Heiress Without a Cause

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Ellie had developed a reputation as a reckless hoyden, but when she called at Salford House two hours later, she reminded Madeleine of Boadicea on the eve of battle. Her blue eyes, so similar to Ferguson's, gleamed with pleasure at the ruse they were playing, and her red hair piled on top of her head made her look even more like an ancient Celtic queen. And when she walked in to Madeleine's bedroom, shutting the door in the face of the footman who escorted her, she slapped a sheet of paper down on the writing desk like it was a battle plan.

It wasn't a list of regiments and supplies. It was her idea of the costume Madeleine might wear to Westbrook's masquerade. After wearing breeches at the theatre, Madeleine should have felt no shame wearing what Ellie recommended. It was a dress, after all, even if it was the most revealing dress she had ever seen.

"I cannot wear that," Madeleine said, her face turning bright red. "I am not even sure it... covers everything."

Ellie had taken the seat across from her. She flipped the sheet of paper to look at the drawing again. "I wore something similar as Athena once. It would send Lady Salford into vapors - but it's not the ladies that it is designed for."

She grinned saucily. Madeleine couldn't help but smile in return. "Is it truly necessary, though?"

"My dear, with Marguerite's talent and my brother's notoriety, everyone at the ball will be staring at you. You should want them looking at your body, not your face."

Madeleine took the paper back from Ellie and scanned the drawing again. The costume was white muslin, but nothing a proper debutante would wear. It was pinned at the shoulders in the Grecian style, and then cut so deep across the bosom that Madeleine feared she might fall out of it if she had to curtsy low to another guest. The drape clung to the body, and as it was drawn on the model, there was a dampened chemise - or nothing at all - beneath it.

"I shall die of embarrassment," Madeleine said. "And I don't even like the Greeks. Can I not wear my Hamlet costume and be done with it?"

"Haven't you guessed what the costume is?" Ellie asked. When Madeleine shook her head, she retrieved the sheet and pulled a pencil stub out of her reticule. The model had been headless, but Ellie quickly sketched in a face - nothing that might resemble Madeleine if anyone found the drawing, but enough to add to the picture. Then, she drew a towering pile of hair and festooned it with ropes of small berries - or pomegranate seeds. To the model's wrist, she added a beribboned corsage of poppies. A sheaf of wheat in the woman's hand completed the ensemble.

Madeleine knew the answer before Ellie finished, but was so surprised by her talented sketching that she didn't stop her. When Ellie finally looked up, Madeleine smiled. "Persephone."

"Yes, the Queen of the Underworld, come back from the dead. And Ferguson can dress as Hades. It is perfect, don't you think?"

"Ferguson won't submit to wearing only a sheet around his torso," Madeleine warned.

"I would find that amusing," Ellie said with a laugh. "But he can wear a coat and trousers with a sinister cloak over it. A crown instead of a hat should be enough."

"The ton will think we're laughing at them."

"You are." The smile on Ellie's face was almost evil. "But they will love you all the more for your audacity. If you were not so acclaimed, it might be foolish. If you knew, though, how every man in my circle has clamored to meet you and how they've all cursed Ferguson for keeping you hidden away, you would not be so nervous about this appearance. They will be falling at your feet - especially in that dress."

"Did you draw the dress as well?"

Ellie nodded, slipping her pencil back into her bag. "I cannot sew it, but my modiste works miracles. She can make over my Athena costume for you this afternoon. You can trust her to do the final fitting - she owes me a great debt and won't betray you."