Page 5

Samantha nodded with a smile, beginning to put the gowns away. “Very well. That can all begin tomorrow, for the both of us.”

Diana simply hoped that she was right.

CHAPTER 1

“Alright,” Diana sighed as they approached the manor. “Now that I am here, and there is no possible way that I can turn back, you have to tell me something.”

“Anything.” Samantha nodded, positively buzzing.

“What is the real reason that we are here?”

Samantha blinked at her. “To enjoy our evening, of course. What other motive could I possibly have?”

“I do not know, but you have been acting out of sorts all day, and it is not the jitters one has before a ball. It is far more extreme.”

“Perhaps I am simply very excitable for no reason other than the fact that you and I will have a splendid evening.”

“Sister, I know you better than anyone, and I know perfectly well that something is on your mind. Now, you can either tell me or have it stay with you all evening without release, and I know which of the two I would prefer.”

“Alright, I will tell you, but you mustn’t tell Father.”

“And when have I ever done that? Look at him, he is already searching for the whiskey.”

“Oh, heavens,” the younger sister huffed. “I thought we might have succeeded completely.”

“At least he has arrived like a decent human being. We might have an hour or so before we are chased away.”

“Then that should be enough time.”

“Enough time for what, exactly?”

“Well, you see, there is a professor here, and?—”

“Please do not tell me you wish to marry a professor of all things.”

“What? No, of course not! No, I was simply hoping to meet with him and discuss something with him. I read one of his papers last week, and it has inspired me, save for the fact that there is a part I did not completely understand.”

“And… And that is why you are like this?”

“I didn’t think anyone would notice.” Samantha grimaced slightly. “I ought to calm myself before I meet him. It would be most undignified to be in such a state when in front of a scholar. He will already think that I’m a fool.”

“He will think no such thing. You are so intelligent, Samantha, anyone can see that.”

“But it is nothing in comparison with gentlemen that attended university. Oh, could youimagineit, Di?”

“The thought has never once crossed my mind. I had other tasks at hand, such as preparing you for marriage, even though it appears that that is?—”

“The last thing onmymind, yes.”

“Well, you wanted to attend this ball, and I have done my part and come along. Now, if you do not mind, I wish to receive all of the glares and speculation at once so that we might be done with it.”

“As you wish!” Samantha grinned, giving her sister’s arm a squeeze.

Samantha’s enthusiasm was quite infectious, and had Diana felt even the smallest amount of desire to have been there that night, it may have passed on to her. However, she did not wish to bethere, to play a game of pretend until she could go back to her life as a spinster.

After all, with nothing to lose, you can only ever win.

And as much as Diana had wanted to believe her sister, and that nobody would bat an eye about their presence, she knew that it would not be the case, and she was proven right the second they entered.