Lost Pleasures Found

Lost Pleasures Found







Vikki Vaught





Chapter 1



Late July 1814



As Melody glanced around the ballroom and observed all the couples dancing, she realized that going to one ball, soiree, or party after another exhausted her. She felt relieved that the season was drawing to a close. She was grateful to her aunt for inviting her to visit, and she had met many lovely people, but she missed her parents desperately. It was time to go home. As Melody smoothed down the skirt of her shimmering pale yellow evening gown, at one of the last balls of the season, she felt exasperated by the stifling heat. She slipped out of the ballroom and went out onto the terrace to cool off. Melody breathed a sigh of relief as she felt the cool summer breeze blowing across the terrace. Her beautiful sherry-colored eyes landed on a myriad of gorgeous flowers in full bloom. She glanced up at the sky and noticed how brightly the stars shone that night. A noise from behind startled her, and she turned around to see the most beautiful man she had ever seen, akin to Adonis. She did not usually think of men as beautiful, but this man was absolutely gorgeous. She noticed how tall he was, at least six feet, with very broad shoulders, and unlike most of the men she had met so far, he did not have to pad his dress coat. As she allowed her eyes to roam further, she noticed that he had a trim waistline and slim hips. He reached up and adjusted his intricately tied cravat, which had a diamond stickpin in the folds. Melody lowered her flushed cheeks in embarrassment, realizing that she had been staring at this tall, muscular man in front of her, and she did not want him to think that she was too forward. As he approached her, he straightened his deep blue superfine dress coat and gazed directly into her eyes.

“Who are you? Why have I never seen you before?” He ran his fingers through his thick red gold hair, which just brushed his collar as he continued, “I know that I shouldn’t be talking to you, but you look so lovely standing here against this glorious night. You take my breath away.” He shifted, and his embroidered blue waistcoat glimmered in the moonlight. “I’m Henry Montgomery, by the way, and may I ask your name?”

Melody lifted her gaze, met his startling blue eyes, and answered, “My name is Melody Canterfield-Smyth, but we haven’t been formally introduced, so I shouldn’t be talking to you. I need to return to the ballroom now, before my aunt realizes I’m missing. Excuse me, sir.” Melody stepped around him with haste and returned to the ballroom. As she entered, she immediately felt the heat of hundreds of beeswax candles in the crystal chandeliers. Between the scent of all the candles and the heavily perfumed guests, it almost stifled her.



Henry followed her with his eyes and could not imagine that anyone could be so lovely. As she hurried through the crowd, she tucked a lock of her beautiful honey blonde hair back into the curls that cascaded down her shoulders in ringlets. He noticed how her pale iridescent skin glowed in the candlelight. As he watched, he observed that her figure was just slightly plump, but in all the right places, just the type of woman that had always attracted him. As she moved through the crowd, he realized that she was very petite, probably not more than five feet tall. She had such an air of innocence about her that it made him feel protective of her, and he would not want to do anything to damage her reputation. This was someone he definitely wanted to get to know better, so he decided to find someone who could formally introduce them. He lost sight of her as she disappeared into the crowd.

As Henry scanned the room, looking for her, he found her standing with Lady Walton and walked over so she could handle the introduction for him. He smiled as he said, “Lady Walton, so good to see you tonight. Thank you for inviting me to your ball. I hope I find you in good health. Could I ask you to introduce me to your lovely companion?”

“I’m pleased you could attend my ball this evening, my lord. I am indeed in very good health. Thank you for asking. I would be happy to introduce you. Lord Montgomery, this is Miss. Melody Canterfield-Smyth from Lincolnshire. Her father is Vicar Canterfield-Smyth of Little Smythington parish. Melody, this is Lord Henry Montgomery. He is one of the Duke of Sanderford’s sons,” explained Lady Walton.

Melody curtsied, briefly glanced up at him before she lowered her eyes, and said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, my lord.”

He gazed at Melody and smiled as he said, “I would be honored if you would dance with me. Is this one open?” The thought of holding her in his arms, as they waltzed, excited him. He certainly hoped she would say yes.

Melody met his gaze and said, “It just so happens that this dance is open, and it would be my pleasure to dance with you.”

Henry took Melody’s hand, and he immediately felt a connection to her, which he had never felt before. He walked her onto the dance floor, and they took their places . She placed her hand on his shoulder, and he put his arm around her waist as the orchestra started the early strains of the waltz. It was as if they were meant to be together as they floated across the floor. There was no need to speak, because they were so in tune with each other. They gazed into each other’s eyes, and everyone else on the dance floor disappeared because he had eyes only for her. Henry realized he was staring at Melody, and he cleared his throat as he huskily said, “You’re as lovely in candlelight as you were in the moonlight. I’m glad you were free for this dance, and may I say, you dance divinely. Miss. Canterfield-Smyth, I have recently returned from the war on the continent, and I’m on an extended leave from my regiment, the Second Rifle Brigade. It’s too bad that the season is almost over, because I would certainly like to get to know you better. Would you be free tomorrow afternoon? I’d love to take you for a drive in my curricle.”

Melody gazed up at him and replied, “I’d be delighted to go for a drive with you. If you would like, you could pick me up tomorrow at four o’clock. Do you know my aunt, Lady Helton? She lives on Upper Brook Street.”

“I’ve not had the pleasure of meeting Lady Helton, but I know where she lives and four o’clock would be perfect.” When the dance ended, Henry escorted her over to Lady Walton, who was standing with another woman of middle years. Melody whispered to Henry that he would need to meet her aunt, so he could ask her permission for the drive.

As they stopped in front of the woman, Melody said, “Hello, Aunt Miriam. I would like to introduce you to Lord Montgomery. He has asked me to go driving with him tomorrow.”

Lady Helton gleamed as she replied, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, my lord. I’ve met your parents on several occasions through the years. I’m sure that my niece will be in good hands on your drive tomorrow.”

They stood there chatting for a while, and then Henry turned to Melody and bowed as he said, “Thank you for the dance, Miss. Canterfield-Smyth, and I look forward to our drive tomorrow afternoon. If you’ll excuse me, I’m due to meet some friends of mine in the card room. I shall take my leave now.”



Melody watched as Henry moved through the crowd and left the ballroom. She could not get over how handsome he was. She felt an odd flutter in her stomach, something she had never felt before.

Aunt Miriam excitedly turned to Melody and said, “I do believe you have caught his eye. He is very acceptable and appears to be very interested in you, dear. It would be wonderful if you have truly caught his eye. This would be an excellent match for you.”

With an exasperated expression on her face, Melody said, “It’s too soon to be speaking of a match, since we have only just met, Aunt Miriam. Do you think we could leave? I’m ready to go back to your house, if that is all right with you?”

“Of course, darling, I’m ready to leave also. Just let me have my coach brought around while you go get your wrap.” Melody made her way through the crowd and left the ballroom. Miriam turned to Lady Walton and asked, “How did they meet? Do you know?”

Lady Walton smiled, nodded her head, and replied, “Lord Montgomery asked me to introduce them, and since I knew you would approve, I did.”

“This is a very interesting turn of events. Well, I had better hurry so we can leave. I need to get my dear girl home so she can dream of her new beau!” Aunt Miriam laughed. “Good night, Lady Walton, I’ll see you tomorrow for tea, as usual.”

Melody was very quiet on their way back home. Aunt Miriam asked, “You seem distracted. Is it because you are so excited over meeting Lord Montgomery? He is such an attractive young man.”

Melody sighed and shifted in her seat as she said, “I wish you would not keep on about this. As I mentioned earlier, it’s too soon to be talking about a match, because we’ve just met. I know that you want me to meet someone and fall in love, but I believe that it takes time to form an attachment.”

Miriam smiled with a knowing look as she replied, “I just want you to be happy, and there does seem to be an instant attraction between the two of you. This would be wonderful, because even though Lord Montgomery is a second son, he is still in line for the title. Just think! You could actually end up a duchess. Even if that does not happen, it would still be a very good match for you and in your first season. Oh, Melody, your parents will be so pleased.”

Melody hated to see her aunt get so excited over her meeting Lord Montgomery, but she knew it would not do any good to tell her to stop dreaming about it. Aunt Miriam did this every time an attractive gentleman showed an interest in her. For the first time, Melody was interested. She hoped that her aunt was right about Lord Montgomery, but she would never tell her that, because then her aunt would really start dreaming of wedding bells.

The coach pulled up to their house, and the footman came down the steps and helped them out of the carriage. As they were entering the house, Melody turned to her aunt and said, “I think I’ll retire for the night. I’m quite tired from all the dancing.”

Aunt Miriam patted her on the arm as she said, “Good night, my sweet girl. I hope your dreams are pleasant!”

Melody climbed the stairs and made her way to her bedchamber. Millie was waiting in her room, and soon, Melody was in her night rail and ready for bed. She thanked Millie and sent her off. As she lay there, she started thinking about the evening. Her mind went back to her meeting with Lord Montgomery. He was such an attractive man. While they were dancing, she felt shivers run up and down her arms as he held her for their dance. She wondered what it would be like to have someone like him love her. Could this be the one for her? She had never felt so attracted to anyone as she was to Lord Montgomery. Well, it was too soon to be thinking about love. After all, she had just met him tonight. Soon, Melody drifted off to sleep as she dreamed of seeing Lord Montgomery the next afternoon.

The next morning, she woke up feeling refreshed and slightly giddy over the thought of seeing Lord Montgomery that afternoon. She wondered if he had thought of her, as she had been thinking of him. But Melody was very practical, so she told herself to not be so silly. This probably was just a passing fancy, and soon she would forget all about him. Besides, she had quite a few things planned for the day. She was not going to woolgather all day like some silly young girl. After all, even though this was her first season, she was twenty. She was a woman with more important things to do than daydream about someone who would probably move on to someone else anyway. Just because he was so interested last night, did not mean that he would continue to be so.

Melody got up and went about her morning ablutions. She picked out her new day dress, which was made of white linen with a pink sash just below the bodice and a matching flounce at the hem. Millie helped her dress, did her hair, and soon she was ready to start her day. She was due at St. Mark’s Orphanage that morning at eleven o’clock, and she looked forward to playing with all the sweet little children. She was so pleased that she found the orphanage to devote her time to, since it was such a worthwhile cause. Melody also needed to go to the bookseller to see if that new Minerva Press novel had arrived yet. She was an avid reader, and it was one of her most favorite past times. Once she started reading a good book, she would get so wrapped up in the story that she found it hard to put it down.

Melody went down to the breakfast room and selected her usual toast and cherry preserves, with a nice cup of hot chocolate. She looked longingly at all the wonderful pastries, but she knew that she needed to forgo them since she was trying to slim down a bit. She felt she was a little too plump and wanted to look more like the other slender girls she had met since coming to London. So as much as she would have enjoyed the pastries, she passed them up. Melody thought again about meeting Lord Montgomery. She wondered if he liked the typical tall, slender, pale blondes that were so in fashion. If so, he could not be serious about her. After all, she was none of those things; she was very short, barely five feet tall and too round to be in fashion. She needed to quit thinking about him. This was just wasting valuable time, but oh, he had been so handsome! Of course, being handsome was not everything. Personality was just as important, if not more so, because good looks would fade over time.

Miriam entered the breakfast room, and as she filled her plate, she turned to Melody and asked, “Are you going to the orphanage again today? I really think you are spending too much of your time there, Melody. By the way, don’t forget to go to the dressmaker to pick up your new riding habit. It should be ready today.”

“Oh, goodness, Aunt Miriam, I forgot all about that. What time do I need to be there?” she asked.

“You should to be there by one o’clock and don’t be late, because you’ll need to be home in plenty of time to get ready for your drive with Lord Montgomery. You need to be sure you make a good impression on him this afternoon. I’m so pleased that he has shown an interest in you. He is considered to be a very well-thought-of young man. He was in the army, you know, during the war with France. I’m so glad that war is finally over, and that awful Bonaparte is safely locked away on the island of Elba. It’s incredibly sad that so many of our fine young men were lost in that terrible war. I just hate to see all those other young men who came back wounded, with missing limbs and eyes and such. It’s just terrible. Oh, I hate war! I know you were devastated about losing your dear cousin Herbert last year, but at least we have finally defeated that nasty Bonaparte! I wonder what Lord Montgomery is going to do now that the war has ended?” Aunt Miriam asked.

Melody smiled and said, “He mentioned this to me last night, as we were dancing. He said he was on an extended leave and would soon be going to his family in Surrey. After his leave is up, he’ll be rejoining his regiment. He mentioned that he eventually plans to sell his commission, but he wants to help his men get settled back into civilian life, first. How do you know so much about Lord Montgomery?”

Melody’s aunt looked knowingly at her and said, “Oh, I have my ways. I know all about his family. After all, they are very good ton. His father, the Duke of Sanderford is very prominent in the House of Lords, and their family goes back to William the Conqueror. But, of course, your family is very well respected, if not as prominent as his. Yes, indeed, this would be a very fine match for you, my girl!”

Melody stood up and turned to leave the breakfast room as she said, “Aunt, please don’t get your hopes up. I’m sure that nothing will come of this. It’s not as if I’m a great beauty, and I really am just a simple country girl. I don’t want you to be disappointed. I’m certainly not going to get too excited about anything at this point.”

A footman entered the breakfast room and politely said, “Excuse me, my lady, but there is a delivery for Miss. Canterfield-Smyth.”

Melody looked up in astonishment as her aunt asked, “What is it Charles? Do you know who the delivery is from?”

“It’s a bouquet of yellow roses, and I believe that the livery belongs to the Duke of Sanderford, my lady. Where would you like me to put them?” asked the footman.

“Well, bring them in here, of course, so we can admire them, Charles!” exclaimed Aunt Miriam. “Oh, this is wonderful, Melody. I told you he was interested. This is so exciting. I just know this is going to be something wonderful for you.”

Charles returned with the most beautiful bouquet that Melody had ever seen. With a dreamy expression on her face, as she gazed at the gorgeous flowers, she said, “Oh my, they are certainly lovely. I don’t think I have ever seen such beautiful roses in my life, but I’m still not going to get my hopes up yet. I did just meet the man for the first time last night. I’m sure he does this all the time and it doesn’t mean anything.”

“Well, I still say it’s a very good sign, and I, for one, am going to enjoy watching how this all comes about for you,” she replied.

Melody stood up and said, “If I’m going to get to the orphanage in time, I need to leave right away. I’ll see you this afternoon when I get back.”

As Melody turned to leave the room, Aunt Miriam said, “Make sure that you take your maid with you and the footman also. Remember, you must be very careful to protect your reputation at all times. This isn’t like the country where you had more freedom. You must be extremely cautious, and make sure that you don’t give anyone a reason to think poorly of you.”

“Yes, Aunt Miriam, I’ll take them both with me, and I’ll be very careful. I do know what is expected of me while in town.” Melody left the breakfast room and returned to her room to get her pelisse. She then went back downstairs and left for the orphanage. It was such a fine morning, that she decided to walk. Soon, she was at St. Mark’s; she saw her friend Susan Wilton and waved to her.

“Melody, I saw you dancing with a gorgeous man last night at Lady Walton’s ball. How did you meet him? What is his name? I’m so envious!” Susan said.

Melody laughed, and said, “His name is Lord Montgomery, and he’s the second son of the Duke of Sanderford. Lady Walton introduced us last night, and then he asked me to dance, but I actually met him earlier on the terrace, before we had been formally introduced. He seems to be a very pleasant man, and he has asked me to go driving with him this afternoon.”

“Oh, Melody, how exciting! I would just die for the chance to meet someone like him. Do you think he has a friend for me?” she asked.

Melody sighed as she said, “Susan, you sound as bad as my aunt. She’s already got us walking down the aisle to get married, and all because some attractive man asked me to dance and to go for a drive. I’m sure that it won’t amount to anything, so let’s not talk about it anymore, all right?”

Susan and Melody went into the orphanage and started helping with the children. Soon she forgot all about Lord Montgomery and had a very pleasant morning playing with all the children. Before she realized it, the time had flown by, and it was time to leave. Melody and Susan hugged each other as they said good-bye, and they agreed to meet again in two days.

The bookseller was on the way to the dressmakers, so she stopped in to see if the new Minerva Press novel was in. She was delighted to find that they did have it in stock. Next, she went on to the dressmaker and picked up her new riding habit, which was deep emerald green with red piping on the sleeves and around the waist of the jacket. This was a very good color for her, because it brought out the green flecks in her eyes. Melody could hardly wait to wear it on her morning rides. She loved to ride, but she had never had much of an opportunity when she lived at home, so she was just beginning to become proficient. Lady Helton had a good stable of horses and encouraged her to ride as often as she wished. Melody had taken advantage of this and had gone riding several times during the season with some of her gentlemen callers. She noticed the time and knew that she needed to hurry, if she was going to have time to get ready for her drive with Lord Montgomery.

When she arrived back at Lady Helton’s house, she hurried upstairs and changed. She picked out a sprigged muslin yellow gown, with white ribbons tied under her breasts. It was one of her favorite gowns, and she hoped Lord Montgomery would think she looked pretty in it. Millie helped her do her hair, and she braided a matching ribbon through it. As she was leaving her room, she glanced over at the beautiful yellow roses she had received from Lord Montgomery that morning. Again, she grew excited about seeing him. Would he look at her the same way he had looked at her last night, or would he realize she was too short and plump to be of interest to him. When Melody heard someone knocking on the front door, she thought that it must be him. The footman came to let her know that Lord Montgomery was there and that he was waiting for her in the drawing room.

Once she arrived downstairs, she stopped at the door to take a deep breath to try to slow her heartbeat down and to catch her breath. She did not want to appear too anxious, so she calmly opened the door and entered the room. Lord Montgomery was standing by the mantle and looked up as she entered. Their eyes met, and again, she felt that same sensation she had felt last night when she first saw him on the terrace. Lord Montgomery bowed to her as she curtsied and lowered her eyes.

Lord Montgomery asked, “Are you ready for our drive? I brought my new curricle, and I thought we could go to Hyde Park this afternoon, if that’s agreeable with you?”

Melody looked over at Henry and said, “Good afternoon, Lord Montgomery, that sounds delightful. It’s such a beautiful spring day, and for a change, there’s not a cloud in the sky. I noticed that this morning on my walk.”

Lord Montgomery turned to Lady Helton and said, “My lady, we’ll leave for the park now. I’ll return Miss. Canterfield-Smyth within the hour.”

Lord Montgomery offered Melody his arm, and they walked out to his curricle. He helped her up into the seat, and soon, they were off. The traffic was extremely heavy, and there were dozens of carriages all going in the same direction. Lord Montgomery had to give his full attention to driving, so they did not talk. Melody looked around and noticed all the people walking along the street. There were street vendors hawking their wares and little street urchins running up to carriages trying to earn a coin or two. She realized she would miss all the hustle and bustle of London when she returned to Little Smythington. Melody sighed deeply as she thought about leaving London. Now that she had met Lord Montgomery, she was not as anxious to go home as she had been. She surreptitiously glanced over at Lord Montgomery and thought about how much she enjoyed meeting him last night. Even though they were not talking, they were very in tune to each other, just as they were when they were dancing the night before.

Soon, they arrived at the park, and the traffic cleared out. Lord Montgomery turned to Melody and smiled, then said, “You look lovely today, even lovelier than you did last night. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. I know we only met last night, but I’m certainly looking forward to getting to know you better. Did you have a pleasant morning?”

Melody looked at Lord Montgomery as she replied, “I’ve been looking forward to our drive also and, yes, I did have a very pleasant morning. I volunteer at St. Mark’s Orphanage, so I spent part of my morning there. I want to thank you for the beautiful roses . . . Yellow roses are my favorite.” Melody glanced around at all the other carriages with so many of the ton and felt a twinge of pride because she was with such a handsome man as Lord Montgomery. Several people were looking at them as they drove by in his curricle, and she could see envy in some of the other young women’s eyes. This was the first time that anything like this had ever happened to her, and she was not sure whether she liked it or not. Mostly, she found it a bit embarrassing.

Henry smiled as he said, “The roses reminded me of your smile, all sunny and bright. I’m glad you liked them. They came from the hothouse at my parents’ house.”

They looked into each other’s eyes and smiled. She had never felt so connected to anyone in her life. This instant attraction was puzzling to her, because it had never happened to her before. Not knowing how to handle it, she looked away.

Henry boldly gazed into her eyes as he said, “I would like to get to know you better. I know we’ve just met, but it feels as if I’ve known you much longer. Have you always lived in Lincolnshire? How much longer are you going to be in London?”

As Melody looked around at all the beautiful gardens, with a myriad of color surrounding her, she said, “I’ve lived in Lincolnshire my entire life, and until I came to London, I had no idea how wonderful all the entertainments could be that are available here. I had never been to an opera or a play, and I found out that I love both of them. I’m supposed to leave London in three weeks, and I’ll miss it terribly. Of course, I do look forward to seeing my parents again. My lord, you told me last night that you were in the army and that you have just returned from the continent. How long have you been in the army?”

“Yes, I’ve just returned, and I’m so relieved that we’ve finally defeated Bonaparte. War is very brutal, and I lost several very close friends over there. These were men that I have been fighting and serving with, for six years. I went into the army when I was eighteen years old. It was always a dream of mine, and since I was a second son, my father bought me my commission when I finished school. I’ll never regret joining the army, but I’m glad the war is finally over. I’m going to be helping my brother with some of the ducal holdings, eventually. I really want to see you as much as possible over the next few weeks before you go back to Lincolnshire. Will you allow me to see you again?” he asked.

Melody felt a tremor in her belly, and her palms were damp with perspiration. It thrilled her that he wanted to see her again. “If it pleases you, I would like to see you as often as you would like.” She looked up at him and just knew, she was in love, and it scared her to death. She had heard others talking about love at first sight, but she never expected it to happen to her. She did not want to be hurt, and she was afraid that she would be, because surely he could not return her regard so quickly, could he? She did notice that he looked so determined and earnest when he gazed into her eyes.

Before she knew it, it was time to return home. Lord Montgomery turned his curricle around, and they headed back. When they arrived, he helped her down from his curricle, and when he touched her hand, she felt a warmth run through her entire arm. The way he was looking at her, gave her an odd feeling in the pit of her stomach—something she had never felt before. Lord Montgomery’s eyes darkened and he looked so intense that it sent chills up her spine. As she reached the ground, he reluctantly let go of her hand.

He turned to her and asked, “Would it be convenient for me to pick you up tomorrow at ten o’clock? I’d like for us to go riding. Do you ride and do you have a horse to use, or do I need to procure one for you?”

“I’ve been learning to ride since I arrived in London, and I enjoy it immensely. My aunt has several horses in her stable, so I’d be pleased to go riding with you, my lord.” The thought of riding with Lord Montgomery sent shivers throughout her entire body.

Henry escorted her inside, and took his leave from her and Lady Helton. Just as soon as he left, her aunt immediately started asking her questions about the time that they had spent together. As Melody removed her lace gloves, she turned to her aunt and said, “We had a delightful drive, and he has asked to see me as much as possible over the next few weeks, before I leave to go back home, and I told him that I would enjoy seeing him again.”

Miriam pulled her into her arms and hugged her as she said, “How absolutely marvelous! I just knew he was interested, and now he plans to court you. I’m so pleased for you, and he is such a nice young man. Melody, this is one you don’t want to let get away.”

Melody nervously twisted her hands and said, “Aunt Miriam, I’m scared. This is all moving so fast. How can I be sure that my feelings are real, when everything is happening so quickly? I think he is serious in his intent, but I just worry, because it’s so soon after we met. I don’t want to be hurt.”

Aunt Miriam patted her on the arm and said, “Melody, sometimes it only takes a moment to fall in love. That is how it happened for me with your uncle, and we had twenty-five wonderful years together, before I lost him. I’ve missed him every day since his death, ten years ago. I’ve had opportunities to be with other men and even several marriage proposals, but there will never be anyone that can take your uncle’s place in my heart. All I can tell you is that sometimes, you just have to be brave and take a chance on love. See your young man as often as possible and just let nature take its course. All right, darling? I’m sure that you’ll be fine. I can tell by the way he looks at you that this is going to be an enduring attachment. I’m sure he returns your regard.”