But rather than return to those thoughts, she focused on her sister. “Tell me something exciting. What have you been doing these days?”
Her sister released a laugh. “There is nothing exciting in my days. Mama wants me to get Gwen outside to someplace other than the lending library.”
“You should go to a party. Both of you. Something fun.”
Lilah leaned forward. “I will if you will.”
Diana shook her head. “My place is here beside my husband.”
“Your place was there on the day of your wedding. And now your place is to oversee his household and his care—”
“It is.”
“But it is not to hide away.” She took a breath and dared touch Diana’s hand. It was a bold move for her, but one that was deeply appreciated. “You will need to wrap yourself in crepe soon enough. When he dies, you will be locked away in mourning. Take a moment now to get out of this house just for an evening.” Then she shrugged. “And if we can force Gwen to accompany you, so much the better.”
It was a tempting idea, to be sure. Gwen was twenty-eight and needed to find a husband immediately. And if she could get Lilah out into society, then the woman might meet a man who was willing to overlook her illegitimate birth. Perhaps there could be happiness for her sisters.
“You said you wanted a way out of your melancholy,” Lilah coaxed. “Couldn’t this be the way?”
It wasn’t her melancholy she needed to escape, but Lucas, who had invaded her home and upset her equilibrium. Then the idea came to her.
She snapped her fingers in triumph. “A masquerade!” she said. That would give time for a gentleman to become intrigued with Lilah before her identity was revealed. Plus, they were known to be more forgiving with the invitations as members of the not-quite-proper ton came out to play.
But Lilah shook her head. “Gwen would never go to such a thing. She would find it too frivolous.”
“She finds people too frivolous. If we could dress up a book in trousers, then she might be interested.” Diana shook her head. “No, I have decided. The very next masquerade shall have all three of us in attendance. Tell Gwen I desperately need the frivolity.”
“You do need it.”
“And I will not have it unless both my sisters attend.”
Lilah frowned. “I might be able to convince her.” She sounded doubtful but willing to try.
“The harder part will be to keep Mama away. There can be no fun with her constant interfering.” And no chance that Lilah would be able to kick up her heels a bit. Mama was ever vigilant that Lilah did not put herself forward. In truth, Diana thought it cruel to give Lilah all the trappings of gentility but none of the possible futures. Sadly, that was the way with by-blows. If they were lucky, they were given a place in the household as an unpaid servant. It was a difficult life, but at least she was not on the street.
Then Diana had an idea. “I shall ask Mama to reside here for the evening in case Oscar needs something.”
Lilah’s eyes widened in horror. “Mama abhors a sickbed.”
“But I will remind her that it is her motherly duty to help every once in a while.” Her tone grew harder in memory. “Just as she told me over and over that it was my daughterly duty to marry Oscar.”
Lilah nodded. “Giving you one night away is the least she can do.”
“We have a pact then? The very next masquerade—”
“Will see three sisters attend. Yes.”
They even shook hands on the bargain.
*
Lucas smiled as he loitered outside Diana’s bedroom door. Now that was a great idea.
Chapter Five
Lucas paced in the dark, allowing his nerves free rein. He was completely alone here, so he could run a hole in the threadbare carpet if need be. Not twenty minutes ago, he’d sent missives to two of his best friends from school. Aaron and Jackson had been his constant companions until circumstances had thrown them to the four winds. It had been the most natural thing in the world for the three future earls to become steadfast friends, but then he’d gone to war, and he hadn’t seen them since.
The missives had requested their appearance in Aaron’s own front parlor with no signature provided. That was enough of a mystery that they ought to be here any moment now. And Lucas could only imagine what they would say to finding their supposedly dead friend had unlawfully entered Aaron’s home only to wait for their arrival.
He heard them arrive, one through the front, the other through the back. The house was dark because Aaron’s lazy servants had long since disappeared to their own entertainments. Lucas forced himself to stand in a relaxed pose next to the cold fireplace, and he waited.
A moment later, Aaron eased into the parlor from the dining room. His dark body was outlined with broad shoulders and a lean waist grown impossibly broader and leaner, respectively, since they last saw one another. Jackson was the overly tall one with the strength of a bull and the stomach of a goat, since he could and had eaten whatever food was put in front of him. At least he had when they were boys. Who knew what either man’s habits were now?
When Lucas saw that both men came alone, he squatted down and lit the fire. The coals caught quickly because he had prepared them beforehand, and then he waited as the flames grew and lit his face such that his friends would know him.
Or he hoped they would know him.
Jackson reacted first, his breath expelling on a low growl. “Is that one of your sister’s ghosts?”
“Don’t think so,” Aaron responded. “Unless ghosts smell like the sewer.”
Lucas stiffened. “I do not smell like the sewer. I smell like your kitchen waste. Your window stuck as I was trying to gain entry, and I fell. Don’t you know that muck will attract rats?”
Aaron lit an oil lamp and brought it forward. His eyes were narrowed, and his brows drew down in confusion, but he was no less intimidating as he loomed close. “By God, Lucas, is that you?”
He raised his hands in a shrug. “Seems so.”
“Seems so!” Jackson snapped as he rushed forward to grab Lucas’s elbow and spin him until they were face to face. “Seems so? We thought you dead!” He gripped Lucas’s shoulders and hauled him into a warm embrace.
Lucas tensed. No one had dared touch him like this in years. And he certainly hadn’t been slapped on the back as he if it had been a few months instead of twelve years since they’d last seen each other. But this was Jackson, and he hadn’t realized how much he’d missed his friend until he was already in the man’s embrace.
“Leave off, Sayres,” Aaron said, using Jackson’s courtesy title. “Let me see him.” He set down the lamp and stood there studying Lucas from head to toe. Lucas had been inspected hundreds of times before. The army was filled with superior officers who had taken his measure with a long heavy stare. He had endured them all, but this was different. This was Aaron, and his insides twitched as he waited to see his friend’s reaction.
But as the minutes wore on, Lucas had to say something to break the tension. “Have you gone blind, old man?” Aaron was the oldest of them by seven months.
“Not blind,” he said slowly. “Just damned emotional.”