Reckless - By Anne Stuart Page 0,68

to foot then why does it matter what I wear?"

"In case you wish to wander down one of the private paths with a gentleman and unmask."

"I may have lost my virtue, but I haven't become a trollop," Charlotte said sharply, and then clapped her hand over her mouth. Wandering alone down private pathways was the main reason Lina went to Ranelagh.

"Don't worry, Charlotte," Lina said, totally unperturbed. "It will take a great deal more than that for you to reach my exalted realms. Besides, I've given it up."

"Given what up?"

“Dalliance. You see before you a new woman, above such tawdry stuff as assignations and lovers. I intend to be sober and devote myself to good works.”

Charlotte looked at her in amazement. "You're joking."

Lina smiled. "A bit. But I've grown weary of bed sport. It won't harm me to give it up for the time being. So, don't worry, I won't leave your side tonight. We'll have darling old Sir Percy Wainbridge as our escort, and no importunate gentlemen will be allowed to steal either of us away."

"I still don't—"

"And I assure you that Viscount Rohan has never been seen inside the confines of Ranelagh Gardens. He much prefers the tawdrier pleasures of Vaux-hall, and even that's too tame for him. He prefers gaming hells and brothels. You don't need to worry about running into him. Does that set your mind at ease?”

“I wasn't worried about that in the slightest," Charlotte lied.

“Of course you weren't. And you'll wear that pretty green dress that you always leave hanging in your closet, and just to make you feel entirely secure we'll both powder our hair. It's out of style except for old ladies, and the tax on hair powder is ruinous, but it's just the thing for a masquerade.

Do it for me, love. We need to celebrate! Your recovery and my celibacy! Cheers!"

"Cheers," Charlotte said with a singular lack of enthusiasm. And went upstairs to change.

15

It was a beautiful spring night. After a week of rain the skies had finally cleared, the moon was bright overhead and the air was soft and warm. It was a night made for lovers, Charlotte thought grimly, glad of the mask and domino. Her scowl should scare anyone away, and if Lina forgot her vow of celibacy and decided to seduce their elderly escort she could always manage an early escape.

Unfortunately, Lina showed no sign of abjuring her recent commitment. Her thick black hair was powdered but arranged neatly, with only the most demure of sapphire and diamond-studded hairpins scattered here and there. While she hadn't avoided the rouge pot completely, she'd used a far less lavish hand, and she'd abandoned beauty patches altogether. If her intent was to play down her spectacular beauty it was a failed effort. Amazingly, without the artifice she was practically incandescent.

Her gown beneath the somber black domino was even more demure than Charlotte's. For some reason, Lina had ordered a whole raft of dresses with more sedate decolletage, in softer shades than her usual bright crimson and royal blue. Instead the new perfectly matched her eyes. She was more exquisite than ever.

Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how Charlotte wanted to look at it, all that beauty was hidden by the mask and domino. With the powdered hair, she could have been mistaken for anyone, even Charlotte.

"It's a bad night," Charlotte said darkly, looking around her.

"Don't be ridiculous," Lina said. "It's glorious out—it would be a crime to spend such a night indoors."

"It's a full moon. Meggie warned me before I left. She said Ihere's Irouble afoot. Men behave badly when the moon is full."

"You need to tell that wretched girl to keep her tongue in her mouth. Besides, men behave badly no

"Maybe we ought to go home," Charlotte said stubbornly. "There's no need to court trouble."

"You're being absurd," Lina said firmly. "We're here and we're going to enjoy ourselves. Sir Percy's going (o bespeak us an excellent supper, there's a concert in the rotunda and dancing in the pavilions. We needn't dance if you dislike it, Charlotte, but remember that no one can tell who we are. This way you can enjoy yourself without any fear of being recognized. You can flirt madly, with no consequences, and who knows, you might find you enjoy it."

Charlotte didn't even bother answering such absurdity. She was tired, her appetite was off and the last thing she wanted to do was make a fool of herself on the dance floor. All she wanted to do