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All three boys perked up at her assurance, and their change of mood settled over her shoulders like lead. They thought shehad the answer, but she had nothing, and what if she couldn’t find a way?

She shook the thought off. She would find a solution. She had to. There simply wasn’t any other option.

But something about the story still gave her pause.

“But why is he doing this?” she wondered aloud. “Jace has already taken everything our family had. Why is he targeting you?” She had been sure Jace’s new target was Dimitri, and compared to his potential, the triplet’s debt was spare change.

“Well…” Vernon exchanged a look with his brothers putting her instantly on the alert.

“Well, what?” she asked with narrowed eyes. “If I’m going to help you out of this, I need to know everything.”

“Jace did say he’d forgive the debt,” Vernon said slowly. “I just had to do one small thing for him.”

“Don’t do it,” Rosalie said instantly.

Whatever it was, it wasn’t worth it. She didn’t need to hear any more to know that. If Jace wanted something from Vernon, it was only a way to entrap them all further.

But that didn’t mean she wasn’t curious.

She sighed. “Go on, then. Tell me what he wants. Why did he buy your debt?”

“He wants me to pick one of the manor’s roses. He said if I picked one rose—any rose—and brought it to him, he’d forgive the whole debt.”

“You haven’t done it, have you?” Rosalie cried, alarmed. “That’s not a small thing he’s asking! Surely you realize that?”

“Of course we do,” Ralph said waspishly. “Why do you think we came to you instead of going to the manor? Now that Dimitri’s in residence, we might unleash all sorts of trouble by picking a rose.”

“He would likely end up a Beast for one.” Rosalie felt sick again. “We are not going to get our family out of trouble bythrowing someone else into it. And that’s without considering what bargain the Legacy would extract in exchange for your theft.”

“If I could guarantee it was me who paid the price, I would do it in a heartbeat,” Vernon said dejectedly. “But…” He didn’t need to say any more. All four of them knew how the Legacy loved substitution—and in such a direct parallel to the original history, the Legacy would exert a staggering amount of power.

“We have to find another way,” Rosalie said. “Show me the original contract you signed, and I’ll work out what to do.”

She sounded a great deal more confident than she felt, but it was better than betraying her fear.

Chapter 11

Rosalie

Her mother was still napping when Rosalie slipped quietly out of the house. Her brothers had wanted to accompany her, but she’d been firm in turning them down. She didn’t think they would be an asset in the difficult conversation she needed to have.

But Vernon dashed out of the house and caught her at the gate. “You swear you aren’t going to confront Jace?” He watched her face closely as he waited for her answer.

“I have no intention of doing anything so foolhardy,” she said firmly, barely repressing a shiver.

She still hadn’t told the triplets about her earlier encounter with Jace, but she wasn’t desperate enough to seek out a second meeting. She hoped she never saw him again. Just remembering how she had once longed for his embrace made her feel queasy.

“Very well, then,” Vernon said reluctantly.

Rosalie managed a smile at his obvious concern. “You don’t need to act as if I’m heading out to face a pack of wolves alone. I’m only going into Thebarton to explore our options. Relax. I will be well, I promise.”

But as soon as she’d stepped onto the road, her smile fell away. It was true that her destination offered her no danger, but that didn’t make it pleasant. There was no time for her to be squeamish or to worry about her pride, however. If the question had to be asked, it was better to do so immediately. That way there would still be time to explore other options if…

She shook her head. No. She couldn’t think about failure. The Fosters had to be receptive to her request. If her family sold every item they still owned, down to her parents’ bed, they still couldn’t come up with the needed funds on their own.

Half an hour later, Rosalie stood in front of Blythe’s parents, struggling to keep her head high and any tears from falling. She would have dropped to her knees and wept if she thought it would do any good, but she could already read on their faces that it wouldn’t. And if that was the case, she preferred to hold on to the shreds of her dignity.

“I see.” She thrust her hands into the folds of her skirt so they wouldn’t see them trembling. “Thank you for your time. I’m sorry to have appeared unannounced with such a request.”