A Season for Treason (Deception and Discipline #1) - Golden Angel Page 0,2

Josie forward. Her arms full of papers, she briskly walked over to Mary’s desk to set them down before turning to peer at Mary. “You are blonder. Or is it just that you were so very red when we last saw you?”

“She is definitely blonder, although not quite the same shade as me.” Josie went up on her tiptoes, squinting and studying Mary’s hair. “I take it, Mrs. Biggins was finally successful?”

Mary sighed. The chaperone her parents had left her with for the past few years had very particular opinions on what would make a young woman attractive to a nobleman. When Mary had been presented last Season, Mrs. Biggins had been frantic to fix her strawberry blonde hair and freckled nose. Last year, all she had achieved was to make her hair even darker red than its normal strawberry blonde. This year, Mrs. Biggins was very pleased with her efforts, which had turned Mary’s hair more blonde than strawberry.

“Of course.” Mary certainly did not care whether or not her hair was a fashionable color. It wasn’t as though she expected anyone to notice her either way. Her sponsor for the Season, her Aunt Elizabeth, had not been bothered, other than to direct the modiste to provide them with hues which would complement her coloring.

Mary had been staying with her Aunt Elizabeth and Uncle Henry until a week ago. She’d returned to the grange her parents owned when the fourth member of their coterie, Evie, had asked her to. Her last letter had been frustratingly brief, but she had put out the call, and Mary had responded. Josie and Lily had not left the area, neither of them debuting in London, so they had already been on hand. It had only been Mary who had to travel back.

“It is not a bad hue,” Josie said slowly, walking round Mary to examine her from all sides. “I think I liked the auburn better, though.”

“Do not let Mrs. Biggins hear you say so,” Mary retorted, her lips starting to curve up in a smile. “Now, come here and give me a hug.”

Giggling, both of her friends responded to her plea, and they wrapped each other up in a warm embrace that bolstered Mary’s spirits. It was so good to be back with them again.

“Oh, I missed you this year!” She squeezed them tighter, tears sparking in her eyes, and they returned the embrace.

Finally, the young women pulled apart, and Mary dashed away her tears. Being part of the Hood family household had been absolutely lovely, but she wasn’t very good at making new friends, and being without her childhood companions had been difficult.

“Well, you will not miss us much longer,” Lily said. “We are coming to London this year.”

Mary’s jaw dropped in surprise. “You are? But I thought…” Her voice trailed off.

Mary was the youngest of her friends at nineteen years of age, so the others were older than the usual run of London debutantes. This was by their own choice, though, as they had never been interested in leaving the countryside.

Goddaughter of the Duke and Duchess of Frederick, Lily said she preferred to avoid Society if given the choice. She was a self-proclaimed bluestocking who preferred the quiet life of the countryside. Her parents were similarly inclined, her father a respected researcher on medicine—whose experiments had once saved the Duke of Frederick’s life—and her mother an expert botanist whose gardens were renowned among the ton.

Josie, on the other hand, was the daughter of an English squire and a Marquess’ daughter. Her mother had caused a scandal when she had married beneath her station for love, but most thought the story highly romantic. Like her mother, Josie loved socializing and dancing, but no matter how her mother pushed, she had steadfastly refused to go to London for a Season. Mary thought it likely had something to do with Josie’s neighbors, Evie’s extremely handsome and eligible cousins. No matter how vehemently she denied it, Josie was constantly mooning over the middle brother, Joseph.

“Evie wants us there,” Lily said in her usual brusque manner, waving off Mary’s surprise. “I wrote to my godmother and told her I was interested in having a Season. One Season.” She rolled her eyes. “The Duchess was thrilled. I leave in two days.” She heaved a great sigh. “Apparently, I need an entirely new wardrobe, and only the modistes on Bruton Street will do.”

“They are very good,” Mary reassured her. Lily made a face. She did need a new