Daring Deception Part 33

"You have come to feel more than mere friendship for Lord Sea brooke, have you not?" Frederica nodded dumbly.

"Would you like to tell me about it?" Miss Milliken prodded gently.

Looking up to see the warm concern on her old friend's face, Frederica suddenly felt her eyes fill with tears.

"Oh, Milly! I've done the most foolish thing! I've fallen in love with him and I don't know whether he cares for me or not." With a profound sense of relief, she poured out the whole story to Miss Milliken, along with her suspicions and fears.

The only details she omitted were those moments of pa.s.sion, which were still too private, too precious, to share.

"So when he gave me the fifty pounds and... and looked at me so, I didn't know what to think. I was afraid if I stayed longer I would betray my feelings to him. Oh, how can I marry him now, if he does not care for me?

That is why I have decided to storm his heart... as myself."

She continued to outline her plans for the next two weeks.

Miss Milliken listened to the entire recital in s'fience. When Frederica was done, she asked, "Then you plan to keep your ident.i.ty as Miss Cherrystone a secret from him?"

"For the present, at least," replied Frederica. "If I disguise my voice somewhat, and am careful to keep my eyes downcast, I believe I can carry it off. If ... if my plan works, if we can reach an understanding, then it should be safe enough to tell him the truth."

"Deceit may be a valuable strategy in war, Frederica," said Miss Milliken quietly, "but I cannot think that it has any place in love. There, honesty is surely the best policy."

"Once I am confident of his love, I fully intend to be honest,"

Frederica a.s.sured her.

"But until then, are not all policies allowed in war and love?"

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

THE FOLLOWING MORNING, Frederica, with a still- dubious Miss Milliken in tow, began the next stage of her plan. They visited the best modistes and milliners, ordering the very latest styles in gowns, bonnets and accessories.

Frederica was now dressed in one of her newest gowns from Maple Hill, but it was still sadly countrified by Town standards and did not project the image she intended to cultivate.

She also arranged to have one of the most exclusive coiffeuses in Town cut her hair, and she hired another woman to keep it styled. She had been taught to dance in the course of her education, but she nevertheless engaged a dancing master for two or three lessons to perfect her steps, especially in the newer waltz and quadrille.

In the afternoon, they repaired to Audley Square to make plans for her come-out ball at the end of the following week. During the morning's shopping, Frederica had made the acquaintance of several ladies, both married and unmarried, who were highly placed in the ton and who had promised her invitations to a few upcoming soirees. More than one of the older ones had recognized Miss Milliken, greeting her as a long-lost bosom-bow. Frederica had wondered at it, but her friend had not volunteered an explanation.

"Tomorrow we must call on those ladies who desired to further their acquaintance with you,"

Miss Milliken said after they had surveyed the ballroom the house afforded, noticeably smaller than that at Sea brooke House.

"There you will doubtless meet others, and within days, if you take, you will be inundated with far more invitations than you will have time to accept.

Your own should go out no later than Friday, by the by."

"Will that not be very short notice?" asked Frederica in surprise.

"The ball will then be only a week away."

"That cannot be helped. You will need that much time to make the necess~ connections to ensure that it is not overlooked entirely. I did take the precaution of mentioning the date to Lady Humphries while you were being fitted at Madame $eannine's. She was able to a.s.sure me that it should not conflict with anything too important, such as her own ball this Thursday.

That is likely to be one of the most significant garb erings of the Little Season. To do this thing properly, you really should have been in Town-officially--at least two weeks earlier." It quite obviously irritated Miss Milliken to be forced to rush what should have been a most organized and careful campaign.

Frederica wisely changed the topic, saying, "Where did you meet Lady Humphries, Milly?

She appeared to know you quite well. "

For a moment she did not think that Miss Milliken would answer, but after a brief hesitation, she said,

"Lady Humphries and I attended the same ladies' seminary when she was still Miss Bryant. That is also where I met Mrs. Thackeray and Lady Wimberly. By then, however, I was a teacher there."

"What seminary was that?" asked Frederica, gratified to gain some insight into her friend's mysterious past. When Miss Milliken told her, she gasped, for it was easily the most famous-and expensive--boarding school in England, patronized by the highest families of the ton.

"But ... but how did your parents" -- she tentatively began.

Miss Milliken cut her off.

"An uncle was kind enough to pay my tuition. Now, how soon did the modiste say that your new habit would be ready?"

2~1 Frederica saw that any further discussion of Miss Milliken's history would not be tolerated.

Accepting the mild rebuke at her curiosity, she obediently allowed the conversation to move to the gowns she had ordered that morning.

B~OR~ NOON the next day, Frederica and Miss Milliken sallied forth again, this time to make the requisite morning calls. Their first stop was at the home of Lady Humphdes, who was very highly placed and who, Miss Milliken told Frederica as they alighted from the carriage, could be of immense help in establishing her if the woman were so inclined. During the brief drive, Miss Milliken had been at her most pedantic, reminding her onetime charge of various rules of etiquette, apparently determined that Frederica do credit to her teaching. Frederica was equally determined not to disappoint her former governess. They were shown into a s.p.a.cious, elegantly appointed salon, where Lady Humphries was already entertaining one or two other callers. At their entrance, she immediately rose to greet "My dear Charlotte!"

she gushed, coming forward to embrace Miss Milliken.

"I am so glad you are come. Pray, let me introduce you and Miss Chesterton to Mrs. Phipps and her da ugh- tot." ' They pa.s.sed a pleasant quarter hour there, though Frederica found Miss Phipps a trifle flighty for her taste.

Still, the girl was friendly enough, insisting that Frederica call her Gwendolyn and relating all the more important scandals that had occurred since the start of the Little Season.

"For these stories are bound to come up elsewhere, and you would not wish anyone to think you ignorant of the latest on-dits, I a.s.sure you, my dear Frederica!"

she said with a t.i.tter.

Frederica smiled but said little, striving to listen to the conversation among the three older ladies whenever Miss Phipps's tongue paused, in hopes of learning something of more consequence.

Still, what Gwendolyn told her was enough to make her realize how easily her reputation could be shattered were her masquerade as Miss Cherrystone ever to become known. None of the "scandals" related even remotely compared to the magnitude of that social breach.

After taking leave of Lady Humphdes, they called at the home of Mrs.

Thackeray, another of Miss Milliken's former acquaintances. Here Frederica got her first taste of the backbiting that could occur under the guise of polite conversation, for it soon became obvious that Miss Sylvia Thackeray had entertained hopes of becoming Lady Sea brooke herself and had been much disappointed by the announcement that had appeared in the papers a few days previously.

"So you are to be Lord Sea brooke's new countess," she said with a sugary smile when they were introduced.

"How daunting a prospect it must seem to one so newly arrived in Town! You have lived your whole life in the country, have you not?"

Her thickly lashed brown eyes raked over Frederiea critically as she spoke.

"Town life is different, I a.s.sure you. And what responsibilities you will face in that exalted position! Pray do not hesitate to come to me for advice when you should need it," she added, implying that she was far more qualified to handle the duties of a countess than a rustic like Frederica could possibly be.

"Thank you, Miss Thackeray," responded Frederica, matching the other girl's syrupy sweetness, though her green eyes glittered dangerously.

"But I shall endeavour to muddle along as best I can. With my dear Lord Sea brooke's help, I cannot think I shall find any task too arduous."