Free Lucy Muir by The Imprudent Wager Page A

people.
    Anne and Melissa returned home that night full of their success, feeling that the major hurdles to their establishment in Society had been overcome and that their success was assured.
     

Chapter Six
     
    Lord Stanton put an expression of impenetrable politeness on his face and allowed his thoughts to drift, attempting to get through the musicale with the least possible pain. His sister had taken him up with a vengeance on his offer to escort her to functions, he thought. He also suspected that Lord Brookfield had taken advantage of his impetuous offer to spend evenings at his club. Yet so far his sacrifice had been for nothing, because he had not seen Anne and her cousin at any entertainments, except of course, the opera, where he could not approach them without seeming to single them out. Well, the Season had just begun, and perhaps Anne did not have access to circles as exalted as the one in which he and his sister moved. He had made it his business to find out who the couple were whose box Anne and Miss Amberly had been in at the opera. Military family, of course. He should have foreseen that would be the avenue by which Anne would try to enter Society.
    Lord Stanton’s hands clenched involuntarily as the soprano performing hit a particularly high and off-key note. The Season was not turning out to be as entertaining as he had hoped. It was quite the opposite, in fact, despite the company of Lady Parnell. Most of his set were still in Brighton with Prinny, and the enjoyment he had anticipated from watching Anne and her ward striving to be accepted in Society had not materialised. Perhaps he should use his influence to have Anne and Miss Amberly invited to some affairs in the upper echelons of Society. He debated whether it would constitute interfering with the terms of the bet. No, he decided, because it would benefit Anne, not hinder her. Although it would mean allowing his sister to guess of his interest in them.
    The singer finished, and Lord Stanton applauded politely before turning to his sister.
    “When are you holding your first entertainment this Season?” he asked.
    “You are interested in the Season, aren’t you?” Lady Brookfield replied, smoothing her mauve silk gown. “I was planning a ball for this next week.”
    “There is someone I would like you to invite.”
    Lady Brookfield’s eyes gleamed with interest. Perhaps at last she was going to find out who the mysterious woman was who had brought Harry to London so early. So far she had not been able to discover who it was. There was Lady Parnell, of course, but she did not think it was she.
    “Who?” she asked.
    “It is two people, in fact. Miss Amberly and Miss Southwell.”
    Lady Brookfield recalled meeting both of them at a small rout party she had attended. Miss Amberly, of course, was one of the Season’s new Incomparables, but she had difficulty placing Miss Southwell. It must be Miss Amberly Harry was interested in, which was surprising, since she was so young.
    “I have met them,” she said aloud. “If you will give me their direction I will see that they receive an invitation.”
    “I believe you should also include her sponsors, Colonel Halcott and his wife.”
    “Of course,” she replied, determining to observe the two women very closely the next time she saw them. This was the first time Harry had made such a request of her. There had to be a reason.
    Satisfied, Lord Stanton prepared to listen to the next performer with fortitude.
    * * * *
    Mrs. Halcott was somewhat surprised when they received their invitations to Lady Brookfield’s ball.
    “It is really something of a coup, my dear,” she said to Anne as they rode together in the Halcott’s carriage the night of the ball. “Invitations to Lady Brookfield’s entertainments are much sought after. I wonder why she included us? Perhaps she noticed Melissa’s beauty and invited us so the young gentlemen would have their Toast of the Season.”
    “I am sure I