Taming the Rakes

The chiming of the clock in the middle of Ashborne Square signaled to Lady Leanora Montgomery that the Unification Festival was beginning. Lady Leanora rose from her dressing table and looked in the full-length mirror opposite her and even she, cynical as she could be about her own looks, could hardly deny she looked beautiful; her bronze eyes shone through the navy fabric of her mask, with navy ribbons holding it up that were curled seamlessly into her deep, chocolate hair. Her skin, pale as it was, was flushed with rouge and painted with a few small, silver stars that mingled with her natural freckles. The gown she wore was also navy, with similar silver stars lining the bodice and flowing gracefully down the skirt.             “Well, Rosemary, this will have to do,” Lady Leanora sighed half-heartedly to her maid, who had helped her ready herself. “Do you really think someone will take notice of me?” She murmured timidly.             Rosemary smiled; she was a kind woman in her forties who was almost motherly to the twenty-three-year-old young lady. “M’lady, if they do not, they are all fools!” The maid declared. “Remember to smile, and just to be yourself. Anyone would be lucky to catch you.”             Of course, her maid was right. Lady Leanora was the oldest daughter of Lord and Lady Ashborne, who were the patrons of the town they lived in. Her father, Lord Ashborne, was the third Duke of Aramoor, a title that had been bestowed upon her great-grandfather by King Fredrich the Second, the Fifth King of Dechya. Her mother and father had no sons, only three daughters; anyone Lady Leanora married would be the fourth duke, and then the title would pass to their son.             The Unification Festival was something the Frist King of Dechya had introduced early in his reign; every five years, all those over the age of eighteen would gather in a central place and mingle. There would be no titles, and therefore less pressure to impress the person you were speaking to with who you were with who you related to. At the end of the night, if a pair decided they felt right together, they would be married on the spot, only revealing their names and faces at the altar. Lady Leanora was a week shy of her eighteenth birthday at the last Unification Festival, but this year it had been delayed due to an unfortunate illness that had swept through their lands.             Lady Leanora walked gracefully down the stairs, her movements fluid and almost dance-like. Her parents greeted her at the bottom, smiling brightly. “You look lovely, Lea,” her mother said, tears in her eyes. “I cannot believe you are finally old enough to attend the Unification Festival. It feels like only yesterday you were a little girl in a party dress.” Lady Aramoor sniffed, dabbing the corners of her eyes with her handkerchief.             Her father looked over her critically, raising his hand and signaling her to spin. Lady Leanora did as she was instructed, turning slowly for her father to analyze her. “You will catch they eye of someone tonight, I am certain of it, Lea. Your mother and I could not be prouder of you,” Lord Aramoor kissed her on the forehead lovingly, and then shooed her towards the door.             Lady Leanora walked slowly out the door and was helped into an unmarked carriage by her driver. Usually, Lady Leanora would be in a carriage marked with the Ashborne family crest; tonight, however, she was just Lea. Tonight, she was just a girl who enjoyed being out of doors, sitting in the garden and reading or painting; a girl who loved her sisters with all of her heart, and who also loved animals. After arriving at the center of town, where the Festival was held, she exited the carriage and made her way through the crowd of beautifully dressed women and smartly dressed men. There was music being played by a wonderfully talented string quartet, and Lea stood back and watched the people as they danced and mingled.             “Would you care for a drink?” A deep, baritone voice came from next to Lea. She nodded politely and accepted the drink he offered to her from a passing tray. “I appreciate how your dress mimics the night sky, and the color makes your eyes shine,” He smiled, his poetic words bringing a flush to Lea’s cheeks. “Is this your first festival?”             Lea nodded, sipping the white wine in her glass. “Yes, it is, sir. I must say thank you for your lovely compliments,” Lea had to look up to see his eyes, which were a pleasing shade of gray; he was significantly taller than her five feet and five inches, with a broad chest and shoulders. Lea quickly moved her eyes back to his, embarrassed at her admiration of his physique, which even she noticed was muscular under his charcoal suit. “I am Lea,” she introduced herself nervously.             “Theo,” He kissed her extended hand gracefully, smiling as he did. “I must say, Lea, I have been able to identify many of the young women here, but I truly do not recognize you. It is a shame, and a blessing. I will not be able to judge you as I can some of them,” Theo chuckled, his laughter bringing a new sensation to Lea’s stomach, almost as if she had swallowed insects.             Lea smiled, suppressing a giggle as well. “Well, Theo, you must tell me who exactly you have managed to identify and why it is lucky you can avoid them?”             Theo and Lea spent much of the night gossiping about the people around them; they spoke of the women who looked far to desperate, and the men who were clearly falling for it. In between, they spoke about their interests; Lea learned that Theo was an avid hunter and horseman, who loved to be out of doors and have picnics. He enjoyed collecting swords and was quite good at fencing. By the time the clock chimed again, signaling an hour remaining in the festival, Theo and Lea were in line to see Father James, who was marrying the couples who had found each other pleasing enough to do so.             “Please, remove your masks,” Father James said as they approached the altar. “Now, introduce yourselves.”             “I am Lady Leanora Montgomery, eldest daughter of Lord and Lady Ashborne, heir to the duchy of Aramoor,” Lea recited dutifully.             Theo smiled, removing his mask also. “I am Lord Theodore Victor Hendrickson, second son of the Duke and Duchess of Ramshorne, and it is a pleasure to be marrying you tonight, Lady Leanora.”             Lea flushed, realizing who her husband to be was; he was a rake, the biggest flirt known in her social circle, and she was going to marry him.