Chapter 6

Wallflower Row

B riana Walsh was back inside the ballroom and hated every minute of it. She did not belong here. She was an outsider, not part of the inner set, and every time she ventured into the ton, several people made sure she was reminded of that fact. Her late father was a shipping merchant—something practically sneered upon at every turn. From the snickers and stares to her dainty slippers and her back currently plastered to wallflower row, everything marked her as different, lesser somehow.

Briana had taken a crash course in the etiquette of the ton, but she was not one of them—would never be one of them. Of course, she reeked of new money but she had not been born into power or privilege. No titles clung to her name like nouveau riche. She was merely the heiress to a shipping company that was mired in debt. Her one consolation was a connection to a name: her now-deceased uncle who had owned Almack's. The ton were so far removed from reality that none of them had realized her uncle had passed away several years earlier, but she was still able to trade on his goodwill and good name. He had taught her a thing or two about living among the ton. The first was never tell anyone the truth of her background, and never, under any circumstances, attract attention to yourself.

Briana had been mixing with the upper echelon for several weeks now and felt the censure as she graced the arms of dashing young bachelors who only courted her because their pockets were empty, and they needed the money they thought she had from a depleted inheritance. The ton closed ranks to exclude and ensure no one married into their circles without their approval. Briana preferred it. She was not searching for a husband. She only needed their jewels.

Briana tried hard not to keep scanning the room, searching for him—her moonlight gentleman whom she now knew was Lord Victor Cambridge. She had watched him walk into the first ball of the season several weeks ago with his entire family and had almost choked on her lemonade. Unclothed, he had been spectacular, but with clothes on and a dark, brooding, devil-may-care debonair attitude, he was magnificent. He was so handsome and aloof, which just added to the mystery. Ever since the night she stole the pearl, Briana had scanned every ballroom in search of him, but only from a distance—a very far distance. She watched with envy as he danced with the diamond of the season, Camille Fenton, that whey-faced shrew. Then when many other women were in want of a partner, he obliged. Briana wondered what it would be like to dance with Victor Cambridge, even just once. But there was no way a man like that would ever notice her. Even if he did, there was no way he would ever accept her rather unconventional vocation.

Her best friend Caitlin had been singled out several times by Victor's brother Lucas, but Victor never spared Briana a second glance because for most of her life, she was invisible.

Briana took a sip of her lemonade and grimaced at the taste, then choked on it, causing her to cough. Embarrassed at the snotty stares directed her way, she put down the glass and sidled sideways until she was hidden behind several large potted plants that fanned out to create an alcove of sorts. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief, away from prying eyes. She shook her head. She needed to abandon these maudlin thoughts and get ahold of herself. She was here for one reason only: preparation for the next heist. Everything was planned meticulously. Briana showed her face at ton gatherings so no one would ever suspect her true purpose for being there.

Her relief was short-lived when she realized she was not alone behind the alcove as she accidentally trod on someone's shoe. She glanced up to see a very dashing young gentleman also standing within the hidden alcove behind the potted plant. If she recalled correctly, it was Sebastian Cambridge, brother to Victor and Lucas.

Immediately she apologized. "I am terribly sorry, sir. I did not realize someone else was here. If you will excuse me—"

But her sentence was cut off when Sebastian said, "Wait. Please don't move." He clasped her arm and held her in place. "Stay right there. I just need you for a few more moments."

Briana paused and remained where she was. She noticed Sebastian was also plastered against the wall and holding his breath. He was constantly shifting his gaze beyond the leaves, looking about as if he was being hunted.

Then Briana heard a woman say, "Sebastian? My darling, where are you?"

Sebastian remained still and gripped Briana's arm a little tighter, signaling for her not to move or respond. After several moments passed, the woman eventually moved away. Only then did Sebastian breathe a sigh of relief.

"I apologize, Miss Walsh, but I could not under any circumstances be discovered by that woman."

"You know who I am?" Briana replied, surprised.

"Of course I do. You're Miss Caitlin Drummond's friend. Why are you surprised by that?"

"I just assumed most people do not know who I am."

"Well, Miss Walsh, you'll find I am not most people. The name is Sebastian Cambridge. At your service." He held out his hand in greeting.

Briana was stunned because she knew she could not engage in conversation without a proper introduction. Maude, her chaperone, had drummed that into her head repeatedly. She froze, trying to figure out what the proper etiquette was.

Sebastian, noting her dilemma, grinned and clasped Briana's hand and shook it. "We have now been formally introduced. No one need ever know how it came about."

Briana sighed in relief. "It is a pleasure to meet you, my lord."

"On the contrary, the pleasure is all mine. You just saved me from a fate worse than death. Did you know that woman tried to trap me into marriage in the orangery at the Radison Ball last week?"

Briana shook her head, wondering why Sebastian was telling her this. Still, she replied, "That is very underhanded indeed."

"Precisely. Whatever happened to a man wooing a woman and courting her like a proper gentleman? Is it too much to ask that he not be attacked amongst orange blossoms?" He continued to grumble and mutter under his breath.

Briana could not help but grin because there was something utterly humorous about Sebastian Cambridge. He had a natural way with conversation. There was no pretense, and she found that appealing. "Well, I am glad to be of service."

"Indeed. I hope someday I can repay the favor. But I best move on before she returns. Thank you again, Miss Walsh."

"You're welcome, my lord," Briana replied.

Sebastian smiled and slipped out of the alcove.

Briana waited several minutes then slowly emerged when she heard a high-pitched, nasally voice say, "My, my, look what the cat dragged in."

Briana closed her eyes briefly then took a deep breath and replied, "Miss Fenton, fancy seeing you here." Indeed, it was her arch nemesis.

"Whatever do you mean? I belong here, unlike some people," Camille Fenton, the bane of her existence and the nastiest woman of her acquaintance, replied. Camille was the diamond of the season and constantly making catty remarks about Briana. She only attacked in a pack because bringing up the rear was her entourage of a witchy enclave.

Henrietta Dalton, another friend of Camille's, said, "I hope you're not trying to entrap one of the Cambridge men, Miss Walsh. They're the sons of a duke and not for the likes of you."

"I do not know what you speak of. I am merely standing here minding my own concerns."

"But I saw Lord Sebastian Cambridge a moment ago leave the alcove, moments later you appear. I hope you're not arranging assignations with men far above your station. They will never marry you. You may be good enough for a little fun but nothing more."

"Thank you, Miss Dalton, for your speculation, but I assure you I have been alone most of the evening. If you ladies will excuse me, I have a pressing matter to attend to."

Camille Fenton stepped in front of her and blocked her path. Then she leaned in and said, "Word of warning, Briana, stay away from our men. Lest you sully them with the putrid stench of trade." She flicked her fan open just enough for it to scrape Briana's face, then she turned on her heel and took her entourage with her.

Briana muttered under her breath, "Trollop!" Then she turned and made her way to find Maude. She had far more important things to do than worry what haughty women thought of her.

VICTOR NOW STOOD IN the ballroom and made a point to look out for Briana Walsh. He continued to scan the entire area, not quite believing that he had never noticed her before. Then again, she blended in with all the other debutantes. Finally, he spotted her. She was currently standing on wallflower row. She looked piqued and seemed nervous and out of place. Who wouldn't, given the snickering going on around her? Still, he viewed her against the backdrop and realized she stood out. Once he had seen her, he could not unsee her. Briana pervaded his senses; it was as if he was staring at a room sketched in pencil gray, and in the middle, she stood in full, bright, and vibrant color.

She was wearing a demure damask gown, and he got slightly hot under his cravat thinking about the shapely long legs with lacy stockings and garter hidden beneath her petticoat. He liked what he saw; there was a vulnerability about her that he wanted to dig deep into and peel away the layers, both physically and emotionally.

Victor had exacting tastes in women. They were sophisticated and experienced. They could not be vapid or ridiculous. Mettle and backbone were what he wanted. Yet there was something about her that was different.

In the short time it had taken him to return to the ballroom, he had managed to make discreet inquiries about Briana's background. What he knew so far was she hailed from a merchant shipping family, and a wealthy benefactor was sponsoring her season on the marriage mart. According to rumour it was an uncle and the owner of Almack's, but Victor knew that could not be true. The proprietor had passed a decade prior. No, someone else was financing her season.

That had him even more intrigued. She was rumored to possess a large fortune, but given that it was new money, it would explain the snickering because the ton were snobs. Still, Victor watched young bucks circling her like sharks scenting new blood and likely money to fill their debt-ridden coffers. While the women distanced themselves, the titled gentlemen vied for her attention. He was not sure what he thought about that.

At first, he thought her plain, but on closer inspection, he noticed she was methodical in her movement and controlled. She played a part and primped and smiled at no one in particular. It was almost an air of aloofness. Victor suddenly wanted her attention directed at him. Then he wondered who she was supposed to meet at 2 a.m. She was hiding something, and he was all in to find out.

"What young lady has you captivated?" his brother, Miles, asked.

Victor replied nonchalantly, "No one." He bristled because he hadn't even heard Miles approach. He was always so aware of his environment given the work he did for the foreign office.

Miles was Victor’s younger brother, the fifth son to be exact. Miles shook his head. "Don't lie, Vic. I saw the way you keep staring at little miss wallflower over there. Honestly, you're as bad as Lucas when it comes to hiding your interest in a woman."

"Mind your own damned business. I am not captivated by anyone."

Miles just smirked at him, and Victor knew he had opened a Pandora's box because Miles was like a dog with a bone when he found a weak spot. It was the most annoying trait about him. Out of all his brothers, Miles was tenacious and could stir a hornet's nest better than anyone. At that moment, he had his sights set on getting a rise out of Victor. So, Victor did the only thing he could.

He deflected.

Victor said, "Mother! How lovely to see you. Miles was just wondering if you would introduce him to that lovely Penelope Swinbourne you keep talking about."

Vincentia Cambridge, perked up instantly. She had just entered their side of the ballroom to speak to Victor's father, Edward, who was milling about close by. Miles had been too busy baiting Victor to notice.

"Does he now? Oh, well, of course, my dearest Miles. What perfect timing! Penelope looks to be short of a dance partner. Come with me post-haste!" Vincentia replied, clutching Miles's arm and practically dragging him across the ballroom floor. Miles tried several times to protest, but Vincentia whacked his hand with her mother-of-pearl fan and told him to 'shush'.

Miles whipped his head back and glowered at Victor, promising retribution with his glare as he was being dragged away by his mother.

Victor waved him off with a smirk on his face.

"Son, that was awfully cruel of you to do that to Miles," Edward said.

"Father, he deserves it. My dearest brothers have been feeding me and Lucas to the wolves for several weeks now. It's time they had a taste of their own medicine."

Edward chuckled and nodded his head in agreement. "Indeed. At least Lucas seems to have found a woman of interest worthy of his attention."

"I believe so," Victor replied.

Both men turned their attention to the dance floor as Lucas glided past with Caitlin Drummond on his arm. The two seemed to be having an animated discussion, and Victor could not remember Lucas reacting to any woman that way before.

Victor took that moment to glance at the far corner where Briana had been standing, only to discover she was no longer there. He quickly scanned the room searching for her. Then he spotted the back of her dress as she slipped out the doors towards the hallway. Maude, her chaperone, seemed to be dozing off in the corner.

He checked his timepiece and noticed it was just on 11.p.m. Intrigued, Victor decided he was going to follow her. "If you will excuse me, father. I am going to have a word with some of my friends," he said.

"By all means, son. I had best peruse the supper table before your mother returns. I should be able to cram in at least two mouthfuls of cake before she reprimands me," Edward replied with a grin, then disappeared, making a straight line to the supper table burgeoning with cakes and sweets.