Chapter 1

Chapter 1

“Ugh, just look at them, all grinning as if there is actually something to grin about.” Vivianne Marie DeCourcy spoke her mind, as always. It didn’t matter whether there was only her younger sister to hear her or the ton in its entirety. “Like oblivious sheep to the slaughter.”

“Vivianne!” her younger sister Aurelia Anne exclaimed. Although Aurelia was used to her unconventional wording, sometimes, she knew, it was simply too much. “Sheep? Seriously? Someone might overhear you.”

“So?” Vivianne shrugged, looking about. She didn’t see a single person whose opinion mattered enough for her to choose her wording more carefully.

The ballroom was a vision of elegance, bathed in the soft glow of countless chandeliers whose crystal facets caught the light to cast a shimmering radiance over the assembled guests. The walls were adorned with opulent draperies in rich hues of burgundy and gold, their sumptuous folds creating a regal backdrop for the evening’s festivities.

At the center of the room, couples twirled gracefully across the polished wooden floor, their movements perfectly synchronized to the strains of a delicate waltz played by a skilled ensemble of musicians. The melody floated through the air, light and enchanting, setting the perfect tone for the evening.

The ton were out in full force, resplendent in their evening attire. The ladies wore gowns of silk and satin in a spectrum of vibrant colors, skirts billowing as they danced. Jewels sparkled at their throats and wrists, catching the light with every movement. Intricate hairstyles, adorned with feathers and ribbons, framed their glowing faces.

The gentlemen, not to be outdone, were impeccably dressed in tailcoats and breeches, their cravats tied with precision. Polished boots tapped lightly on the floor as they led their partners in graceful arcs and turns, their expressions a mix of concentration and enjoyment.

That was, at least, how Vivianne’s sister viewed the entire charade of artificial smiles and superficial politeness. Vivianne herself couldn’t understand all the commotion. Everyone was there, pretending to be kinder than they actually were, more caring than they actually were, pretending to be something they were not.

She couldn’t help but scoff loudly, not caring one bit whether someone might overhear her. Her reputation as a willing future spinster had already followed her wherever she went, much to her mother’s shock and disappointment. But Vivianne didn’t care about that. She had promised herself that she would not let anyone make a fool of her ever again, and it was a promise she intended to keep.

“Be nice,” she heard her sister say as she leaned closer to Vivianne.

“I am only here because of you, you know that,” Vivianne reminded her. “I would follow you to the end of the world, Aurelia, but you cannot make me like these people.”

“I know you don’t like them,” Aurelia said softly, placing her hand on Vivianne’s. “But perhaps you could be… less vocal about it?”

“Yes, you could be less vocal about many things, my dear.” The gentle voice of their mother appeared from somewhere behind them, and the two girls turned around at the same time to meet her. “If I could overhear your conversation, you can rightfully assume that anyone could.”

“What I am saying is no secret, Mother,” Vivianne said simply, with a dismissive half-shrug.

“You always prefer the truth, we have come to know that well,” Mary-Anna Susanne DeCourcy, the wife of the Viscount DuPont, said with exasperation in her voice. “But I keep reminding you that the true traits of a lady are manners, kindness, and the knowledge of when the truth is just too much.”

Vivianne sighed. While her mother did not lack common sense, what she did lack was reason when it came to her husband. Even after all those years of being married to Vivianne’s father, the woman was still madly in love with him, ready to follow him on any venture, even the poverty they were so desperate to hide from the rest of the world.

That was why she was so relentless about her daughters securing good marriages that season—because the fate of the entire family rested on the shoulders of their daughters.

“You have such a beautiful smile, Viv,” her mother urged tenderly, caressing her cheek with her bejeweled hand.

They’d had to sell some of her mother’s jewelry, and it had had to be done in secret, so that it was not known who was the seller. Things were becoming more and more serious with each passing day, as her father’s gambling debt from several years back only seemed to grow.

As a man led by emotion rather than logic, a trait not usually pertaining to a man, he was easily swayed into lending money to friends in need, when he was supposed to have been saving it and applying it to his debts, leading them to the undesirable situation they were in at the moment.

“You should really smile more,” her mother added. “Be more… approachable. Allow someone to get to know you first, before you throw an avalanche of truths upon them.”

Vivianne resisted the temptation to roll her eyes. “At least you have one good daughter, Mother. None of that is difficult for Aurelia. Her dance card is already full and we’ve only been here an hour.”

“I will not hear you speak like that,” her mother scolded with a shake of her head. “I have two good daughters, one of whom is slightly more… rebellious and stubborn, that is all.”

Vivianne smiled at her mother’s choice of words. After all, she and her sister had grown up in a family where they lacked nothing. All their wishes were granted the moment they spoke them out loud. However, even with all that wish fulfilment, Vivianne had grown up into a lady who had a good head on her shoulders, able to differentiate between right and wrong.

Just as she was about to respond to her mother, Vivianne was suddenly beset by her worst nightmare: a man by the name of Thomas Cole Fairfax, otherwise known as the Earl of Kinsington.

“Lady Vivianne,” he said the moment he laid eyes on her, and she always felt as if a frog licked her after those looks he gave her. She shuddered at the sound of his voice, desperately wishing she could find a way out of the situation, but her mother wouldn’t forgive her for insulting the only man of the entire ton who was still interested in her.

“My dear ladies, I must say that out of all the crême de la crême in attendance this evening, you three shine like the three graces. There is beauty.”

He bowed before Aurelia, who blushed upon being called beautiful, while Lord Kinsington kissed her hand courteously.

“Charm,” he continued, turning toward their mother, who chuckled as she offered her bejeweled hand for him to kiss. “And my favorite… grace,” he concluded, facing Vivianne, his eyes sinking into her very essence as he almost grabbed her hand and pulled it toward his lips, which lingered on it for a moment longer than they ought to have.

“Oh, Lord Kinsington, always such a charmer.” Lady DuPont chuckled sweetly, pressing her hand to her lips as a lady ought to laugh, without revealing her teeth.

“How can one not be a charmer when in the presence of muses?” Lord Kinsington wondered, while Vivianne did her best not to roll her eyes and find anything that even remotely resembled an excuse to relieve herself of the man’s presence.

While he continued to exchange the usual pleasantries with her mother, he exuded an air of aristocracy. His charm was undeniable, at least to those who didn’t know him as well as Vivianne did, and his money provided him with a better reputation than he actually deserved.

However, at two-and-forty years of age, he was still unmarried. While everyone had attributed that fact to him being rather choosy, the truth was that Lord Kinsington simply did not have a limit when it came to anything in his life, whether that was food, drink, or worse yet, women.

Vivianne had heard stories of his escapades circling in a hushed manner, but because of the man’s reputation, no one dared to state them out loud. However, what she disliked most about him was his excessive drinking.

She didn’t believe that anyone who indulged in so much drink could be a decent man, and so far, everything was proving her to be right. If only her mother would see him for what he truly was and not for what she wanted him to be, which was a good catch for her eldest daughter.

“Vivianne, are you even listening?” Her mother’s tone of voice had turned serious.

“I’m sorry?” Vivianne turned to her apologetically. “I wasn’t listening.”

“I can see that very well.” Her mother frowned. “Lord Kinsington was just complimenting your gown.”

“Yes.” He turned to her with a mischievous grin, as if he had some intentions for that same gown later in the evening, and the thought once again made her shudder. Everything about that man made her react in such a manner. “I was simply stating that the green really accentuates the fire of your hair, my dear.”

“Thank you,” she said through clenched teeth, not even bothering to offer him a smile. She didn’t wish to encourage him to ask her to dance, although she was certain that was why he was there.

“And even more, your eyes,” he acknowledged, stepping dangerously close to her. She swallowed heavily, trying not to pull away at the onslaught of his breath on her lips, suffocating her with the smell of whiskey. Obviously, he had started. “You know, I love seeing my own reflection in them.”

She didn’t say anything to that. She caught a glimpse of her father somewhere in the crowd, and she grabbed at him like a dying man grabbed at whatever could bring him back to the safety of the shore. However, before she could say anything, her mother spoke first.

“Lord Kinsington, I hope you won’t consider it rude of us, but Aurelia and I need to leave you two for a moment. There is a friend I need to speak to urgently.”

“Of course, my dear Lady DuPont.” Lord Kinsington bowed, and as he did so, his graying hair reminded Vivianne of his age. How on earth could her mother even consider marrying her off to that man?

She reminded herself that the man’s true nature was still concealed from her mother. In fact, it was concealed from many, as he played his role in society well, knowing the stakes if he were to lose everything.

Although they were surrounded by a sea of nameless faces and their drowning chatter, Vivianne felt as if the two of them were frighteningly alone on a desert island, and she had no one to call for help.

“Would you care to dance, Lady Vivianne?” he asked her, offering her his hand.

“No, thank you, Lord Kinsington, I—” she started, but she wasn’t allowed to finish her polite refusal as the man grabbed her by the hand, pulling her among the other dancing couples and steadying her in front of himself.

“Haven’t you been taught that it’s rude to refuse a gentleman’s offer of a dance?” he inquired, eyeing her in a slightly menacing manner. Then his lips widened into a smile, which he probably thought was charming but which only added to her unease. “You should thank your lucky stars that you are so lovely, Lady Vivianne. Pretty ladies can get away with anything, you know?”

She stiffened at the notion. “No, I didn’t know that, Lord Kinsington.”

She could feel his hand around her waist, like the grip of a snake, refusing to let go. They followed the sounds of the music, swaying to the rhythm. She kept her eyes on his out of sheer politeness, although she stole a glance around the room, hoping to come up with a reason to escape his company as soon as possible.

She knew her mother would never allow her to dance with him if she knew the sort of man he truly was. But the sad state of affairs was that he was the only man still showing interest in the frigid daughter. The thought saddened her. She was perfectly content to remain unmarried for the rest of her life, but her sister’s marriage depended on her own. Their parents would never allow Aurelia to marry before Vivianne.

“A strong-headed lady like you needs a man such as myself,” he continued, holding her a little too close for comfort. The smell of rye whiskey on his breath felt like a slap to the face. She wondered if he was aware of it. “You are like a beautiful wild horse. Someone needs to tame you, and I assure you that I am the man for that.”

He was the last thing she needed in her life, but she bit her tongue, not wanting to sound rude, although his own compliment was very close to that. She wanted to run away from him, but she couldn’t. She had to endure at least one dance.

The dance required of them to face each other, and he seized the moment to make her uncomfortable yet again. “I can be anything you want, Lady Vivianne. I can make those beautiful cheeks blush in ways you couldn’t even imagine, if only you would let me.”

Fortunately, he swirled her away, and several seconds later, the music stopped.

“Thank you for the dance, Lord Kinsington,” she said hastily, not wishing to allow him the chance to speak before she was done. “I feel a little lightheaded. Please excuse me.”

He seemed perplexed but, not wanting to seem as if she caught him off guard, he bowed with a smile. “Of course. Keep that dance card free for me, though.”

She nodded quickly before turning away and rushing out onto the terrace, desperate for some fresh air and time away not only from Lord Kinsington, but from everyone there.