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Stella finally heaved a sigh of relief and nodded.

“I am in love with someone,” she admitted.

“Oh…”

Ava was taken aback. She would not have imagined that this was the problem. She was, however, careful not to express her shock, as that would upset her sister.

“Is that so?” she murmured.

“His name is Thomas, and we met at the second ball I attended after my debut,” Stella continued, a dreamy smile on her face.

“Is he, by any means, the reason behind your disappearances at the balls we’ve attended together?” Ava asked.

Stella had a sheepish look on her face that told Ava her suspicions were correct.

Ava wanted to scream at her sister and ask her how she could be so foolish as to dally with a man where the whole ton could have seen them. She could have been ruined!

Instead, she simply kept silent. After all, expressing her anger now might cause Stella to clam up.

“I know you are mad at me, Ava,” Stella sighed.

Ava shrugged. “My anger will not help this situation. Moreover, you have suffered in silence for so long.”

“Oh, Ava!” Stella flung herself at her sister, hugging her yet again.

Ava patted her back comfortingly.

“You are simply the best sister a girl could ever have,” Stella gushed, pulling away from the hug. “I know I have been foolish, but I simply could not help myself. I am irrevocably in love with him—and he with me.”

Ava nodded. “If that is the case, then why has he not come to express his interest in you?” she asked. “After all, that is the proper thing to do.”

“When we last spoke, he assured me he would come. However, even then, he felt inadequate due to his rank. And now that the Duke has expressed interest in me, Thomas simply would not dare. Papa would not even spare him a glance before giving my hand to the Duke.”

“If he genuinely wants to marry you, then he cannot be so cowardly. He must come to Father and make his intentions known before you are married off to that… that monster.”

“You do not understand, Ava. Thomas cannot possibly compete with the Duke. He is but a baron.”

It was then that Ava finally understood her sister. Their father would simply laugh the Baron out of his study, especially since a duke was already interested in Stella.

The Viscount only cared for money and status, and even though he was a lowly viscount who did not quite measure up to dukes and marquesses, he had always hated himself for it. And now, he saw his daughters as a way to improve his standing.

A risky idea suddenly came to Ava. As foolish as it was, she knew what she must do at that moment.

She held her sister’s hands in her own as she solemnly promised, “I shall do all I can to ensure you marry your beloved.”

“But… but how?” Stella asked, confused.

“You do not have to worry your head about that,” Ava assured her. “I know what I must do. Now, I must take my leave.”

With that, she left to prepare for the journey ahead of her. She must pay a certain duke a visit.

CHAPTER 6

Edwin had spent the better part of the night poring over the ledger his lawyer had sent to him. This was how he had managed to squash his competitors and stay ahead of his enemies. He never quite let his workers do the work for him; he did it all himself. A lot of noblemen were too focused on propriety to fully engross themselves in business, but he was not afraid to get his hands dirty.

His company had only recently secured the exclusive rights to distribute French luxury items across England, hence the celebratory whisky bottle in front of him.

He indulged in whisky, but only scarcely. He drank just enough to get that hit but not enough to lose his senses. After all, a man like him must stay sharp at all times.