A Thin Line (10 page)

“Very fitting.”

“Pardon?”

“Nothing.
 
I wouldn’t want you to miss your fitting.”

“Thank you for stopping by,” she gave him her hand and attempted to hide her disgust as his moist lips placed a kiss on her knuckles.
 
The most hideous smacking sound she had ever heard in her life accompanied the sloppy kiss, making her skin crawl.

“Until tonight.”

“Indeed.”
 
Once the door shut she wiped the back of her hand on her dress and turned to go up the stairs.

“Halt!”

Kala stopped mid-stride, cringing when she heard the voice she had been successfully avoiding the last several days.
 
She spun around pasting a bright smile on her face.
 

“Dru, you just caught me.
 
I am going upstairs to begin getting ready for this evening.”

“No you don’t, young lady.
 
My brother, your father, has entrusted your brother and me with your care while in London.
 
Since you will not talk to Derek, you bloody well will talk to me.
 
You are going to sit down and tell me what game you think you’re playing.”

“Pardon?”

“Do not play the innocent with me,” Dru grabbed hold of her upper arm, like she would a misbehaving child, and led her into the salon she had just departed.
 
Her aunt gave her a little shove and slammed the door shut behind them.
 
“Now, tell me what kind of trouble you have stirred up with that letter.”

“I cannot.”

“You can and you will.
 
What is going on with you?
 
Ever since you received that letter from your father you have been in a snit.”
 
Kala walked over to the window and stared out, not seeing the children playing in the square with their nannies, instead seeing only the house of her enemy across the way.
 
She felt Dru’s comforting arms come around her.
 
“Kala, you used to tell me everything.
 
Why can’t you talk to me about this?”

Kala only shook her head, biting her lip in an attempt to curtail the tears she felt were perilously close to falling.
 
The kindness in Dru’s voice had begun to unravel the emotions she had been firmly holding in check.
 
Regardless of what he had done, she had once adored Gabe and had eventually wished for more as she had matured.
 
This very evening she would reveal information that could prove the man she had once thought herself in love with a traitor.
 
All of their lives would be forever changed.

“Kala, you did think through whatever it is you’re involved in, didn’t you?”
 
Kala merely shrugged, biting her lower lip hard to keep the tears at bay.
 
“Sweetheart, what have you done?” Dru wrapped her in her arms, not helping Kala’s emotional duress at all.
 
Kala began doubting her plans for the evening.
 
What if things were not as they appeared to be?
 
No! She heard what he had said with her own ears.
 
She pushed herself away from Dru’s comforting embrace.
 

“I really should begin to get ready for the masquerade.”

“Kala, you have to talk to me sometime.”

“No, Dru, I don’t.
 
Not about this, and if that means I need to leave your house then I will.
 
Please just give me enough time to make other arrangements.”
 

“Mikala Ann Simmons, I am not kicking you out of my house.
 
I am just concerned about you.”

“I know,” she turned and quietly opened the door and left the room, but not before she witnessed the hurt look that passed over Dru’s face.
 
She had begun this and she would involve no one else.
 
Kala squared her shoulders and resolved herself to see tonight’s events through to whatever end they would lead.
 
She knew what she had to do and she would see it done.
 
No regrets, no doubts.
 
The authorities would have the information needed and then it would be out of her hands.

***

Kala had just finished stuffing the dark pants, shirt, and a plain brown leather mask into her quiver in preparation for her meeting tonight.
 
She sat at her vanity in her corset and pantaloons.
 
The costume she wore draped off the shoulder on one side prohibiting her from wearing her camisole.
 
She had piled her hair on top of her head with pins stuffed everywhere to hold up the heavy tresses.
 
She took two ribbons, one white and the other gold, and attempted to wind them through her hair.
 
Her hands shook so badly she had to stop and gather herself.
 
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, getting control of herself.
 
The second attempt saw the ribbons put in place.

She walked over to her bed and lifted the white, Grecian-style dress and stepped into it.
 
She fastened the right shoulder and put on her gold belt and sandals that laced up her leg.
 
Tonight she would be Diana, goddess of the hunt.
 
She held her quiver by one strap behind her back and grabbed the other one dangling from the bottom.
 
After latching the belt-like straps together, she stood in front of the mirror and adjusted the quiver.
 
She definitely looked like a huntress.

She quickly grabbed her mask before exiting her room.
 
The others were already downstairs waiting.
 
Richard and Drucilla were dressed as Tristan and Isolde.
 
Derek and Tessa would meet them there and had planned on dressing normally and would wear a mask and a domino.
 
Justin waited for her as well.
 
He portrayed Cyrano this evening, complete with a mask that had a long nose.
 

“My, don’t you all look wonderful.”

“So do you, my dear,” Justin said as he took her hand and dropped a kiss on her cheek.
 

“Thank you.”
 
She handed Justin a white mask with a gold filigree design.
 
“Would you mind concealing my identity kind sir?”

“It would be my pleasure.”
 
The mask covered just a narrow portion of her face, but enhanced her hazel eyes as well as the gold on the dress and in her hair.
 
The mask brought special attention to her lush, full lips.
 
“No one will be able to recognize you.”

“Isn’t that the point of a masquerade?”

“Point taken,” he bowed deeply over her hand.

“Are you two ready?”
 
Richard asked them.

“Of course.”
 
The gentlemen helped the two women into the carriage and the quartet began the journey to Vauxhall Gardens.
 
This proved to be quite a gathering if the traffic flow was any indication.
 
“How many people do you think will
not
be among the
ton
?”

“I would hate to hazard a guess,” Justin quipped, “at least until the midnight unveiling.”

“Perhaps you two ladies should stick close to us this evening.”

Kala and Dru looked at each other and rolled their eyes.
 
“Richard, I think any trouble we could possibly get in ended with Tessa and Derek.”

“Perhaps, but I never know about you Kala.
 
You seem to find trouble and your parents would throttle me if I let anything happen to you.”

“Perhaps Richard is right after all,” Drucilla added nervously.
 

“You all worry too much,” Kala scoffed, and wondered if Dru had told her husband about the incident of a few days ago.
 
“Besides, we will be meeting up with Derek and Tessa as well.
 
Let’s not spend the evening worrying, but having fun.”
 
The carriage finally rolled up to the gates of Vauxhall to let them disembark.
 
They walked in and bumped into a familiar couple—Gabe and Lady Clarissa.
 
He wore a black domino and mask.
 
Clarissa looked like a Siren.
 
“Good evening.
 
Don’t you two look fashionable?”

“Thank you,” Lady Clarissa replied.
 

“Lady Blackerby, you look lovely.”

“Thank you Southerby.
 
Aunt Gertrude asked about you the other day.”

“Yes, I need to go by and see her.”

“She would like that very much.
 
Kala, you met my father the other evening, but let me introduce you to my step-mother.”
 
Kala noticed a bit of strain enter Clarissa’s voice as she made the introductions.
 
Interesting
, she mused to herself.
 
“And this is her brother, Mr. Montmorency.”
 
Once the introductions were made and everyone wished each other a happy evening, the two groups parted.
 

Kala noticed that Gabe had not said one thing to her during the entire exchange.
 
Whatever nervousness or apprehension she had felt about this evening’s endeavor were now gone.
 
She did feel a bit guilty about not giving him a chance to defend himself.
 
If I had asked him anything, he probably would have told me to mind my own business
, she chided herself.

They made their way to the box and noticed another couple already resided in it.
 
They quickly greeted Derek and Tessa and exchanged pleasantries about one another’s costumes.
 
The air had a chill about it as they were approaching the end of October, but all would be warm soon enough from the dancing and festivities.

Determined to enjoy the evening as much as possible, she attempted to push away any nagging thoughts.
 
The crowd flowed past their box in an endless cascade of colors.
 
People were dressed as Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth, and Cleopatra.
 
Everyone seemed to be having a wonderful time.
 
The masquerade allowed for anonymity that many people seemed to revel in.
 
People used it as a chance to experiment where they might not in normal circumstances.
 
Kala knew that even courtesans came to these events until the unveiling and then they would quietly slip away.
 

Nerves plagued her as she found herself thinking about her meeting later this evening.
 
A knot formed in the pit of her stomach.
 
Nerves
, she reassured herself.
 
A tap on her shoulder startled her from her reverie and made her jump.
 
She jerked around to see Cyrano staring intently at her.

“Are you all right?”

“Of course, why wouldn’t I be?”

“I’m not sure.
 
You just seem to be. . .well, not here.”

“I assure you, I am definitely here.”

“Well then, will you join me for this waltz?”

“It would be my pleasure.”
 
She allowed him to escort her onto the dance floor unaware of the seething man watching them from the sidelines.

***

He shouldn’t be dancing that closely with her
, the man thought.
 
His plain black mask provided a barrier between him and the outside world.
 
He watched the woman he desired being swept up into the arms of another man.
 
How dare she let other men have such privileges?
 
He would teach her that only he touched her.
 
And he would, as soon as he found out what information she had to give.
 
He just prayed he wouldn’t have to do anything drastic.
 
But just in case, he must be ready.
 
Always be ready for the unexpected.
 
And he would be ready.

Chapter 8

Kala laughed up at something Justin told her as he twirled her around the dance floor.

“That’s more like it,” he whispered in her ear.
 
A tender smile spread across his lips.

Nothing again.
 
Frustration engulfed her.
 
Why couldn’t she feel anything more than friendship for him?
 
The answer tried to creep in on her, but she firmly pushed it back.
 

“What’s more like it?” she asked playfully.

“That beautiful smile of yours back where it belongs.
 
You have been too serious for much of the night.”

“I’m sorry Justin.
 
I’ve had a lot on my mind.”

“Perhaps it has something to do with that missive you had me deliver?”

“Perhaps,” she evaded the answer.

“Would you like to talk about it?”

“Not particularly.”

“All right then, I’ll just have to find something else to occupy your mind.”
 
Again he whirled her around the dance floor.
 
They bumped into another couple and received a glaring look from Gabe.
 
His eyes shot sparks at them through the stark black mask he wore.
 
“Pardon us Your Grace, Lady Clarissa.”
 
Kala couldn’t suppress her giggle.