Seductive Deception

Chapter 19

There was always a sense of excitement bubbling from the inside out at the residence

where a ball was taking place. Allegra recalled this with a sense of nostalgia as they rolled up to Pennington's estate in a borrowed carriage. Thanks to Barrett, who'd somehow abscond with one, a fancy barouche with red velvet-lined seats, no less. And Allegra learned best not to ask questions about such things as Barrett would always answer with a simple dimple-showing grin.

It was dark—the sun dipped below the horizon, leaving a cobalt sky. The flicker of paper lanterns and gas lights left a golden glow pulsating against the darkness. The harmonic hum of crickets buzzed around them—punctuated by the sounds of feet on gravel and hushed whispers and laughter.

Allegra pressed a hand to her stomach to ease the fluttering as her pulse drummed wildly in her neck; her sister's voice droning in the background was muffled and incomprehensible. The anticipation of seeing Morgan was almost too much to bear.

"Will you dance with him? With Morgan?" Louisa asked before they left that evening. It was the night of the Noir et Blanc Ball, and Allegra had done her best not to pace around the room for the last several hours in a panic.

Louisa was a goddess in the pearlescent silk gown, just as Allegra envisioned, with her dark silky curls and white velvet cornet to complete the ensemble.

Allegra wore her bell-shaped white gown trimmed with black lace ruffles. It was low cut, exposing her neckline, shoulders, and a cameo necklace she hadn't worn in years.

At first, she'd pulled two black silk domino masks from her drawer but decided against them, opting instead to make more opulent ones. So, she made Louisa one with white satin and black lace with a black feather affixed in the middle, while hers was a seductive combination of black silk covered in black mesh with two long crow's feathers.

As an ode to her persona, and since her skirts swept the floor, she chose to wear her scarlet boots, a secret nod to Madam Cerise.

"Dance with Morgan? Have you gone mad? I don't suppose I've ever thought about it. But, no, unless he asked." she was rambling, and her thoughts were coming at her at lightning speed.

Panic welled in Allegra at the idea. Would he ask her to dance? She couldn't deny him. Surely, he'd be there. Right? Things had been left awkward between them after their kiss. They'd since not seen one another.

She knew she couldn't avoid him forever. No, she wouldn't avoid him forever. She loosened her grip on her dress, realizing she had clenched her fists again. If she weren't careful, she'd wrinkle her gown.

Lord Pennington's home was breathtaking —a palace with shiny marble flooring as far as the eye could see and immense golden chandeliers with hundreds of black and white candles. All around the environment burst with fantastical and elaborate bouquets of white flowers— orchids, roses, lilies, dahlias, gardenia, and hibiscus surrounded by sprays of black and white feathers in towering vases— their scent a sickly-sweet intoxicating one. Fountains sat in a row in the hallways, each bubbling with champagne.

But all of it paled compared to how Morgan looked in his black-and-white ensemble.

He was across the ballroom, speaking with a man she believed was Lord Strickland. Her heart flip-flopped in her chest. He was downright dashing. His dark hair was swept back in a roguish fashion, enough to imply mischief, and when paired with his smirk, one could surmise he was all sorts of naughty goodness. But, on the other hand, he looked smart, dressed in a tailored black suit with a silk waistcoat, white tie, and white domino mask. And despite herself, she couldn't help but admire him, take in as much of him as she could.