Page 91 of A Princess By Christmas

Eliza laughed. “That’s what makes her perfect. She’s not the usual sort.” She fell in a cloud of blue onto the settee.

“I almost forgot! You will never guess what I heard,” Caroline said excitedly.

“Have you been going around to the Mayfair salons?” Hollis asked.

“Yes. Why do you look so surprised? Because of my scandal last year?” She waved her hand at her. “No one is a pariah forever. And besides, Leopold and I are married, so that eases the crime for some. So much is forgiven if you marry, you know.”

“Especially if you marry a prince,” Eliza said. She and Caroline looked at each other and burst out laughing.

“What did you hear?” Hollis asked.

Caroline beamed at her. “Katherine Maugham has received an offer, after all!”

“Impossible!” Hollis cried. “Fromwhom?”

“Lord Middleditch.”

Hollis gaped at her. Lord Middleditch was a widower nearing his fiftieth year. He had two grown sons, both of them nearer to the peacock’s age than she was to his lordship’s.

“And everyone says she will accept. He has fifty thousand a year, he didn’t beat his first wife, and she really has no other prospects.”

The three of them fell silent a moment, thinking about their nemesis and her long quest for an offer.

“Well,” Eliza said. “I hope she’s happy.”

“I do, too, really,” Hollis said. “Maybe she won’t be so wretched in her demeanor if she marries?”

“That’s the happiest part of this news,” Caroline said. “Middleditch makes his home in Leeds.” She walked to the box and removed the lid, then pulled the gown out with a flourish. The skirt fluttered open in soft gold waves.

“Oh, Caro,” Hollis said softly.

The gown was beautiful. The first thing Hollis noticed was that it reminded her of the color of Marek’s eyes. It was so beautiful, and she would be beautiful, and Marek would never see her wear it. He’d never see her at all.

“Hollis? What’s the matter?”

Eliza’s arm was suddenly around her.

“I don’t know,” Hollis said tearfully. “I’m...lost,” she said, and turned into her sister, holding on to her. “Everything is changing too fast! I hardly catch my breath and then it all changes again!”

“What are you talking about?” Caroline asked. She placed her hand on Hollis’s back.

“Donovan!” Eliza called, sounding a little frantic.

Donovan appeared at the door.

“We need something,” Eliza said. “Hollis is weeping.”

“I know just the thing.” He disappeared again as Hollis tried to wipe her sudden tears, appalled by them, but Eliza held her so tightly she couldn’t lift her hand high enough.

Caroline and Eliza eventually steered Hollis to the settee and made her sit, then flanked her, both of them looking at her with concern.

Donovan returned with three tots and decanted whiskey.

“That’s not what I think Eliza meant,” Caroline said.

“No, but it will do,” Eliza said, and took one of the tots from the tray.

“Pay me no heed,” Hollis said, wiping her tears and trying to smile. “It’s the time of year, that’s all.”