Page 69 of Kiss Me Lady One More Time
“Wait! Aren’t you going to wear that to the masquerade?”
“I am.” The older woman pulled out a modest, white collar to attach to her plain, black dress. “But first I am going in as a maid. I’ll arrive early. The house is likely hiring extra staff for the event. I’ll just blend in and scout about into every nook and cranny I can get into.” She grinned. “Then I shall change into the peacock and have a merry time staying away from your Mr. Sterne.”
Penelope bit back a grin at the thought.
A knock sounded at the door and Whiddon poked his head in. “Are you ready, Miss Munroe? The Pelican awaits!”
“So does one of my girls,” Mrs. Caradec replied wryly. “She’ll go along with the pair of you to keep everything above board.” She raised a brow at Penelope. “You’ll be able to say you had a companion with you, when you went along with this scoundrel.”
“Are you trying to spoil our fun, Mrs. Caradec?” Whiddon said, laughing.
“Only yours, you devil.” She turned and gripped Penelope’s arms. “Take care. Use your head. And take a bit of your temper out on that cousin of yours.”
“Now that is advice I will gladly follow.” Penelope nodded and moved toward the door. “Let’s go see what he has to say.”
* * *
Sterne wanderedaround the crowded ballroom, waiting impatiently for Tensford and the rest of his party to appear. Rowland’s event was a crush. Half of London had tried to squeeze into the house, or so it felt like.
And Rowland had not disappointed. Nor spared any expense, that Sterne could tell. Chandeliers had been added to the room as well as tall, candle filled torchiers covered in gilt. Mirrors lined each wall, framed by thick, scarlet draperies. Flowers were everywhere, rich red blooms accented by white roses and gold brushed fronds.
Spirits were high. Raucous laughter threatened to drown out the music, but few people were dancing. Everyone wanted to see and be seen and try to guess who hid behind which mask.
A few were easy to recognize. Sheffield had come as Charles II and his wife as Catherine of Braganza. Sterne figured he wasn’t the only one wondering if their marriage was as rocky as the one they were imitating. He suspected that the bishop in the corner was a royal duke and he rather thought the princess laughing with a group of admirers was Miss Nichols. He knew for sure that the black cat with the jeweled mask and silver whiskers and adornments was Lady Lowell.
He didn’t speak to any of them. He could not settle. He could not think. Only two thoughts held fast in his mind. The idea that tonight, their search would be over. And the echo of her voice.Barrett Sterne, I am not your mother.
An utterly unjust accusation. Of course, he did not equate her with his mother. She was everything his mother was not. Warm and generous and funny and accepting and eager to learn about new things. All he wanted was the chance to tell her she was wrong.
He groaned. Of course, that was notallhe wanted. He wanted her. He wanted to imagine that it could be as she described—the two of them working together to create their own, unique future. He curled his hands into fists. He wanted to find that damned fossil so that they could begin to sort it all out.
But the room where the ‘unveiling’ was to happen was locked. No one could enter until after the unmasking, at midnight.
Hours to go . . . and where were his friends?
He wandered, always keeping the door to the locked room in sight. He tried to discern if Stillwater was here. Perhaps he was the prawn on the other side of the room? It seemed the right sort of costume for a stooped, older man. Or perhaps he was the spindly-legged Father Time.
He was still scanning the room when he heard his name. Steeling himself not to react, he kept looking.
“Sterne?” He looked down to find Lady Lowell tugging at his sleeve. She didn’t even bother to hold her mask up. “Sterne? I know it is you. Who else would think to dress as abadger?”
He only gave her a shrug for an answer.
“Don’t play games,” she ordered. “I want to know if Tensford has arrived? I haven’t seen anyone I thought might be him.”
He merely shook his head and shrugged again.
“Ooh,” she huffed in frustration. Leaving him, she continued searching the crowd.
He caught sight of them, then, just arriving. The countess was unmistakable, and he laughed to see her costume. Tensford had wisely ditched the lobster and dug up a cavalier’s suit, complete with tall boots, long tunic, wide, white collar and a side capelet. Their gazes met across the room and the earl nodded.
The couple began to make their way toward him. It was slow going. Every scientist in the room wanted to tell the countess that she was the prettiest ammonite they’d ever seen. Sterne kept peering behind them and watching the door, looking for the rest of the party.
When Hope finally stepped in front of him, looking triumphant, they gazed at each other for a second.
“Where’s Penelope?” they said, together.
Chapter 17
