Julian turned his head toward the window, wondering what the young woman would be like and even what she would look like. Yet, he quickly found himself turning his attention to Redding Hall and everything that would need to be accomplished.
Perhaps she has a great fortune and will save it.
He smirked at his own thought and finished his cup of tea.
Chapter 2
The wheels of the carriage rolled effortlessly over the London streets, marking a stark comparison for Lily, who had gotten used to the dirt roads leading from their country home into New York. The steady clip-clopping of the horse’s hooves did little to take her mind away from the life she had left behind.
“You should have been kinder to Lord Gall last night. He would have made a respectable husband.” Her mother’s voice cut through her thoughts, making her turn with a heavy sigh.
“Must we discuss this matter again, Mama?” she asked tiredly, longing for the solitude of her thoughts once again.
Her mother fixed the fabric of her light green dress over her knees. “I am afraid that we must, dearest. You are not in a position to be picky. Your Aunt Margaret and I are taking great care in selecting a husband for you as soon as possible. You need only comply with at least one of our choices. Your aunt and uncle were gracious enough to open their home to us; the least we can do is ensure that we are not burdens.”
“And marrying a man who is old enough to be my father will ensure that we are not burdens?” Lily asked with an eyebrow raised in question.
Shutting her eyes, her mother shook her head before forcing a smile. “There is nothing wrong with marrying a man who is slightly older than oneself, but if you insist, we shall be more cautious with our selections. Are there any other requirements that we should know of before your aunt and I invite another lord over for tea?”
Her throat suddenly felt a little too dry as Lily turned her head to gaze back out the window. She knew that she would have to marry sooner rather than later. The news of her calling off the engagement had already begun to spread all over New York.
Yet, she had hoped to have more time to mend her broken heart; after all, three months seemed like far too little time to nurse her wounds.
Inhaling deeply from a position across from Lily, her mother sat up straighter.
“Never mind that for the moment. We have arrived at the modiste, but do keep the matter in mind, dearest. We are not in a position to allow the grass to grow beneath our feet. We must find you a husband as soon as we can. As unfair as the situation may be, it is a fact. You are twenty-and-one, you would have to find a husband soon, regardless.”
The carriage door swung open, revealing a short footman in blue livery who stepped aside to allow Lily and her mother to alight.
No. It is not fair.
Lily composed herself, wanting to run away from it all. The rumors of her failed engagement had begun to circulate the week after she had called things off, but it had been the other rumors that had prompted her mother to write to her sister in England.
Whispers of underhanded dealings and bribes in exchange for British intelligence with Spain had shaken New York’s Society pages. She had never thought that Oliver would stoop as low as to become a spy, but the rumors were far too rampant to be ignored.
Lily’s world had crumbled even further when people had begun to speculate if she had known. There was no possible way that she would have placed herself, her reputation, and her family in such a perilous situation, but the rumors had continued to spread.
Weeks of hiding in her chambers had prompted Lily’s mother and father to come up with a plan. She and her mother would go to London and find her a suitable husband. Perhaps then gossip would die down, and the rumors of Oliver King being a Spanish spy would leave her alone.
It still did not seem possible to her that a man she was going to marry would involve himself in such despicable dealings. Yet, she also felt as if she had never known him at all…
“Come along, Lily, we must not keep the modiste waiting,” her mother called to her from just outside the shop.
Dragging herself from the seat, Lily alighted from the carriage, the heels of her boots clicking against the pavement.
The outside of the modiste’s shop had been painted a bright green with bold golden letters above the door that proclaimed their expertise.
“Madame Moirier,” Lily whispered the name to herself just as the footman pushed open the door, allowing her mother to enter while he waited for Lily.
A small bell tinkled above the door as Lily stepped inside. It seemed like an entirely different world from that outside as the fresh scent of linen and perfume hung in the air.
The bell tinkled again behind them when the footman shut them inside.
Bolts of colorful fabric lined the walls and shelves while several small stations had been set up around the room where young ladies could try on their dresses in front of floor-length mirrors.
“Ah, Mrs. Prescott, I am so glad that you received my note. While not all of the dresses are ready yet, we do have quite a few awaiting your approval.” A tall young woman with bright blonde hair and light brown eyes came flitting from the back of the shop. Her slight French accent lilted her words, adding to the overall feel of being in another world.
Lily smiled and nodded when the young woman greeted her as well.