Cloaked Heart

.·:*¨༺ Twenty ༻¨*:·.

"Sir Gulf, Sir Win, allow me to introduce Lady Violet," the marquis said, looking well-pleased with himself for having secured her company in the face of aristocratic competition.

It did nothing to ease the irritation that Win suddenly felt seeing Bright acting the way it was and once more, it did not escape Gulf's notice who did his best to smile as naturally as possible.

Before anyone could speak, Violet bobbed a curtsey and said, "I am eager to see Lord Elmers's treasure trove. Are they truly as amazing as everyone says?"

"You will be obliged to decide for yourself, my lady," Gulf politely enthused. "But I say, they are very well executed considering that the majority of them are so old."

"Old?" Miss Violet looked shocked. "How old?"

"Something more than one thousand years," Lord Vanderveer told her.

"I had no notion they were old at all," she gasped. "From what I heard; Lord Elmers have commissioned them from several artists he met during his travels."

At last, Win broke his silence. "I am persuaded that if Lord Elmers was of a mind to commission new artifacts, he would have made certain they were unbroken ones."

Bright looked amused but merely said, touching Miss Violet's arm lightly, "Come along, my dear, let us go to judge for ourselves." He bowed to both and his eyes twinkled at the sight of Win's face, who could not hide the scowl.

They moved away and Win could hear the beauty say: "I cannot conceive why Lord Elmers would want to convey such old artifacts when everything in my house is new. I insisted upon it!"

The marquis's reply could not be heard but as Win and Gulf head to the other side of the mansion, his friend could not help but remark, "Much said about her beauty and wealth, but no one has made mention of her intellect."

"Perhaps it was mainly due to the gentlemen not taking note of it."

Gulf cast him a shrewd look. "The same cannot be said to you, Lord Montgomery. Your intellect is of the highest order."

"There are times when I wished it otherwise."

"Intellect is often partnered by an excess of sensibility, I fear," Gulf mused.

As they perused the rest of the collection, Win sank back into his own thinking that Miss Violet might well be the reason why Lady Vanderveer was confident that she would soon be able to make the Duke of Salisbury happy. Moreover, knowing that his stepmother wanted to marry might be the spur to Bright's own matrimonial announcement. Only someone of great wealth and beauty could possibly coax him away from his precious bachelor status, and Miss Violet fitted that description admirably. Win was bound to admit, but the realization for him, at least, was not a happy one.

─┉┈◈◉◈┈┉─

The Vermillion Court Assembly. The great shrine of exclusiveness was open to Win and all other nobles of the court and he could not help but be excited about it. The prospect of attending and meeting other nobles sharing the same cause thrilled him as he was eager to set all of his plans for the kingdom in motion. Entry to such gatherings held there on Wednesday evenings was closely guarded by the high-born patrons and patronesses and exemplary behavior for the other wealthy elites who aspired to attend was mandatory. Given that the Buells were among his living relatives, that their entry was secure, and Win was certain that his aunt Luisa will be bringing in her daughter and his cousin Brigette to grant her more exposure to the nobles whose offer of marriage might provide her the title her mother was vying for.

Being the Baron of Mongomery and protégé of Lady Vanderveer, Win had no such anxieties, but on his first visit to the hallowed assembly, he could not help but feel any small amount of satisfaction.