Free Colors of a Lady by Chelsea Roston Page A

arrival of Emma.
Everyone in the house was. She had disappeared in Almack's. Not
quite disappeared, Caroline had seen Lord Hartwell and her walk out
onto an empty balcony.
    In Caroline's esteemed opinion, it was far
too cold for any dilly-dallying outside. Emma was new to courtship
so she could be forgiven. The blonde had thought nothing of this
occurrence. They were engaged and despite what many believed, she
had no plans on breaking their betrothal. Emma was her sister and
she had always been infatuated with Lord Hartwell. It was nothing
for Caroline to give him up to her. It further helped her
plans.
    Shortly after the couple had disappeared
outside, an unknown woman accosted Caroline. After the encounter,
she learned this woman was Lady Genevieve Carradine, newly arrived
from the Continent. She was also a fright. Caroline disliked her on
sight because Lady Carradine's looks nearly matched her own. Close,
but did not surpass. Despite Caroline's own ignorance of this new
face, Lady Carradine greeted her by name.
    “Lady Wren, have you seen Lord
Hartwell?”
    “Even if I did know his whereabouts, why
would I give them to you?”
    “I am an old friend of Lord Hartwell's. I
want to see him and he will be most pleased in seeing me again. I
do light up this droll ballroom.”
    “I am sure you are aware, if you are
approaching me for his location, that he is betrothed to my
sister.”
    Lady Carradine had wrinkled her nose. This
thought was far too distasteful for her to even comprehend. “I had
heard such news, yes.” She fanned herself absently. Caroline's eyes
focused in on the silk fan edged in lace. The quality of it was
extraordinary; it must have cost a small fortune.
    “I am afraid I am neither my sister's nor
Lord Hartwell's keeper. Perhaps you could ask Lady Worthing. She
keeps an eye on them both better than I do.”
    “That foul blonde girl with her insipid
friends?” She asked, tossing her head back. “I visited them first
and she would not tell me.”
    Caroline did not find this news shocking.
Lavinia may want Lord Hartwell for herself, but she was not so low
as to direct a dreadfully beautiful woman to his location. That was
simply too cruel.
    “Then I simply do not know what to tell
you.”
    Lady Carradine looked Caroline over, eyes
searching her face. She shrugged her shoulders. “It is no matter. I
always end up getting what I want.” Her bow-shaped lips quirked
into a smug smirk, before she took her leave.
    As soon as she was a respectable distance
away, Lavinia and her friends surrounded Caroline. They all spoke
out-of-turn, their voices jumbled together and she could not make
out their explanations. With a hand, Caroline silenced the
trio.
    “You, Lavinia, explain.”
    “That is Lady Carradine, formerly Miss
Worthing. She has spent most of her life on the Continent and knows
many of the young men. It is rumoured she has been a mistress of
the Prince Regent and many other high-profile men. That is how she
got her marriage to an earl. Lady Jersey is even afraid to cross
her because of the powerful men behind her.”
    “How intriguing,” Caroline replied. She was
impressed despite her disapproval of the woman. Women who commanded
respect, no matter how they achieved it, were always of
interest.
    “She's absolutely horrid. All of our suitors
have been far more impressed with her than us tonight,”
Mademoiselle La Roux whined.
    “If they are truly interested in you then
why would they be so distracted by a married woman? She is
unattainable,” offered Caroline.
    “According to the rules of marriage, yes,
but I am not so sure,” Lavinia whispered. This topic of
conversation was highly inappropriate for the hallowed walls of
Almack's. If any of the proprietresses heard, surely they could be
banned. Since none of them had any good marriage prospects, it was
best to keep this topic quiet.
    The clip clopping of horse's hooves echoed
throughout the empty streets. It was past the time of the