Having dealt with a Westfield man of her very own, she had a good idea of what Lily was going through. She had to admit she felt a certain sense of satisfaction as she watched Simon pouting among the fronds of the plants that hugged the outer edges of the ballroom.
His eyes never left Lily, and every time the dance changed, Simon made to approach her. But someone else always got there first, sweeping her back onto the dance floor. He became more and more surly as the night went on, barking at anyone who dared to speak to him.
#p#分页标题#e#
Prisca watched as Mrs. Bostic, the local vicar's wife, made her way across the ballroom. She was approaching Simon of all people? Then inspiration struck. Prisca knew how to solve this problem for Lily.
She edged around the ballroom until she stood near Simon. But he disregarded her presence, as though she was inconsequential. She would show him inconsequential.
"Mrs. Bostic," Prisca called to the woman. She turned and walked toward Prisca, her hands outstretched. "How wonderful it is to see you."
The woman returned the greeting. "Quite a lovely event, isn't it? Such a turnout," she remarked absently as she turned to stand between Prisca and Simon.
"Oh, it's indeed lovely," Prisca smiled. "It looks as though my new friend Miss Rutledge is having a grand time." She pointed to the dance floor. She smiled as she noticed the slight tilt of Simon's head as he heard Lily's name.
"Who is the gel, Miss Hawthorne? I don't believe we have met." She tapped her fan against her hand, searching her memory.
"Miss Rutledge has been staying at Westfield Hall. Her nephew, the Earl of Maberley, is the duke's ward. She brought him for a visit." Simon stepped closer, almost imperceptibly, but not quite.
"She has certainly captured everyone's attention, hasn't she?"
Prisca nodded. "Indeed, I know His Grace is awfully fond of her."
This made the older woman frown, and Prisca had to bite back a smile. After all, the Duke of Blackmoor was rarely fond of respectable girls. "Is her chaperone here?" Mrs. Bostic asked. "I should like to introduce myself."
Prisca forced herself to laugh delicately. "She doesn't have a chaperone, Mrs. Bostic. She came here this evening with my brothers and me."
Ms. Bostic's eyes narrowed. "But I thought you said she has been residing with the duke for a short time?"
"Yes, she has," Prisca replied, finding it difficult to keep a straight face as Will stepped up to her side. Oh, how delicious. The vicar's wife was fully enthralled in the tale of Lily's whereabouts.
Mrs. Bostic pursed her lips together in such a tight line that a ring of white showed around them. "That is not at all proper."
Prisca lowered her voice and said, "I wasn't certain it was, either. But Lily is firmly on the shelf. So, who am I to judge?"
Mrs. Bostic fidgeted nervously. "I must go and find Mr. Bostic, dear. It was delightful to see you." The woman stomped off, scowling at Simon. He didn't even notice, poor man, as he was too engrossed in watching Darius spin Lily around the dance floor.
"What are you doing?" Will hissed in her ear as Mrs. Bostic vanished into the crowd. "That termagant will show up on Simon's doorstep tomorrow demanding one of us marry Lily."
Prisca shrugged, not daring to make eye contact. "Come now, William, you and I both know you're not the marrying sort."
"That's hardly the point," he growled. "What gives you the right to meddle in Lily's life?"
"Knowing you," she answered. Slowly she focused her eyes on him. She did wish that her heart didn't still flutter whenever he was near. "I've been in Lily's position, and I wish someone had been looking out for me."
"You think setting Mrs. Bostic on Lily is looking out for her?"#p#分页标题#e#
Prisca nodded her head. "Yes. I'm forcing Blackmoor's hand. He won't be able to simply turn his back on her and pretend she never existed."
Will closed his eyes, and she could tell he was reining in his temper. "Prissy, I didn't—"
"Don't call me that," she cut him off. Then she squared her shoulders and tossed her head back, as if she didn't care at all what he thought. "Do excuse me. This dance, I believe, is Mr. Fielding's."
***
Lily had expected the ball to be a sedate affair. But it was far from that. As soon as she entered the assembly hall, she found herself besieged by men. They came in all shapes and sizes, from tall to short, from thin to rotund, from young to old. But as she danced with them one by one, she realized sadly that they were after one thing, her dowry. Not a single one of them was interested in her as a person.