Page 7 of Venus in Disguise

With that uncompromising statement ringing in her ears, Narcissa watched as Maud swept back the curtain to their private box. “Here she is,” she said with a too-shrill exclamation of pleasure. “Just in time for the second act.”

Obediently, Narcissa went back into the box, and watched the rest of the play without fidgeting even a little. Yet, try as she might, her mind returned to the foyer, to the man with the outrageous waistcoat and indigo eyes. She wanted to see him again, to apologise for Maud’s behaviour and to make him see she did not think that way about him. Despite the dire warning she knew she ought to heed, her mind was focused on one goal—how to see him again.

Chapter 2

Dear Diary,

I attended yet another ball this evening and danced until my feet hurt so much, I cannot endure the idea of doing it all again tonight.

It’s now been almost two weeks since I last saw Mr Anson. He seems to have absented himself from society completely much to my disappointment. I had so hoped to speak with him again and apologise for Maud’s rudeness to him.

I wish I could stop thinking about him.

Dear Diary

I heard this evening that Mr Anson was involved in some ghastly fight at the club he frequents. He won apparently and the fellows have been reliving the fight blow by blow, not that they knew I was listening, or else they’d have not carried on so. The club is called Hades, or some such name. A gaming hell, I suppose. I cannot understand why men take such joy in knocking each other senseless. Admittedly, sometimes I should like to deliver a well-aimed blow myself, but not repeatedly, and only in the heat of the moment. Men do it for fun! Such odd creatures they are.

Oh, I wonder if he was hurt? Is that why he’s been away so long? Oh, my. Whyever did I not consider that before?

―Excerpts of diary entries by Lady Narcissa Ponsonby.

29th January 1850, Hanover Square Rooms, London.

The concert was wonderful. Not least because she could watch it sitting down. It was the first concert, in fact, by a new performer by the name of Mr Aguilar. He played a lively Chopin Scherzo and beautiful trio for piano by Mendelssohn to a rapt audience before entertaining them with Capriccio. Still, Narcissa found herself glad when the interval arrived, and she could stretch her legs. Though the idea of another ball filled her with dread, sitting still for any length of time was a challenge for a girl who had more energy than most, even when the entertainment was sublime.

“Maud, run and fetch me a glass of champagne, there’s a dear. I’m parched,” Mrs Chandler said, waving her fan in a disconsolate fashion.

The lady was not in a particularly jolly mood this evening, as none of her beaus were here to entertain her. A pity, as she’d spent an age on her toilette and looked very fetching in a gown of dark green velvet matched with a splendid set of emerald and diamond jewellery. Still, it made her poor company, and Maud had been at her most irritating in her eagerness to avoid an inevitable set down.

“Oh, I’ll go,” Narcissa offered, giving Maud a quick smile. “Poor Maud has been on her feet all day, fetching and carrying.”

Mrs Chandler gave Narcissa a sharp look, perhaps questioning if she had intended the words as a slight. She had, in fact, for as exasperating as the woman was, Narcissa found herself dismayed by the way Mrs Chandler treated her. As a guest in her cousin’s home, she did not feel equal to openly criticising her, but she had attempted to illustrate how Maud was ill-used by more oblique means.

Rather to her surprise, Maud scowled at her in response, but Narcissa escaped before she could voice any complaint.

It took some time to work her way through the crowd, avoiding elbows and keeping her toes out of squashing range as she went.

“Lady Narcissa! Cooee! Cissy, darling, over here!”

Narcissa turned on the spot, wishing she were tall enough to see over the crowd and discover the owner of the insistent voice.

“Here, darling. Here!”

Finally, her gaze fell upon a lovely young woman, her hair a similar gold to Narcissa’s own, but a darker shade. She gave a squeal of delight as Narcissa waved back and watched as Delia pushed her way through the crowd with quite ruthless indifference to those she elbowed en route.

“Cissy!” she cried, falling upon Narcissa’s neck and hugging her tightly.

“Delia!” Narcissa replied, laughing and hugging her in return. “Oh, how wonderful to see you. I thought you were still on the Continent?”

“We got back last week,” Delia replied, grinning. “Everyone is hoping my last little faux pas will have been forgotten by now,” she added, in a whisper that could have been heard two streets away.

Narcissa smothered a laugh and took her friend’s arm, towing her towards the refreshments room. “Oh, I am so glad to see you. The season has been so utterly grim I wondered how on Earth I could bear it, but now I think I may survive.”

“Of course you shall survive. We shall divide and pillage and share the spoils, or something like that,” Delia added with her usual joie de vivre.

“Isn’t that divide and conquer?” Narcissa queried, so delighted by discovering Delia in town she could hardly keep the smile from her face.

Delia shrugged. “So, we’ll divide and conquer and pillage, and then divide a bit more when we share the spoils.”