, he seemed to be a good influence on his sister. The man could not beallbad if he had indeed convinced his sister to be Madelaine’s friend.
“Madame Marmont’s pamphlet on courting and marriage.”
“I’ve never heard of that.”
“You wouldn’t have.” Lady Elizabeth smirked. “It’s scandalous and men make sure we ladies don’t know about it. But last time I was home, I came across it quite by accident in my father’s library.”
“Truly?”
Lady Elizabeth nodded.
“How very nosy of you.” She loved that Lady Elizabeth was so bold.
“It was by accident, I said.”
“I know all about accidentally finding things,” Madelaine replied.
Lady Elizabeth’s face turned red. “Do hush. And you must go to the grave keeping my secret.”
“Of course I will. What do you think your father wants with those pamphlets?”
“Actually, I think they’re my mother’s. They’re writtenfor womenon how to avoid and catch certain types of men. Come, let’s keep walking. If we’re to reach my Aunt Helen’s chambers before the dinner hour, we must hurry.”
“You’ve an aunt at Court?” Madelaine couldn’t keep the surprise from her voice.
“Of course! My family is everywhere.”
