The noise level in the house was just short of deafening from the orchestra doing their sound checks, and Lara was thankful to slip away to the guestroom she had been assigned. According to her watch, she had just enough time to lie on the huge blue silk-covered bed for an hour before showering and changing into the ridiculous costume Maureen Pierson had chosen. The maid assured her Ann would come back in an hour to wake her and help her into the yards of fabric that would be her dress for the evening. Lara decided not to view the dress until after her nap, hoping she’d feel stronger.

Kicking off her shoes, she tossed her jacket on the chair and lay across the soft coverings. The down-filled duvet fluffed around her as her weight hit the cover. She lay there for all of three minutes before resigning herself to the fact that her headache wouldn’t go away of its own accord. Forcing herself up, she moved to her purse and pulled the dreaded white tablet from the case. She swallowed it dry, hoping it would ease the throbbing in her temples. The pill stuck in the back of her throat, and she moved to the carafe on the bedside table. With the aid of a full glass of fresh water, the pill finally made its way down her throat. Relieved, she again dropped onto the bed.

If it hadn’t been for the party about to start she would have toughed it out, knowing most of her pain was due to the long trip she’d endured in the last forty-eight hours and the three time zones she’d traveled through. Belatedly, she remembered the antihistamine she took somewhere over the Rocky Mountains. It helped her to breathe on the stuffy airplane and made her drowsy enough to sleep for the rest of the flight, having to be roused by the steward just before landing in Georgia. That was when the headache had set in, along with the terrible sinus pain.

She was relieved there was a car waiting for her just as Maureen had promised. She knew her driver, Philip; settling into the back seat of the luxury vehicle, she let him take her to her destination, appreciating that she wasn’t stuck in the back of a stuffy cab with no air-conditioning. It had happened before, and this was much nicer.

Just get through tonight and you can have a week off, she promised herself. Arriving at the townhouse in the center of Atlanta, she found the corner of her lips twisting as vague memories of the renovation floated back to her. Just when she started to feel better, they arrived. Again she was shuffled into the home, her luggage swept away and a note pressed into her hands:

Lara,

Rest and relax for an hour. Ann will help you into your costume. I’m so looking forward to this evening. I have you to thank for my beautiful new home. Enjoy the compliments—you’ve earned them. I hope you like your costume. See you tonight.

Maureen

Lara reread the note and knew she couldn’t beg off, headache or not. Instead, she’d suck back the pain and tiredness and put on her best smile. Maureen Pierson was a wonderful and kind woman, and Lara had enjoyed working with her. Just a few minutes of sleep, that’s all I need, she kept telling herself. Finally she closed her eyes, and sleep overcame her rapidly.

Her dream was hazy, filled with a man’s hands pulling her close to his body, his chest hard and firm against her back. His breath moved the short hairs on the back of her neck with each word he spoke. Lara crossed her hands over his, holding them to her. The peaceful feeling inside her was something new, foreign. He seemed to sense it somehow and pulled her tighter to him. His words were a mere whisper; she really couldn’t make them out, only the intent that he was there to protect her.

When the realization struck, she knew she had moved his hands from her shoulders to her breasts. His strong fingers cupped her, pulling on her nipples until they hardened under his touch. The awakening it created inside warmed her. She knew he was aroused, could feel him pressing against her back. Like his hands, he was large and hard, strong and pulsing against her. She felt herself go slick inside, knew the moist heat was slipping from her body. Lara moved against him and heard him sigh.

She wanted to twist around and see who was creating this feeling of well-being, but he wouldn’t let her. Instead, he just kept whispering, “I’ll protect you.”

* * * * *

Grant Pierson looked at his reflection in the mirror before him. If it wasn’t his Aunt Maureen asking him to wear this ridiculous Rhett Butler suit, he would have refused. But the soft spot he held her in allowed her to override his better judgment sometimes. He took one last look at the black suit with a silver brocade vest and shook his head. Knowing tonight was important, he’d acquiesced. Hell, he’d even managed to get there with time to spare. That alone should be reason enough not to have to wear the damn mask Harold had lain beside the suit in the guest room he’d used to shower and change in.

The black thing looked hot; he cringed at the thought of wearing it all night. One large hand swiped through the top of his thick black hair as he debated his options. He grabbed it, thinking he’d misplace it somewhere downstairs and that would be the end of it. He’d enjoy the housewarming she was giving to show off her new home in the heart of Atlanta and head back to his ranch tomorrow.

Stepping into the hallway, he heard laughter coming from the room across the hall and wondered who’d been assigned to sleep there for the weekend. Probably another of Maureen’s prospective brides for him to survey. He shook his head and wandered downstairs. As he moved away, another round of laughter came from behind the closed door, and he wished he was inside with whoever it was; at least he or she was having a good time. The endless hours stretched out before him.

In the last year his definition of a good time had changed. Once the first man to buy a round, he now found himself home early most evenings. Sports on the television and a book in his hand ended most of his days. He told himself it was just the move and getting settled. There was so much work he wanted to do on the ranch, he’d been content to skip his once often trips to the city. Even tonight, he’d rather have been home. The prospect of Maureen matching him with another of Atlanta’s belles was annoying. They’d had the same talk every time they met since his return to the area. His assurances of his well-being fell on deaf ears. Maureen had decided it was time for him to take a wife. He shook his head at the memory of their last go-round.

Grant had been thinking about marriage himself, but he’d never admit it to his aunt. He hadn’t even gotten his own mind wrapped around the concept yet. Instead, he always took the fallback position. He was polite to the women he was paired with and still hadn’t given any of them a second date. On the first date he’d impressed upon his perspective mate his thoughts on being matched up, but acknowledged he took each date to appease his aunt. Most of the women understood his subtle message, I’m here under duress—don’t get any lasting ideas, if they were smart. A few had decided he wanted to be the sought-after one, and several campaigns were launched for his affections. None had succeeded.

Grant knew deep inside he’d know when he met the right woman; it would be his choice in his time. Until then, tonight was a party, and he hadn’t been to one in a long time. Relax and enjoy it, he told himself. You’re stuck here anyway! The sound of a woman’s deep and throaty laugh from the room across the hall floated past him again, taunting him.

* * * * *

Lara awoke to find Ann placing a tea tray on a side table. “Feel better, Ms. Rhodes?” Ann enquired. Lara stretched as she forced herself to move from the warmth of the bed. Her headache had lessened, thank God, as well as the sinus pain. Maybe she would make it through the evening after all.

“Much better, Ann, thanks for asking.” She took the teacup that was offered and smiled. “I thought we decided months ago that you’d call me Lara?”

“Yes, miss, I mean Lara.” Ann returned the smile she was receiving. “Too many years of training,” she teased. “You have enough time for a quick shower, and I’ll be back to help you into your dress.”

“What was the final decision?” she asked, a conspirator’s smile on her face. Ann blushed, then shook her head.

“What else could it be?” She and Lara both laughed at the question. Of course the theme of the housewarming would be the Civil War. While other time periods had been discussed, both women knew Maureen well enough to understand her preoccupation with the era and accepted her decisions gracefully.

“How bad is my costume?” Lara asked, one eyebrow cocked. Ann studied her thoughtfully before answering.

“Trust me, it could have been worse! Maureen is wearing emerald green to offset her red hair and green eyes. Think Scarlett O’Hara and the draperies!”

“Oh God, she didn’t!” Lara’s mind instantly conjured up an image of Carol Burnett dressed like Scarlett O’Hara for a skit on her old comedy show, the green velvet gown still holding the curtain rod straight across her back. She pulled back a smile behind her teacup. Lara sneezed several times in succession, Ann blessing each one. Automatically she moved across the room and closed the windows.

“No, but close. Harold and I toned her down a little, actually. She’ll look stunning tonight, and so will you. Go shower and I’ll get the dress ready.”

Lara handed her back the empty cup and accepted the half of sandwich she was handed. Knowing it was going to be a long night, she had to get something in her stomach. Her head cold was almost gone, a cold she blamed on her cross-country flight earlier in the week.

* * * * *

Under the hot pulses of the water, Lara closed her eyes and remembered a hazy version of her dream. She didn’t have to let her own fingers wander down to understand the heat that poured from her body. Using the soft washcloth, she soaped her whole body, giving special attention to her sexual want. Moments later, she knew it was a vain attempt. Her release was as elusive as the man from her dream. Instead, she turned on the cold water and pushed back the memory. There were other things she had to focus on tonight; self-satisfaction would have to wait until later. Much later, she realized.

Returning from the shower, she sat in front of the antique dressing table and applied fresh makeup. This should have been the best part of her job—she’d always enjoyed the housewarming, getting to show off her newest accomplishment. But somehow, it was all getting old. The constant traveling had once seemed exciting; now it was boring and a waste of her time. Even in these modern days of cell phones and computers, she spent too many hours sitting beside strangers on airplanes and not being productive. Soon she knew she’d have to find one place and settle down. If she expected to have any version of a normal life, she wouldn’t find it on the run. While she still liked the variety of her job, Lara was feeling restless.

Lately, designing interiors for everyone else had become tiresome. When, if ever, would she find a house to make her own? More importantly, would she ever find her Mr. Right to share it with her, along with all her dreams of a family? She knew when the time was right for her she’d start her family, with or without the perfect mate. But deep down, she wanted a husband to share it all. With a sigh, she deepened the blush on her cheeks, knowing she was pale and looked drained.

Thinking back over the time she’d spent with Maureen designing the new interiors, Lara realized she’d come to respect her as a person and valued the friendship they’d built along the way. It was the same with Ann and Harold. They had been with Miss Maureen since long before her husband had passed. Ann was an assistant of all sorts, and Harold was the butler. While nobody had ever assigned those titles to the two, Lara knew how fiercely they loved and protected Maureen. Her teasing with Ann wasn’t meant to be malicious, as she knew they both cared about her.

A soft knock on the door and Ann was back. She was dressed in a bronze-colored gown of silk complete with hoop skirt. Lara thought she looked wonderful, the color offsetting her brown hair and light brown eyes.

“Beautiful, Ann, simply beautiful,” she told her and watched the older woman blush.

“Harold thought so too,” she whispered as her cheeks reddened. “Now, your hair has to go up,” she added, changing the subject.

While Lara put the final additions on her makeup, Ann maneuvered her golden brown hair into a twist and anchored it to the back of her head with an endless number of pins. She left the ends hanging down and used a curling iron to twist them into a wild assortment of curls that hung at different lengths. When she was done, they both surveyed the new hairstyle in the mirror.

“Perfect, just perfect.”

“Thank you, Ann. I never would have thought to do that.” Again, she sneezed several times and watched Ann in the mirror.

“You never spend time on yourself, always running around to make something perfect for someone else. Tonight, you need to relax and enjoy the party.” Two more sneezes and two more bless you’s from Ann.

“Damn, I thought this cold was getting better. Ann, are there lilacs in the floral arrangements?”

“No, Miss Maureen was very careful to make sure there weren’t. Although she couldn’t very well cut down the neighbors shrubs, but she did try…”

They both smiled at the visual image that conjured up. Lara could picture Miss Maureen sending Philip next door with a large pair of pruning shears in one hand and a blank check in the other.

Ann described her version, which was grounded in reality. “I found Miss Maureen in the garden, staring up at the wall. It took some time to talk her out of trimming what hung over the wall.” Lara smiled when she remembered how fierce Maureen had become about caring for her during their time together.

“I’ll be all right, don’t worry.” Several sneezes later, Ann brought her a fresh glass of water and set her purse on the dressing table.

“Maybe you should take one of your allergy pills? Do you think it would help?”

“Probably, but I took one on the plane and I’ve already taken a headache pill since I got here. I don’t want to overload my system.”

“Well, it’s up to you…but most of the downstairs will be opened up tonight. Traffic flow and all that nonsense!” Lara knew Ann bristled at the thought of strangers working in her kitchen. She’d seen the attitude with clients before and knew to tread lightly in the woman’s space.

“I suppose if I don’t drink any alcohol it would be all right. Please tell Harold to make sure the waiters only serve me sparkling water tonight, Ann.”

“I’ll make sure of it myself. Miss Maureen wants you to enjoy the party, not sleep through it.”

Lara took the pill and resolved not to drink during the party. It would be for the best, she decided, knowing she might make a few contacts for future jobs tonight. Best to keep a clear head.

“Will you be all right, or should I get Miss Maureen?”

“I’ll be fine, don’t bother her. I’ll just skip the champagne.” She let her eyes meet Ann’s in the mirror and laughed aloud. “All right, let’s see the dress. What kind of undergarments will I need?” Lara asked as she moved to her suitcase.

“Only undies and hose,” Ann told her. “The bra is built into the dress. Miss Maureen knew you’d never go without one, and it’s cut to…maximize the effect.” Ann let her words trail off as she pulled open a mirrored closet door, giving Lara her first glimpse of the dress she would wear for the evening.

“Oh my God!” she exclaimed, walking to meet Ann halfway across the room. “It’s, it’s beautiful.” Lara was almost afraid to touch the silvery blue silk dress that Ann displayed. They both knew it would highlight her blue eyes.

“You’ll need to try these on; Maureen wasn’t sure which would be more comfortable.” Ann pulled two pairs of matching shoes from cloth bags and handed them to Lara. Under her silk wrap robe, she wore only black lace panties. Immediately, she went back to her suitcase, taking a new pair of beige thigh-high stockings from the package, and proceeded to pull them up the length of her long legs. She slipped into the first pair of shoes. They were a plain pump with a slim heel. They fit well, but she slipped them off and tried the second pair. These were similar but with a chunky court heel and ribbon bow that tied across her instep.

“These feel much better,” she said aloud, stopping to tie the second ribbon in place. “What’s next?” she asked, laughing at the stages of clothing that were now lying on the bed.

“If this were really Civil War times, you’d have several layers to get through. Just be thankful this is the new millennium. Bra’s built in, so you only need the half slip.”

Lara balanced one hand on the bedpost as she lifted each leg into the center of the slip. Ann pulled it up and adjusted it round her waist. Lara moved from the bed, getting the feel of the minimized hoop. She swung side to side several times, teasing Ann about not bumping into things for the rest of the night. They both stopped laughing as Ann gathered the gown and dropped it over her head, smoothing the material over the slip.

Lara had to position her breasts in the front of the gown and hold it up and in place while Ann slowly worked the lacing down her back. With each tug they both readjusted the silk and continued. After what seemed like hours, Ann finally tied the last of the string at her waist in a double bow. Lara shifted inside the garment, making it her own. Both women were silent as she walked to the mirror for her first look at the gown and how it made her look.

The color offset her natural tawny glow. While the bodice was off her shoulders and the sweetheart neckline much too low for her liking, Lara knew she looked good. The large puffed sleeves were encrusted with lace and tiny seed pearls, matching the bodice of the dress. The design drew the eye towards her small waist, now much smaller after being laced into the dress. The skirt fell from her hips, an overskirt of the same material edged with lace and pearls. It was stunning, and Lara never would have imagined she could look like this in any gown. Somehow, it reminded her of a wedding dress she had seen as a child and instantly fallen in love with. While it wouldn’t be the dress of her choice today, it would be fun to wear this one. With one deep breath, she turned to Ann.

“Simply beautiful, Lara. It’s a shame we all have to wear masks until midnight.”

“Masks?” Lara asked, another element of surprise added to the evening.

“Yes, and no real names until then either.”

“No real names either?” The two women laughed again. “Well, who shall I be tonight? Has Maureen decided on a name for me?” She spoke with kindness and affection for the elderly woman she’d come to love.

“Actually, you’re to be Mabel until midnight.”

“Mabel. Let’s see, Mabel?” Lara stared at her reflection, not sure she was really seeing herself. A smile crossed her lips. “She’s been at her Gilbert and Sullivan records again, hasn’t she? The Pirates of Penzance?” It was amazing what you learned about a person while designing their home. Maureen’s collection of old records was given high priority when redesigning the den. Ann laughed aloud.

“She thought it might take you a while to figure that one out.”

“And who is to be my Frederick?”

Ann looked away. It seemed she knew exactly who was to be her date, but it wasn’t her place to tell Lara.

“Well?”

“I’m not sure; she’s changed her mind several times in the past week.”

“I see she’s still trying to find me a husband.”

“She means well.”

“I know, I know.” Resigned once again, Lara smiled at Ann. “If I’m to be Mabel, let’s hope my Frederick is handsome and charming. Although I feel more like Cinderella in this dress.”

Not for the first time in the last weeks, Lara thought about Grant Pierson, nephew of Maureen. She’d heard stories about him but never met him. Even more surprising was that she’d never seen a picture of him. Miss Maureen had told her he rarely allowed himself to be photographed, and the few pictures of him she did have were from his youth.

“Ann, is Grant going to be here tonight?”

“He’s supposed to be.” Ann shook her head. “I don’t know who he’s to be tonight. Knowing Grant, he’ll probably just be himself.” She didn’t meet Lara’s eyes as she spoke.

“And Maureen will allow that?”

“Maureen won’t have a choice. Grant can be very persuasive at times. He told Maureen he’s himself tonight or not coming at all.”

“I wish I had his kind of courage.”

“Just have fun tonight—you’ve earned it. The house turned out wonderfully, considering all you went through. Maureen is thrilled and wants to show off her new home and you at the same time.”

“All right, Ann. I’ll play along.” She slowly turned in front of the mirror once more. “Is everything in place?”

“Yes. Here’s your mask.” Ann took a hatbox from the closet and pulled back the cover and layers of tissue paper. She presented Lara with a silk half mask, adorned with the same lace and pearls as her dress, which would cover her eyes. Ann pinned the mask into Lara’s hair before letting her take a look in the mirror.

“Oh my! If I didn’t know it was me under here, I’d never guess.”

“You’re stunning, Lara. Do enjoy tonight.” Ann moved forward and gave her a light hug. “You’re ready, and it’s just after nine. Ready for your entrance?”

“I thought Maureen was supposed to be the one making the entrance?”

“She’s greeting her guests and lapping up the compliments. Come; it’s time to go.”

“I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. Let’s go.”

Ann left her at the top of the grand half-circle staircase and disappeared down the back stairway. From her position, Lara saw Maureen for the first time. Ann had been right, she thought—she was just short of Scarlett O’Hara. But somehow it worked for the aging society hostess.

With one deep breath, Lara pulled on the long matching gloves and started down the staircase. She was halfway down when a tall, dark-haired man moved beside Maureen, handing her a champagne flute. She watched them for a moment, then continued down the rest of the stairs. Music played softly in the background from the formal parlor. It was all so surreal. Her memory flashed back to her dream, and Lara felt a warm rush circulate through her.