‘Candace is the most likely. She's next oldest after Lillian and has a very inquisitive mind. Always asking me difficult questions. Has reformist ideas on the way she, and all women, should be treated. But whichever sister it is, her presence at this ball is unacceptable. Whoever it is, she needs to leave immediately.’
‘Yes.’ Michael grimaced. ‘The duke will explode if he hears that one of his precious girls is here. Heaven help any man who had the stupidity to escort one of them.’
‘This crowd loves gossip more than champagne, so if Candace is recognized, word will spread faster than a grass fire in dry weather.’
Michael pointed to a group further down the sidelines of the dance floor. ‘That’s Lady Templeton in the orange mask and feathers and…I say, a very decadent damped down muslin gown. You know what that means? Melissa will have already wheedled out the names of any men or ladies with titles who are on the guest list from her weak-willed lover, Browning.’
‘Weren’t you her lover once?’
‘Briefly. Never again. She eats green men for lunch.’ He pointed at Melissa again. ‘You watch. Any minute, she’ll weave her evil way through the dancers and try to match people to names. Despite the different styles of gowns and enormous concealing masks, she’ll work out who they are. She already knows many of the hundreds here so it won’t take that snooping lady very long to ferret out anyone not in her circle of acquaintances. The woman is evil, and delights in spreading her amassed tidbits far and wide, wherever she can cause the most upset and create the most havoc.’
‘Oh hell. That's all we need.’
Michael scowled. ‘And I know from personal experience that she’s not above blackmail when she’s short of funds, which happens often when she’s paying for a new lover. She likes them young and virile.’
‘She tried to extort money from you? Why didn’t you tell me?’
Michael shrugged. ‘I was young and green and humiliated by my own ignorance.’
‘Christ. Then meddling Melissa Templeton is the last person I want to bump into tonight. If she knows that I’ve left Margaret, and my estate, she’ll run to my mother and sisters and say she’s seen me at an acquiring ball. She’s vicious enough to enjoy seeing me squirm if I’m forced to explain that you coerced me into coming. My family will assume I’ve finally abandoned my reclusive life, but only to take a mistress into my keeping.
‘And for Melissa, truth or lies are all the same. She’ll take revenge on any man who has refused her, which means you Brent.’
‘I’ve not only rebuffed Melissa’s blatant advances, but I’ve also refused to meet at least twenty of the ladies my family considers eligible to be my second wife. The constant nagging will start up again, and Melissa will be grinning like a Cheshire cat at my discomfort. I've fobbed my mother off for months by claiming I’m not ready to rejoin the social whirl, yet I’m here. At a damn courtesan’s ball.’ Brent groaned. ‘My mother will hate me once meddling Melissa spreads her poisonous gossip She’s done it before. Spread tales of Marion’s infidelities, thinking it would make me want to jump into bed with Melissa. She was wrong.’ He sighed. ‘But that makes finding whichever Mitchell sister is wearing Lillian’s citrus mix even more urgent.’
Brent stepped out from behind the statue. ‘Come with me, Michael. I need your help. The orchestra is starting again. Can you weave your way through the couples going onto the dance floor. Pretend you’re drunk and bump into the ladies.’
‘Damn you, Brent, you’re insane. Sniffing around ladies coming and going from the dance floor just isn’t done. Their escorts are likely to take offense and give me a bloody nose. Besides which, I won’t risk running into meddling Melissa.’ He shuddered. ‘Don’t forget that I’ll be in the same predicament as you if my family hears that I'm associating with ladies of the night, rather than being bored to tears dancing with one of the numerous tedious chits they throw in my path. My mater will complain and my pater will have no choice but to threaten to cut off my very-generous allowance.’
‘If you think we've got a lot to lose,’ Michael said with a snort, ‘then picture the outcry if Candace is mixing with rakes and courtesans and meddling Melissa discovers her identity. Not even the duke’s standing will protect Candace from the gossipmongers. She’s to be presented next year with my sister, Fiona, so being here will ruin any chance she has of marrying well. And if it’s known that friends of her family, you and I…’ He stabbed a finger into Michael’s chest for emphasis. “Knew a titled lady was present and we did nothing to remove her from danger, the duke will kick both our backsides. Publicly. And our families will be humiliated.’ He groaned again. ‘That sort of seedy story will tarnish Lillian’s reputation, again, and stop her reentering society for another few years.’