Page 3 of His Scarred Duchess
“It’s a masquerade!” Isabella cut in, her voice pleading. “No one will know who we are. We’ll be in disguise, just for a few hours. I promise you, no harm will come of it.”
Adeline shook her head firmly, her resolve hardening. “You don’t know that, Isabella. Anything could happen. We could be discovered, our reputations ruined beyond repair.” She reached for the carriage door handle. “I won’t allow it. Turn this carriage around at once.”
Isabella’s face darkened with disappointment, but a stubborn glint sparked in her eyes.
“Fine,” she said, her voice suddenly cold. “Then I shall go alone.”
Before Adeline could process her words, Isabella reached beneath the carriage bench and pulled out a neatly folded costume, perfectly hidden away.
Adeline’s breath caught in her throat. “Isabella, no!” she gasped, but her sister was already slipping into the cloak, tying the mask around her face with trembling fingers.
Without another word, Isabella threw open the carriage door and hopped down onto the street.
Adeline’s heart lurched. “Isabella!”
Ignoring her, Isabella marched towards the towering entrance of a grand building up ahead, where music and laughter spilled out into the night.
Adeline froze, her mind racing.
This was madness. Utter madness. She had to stop her sister before something terrible happened.
Clenching her fists, Adeline quickly followed, her heart thundering in her ears.
Chapter Two
“Adeline, stop fidgeting!” Isabella hissed, her eyes sparkling with excitement behind her ornate peacock mask.
The iridescent feathers shimmered in the dim light of the carriage, their blues and greens catching even the faintest glimmer.
Adeline’s hands stilled in her lap, her fingers curled tightly around the edge of her midnight blue cloak. Beneath it, her gown of silvery silk whispered with each movement, its subtle shimmer reminiscent of moonlight on water.
She had barely managed to stop Isabella from entering the vibrant event on her own, only to have her little sister drag her back to the carriage to properly change into the other costume she had smuggled into a secret compartment of the carriage’s bench. The costume Isabella had kept for her.
Despite her sister’s impulsiveness, Adeline couldn’t help but admire the pieces she’d chosen for them.
“I can’t help it,” she whispered, adjusting the delicate silver mask that concealed the upper half of her face. “This is madness, Isabella. What if someone recognizes us?”
A soft laugh escaped her sister’s lips, the sound muffled slightly by her beaked mask. “That’s the beauty of a masquerade, dear sister. No one will know who we are.”
No one will know who we are.
The words echoed in Adeline’s mind, stirring a confusing mix of emotions. For years, she’d been painfully aware of every sidelong glance, every whispered comment, every pitying look cast her way. Thetonhad made it abundantly clear that she was no longer welcome in their midst, her scars a constant reminder of her fall from grace.
But tonight… tonight she could be anyone.
Adeline’s heart began to race. This was her chance to experience one night of freedom before she was banished to Scotland. One night to pretend that she was still the carefree person she’d been before the accident.
“Ready?” Isabella asked, reaching for the door handle.
Her costume rustled, the peacock feathers of her skirt creating a soft susurration with each movement.
Adeline nodded, taking a deep breath to steady herself. “As much as I can be.”
She traced the intricate silver embroidery on her bodice, drawing comfort from its familiar pattern of stars and swirling clouds.
The sisters stepped out into the cool night air, the sounds of music and laughter drifting from the brightly lit townhouse before them. Adeline’s eyes widened as she took in the scene. Masked figures in elaborate costumes milled about, their identities concealed behind a dizzying array of feathers, jewels, and painted facades.
Isabella’s peacock costume immediately drew admiring glances, the vibrant colors and elaborate design making her stand out even in this crowd of extravagance.
