The courtesan sniffed. "So much for friendship."
Evelyn stared for a moment, then laughed. "Beryl, of course. I should have realized at once."
Beryl fluttered her fan and cast her a smug smile. "Because no one else you know could possibly look as glorious in the garb of a seductress?"
"Well, yes, that." Evelyn grinned, leaned closer, and lowered her voice. "And the fact that only you would wear something so daring."
"Daring?"
"Your bosoms, dear." Evelyn nodded at the other woman"s bodice. "Another quarter of an inch and you will pa.s.s daring and slide right into tomorrow"s gossip." She adopted a falsetto voice. "My goodness, did you see Lady Dunwell"s bosoms spring free from her gown? And at a charity event, no less. The woman has no sense of propriety."
"Oh dear, I hadn"t thought of that. But as you didn"t recognize me, no one else will." She cast Evelyn a wicked smile. "I shall have to take off my mask should my bosoms escape their confines. I would hate for gossips not to have the correct information." Beryl glanced down at her impressive display of decolletage. "Although I would think my bosoms would be recognizable to any number of people even with my mask on."
Evelyn stared. "You really have no sense of propriety at all, do you?"
"I certainly hope not." Beryl huffed. "I have put a great deal of effort into my wicked reputation, and I should hate for it to have been a waste."
Evelyn laughed. Good Lord, Beryl was scandalous and immoral and destined, no doubt, to come to a bad end. Still, there was something Evelyn quite liked about her. Perhaps it was because she was so unlike anyone else she knew.
"But how did you know who I was?" Evelyn said. "I thought I was quite cleverly disguised."
"Ah yes, about that." Beryl glanced from side to side although with her mask on it was difficult to tell. "I shall explain but not here." She plucked Evelyn"s gla.s.s from her hand and pa.s.sed it to a waiter, then took her arm and steered her toward the entry.
"Where are we going?"
"Somewhere we won"t be overheard."
"Why?"
"I may not care about my reputation, but I do have concerns for yours. You are such a proper sort." She heaved a heartfelt sigh. "And I am such a good friend."
Evelyn stifled a smile. "So I see."
"I told you I would be." They pa.s.sed through the entry to the ballroom, then Beryl paused and glanced around. "The ladies" receiving room is down that corridor so we shall take this one instead."
Beryl headed down the hall, Evelyn by her side. Not at all easy given the width of their respective gowns. "Why are you being so mysterious?"
"I"m not being mysterious, dear, I"m being cautious. It"s not nearly as much fun. And as I am, well, certainly not older but definitely wiser, I feel you would benefit from my advice."
"Do you?" Evelyn bit back a grin and silently thanked the department. In spite of her work for them, and any number of questionable activities, she had emerged with a public reputation which, while admittedly not spotless, was, as her mother-in-law put it, not especially blemished. Respectable enough to marry an earl. Her brows drew together. Where was he anyway?
Beryl pushed open a closed door and peered inside the room. "This will do."
Evelyn followed her into a fair-sized salon, tastefully appointed for both comfort and style, but then she would expect nothing less. "I must say your secrecy has quite piqued my curiosity."
"Secrecy is essential when one plays these sorts of games."
Evelyn narrowed her eyes. "What sorts of games?"
Beryl ignored the question and closed the door behind them. "As you know, there was a time when I had my cap set for Adrian."
"And?"
"I only mention it because I do know the type of man he is. It"s of no significance really." Beryl shrugged. "You were his choice after all."
"When we met ..." Evelyn chose her words with care. "Adrian said nothing that happened in our lives before then mattered."
Beryl stared. "Why, what a dear, sweet liar the man is."
"He is not." Evelyn huffed. No matter how annoyed she might be with her husband, she did not wish to hear anyone else speak ill of him.
"Goodness, dear, a man only says nothing in your pasts matters when he has more to hide than you do." She studied her for a moment. "Unless I"m mistaken."
Evelyn"s stomach tensed. "Oh?"
"Well, I had thought you were extremely proper and I do know Adrian worships the ground you walk on-"
"Does he?"
"Of course. He tried to catch you in flagrante delicto."
Evelyn raised a brow. "And that means he worships me?"
"Not all husbands make the effort," Beryl said with a casual shrug. "Only a husband who truly cares or one who views his wife as nothing more than a possession would go to the trouble of tracking down his errant-"
"I was not errant!"
"Wife. Adrian has never struck me as the sort who would think of his wife as something he owns."
"No, he"s not."
"I told you I know the type of man your husband is. You do realize how lucky you are?"
"Yes, I do." Evelyn pulled her brows together. "What on earth are you trying to say?"
"I"m trying to say that you should not follow in my footsteps."
Evelyn stared. "I should not what?"
"You have far too much to lose," Beryl said firmly.
"I have no idea what you are talking about."
Beryl studied her for a long moment. "You don"t, do you?"
"No." Evelyn huffed. "And I thought you were going to tell me how you knew who I was."
"It all ties together, dear." She paused. "Are you certain you don"t know-"
"Would you please tell me what you are going on about," Evelyn said sharply.
"You really don"t know." Astonishment sounded in Beryl"s voice. "How very interesting."
"Beryl," Evelyn snapped. "Out with it."
"Patience, my dear friend." Beryl grinned in a wicked manner. "Oh, this is delightful."
"Beryl!"
"Very well then." She heaved a dramatic sigh. "If you insist on taking all the fun out of it."
"And I do."
"I knew what you were wearing because you were pointed out to me."
"I haven"t told anyone what I was wearing tonight." Evelyn shook her head in confusion. "Who on earth could have told you?"
"I have no idea." She shrugged. "He was wearing one of those white masks with the black hat and cloak. Why, you couldn"t even see his hair." She thought for a moment. "He was tall, though."
"And this mysterious gentleman pointed me out to you?" Evelyn said slowly.
"Well, he had to, of course."
Her breath caught. "He did?"
"He did if he wanted me to deliver this to you." Beryl plucked a folded note from between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s although where she found room to hide something out of sight was beyond Evelyn. Beryl presented the note with a flourish.
Evelyn reached for it but Beryl pulled it back.
"You know nothing about this or who this man might be?"
"No." Evelyn held out her hand. "Now, give it to me."
"And you are not planning an a.s.signation with a mysterious stranger at a masked ball?"
"Most certainly not!"
"No one can feign that kind of indignation." Beryl grinned and handed her the note. "I"m glad, you know. Aside from your recent difficulties, you and Adrian are very nearly the only truly happily married couple I know. Oh, certainly I can name any number of couples who are content, but you have always struck me as genuinely happy. As such, you are an example to the rest of us." She paused. "Well, not to me but to others." She handed Evelyn the note. "Don"t do anything to muck it up."
"I have no intention of mucking up anything." Evelyn stared at the note in her hand.
"Well?" Beryl said impatiently. "Aren"t you going to read it?"
Evelyn turned the note over in her hand. "I"m not sure."
"If you"re afraid, I"ll read it." Beryl reached for the note. "It"s bound to be interesting."
"Oh no." Evelyn took a step back and shook her head. "I"ll read it." She unfolded the note and knew, even before she saw the distinctive hand, who it was from.
At long last, the time has come. Dance with me, Eve.
"What does it say? Is it signed? Who is it from?"
Evelyn forced a light laugh. "I do hate to disappoint you, but it"s nothing of significance. It"s not signed, but the handwriting is that of an old friend. He"s simply trying to be mysterious."
"An old friend?" Beryl studied her closely. "An admirer?"
"Not at all." She shrugged. "Simply someone I haven"t seen in, oh, forever."
"That"s all?"
"He does wish a dance."
Beryl sucked in a sharp breath. "Evelyn Waterston, you"re lying to me. How can you lie to your dearest friend?"
"I"m not lying," Evelyn said firmly. Indeed, Sir could well be considered an old friend, and as she had never seen him in person, forever was not entirely inaccurate. "It is from an old friend. He does wish a dance and it"s not the least bit important." She refolded the note and tucked it into her bodice, realizing she had far more room to hide notes than her friend did.
"Are you going to dance with him?"
"As I have noted any number of gentlemen in white masks and black cloaks, and it"s impossible to know which one he is ..." She shrugged. "If a gentleman so attired asks for a dance, I see no reason to refuse."
"Won"t Adrian mind?"
"Not in the least." She scoffed. "I dance with other gentlemen all the time at events like this. It is a ball, after all. Besides ..." She paused. "Adrian has yet to arrive."
"He isn"t here?" Surprise sounded in Beryl"s voice.
"He was delayed. I do expect him at any minute." Nor was that a lie. She had thought he would be here by now.
"My, that is interesting," Beryl murmured.
As much as she didn"t know her dearest friend well, she did recognize that tone. "What is interesting?"
"Adrian, who has been known to be jealous, is not yet here. And a gentleman who is completely disguised, with a mask that even m.u.f.fles his voice, an old friend or so he says, has asked you to dance. And ..." She paused. "This man knew how you were dressed."
"What are you getting at?"
"It seems to me, a masked ball presents the perfect opportunity to test a wife"s loyalty. What if"-she paused dramatically-"your admirer is, in truth, your husband?"
"Don"t be absurd." Evelyn scoffed. "Adrian would never do such a thing." Besides, she knew exactly who the note was from. Still, why not allow Beryl to suspect Adrian? It was certainly easier than explaining the complete truth.
"The same way he would never burst into a hotel room where he thought he would find you?"
"He doesn"t like the word burst," she said under her breath.
"No doubt." Beryl thought for a minute. "There"s really only one way to find out."
"And what way is that?"