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Just a small one.
She knew she should refuse immediately& yet the temptation to agree was strong. The thought of going
back to De Gray house right now, fresh from such crushing defeat, was none too appealing. What if my
mother discovers that I m gone?
You were willing to risk that for Spencer, weren t you?
Yes, but& Lidian fell silent, unable to believe that she was hesitating.Tell him to take you straight
home , she thought.After all that s happened, you should know what comes of trusting men, no matter
how appealing they seem . She was caught in the position of being unwilling to say no and unable to say
yes. She settled for looking up at him helplessly, her brows quirking in a frown.
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Suddenly De Gray laughed and straightened her cloak, drawing the hood protectively around her face.
Come with me, he said, making the decision for her.
Where are we going?
The pleasure gardens at Vauxhall.
I ve heard of that place. Aren t there prostitutes there? And thieves?
Every kind of person you can imagine, he said, walking her toward the long line of private carriages
waiting outside the club.
Lidian was at once worried and intrigued, wondering how she had come to this turn in her life, going to
Vauxhall with a man she barely knew, in the middle of the night. Why are they called pleasure
gardens ?
Perhaps you ll find out, he said in a tantalizing tone.
Before I agree to go with you, you must promise that you ll be a gentleman.
He grinned and signaled for his carriage. Unlike the other men of your acquaintance, Miss Acland, I
never make promises I can t keep.
4
With all the whispers of decadence and scandal that accompanied the mention of Vauxhall, Lidian had
never actually been quite certain what it was. She quickly discovered that an evening at Vauxhall, an area
located north of Kensington Lane, was exactly like attending a party the most amazing party she could
ever imagine. She had never been exposed to a large group of such uninhibited people: aristocrats,
dandies, ladies, and prostitutes. Music from a large orchestra filled the air while food vendors sold ice
cream, cheesecakes, and biscuits. Lines formed at a lottery booth where tickets were sold for a chance
to win colorful trinkets.
Lord De Gray paid the extravagant sum of two guineas apiece for them to enter the gardens. Lidian took
care not to meet anyone s gaze and stayed close by De Gray s side. However, curiosity soon got the
better of her, and she stared at her surroundings with wonder. The gardens were laid out in a pattern of
five walkways, some of them covered with awnings and bordered with trees, with gravel or brick
underfoot. A cold night breeze whipped around her, and she shivered, glad for the warmth of her thick
wool cloak.
De Gray stopped and purchased a narrow black felt mask for her, similar to those many other people
were wearing. No proper young lady would be caught without one, he assured her dryly, as well as
husbands spending a night away from their wives, or young bloods who wish to appear dashing
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Are you going to wear one? she asked, letting him tie the strip of felt behind her head.
He turned her around to face him, adjusting the mask until she could see through the eyeholes. It s no
scandal for me to be here, Miss Acland. You, on the other hand, would be ruined. Noticing that
Lidian s gaze had strayed to a man walking by with a tray of biscuits, he smiled slightly. You must be
hungry. You barely touched your supper earlier.
I was too nervous to eat. I kept thinking about& Her voice trailed away as she recalled how eager
she had been to see Chance.
Forget about that, he said abruptly, and drew her toward the Grove, where more than a hundred
supper boxes were located. They were filled with couples enjoying plates of ham, tongue, and chicken
while listening to the orchestra. The music was loud and invigorating, causing all thoughts of Chance to
fade from Lidian s mind. De Gray seated her at a supper box, its interior painted with a country scene by
the artist Francis Hayman. The crowd hummed and sang along as the orchestra played a popular tune.
At De Gray s gesture, a waiter brought them plates piled with miniature roast chickens, paper-thin slices
of ham, pastry, and cake filled with layers of cream and berry jam. Lidian applied herself to the food
hungrily, pausing in surprise as De Gray handed her a glass of wine.
I m not allowed to drink wine, she said, hesitating.
De Gray lowered his mouth to her ear. I won t tell, he said conspiratorially, his low voice causing a
pleasurable prickling along her spine. She smiled and accepted the glass, taking a sip of the rich red
vintage. De Gray urged more delicacies on her and teased her until she couldn t help laughing at his
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