Chapter Twenty-Nine

Rose, Maddy, Lord Blakely and Fitz are seated at a table in the Pump Room, everyone tapping their foot to the music playing around them. The Season was in full swing with only a few days left, and the room was packed with everyone in their finery, eyes darting around, searching for the next dance partner – or marriage partner.

Maddy and Lord Blakely had just returned from a spirited dance, and Maddy fought not to gulp her drink in an effort to cool off.

Lord Blakely had been very attentive to her this evening, and every time he took her arm or smiled her way, Fitz gave her a pointed look, which she strove to ignore entirely, forcing a smile instead, though her thoughts were never far from Jamie.

“I believe I’m going to go to the ladies room to freshen up,” Rose said after a pause in their conversation. “Maddy?”

“Why do women always have to go to the ladies room en masse?” Lord Blakely asked with a grin.

“Where else can we talk about the gentlemen in the room in privacy?” Maddy shot back with a smile, and Blakely laughed.

“I do hope you only say good, polite things,” Blakely shot back.

“Absolutely, my lord. We wouldn’t dream of being disparaging,” Maddy said with a laugh as she and Rose stood and fought their way across the crowded floor to the ladies room.

Maddy sat on a nearby chaise as Rose dug into her reticule, searching for her lip color, and then squeaked in surprise. “What’s this?” she asked, pulling out a small folded piece of paper that Maddy recognized immediately. She fought not to smile broadly as Rose unfolded it, read it, and then read it again, her cheeks flushing.

“What is it?” Maddy asked evenly, and Rose held it out with a shaking hand.

Maddy skimmed her own words, and then handed it back to Rose. “You seem to have a secret admirer!”
“Who is it?” Rose demanded shakily.

“Well, if I knew, it wouldn’t be secret,” Maddy said, laughing. “Who do you suppose it is?” she paused, and then continued. “Or who do you hope it is?”

Rose gave her best friend a considering look. “You know who I wish it was,” Rose said softly. “But I’m sure Fitz doesn’t… he wouldn’t… he’s given no indication of his intentions towards me.”

“Maybe he’s too shy to,” Maddy said. “Maybe he is afraid of being rejected, and this is his way to ‘test the waters’, as it were.”

“Do you really think so?” Rose asked, her voice full of hope.

Maddy shrugged. “Truly, I don’t know, but I hope so, for you.”

“I’m too scared to ask him, though,” Rose said. “What if it wasn’t from him? What if it’s someone else entirely, and I ask Fitz about it? I’d die of embarrassment if he didn’t know a thing about it.”

“But how will you know for sure his feelings unless you ask him?” Maddy said, trying to give her friend a nudge.

“I’m scared, Maddy,” Rose said quietly. “I like your brother so much, and if he rejected me… I’d be absolutely horrified.”

“I think you should try,” Maddy said. “If you don’t go after what you want, you may never know true happiness,” she added, speaking from her own, veiled experience.

“Speaking of secret admirers,” Rose said, carefully slipping the note back into her bag. “I think you’ve got a not-so-secret admirer yourself?”

Maddy kept her face impassive. “And who might that be?”

“Lord Blakely, of course,” Rose said, exasperated. “You can’t tell me you haven’t noticed his attentions to you.”

Maddy sighed softly. “He seems very friendly towards me, of course, but…”

“But nothing,” Rose interrupted. “He is falling for you. And I think you’d be a fool not to return his affections. He’s a wonderful catch, and he’s a lovely man. I think you should put aside any old feelings you have for Lord Carrington and face up to the reality that it will never be as fine a match as with Lord Blakely.”

“Fitz said much the same thing to me the other day, but, oh, Rose… I so want, I so wish… I want to marry for love, not for security. Father paired me with Henry for security, and you know what a disastrous match that was. I vowed to remain single for all of my days than to let myself be matched up again just to secure my position and financial peace,” Maddy said pleadingly. “Lord Blakely is a fine man, and I really do like him, but I don’t… I don’t love him. Not like I love Jamie,” she said softly, and Rose started at Maddy’s use of his Christian name.

“You really love Lord Carrington? Are you sure it’s not just infatuation?” Rose asked, sitting beside her friend and taking her hand. “Are you really sure?”

Maddy nodded emphatically. “I’m really sure. I love him, Rose, and he loves me.”

“He told you?”

“He told me,” Maddy said happily. “I don’t want to hurt Fitz or defy him, but I have to follow my heart. I thought you of all people would understand that.”

Rose nodded slowly. “I do. I do understand, I just want you to be cared for. I don’t want Lord Carrington to break your heart, nor do I want you to end up alone for the rest of your life.”

“I’d rather be alone than without him,” Maddy said, her voice firm. “Truly.”

Rose watched her friend for a moment, hearing the steel in her voice, the conviction of her words, and knew that once Maddy set her mind to something, nothing was going to change it.

“As long as you’re sure…”

“I’m sure,” Maddy said. “I’ve never been more sure of anything.”

“Well, then, for your sake, I hope Lord Carrington returns to Bath quickly and sweeps you off your feet.”
“So do I,” Maddy said longingly. “So do I.”

A moment later, the ladies gave one last look at their appearances in the glass then returned to the large room, slowly making their way back to the gentlemen waiting for them. Suddenly, Rose grabbed Maddy’s arm, stopping her in her tracks. “What’s Fitz reading?” she hissed. “He has a note that looks just like mine! I recognize the stationery – it matches mine!”

Maddy reddened, and tried to keep her face impassive. “Um… I’m not sure,” she said, watching as Fitz flushed, then looked around the room, obviously searching for someone as he slid the note back into the pocket of his evening coat hurriedly.

“Maddy…” Rose’s voice held a warning, and she spun her friend around to face her. “Maddy?”

Maddy bit her lip and looked at her friend. “I don’t know a thing.”

“You were always a terrible liar!” Rose shot back. “You wrote the note! You gave us each a note, didn’t you?”

Maddy shook her head emphatically. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You little weasel…” Rose hissed, though she was smiling slightly.

Before Rose could castigate her further, Fitz sauntered up to them, almost tripping over his shoes. “Lady Rivenhall…” he cleared his throat, his voice suddenly squeaky. “Would you care to step outside for some fresh air? I find myself suddenly suffocating in here.”

“Yes… yes of course,” Rose stammered in reply, shooting Maddy a suddenly panicked look. “Let me just retrieve my wrap,” she said, spinning on her heel and practically darting away.

Fitz looked at Maddy for a moment, obviously unsure about asking her something. “Did… did you know that… does Rose like me?”

Maddy wanted to laugh at his impatient, childlike words, but kept her face smooth. “Do you like her?”

“Of course!” Fitz said quickly. “I’ve always liked her, but I thought she just looked at me as your big brother, but I just read a note, and I know it’s from her and suddenly it’s like the sun came out, and if she likes me, and I like her, and now I know how she feels, I might have a chance to…”

Maddy put a hand on his arm to stop the avalanche of words spilling from his mouth. “Darling brother, I believe you should have no worries about Rose’s affections for you. Now, go… ‘get some air’, as it were. Go!” she said, giving him a playful push towards the door where Rose waited, shifting from foot to foot.

Fitz gave her a wide smile, and then zipped across the room, taking Rose’s arm gently and both of them disappeared into the night quickly.

At least one thing had gone right this Season, Maddy thought with great personal satisfaction.

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