A Masked Deception by Mary Balogh Read Free Book Online

She was soon twirling her parasol with confident gaiety.
    When they were not exchanging pleasantries with various acquaintances, Northcott entertained Charlotte with an enumeration of all the pleasurable activities she could experience now that she was “out.” She listened with one ear while she enjoyed the sights and sensations of the park.
    “And you will have to visit Vauxhall Gardens,” he was saying. “Beautiful outdoor gardens lit by lanterns: music, food, masked guests ...”
    The plan was born in Charlotte’s brain full-grown. She reacted with lightning promptness.
    “Oh, Mr. Northcott,” she sighed, giving the parasol a light twirl, “it sounds so heavenly. Alas, I do not think it is the type of entertainment to appeal to Meg and my brother-in-law. They are really dears, you know, but somewhat—”
    “Stuffy?” supplied the obliging Mr. Northcott.
    “I hate to appear disloyal,” Charlotte breathed, lowering her lashes.
    “Say no more. Miss Wells,” said the gallant Devin. “You would do me a great honor if you would join a party to Vauxhall that I plan to make up. I have some influence with your brother-in-law and will guarantee that he and your sister will be of the party.”
    “Oh, would you!" Charlotte gushed, hands clasped together over the handle of her parasol, eyes wide and worshipful. “That would be divine.”
    Devin returned Charlotte to Brampton’s house and drove away feeling like public benefactor number one, and convinced that the little chit was not really as silly as the bulk of the new crop of debutantes. Quite a fetching little thing, in fact!
    * * *
    “Meg, Meg.” Charlotte took the stairs, with shocking inelegance, two at a time. She burst into the drawing room to find her sister reclining on a chaise lounge, reading a book.
    “Lottie, my love, what is it?” Margaret asked, laying aside the book and regarding her sister with some alarm. “Did Mr. Northcott upset the phaeton?”
    “Oh, no, no, nothing like that,” Charlotte answered impatiently, tossing parasol, bonnet, and gloves onto the chair closest to the door, “but Mr. Northcott is to see that we all go to Vauxhall one night and you and Lord Brampton are to go too, but you are not to go, but you are to go as Marie Antoinette, but Lord Brampton will think you are not there, but you will be there, of course, although he won’t know it, and then he will fall in love with you, though he won’t know it’s you—and you will live happily ever after!” She finished with a flourish and beamed.
    Margaret stared and then laughed. “Lottie, my love, I lost you after ‘Vauxhall,’ ” she said.
    Charlotte sank down onto the sofa with a resigned sigh. “I shall explain again,” she said. “Oh, Meg, please, could we ring for tea?”
    Margaret got to her feet and obligingly rang the bell.
    Charlotte began again. “Mr. Northcott has promised to make up a party to go to Vauxhall Gardens one night,” she said. “He told me that almost everyone goes there wearing masks. The thing is, Meg, that you and Lord Brampton must accept the invitation, but at the last moment you must stay behind—you must have the headache, I think. Lord Brampton must go, of course, to accompany me.
    “When we are gone, you will dress as Marie Antoinette again, with a mask; then you must follow us to the gardens and made sure that Lord Brampton sees you. Then he will fall in love with you and you can reveal your real identity. It can’t fail, Meg.”
    “It is quite the most absurd plan I ever heard in my life,” said Margaret.
    “Name one thing wrong with it.”
    “I can name several,” she said. “For one thing, I am no longer a girl to play games. Second, I do not still have the costume of Marie Antoinette. Third, how would I get to Vauxhall alone at night? Fourth, Richard would probably not give me a second glance even if I were dressed as before. Fifth, if he did pursue me, he would recognize me immediately. Sixth, it is wrong to