Page 15 of A Spinster’s Folly (Courting the Unconventional #2)

D raped in a blue gown, Eugenie ascended the grand staircase. She was making her way to her bedchamber, hoping—though with little conviction—that she could steal a moment of rest. Sleep, however, felt impossible. Her mind was too preoccupied, her thoughts troubled.

My dear.

The words replayed in her mind, sending an unfamiliar flutter through her chest. Had Charles truly meant it? Or had it merely been a careless term of endearment, tossed out without thought? A part of her hoped it did mean something.

What was wrong with her? She was determined to remain a spinster, free from the expectations and constraints that came with marriage.

And yet… Charles was unlike most of the gentlemen of the ton .

He was different. Had he not just risked his reputation by sneaking her into Oxford so she could attend a lecture?

How many men would have done such a thing for a woman?

And it certainly didn’t help that he was devilishly handsome.

Eugenie exhaled sharply, resisting the urge to groan out loud. This was foolishness. She needed to clear her mind, rest, and stop entertaining these thoughts. She strode down the dimly lit corridor, her hands tightening into fists at her sides as if to physically banish her traitorous emotions.

But any hope of respite vanished the moment she stepped into her bedchamber.

Sitting primly on the edge of her bed, arms crossed in a posture of quiet authority, was Elsbeth.

Eugenie’s brow arched in curiosity as she met her sister-in-law’s gaze. “Is everything all right?”

Elsbeth’s expression remained unreadable. “Perhaps it might be best if you close the door,” she said evenly. “There is something I wish to discuss with you.”

A flicker of unease coiled in Eugenie’s stomach. Something about Elsbeth’s tone sent a shiver of apprehension down her spine. Silently, she pushed the door shut, the soft click sounding unnaturally loud in the quiet room.

“How was shopping?” Elsbeth asked, her voice innocent. Too innocent.

Eugenie mustered a smile. “It was wonderful.”

“Did you make any purchases?”

A slight hesitation. “No, I did not.”

“Interesting,” Elsbeth murmured. “You didn’t make any purchases last time either.”

Eugenie waved a dismissive hand. “Nothing caught my eye, I’m afraid.”

Elsbeth’s eyes narrowed slightly. “It’s just rather curious, isn’t it? You go through the trouble of traveling all that way to shop on High Street twice and have yet to return with so much as a ribbon.”

A trickle of unease slithered down Eugenie’s spine. She forced a laugh. “It is merely a coincidence.”

“Hmm.” Elsbeth tilted her head, considering. “You know what else is on High Street? Oxford. ”

Eugenie’s heart plummeted.

She knew.

Elsbeth uncrossed her arms and rose. “It makes me wonder,” she mused, “if you have been spending time at Oxford.”

Eugenie attempted a weak smile. “Women aren’t allowed at Oxford,” she countered, though even to her own ears, the excuse sounded feeble.

“True,” Elsbeth acknowledged, “but it wouldn’t surprise me if you found a way around that particular obstacle.” Her gaze was piercing now. “Perhaps by disguising yourself as a man?”

Eugenie let out a hollow laugh, but her pulse was racing. “That is absurd.”

“Is it?” Elsbeth lifted a brow. “You value learning more than anything, and I suspect you would go to great lengths to attend a lecture.”

The game was up. Eugenie sighed and moved to sit beside her on the bed. “You aren’t wrong.” She studied Elsbeth’s expression carefully. “Are you going to tell Niles?”

“That depends,” Elsbeth replied. “Are you planning to continue attending lectures?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I want to.”

Elsbeth turned to face her fully, her sharp features softening slightly. “What if you’re caught?” she asked. “You’re risking your reputation—and this family’s.”

“I know,” Eugenie whispered, “but it’s a chance worth taking.”

For a long moment, Elsbeth said nothing. Then, to Eugenie’s surprise, she let out a soft sigh. “You and I are not so different, you know.”

Eugenie frowned. “What do you mean?”

A playful smirk curled at Elsbeth’s lips. “I have dressed in men’s clothing before.”

Eugenie blinked, certain she had misheard. “ You? ”

Elsbeth’s smirk deepened. “Who do you think was the highwaywoman who terrorized the roads to Polperro?”

Eugenie’s mouth fell open. “You were the highwaywoman?”

“I was,” Elsbeth confirmed, amusement twinkling in her eyes. “I was trying to rob my stepfather’s coach… but as luck would have it, I unintentionally robbed your coach instead. It was the first and only coach I robbed.”

“Does Niles know?”

Elsbeth laughed lightly. “Oh, yes. He discovered the truth after I got shot.”

“You were shot?”

“A minor wound, but enough to make me reconsider my… extracurricular activities,” Elsbeth said. “It was too dangerous.”

Eugenie stared at her, still trying to process this revelation. “Why were you trying to rob your stepfather’s coach?”

A shadow passed over Elsbeth’s face, her usually confident demeanor faltering. “I thought he was keeping secrets from me,” she admitted. “I was convinced he wasn’t the man my mother believed him to be. I wanted to prove it.”

“And did you?”

A slow, rueful smile tugged at Elsbeth’s lips. “I was wrong,” she said simply. “He is a good man.”

Eugenie sat back. They were, indeed, more alike than she had ever realized. And perhaps—just perhaps—she wasn’t as alone in her unconventional choices as she had always thought.

Elsbeth continued. “I tell you this not to encourage you, but to make you understand that your actions have consequences. If you were to be discovered at Oxford, your reputation would be irreparably ruined. Society is not forgiving, especially to women who defy its rules.”

“I am well aware of the risks, but Lord Bedford is helping me,” she admitted. “He even secured permission from one of his friends, a professor at University College, to allow me to attend his lectures. ”

Elsbeth did not look pleased by her admission. “I shall have a word with my cousin.”

“Do not be too hard on him. He was only trying to help me,” Eugenie pleaded. “He is a good man. And if he hadn’t assisted me, I would have found my own way into those lectures—with or without his help.”

Elsbeth’s brows knitted together. “I understand your thirst for knowledge, truly I do. But you must admit that this is reckless.”

“Why is it reckless to seek an education? Why is it fair that women are denied the same opportunities as men?”

“It is not fair,” Elsbeth conceded. “But it is the way of things—for now, at least.” She turned slightly, studying Eugenie with concern. “And you have your future to think of.”

Eugenie let out a dry, humorless laugh as she dropped onto the bed with an unceremonious thump. “Oh, yes, my future ,” she said wryly. “Niles wants me to marry, produce a horde of children, and settle into my role as a dutiful wife. But I want more out of life than just marriage and motherhood.”

“Do you truly not wish to marry?”

Eugenie turned her eyes towards the window. “If I were to marry, I would be expected to fall in line,” she murmured. “My husband would dictate what I can and cannot do. I would lose my freedom, my choices, my voice.”

Elsbeth came to sit beside her on the bed. “Not every husband is a tyrant,” she said. “Niles, for instance—he is the best of men.”

Eugenie turned her head, searching Elsbeth’s expression.

There was an undeniable warmth in her tone, a quiet reverence when she spoke of her husband.

It was true. Niles was not a cruel or controlling man.

But he had chosen Elsbeth, a woman who fit into his world.

Eugenie was different. She didn’t think she could fit into anyone’s world but her own .

“And if I cannot find a husband like Niles?” Eugenie ventured. “What then?”

“Then you must decide if the risk of being alone is worth more than the chance of finding someone who will let you be you.”

Eugenie swallowed hard, her heart twisting. She had always been certain she would never marry. But lately—especially with Charles lingering in her thoughts—that certainty felt less like an unshakable truth and more like a desperate defense.

And she wasn’t sure what to do about it.

Elsbeth placed a gentle hand on Eugenie’s shoulder. “You are more than just my sister-in-law,” she said. “You are my friend, as well. And I care about you deeply.”

“I feel the same,” she admitted.

“Good, because I am about to offer some more unsolicited advice,” Elsbeth warned, lowering her hand to her side. “Do not be so quick to dismiss the idea of marriage. Life isn’t a fairy tale or an effortless story. True love is built, not found. But I assure you that it is worth the wait.”

After a moment of silence, Elsbeth arched a brow. “Do you need—or want—more advice? I can go on for hours, you know.”

Eugenie laughed. “No, thank you. I think I have been sufficiently edified.”

Satisfied with that response, Elsbeth turned towards the door, but not before tossing a final comment over her shoulder. “Then you had better hurry and get some rest before we have to start preparing for Lady Winter’s ball.”

Eugenie sighed, bracing herself for the long evening ahead. However, one lingering concern made her call out before Elsbeth could leave. “Are you going to tell Niles about what we discussed?”

Elsbeth stopped at the threshold, her hand resting lightly on the doorknob. Then she turned back. “I do not believe in keeping secrets, especially from one’s husband,” she admitted. “However, I will give you the opportunity to tell him first.”

Eugenie groaned, already picturing her brother’s reaction. “Niles will be furious. He might even send me off to a convent.”

Elsbeth’s lips twitched with amusement. “At least there will be books,” she quipped. “Now, get some sleep.”