The Reluctant Husband by Madeleine Conway Page A

furs even more closely around him when, still looking back, he saw that one of the duller girls of the three, dressed in a turgid green and riding a pale chestnut gelding, had lost her hat. He could hardly believe what happened next.
    The girl dressed in blue did not hesitate. Suddenly she and her horse were in motion; she leant down the immense distance from the beast’s back, retrieved the hat, and presented it to her friend.
    The Comtesse de Ferrières had not missed the performance, nor failed to note Ormiston’s interest.
    â€œ Sans doute , you would like to know who she is. I shall find out. She rides like a child of the circus, but she is beautifully dressed. I shall call on dear Louise’s mother this afternoon. She is sure to know, and then we must make sure that such an exquisitely beautiful creature is invited to the bal masque .”
    But how, he wondered, was he to divine the beauty’s identity if she attended the ball? For of course, there she would be disguised. Still, his interest was piqued, and his anxieties regarding his return to England at least temporarily allayed.

Four
    Bursting into her room, Cecilia flung her gloves and crop onto the bed before teasing out the hatpins securing her top hat. Almost immediately, Marston came bustling in, gathering up the discarded items from Cecilia’s morning ride, muttering and snorting to equal the disapproval expressed by Lady Ormiston’s bay mare when roused too early for her morning gallop. Having straightened the bed and arranged Cecilia’s accessories on a bureau, the maid came to her aid to unfasten the glorious blue habit. Two weary undermaids were filling the bath before the fire with buckets of steaming water scented with lavender essence.
    â€œHow was milady’s ride this morning?”
    â€œExhilarating, Marston.” Cecilia twirled her way out of her petticoats, grinning broadly. “Simply splendid.”
    â€œIs that what you call it? Behaving like a hoyden is what I call it, from what the groom says. You should know better, and you a viscountess and such.”
    â€œWell, we don’t discuss that, do we, Marston? And if you have heard about the ride from the groom, what need to fatigue me with your tiresome questions?”
    â€œNone of your airs, madam. If Lady Ketley hears about your circus tricks, there’ll be a piper to pay and it won’t be me as is shelling out.”
    â€œHow should Lady Ketley hear, unless you choose to tell, my dear Marston?” Cecilia slipped out of her chemise and tested the waters of her bath with her toes. The temperature was perfect. In French, she thanked the maids and sank into the water. The girls left Marston alone with Cecilia.
    â€œThere is a great deal I might choose to tell Lady Ketley if you continue with your cheek, Madam High and Mighty.”
    Cecilia turned to face Marston and, leaning her chin on her arms along the back of the bath, she widened her eyes.
    â€œBut you wouldn’t distress Aunt Letty. And you wouldn’t give me away, dear Marston. I beg your pardon. I never intended to cheek you, I promise.”
    â€œThink you can weasel round me with your big eyes and your soft ways? How long is it since we arrived in Paris? A week? Ten days. And you’ve smoked out all manner of low dives in a trice. A fencing salon for ladies. Coffeehouses for ladies. Clubs for ladies. Gambling dens for ladies. It’s iniquitous what ladies get up to here.” Marston helped Cecilia to soap and rinse her hair.
    â€œIt’s wonderful.” The girl lay back and relaxed as Marston massaged her scalp. “After all the restrictions and hedging about one in London, all the worries about how one will take and whether one will get vouchers for an insipid evening at Almack’s, which I swear is the dreariest place imaginable. Especially if one isn’t hanging out for a husband.”
    â€œAye, but the less you hang out for a husband,