“I wasn’t entirely sure the marquise would take the bait,” Jemma confessed. “But I thought Vauxhall offered many opportunities for that sort of encounter. Where is Elijah, anyway?”
“He’s directly across from us. I rather think that’s a courtesan he’s speaking to.”
“Do give me a glass of Champagne, darling. This is fun for Elijah! And now comes Louise.”
“Oh my, she is truly unsteady. It must have been that third glass of Champagne. How was I to know that she had such a light head?”
“What on earth is Louise doing?”
“She’s winding herself around your husband,” Corbin pointed out. “You’ll have to stop giggling, Jemma, if you want me to believe that you are sober.”
“You may believe whatever you like. Did she just throw herself into his arms?”
“I think she might have tripped on her cloak.”
“Well, he’s holding her very tenderly,” Jemma observed. “You don’t suppose Elijah thinks she is I, do you?”
“Not now that he’s holding the marquise,” Corbin said cheerfully. “You weigh at least a stone more than she does.”
“Thank you very much!”
“Your weight is nicely apportioned in the chest area. Men tend to notice that sort of thing.”
“Well, at least he got her back on her feet. He’s laughing,” Jemma said. “Elijah is laughing.”
“Ah, the Puritan bends.” Corbin poured a little more Champagne into Jemma’s glass. “We must have a drink to the—”
“You drink,” Jemma said, getting up. “I’m going to rescue my husband. The marquise just kissed him on the ear, and that was not part of the plan.”
She pulled her mask straight and sauntered toward them. The marquise was draped against Elijah’s right side, looking muzzy but determined, and an unknown lady was draped on his left, looking considerably livelier and just as determined.
“Hello,” Jemma said as she sauntered up, pitching her voice deliberately in the hope that Elijah would think she was yet another stranger.
She couldn’t tell whether he recognized her or not. “Hello,” he said politely, and then turned back to the lady on his left. “I’m afraid that I don’t dance very well, but it’s kind of you to ask.”
“Every gentleman knows how to dance,” Jemma said, moving closer. The marquise had her head resting on Elijah’s arm.
“I know how to dance,” Louise said, clearly recognizing Jemma as she straightened immediately. “And what I’d like to do is dance with you!” She smiled up at Elijah. “Because you’re beautiful. I’m very, very fond of beautiful men. You probably didn’t know that.”
A muscle moved in Elijah’s cheek, and Jemma thought he was close to breaking into laughter. Which was better than becoming swamped by desire.
“I can teach you how to dance,” said the crimson domino on his left side. She had a husky voice that promised a lot more than dancing lessons.
There was definitely a cocky glint in Elijah’s smile now, Jemma thought.
Jemma put a hand on her hip and pitched her voice to be as inviting as that of the stranger with the husky voice. “Men have been known to cry if I refused to dance.”
Elijah looked expectantly to his left, to the crimson charmer. Her eyes were narrowed and she was examining Jemma inch by inch. “There are some people who aren’t worth dancing with because they’re too hoity-toity to have a good time.”
The marquise stepped away from Elijah with nary a waver and gave the crimson domino a scathing look. “Une allure honteuse.”
“What did she say to me?” the woman demanded.
Elijah very courteously translated. “I believe she called you a shameless jade.”
“What?”
But with one triumphant glance, Louise neatly turned Elijah about and hauled him into the throng of dancers.
Jemma’s mouth fell open.
“Christ’s toenails!” the crimson cloak said. “I had him all set, and then that drunk wobbled out of nowhere, and now she took him! It’s because she is French.”
“Really?”
“Men all think that Frenchwomen are on their knees half the night,” she confided. “The worst of it is that he was a nabob.” She grinned at Jemma. “And he had big hands. I was looking forward to dancing with him.”
Jemma turned about and surveyed the assembly.
“You’d best look elsewhere,” the crimson cloak said consolingly. “She had him from the start, I could tell. She made a couple of remarks that made him laugh. And she had herself draped on him. I got only one feel but it was a nice one.”