Free Lord Savage by Mia Gabriel Page A

to give up control to another, even if that other
     was Lord Savage. “Must I wear this?”
    “I fear so, my dear,” Lady Carleigh said. “To give wings to our little fantasy, it’s
     necessary to strip away all our old misgivings and inhibitions. It is a costume, to
     make you believe more in the part you’ve chosen to play among us. That’s all it is,
     you know: playing, and pretend.”
    I listened, trying to make sense of this explanation. “Playing” and “pretend” struck
     me as childish, yet the so-called Game that would be played would be nothing but adult.
    Lady Carleigh lay her gloved hand on my arm to reassure me.
    “Consider it all a way to entertain ourselves most pleasurably for the time we are
     here,” she said, “and nothing beyond that. In your role as an Innocent, you must be
     dressed to reflect inexperience, even purity.”
    I shook my head as I looked down at the costume. “It’s not my inexperience that I
     dread showing, my lady.”
    Lady Carleigh laughed. “You of all the ladies should have no fears on that count!
     You are exceptionally beautiful, and I expect the interest in you will be strongly
     contested.”
    Yet still I hesitated, and with a sigh, Lady Carleigh rose.
    “If I have not convinced you yet, Mrs. Hart,” she said, her voice and manner full
     of resignation, “and you still do not wish to play our game, then I shall send for
     the motorcar for you directly. You’re not a prisoner here, you know. You’re always
     free to leave at any time, and return to London, or wherever you wish.”
    The viscountess crossed the room, pausing at the door to smile sadly.
    “Poor Savage!” she said. “He will be most grievously disappointed when I tell him
     you’ve changed your mind.”
    I considered the costume again, striving to imagine Lord Savage’s reaction when he
     saw me in it. If I departed now, I’d never know for sure what that reaction would
     be, and all I’d be left with would be regrets. If I fled to London, then I might as
     well sail home to New York on the next steamship.
    My grand, ambitious adventure would be done, finished before it had begun, and all
     because I was too much a coward to seize the opportunity—and the man—that I’d claimed
     I wanted. I’d always believed myself to be independent, but if I left now, I’d be
     letting my prim upbringing win, and I’d be acting exactly like every other proper
     New York widow would. I would not be the bold renegade that Lord Savage had called
     me. I’d be a sheep—a proper, obedient, boring sheep.
    And at last I had my answer. I nodded resolutely, my mind made up.
    “If you please, my lady,” I said. “Send for Simpson, so that I might change my clothes.”
    Lady Carleigh smiled and clapped her hands. “Oh, I am glad, Mrs. Hart! You’ll see.
     You will not regret this, not for a moment.”
    The viscountess summoned the maid, and left to return to her other guests. Simpson
     said nothing, but briskly began removing the many layers of my evening dress.
    “Have you prepared other ladies to be, ah, Innocents, Simpson?” I asked as the maid
     unfastened the long row of tiny buttons on the back of my dress. “That is, before
     today?”
    “I’ve done better than that, ma’am,” Simpson said. “I’ve played the role of an Innocent
     myself, when there weren’t enough fine ladies to match the gentlemen. Her ladyship
     told the truth, too. It is most exciting, having all those gentlemen gawking away
     at you like you was a right goddess.”
    “You weren’t ashamed to wear so little?”
    “What, you mean the costume?” Simpson said, unlacing my long corset. “Nay, not really.
     All the other Innocents’ll be dressed the same, so that’s a comfort. We’re paid extra
     wages for it, too, plus what our masters give us. I’ve earned more in a week playing
     an Innocent than an entire year as a maid.”
    “That must be welcome,” I said, thankful there’d be no money involved with my