Page 51 of A Sinful Viscount's Mistletoe Affair
She turned and fled from the garden, leaving Sebastian standing dumbly, watching her walk away from him. She did not even look back. What was the point in torturing herself? Her father was right. It would be better if she could just accept her future for what it was and forget about anything that had happened in the past.
***
The house was a hive of activity for the rest of the day, and Felicity did her best to make herself useful. She knew that things would turn out much better for her later when she had carried out her father’s instructions if everyone generally thought well of her.
Soon, though, it was time for everyone to retire to their chambers to get ready. Felicity felt a flurry of nerves as she went up the stairs and walked towards her room. This was the moment when she would put the first part of her plan into action. She only hoped that it worked because everything depended on its success.
Her maid, Rose, was waiting for her, and her gown for the ball was hanging from a hook on the wall. She eyed it carefully, checking for any imperfections. Tonight, of all nights, she had to look her best.
“Do you think it will do, Rose?”
“Of course, Miss,” Rose replied. “I have taken great care of it, packing, unpacking, and pressing. I am sure it is immaculate, and it fits you perfectly.”
Felicity fingered the dark green velvet and imagined the viscount’s eyes on her, sweeping across her body and maybe hesitating slightly at the daringly low neckline. She let out a sigh. She knew he would not look at her like that, even if she threw herself at him.
Evenwhenshe threw herself at him, she corrected herself. Because tonight was the night that it all had to happen, and she was intent on making the most of it. Perhaps once he had been forced into marrying her, Lord Ashcroft would learn to love her.
Sebastian. Even the sound of his name on Isabella’s lips had made Felicity almost mad with jealousy. By the end of this evening, though, Felicity would have made sure that Isabella had lost him forever, no matter what it took.
“Let us make a start on your hair, Miss,” Rose said.
Felicity took a seat at her dressing table, and Rose started to brush out her hair in preparation for arranging it for the evening. Felicity ran through the words she was about to say in her head before finally opening her mouth and putting her plan into action.
“You will never guess what I heard one of the housemaids talking about earlier, Rose.”
Rose met her eye in the mirror and smiled deviously. Felicity knew her maid could not resist gossip, making her the perfect person to share this tidbit with, even if it was not quite true.
“Tell me, Miss,” Rose said rather urgently, her eyes glinting with excitement.
“I heard her saying to one of the other servants that she had seen Lady Isabella coming out of the library in the middle of the night and Lord Ashcroft emerging soon after.”
Rose let out a gasp. “What can they have been doing there in the middle of the night?”
Felicity smirked. “One can only imagine,” she replied. “She said that they both looked rather flustered.”
“Well, what a scandalous thing!” Rose said. “And she is such a well-brought-up young lady too!”
“Indeed,” Felicity replied, starting to enjoy herself. “Just think what will happen when it all comes out and her parents find out what she has been up to.”
“Oh, do you think it will come out then, Miss?” Rose said, pulling the brush through Felicity’s hair as she spoke.
Felicity shrugged. “I think the truth is almost always revealed in situations like this, don’t you?”
Rose nodded. “And that is all for the best, is it not? People should know about these things when those walking amongst them are not quite what they seem.”
“Well, that is just what I think too, Rose,” Felicity said, nodding, then remembering that her hair was being brushed the moment she felt it pull as she moved her head.
Rose smiled. “I wonder if anyone else knows.”
Felicity returned her smile in the mirror. “Well, I expect that if the housemaids are openly discussing it in the corridors, then it will be common knowledge by the morning, if not before. Don’t you agree?”
Rose nodded and Felicity sat back in her seat, feeling satisfaction washing over her. She had sown the seed and knew now that Rose would do the rest of the work for her.
Chapter 24
Sebastian stood in a corner of the ballroom with a glass of champagne in his hand. Adrian, by his side, glanced up at the ceiling.
“The kissing boughs are rather remarkable, are they not?” he observed.
