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else.”
    “But I cannot seduce the Earl! I wouldn't even know what to do!” she cried.
    “There are far more experienced women, surely they can help?”
    “Do not waste my time. It is a precious commodity. Nor should you play with
    me. Is your mother's life not worthy of this? Are you saying that you will not
    do it and press me to kill her?”
    “No!” she gasped and began to struggle within his grasp. “No, please do not!
    My mama is my everything . . . I shall do it. I do not know how to do it, for I
    have never seduced anyone before, but I shall try. I cannot guarantee that I
    will succeed.”
    “You shall just have to find a way then, shan't you, Lady Lily? Failure is not
    an option. Do not forget your motivation, for I certainly shan't! I will be
    keeping an eye on you and shall send word of the Earl's arrival to your
    aunt's home. I want to see you flirting and playing up to him on the very
    first occasion you both attend. If I don't . . . well, we both know what will
    happen to your mother, don't we?”
    With that threat uttered, he disappeared and left her gulping for breath as
    terror and a feeling of being quite lost beyond all salvation drowned her
    alive.
    She stood there, gasping, when Mr. Derricks returned with her drink. She
    snatched it from his hand, murmured a quick but harried thank you and
    drank the entire punch in one instant.
    “Dear lady, are you quite yourself?” Mr. Derricks asked, concerned.
    “Yes.” Her reply was faint and such a lie, that she was surprised she was not
    struck dead with a bolt of lightning from the heavens.
    Shudders began to rack her slight frame and taking it as a sign that she was
    cold, he took her arm and led her quickly from the verandah and into the
    warmth of the ballroom.
    Before she even realized it, Mr. Derricks had chivalrously delivered her to
    her aunt and within ten minutes, she was being stuffed into her uncle's
    carriage with Aunt Millie's smelling salts wafted every now and then under
    her nose as they traveled hurriedly through London and to their Mayfair
    home.

Chapter Three
    Feeling terribly like some sort of ludicrous French spy, Lily looked around
    Lady Greene's ballroom in the vain hope that Earl fforbes-Hyde would be
    here. A part of her felt almost like dropping to her knees and praying to God
    for guidance, and the other felt like fleeing, but how could she? Her mother's
    life was in danger! To simply not go through with that mad man's plan could
    place her mama in serious peril and even though the man might simply be
    playing with her, for whatever nefarious reason, she could not take the
    chance!
    This morning, when Janie had passed her the silver salver with the missive
    resting upon it, she had felt almost as though she were about to touch
    molten glass! Instinctively, she had known who had sent it and had dreaded
    reading it. As soon as the paper had touched her fingers, she had felt as
    though it had indeed been as hot as hell.
    It had simply said:
    fforbes-Hyde arrived in London this night past. Is due to attend the Greene
    ball- be there or Mother dearest will suffer. Don't forget. I won't.
    Any thoughts she had about ignoring the letter had instantly dissipated and
    so, here she was. The thought of her mama being in danger, was more
    terrifying than words could say and so, the seduction was due to commence
    as soon as she could set her eyes upon the esteemed Lord and all Lily could
    do, was simply endure the situation.
    And it would be just that, a test of endurance. Being completely in the dark
    as she was about seduction and its art forms . . . well, it had her pushed
    between constantly flushing and blanching.
    With the odds so terrifyingly against her and her beloved mama, Lily felt
    disgustingly disadvantaged. Indeed, she wasn't even sure if she could follow
    through with the entire plan, for what occurred in a seduction was still
    beyond her.
    The days prior to her having received the missive, she had attempted to
    gently