Her ruse had been successful.
But how many more times could she thwart him? Once married, Kellford would undoubtedly have no further need to charm her.
Leo kept his eye on Mariel the rest of the night while she continued to portray an indignant, offended woman whenever Kellford came near her. It was a brilliant performance. From time to time she caught sight of Leo, but, at such times, the displeasure on her face was not play-acting.
The next morning Mariel rose early and rang for Penny to come help her dress.
‘Did you enjoy yourself at Vauxhall Gardens?’ the maid asked as she pinned up Mariel’s hair.
Mariel had had a miserable time, but there was no reason to explain that to Penny. Worse, she’d spent the night tossing and turning. Whatever sleep she’d managed had been filled with dreams of walking through the Gardens with Leo. They were lovers again. They were joyous.
Then she would wake.
‘The Gardens were lovely,’ she finally managed to respond.
‘I’d like to go there.’ Penny sighed.
Mariel smiled at her maid’s reflection in the mirror. ‘Do you not have a beau who would take you there?’ With Penny’s beauty, she ought to have several willing to be her escort.
Penny blushed. ‘Oh, miss! There is no one I like that way.’
‘Indeed?’ Mariel was surprised. ‘None of our footmen? Or the others who work near here?’
The girl shook her head. ‘I … I cannot like their attentions. They look at me so strangely. Like a hungry cat looks at a mouse.’
This Mariel did not doubt. ‘Well, some day perhaps you will find a man who is to your liking.’
Penny stilled. ‘Is Lord Kellford to your liking, miss?’
It was an impertinent question for a servant to ask, but Penny spoke with so much concern that Mariel refused to chastise her.
‘No,’ she responded. ‘Lord Kellford is not to my liking at all.’
‘He is a bad man, is he not?’ Penny went on. ‘I heard what that other man said of him.’
Leo, she meant. They had not spoken of that day Leo walked back into Mariel’s life.
Mariel nodded. ‘Kellford is bad, indeed.’
‘Who was the man who told you about Lord Kellford?’ Penny asked, obviously emboldened by Mariel’s confidences.
But Mariel could not explain Leo to her lady’s maid. She could not explain Leo to anyone.
‘Someone I once knew,’ she said, as if it was of no consequence. She quickly patted her hair. ‘Are we done here? I believe I’ll wear my blue morning dress if you would fetch it, please.’
Penny curtsied and hurried over to the clothes press. They spoke no more of Leo.
After Mariel finished dressing she went to the dining room to see if her father was still at breakfast. The room was empty, although the sideboard was set with food. She bit her lip, hoping her father had not gone out.
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