↫Mischief in Mayfair↬

The entire ton is flocking to the home of Lord and Lady Trotten tonight to attend their first-ever hosted event as a married couple. Rumor is that they have invited nearly two hundred guests. But do not fret, dear readers, if you did not make the cut. You can still live the magic of the affair tomorrow through my reports. I daresay there shall be mischief aplenty tonight.

-Madame Mischief

Scarlett did not even need to enter the ballroom to know the evening would be remarkable. Beautiful music flowed through the glass panes that separated Scarlett from the grand room where people floated gracefully about. It did not sound as though a single instrument was out of tune, which was certainly a relief after the horrors of the Bennett ball the previous week. A pure C sharp should not be unattainable.

She ran her gloved hands over the skirts of her fashionable gown, which was a deep mauve color trimmed with golden threads. The convenient thing about being a widow was that Scarlett needn't worry about what she wore. Frilly pastel dresses were meant for debutantes only, and Scarlett was most certainly not a debutante any longer.

At times she wished that she could turn back the clock to a much simpler time, but Scarlett knew that it would never be the same as it was then. Even if she were coming to the ball to look for a husband, she wouldn't be searching in the way she had when she was eighteen. Well, really it had been her parents who had done all the searching.

That was the most significant difference between then and now, Scarlett supposed. Her parents had been looking for someone with the highest title; it mattered not if the man was broke or old. In fact, they had targeted Lord Humphries because of his empty coffers, and the dreadful man had eagerly accepted to gain access to Scarlett's dowry.

Now, at age thirty, Scarlett did not have parents who prodded her any sort of direction. They had both passed not long after her marriage due to scarlet fever.

Irony had its way in the world.

Scarlett honestly could not say she was mad about it.

With a deep breath, Scarlett again donned the hard, lofty facade that had kept marriage-minded men away for the past five years. With a purposeful step, she made her way into the ballroom.

It was lovely, just like the rest of the mansion that Will and Emilia now owned. The home sat in the middle of Mayfair, and they had purchased it not long after their wedding. Scarlett was surprised that they had chosen to live in London after everything the ton had put them through.

After everything she had put them through, unfortunately. Mischief in Mayfair had not been kind to Emilia when Will initially broke off their engagement three years ago. The scandal had ruined Emilia, and Scarlett had capitalized on it.

Rule 4, broken.

Of course, she had hardly known Will or Emilia when that occurred. She hadn't realized that they had been in love—unlike so many couples in the ton. And Scarlett certainly hadn't known that Will refused to marry Emilia because he was being blackmailed by the king and wanted to protect her. But that wouldn't have mattered really; she had hurt someone with her words. The rule was broken.

Thank goodness Will and Emilia had reconciled after conspiring to overthrow the king last year. That was how Scarlett had become intertwined in their lives, too. It was incredible what a gossip column could do to influence the thinking of society in regards to a lecherous king.

Rule 3, broken.

"My dear Lady Humphries," a voice said kindly to her right. "How are you?"

Scarlett swiveled to see the soft and pretty face of Lady Aston. She smiled genuinely. "I'm quite well. Thank you for inquiring, my lady." The older woman was wearing a simple but elegant gown of a midnight hue, and Scarlett could not help but admire it. "How do you fare?"

Lady Aston bobbed her head from side to side, seemingly questioning the approach to her answer. "It has been a rather trying day, but I am glad to be here for the evening."

Scarlett could see the fatigue in her eyes and longed to reach out to the gracious women, but reserved herself.

"I am sorry to hear that, my lady. However, I am glad you are here, as well." Scarlett gave a reassuring smile. As a marchioness, Lady Aston did not have to be so friendly to her. Scarlett might be a countess, but she was also what some might call a...fallen woman after her rumored affair with Lord Eades. Some other titled ladies preferred not to speak with Scarlett at all.

But generally, those were women who Scarlett did not wish to speak to either.

"Have you seen my son?" Lady Aston was searching the sea of bodies behind her when Scarlett eyed the man in question.

While the other gentlemen in attendance were dressed in colorful waistcoats that made them resemble a flock of peacocks, Leo had donned a black and white ensemble that, despite its lack of color, was truly eye-catching. His blue eyes gleamed with his usual vivacity as full lips curved upward in a slow smile.

The man was too handsome for his own damn good. However did a woman as benevolent as Lady Aston produce a man as incorrigible as Leo Pearce?

Lady Aston still had not seen him, continuing. "You know my son, my lady? He's frightfully tall and has that mop of blonde hair that he refuses to comb correctly." She pursed her lips a little, and Scarlet tried not to laugh. Lady Aston had no idea that her son had also been involved in the treasonous plot to overthrow the king. Meaning that Scarlett knew him quite well.

"Looking for me?" Leo said softly, coming up behind his mother.

"Ah, there you are," Lady Aston exclaimed, a loving expression on her face as she grasped his hand. Leo squeezed it before extending his hand out to Scarlett.

"Good evening, Lady Humphries," he murmured. Scarlett carefully placed her palm over his. The fabric of their gloves rubbed together, and Scarlett ignored the pleasure she felt as his firm grip brought her hand to his lips. She could almost feel his silly smirk as he kissed her through the gloves.

"Good evening, Lord Farrington," she said. Leo held onto her hand just a little longer than was neccesarry, glancing upward with dancing eyes as he did.

Incorrigible.

"How are you, my lady?"

"Quite well, my lord. I was just visiting with your darling mother."

It had taken some time, but Scarlett had mastered the art of speaking whilst breathing very little. It seemed to assist with the haughty effect. Apparently, to have a refined air, one needed to preserve as much of it as possible.

"I do hope she is not speaking ill of me," Leo said with a sparkling smile. "I would hate for all my childhood secrets to be revealed."

"I do not believe that your mother has ever spoken ill of anyone," Scarlett said honestly.

Leo nodded, agreeing. "It is rather amazing, considering."

"Considering what, dear?" Lady Aston said, looking between the two of them.

"What you've had to put up with," Leo exclaimed, chuckling.

"You mean who she has had to put up with?" Scarlett gave him a look that she knew Leo instantly understood.

"Precisely."

"Oh, enough talk about me," Lady Aston said, batting Leo's arm lightly. "Why have you not asked this lovely lady to dance yet?"

"A very good question, indeed, mother. Lady Humphries, would you do me the honors?"

Scarlett laughed, and to her horror, the nervousness in her voice was evident to her ears.

A lively rig was playing at the moment, dancers vigorously moving across the beautiful ballroom. Scarlett watched as the curls on passing ladies bounced in time with their vigorous steps.

"Dancing is meant for debutantes and those hoping to catch their hands," she said with a raised brow. "Perhaps a turn about the ballroom, instead, Lord Farrington?"

Leo tilted his head, paused, and then held out his arm for Scarlett to grasp. "Certainly, my lady."

They began to stride away from Lady Aston, arm in arm. Without looking down at her, Leo announced, "Dancing is for everyone."

"Not for me," Scarlett said as they narrowly missed a servant carrying a tray of...what was that?

"Was that—"

"Yes," Leo said dismissively. "I convinced Emilia to forgo lemonade."

Pressed cider, the new lemonade...Scarlett could see the headline now.

"Anyway," Leo continued. "Back to dancing."

"I am not going to dance with you, Lord Farrington," Scarlett persisted lightly.

"Why ever not?" His words were low as he continued to survey the passersby as they strode around the outskirts of the ballroom.

"I simply do not take to the pastime."

"I have seen you do it before," Leo pointed out.

Scarlett stopped and whirled to face him, dropping his arm. "When?"

"In past seasons, of course."

Scarlett tugged on her gloves, pulling them up even though they hadn't slipped at all. "Things are quite different now."

"How so?"

"I find I am just too old for the activity," Scarlett said, waving an unbothered hand.

Leo tipped his head back, laughing. "Too old? I find that rich, my dear."

"It is not nice to laugh at a lady's age, Lord Farrington."

"You are too wise not to know better, Scarlett."

Her ears zeroed in on the use of her given name and the way it rolled off his tongue. She had heard it from him before, but still, it surprised her. Scarlett rarely heard people speak to her without her title, but she secretly loved it when they did. It wasn't her title, after all. It belonged to that appalling man who'd been her husband.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked.

Leo angled his body so that he had trapped Scarlett between his hard chest and the glass windows that ran the length of the ballroom wall, effectively blocking her from the view of others. Looking down at her, he said, "If you think any man in here cares about your age, you are very mistaken. No one wants to dance with debutantes all night."

"And you mean to imply that they wish to dance with me?" Her voice came out low and breathy as the result of being pressed so close to him.

"It is not an implication. I've never been one to mince my words, my lady, so I will say it straight."
Leo leaned down, brushing his mouth next to her ear, and Scarlett repressed a shiver.

With a hot whisper, he said, "Every man in this room wants to dance with you, Scarlett. And that most definitely includes me."