Page 5 of Enslaved
Diana removed her corset, then slipped back into her gown. She had always longed to make herself a costume; perhaps Dame Lightfoot could help.
It was Diana’s turn to pause upon the threshold. The dragon no longer resembled a dragon. She had removed the iron-gray wig to reveal jet-black curls, and now that her corset was removed, her breasts were voluptuous. In fact she no longer looked old. Diana decided she wasn’t young either; what she looked was ageless. “Dame Lightfoot—”
“Oh please, call me Allegra.”
Diana blinked. Even her voice had taken on a provocative, throaty quality. “Allegra is a beautiful name, cleverly adapted from a musical term.”
“Indeed. All my intimates call me Allegra.”
“The costumes in the dressing room fascinate me!”
“Try one on,” Allegra urged.
“Oh, I shall, thank you. I’ll try them all, if I may. But I’ve been toying with the idea of creating my own. Would you help me?”
“I should be delighted. What strikes your fancy?”
“Diana, Goddess of the Hunt.”
“But of course! And what a perfect Diana you will make.”
“I picture a white tunic that bares one shoulder,” Diana said with much daring, although the goddess would probably have bared one breast.
“Short also,” Allegra agreed, “to show off your lovely long legs.”
“A golden bow and arrow,” Diana added with enthusiasm.
“And gilt sandals with golden ribbons to crisscross up your calves, and your own glorious golden hair, unpowdered, to cascade down your back.”
“Golden amulets on my upper arms,” Diana added, carried away by the picture they were creating.
Allegra, her head on one side to observe the beautiful girl, alive with animated enthusiasm, said thoughtfully, “The new Pantheon in Oxford Street is to be opened by a masquerade ball. How would you like to attend?”
“I should love it, but of course it’s out of the question. Prudence would think it far too worldly for an unmarried lady.”
“Mmm,” was all Allegra murmured.
“But I’d still like the costume,” Diana insisted.
“Well, let’s teach you the steps to all the dances this afternoon, then tomorrow when you come we can devote the afternoon to creating the huntress!”
Diana had such an enjoyable time at Allegra’s the following day, she regretted she could not also go on Wednesday. But Wednesdays from now on would be devoted to that holy shrine of the ton known as Almack’s.
Prudence chose a gown in the fashionable shade called pomona, an apple green taffeta that emphasized her embonpoint. She beamed such approval at her niece’s appearance, it made Diana doubt her attraction. This was her first ball gown and the corset and three petticoats made it feel most restrictive. Prudence had let her make the final choice of color.Fat choice, allowing me to choose between prissy pink and baby blue,thought Diana. The gown had a high neckline with rows of tiny frills covering the entire yoke. How ironic that the corset flattened her breasts to such a degree she needed the frills as a bust enhancer.
As she picked up her Kashmir shawl and followed Prudence out to the carriage, Diana admitted to a certain amount of excitement at her debut into society. Her excitement was soon dampened when Prudence took the opportunity of the carriage ride to catalog her rigid rules and regulations. Her aunt concluded, “You must not attract the wrong sort of man under any circumstances. You must be protected from both fortune hunters and rakes at all costs.”
Anyone listening would have thought Prudence wished only to protect Diana, but had they been able to read her thoughts, they would have been quickly disabused of the notion.She is so lovely she will attract a peer of the first water, then Richard and I won’t get a smell of her money. I shall have to watch her like a hawk and discourage any titled, wealthy suitors. It’s a good thing wigs are in fashion, her beautiful blond hair is enough to take a man’s breath away!
The coachman knew better than to even drive along St. James’s Street when the ladies were in the carriage, so he took the circuitous route down Duke to King Street.
There was such a crush at Almack’s that there was actually a line outside. Prudence was most flattered when Lady Melbourne greeted her. She had her daughter Emily and her son William Lamb in tow. William immediately moved close to Diana.
“May I have the first dance, Lady Davenport?”
“Of course you may, sir.” It was so ridiculous that she could not call him William when she had known the chinless boy all her life. She wrote his name on her dance card as they entered the foyer and was much relieved to hear Prudence say, “You young people run along and enjoy yourselves. My hip doesn’t allow me the pleasure of dancing.”
Diana joined a group of her friends who were also making their debut tonight. Hary-O Devonshire, younger sister of Georgiana, Penelope Crewe, and Fanny Damer had been brought by their hopeful mothers in expectation of popping them off in marriage to a wealthy and titled husband. They had been well schooled to employ artifice and cunning in duping the opposite sex, for all women knew they must deploy force even though their fathers were willing to pay vast amounts of money for their matrimonial settlements.
