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“Brother? Oh! George! What a surprise,” Millicent said from the doorway. “You arrived very early.” She smiled at George with real warmth in her hazel eyes, inclining her head in greeting as both George and Peter stood up.

“Millicent. Grand to see you,” George replied. He inclined his head, a brief bow.

“I am so glad to find you here,” Millicent added, turning to Peter. “I was busy overseeing the preparations for the ball tomorrow evening. We will need seating set out for the musicians. I have requested a quintet.”

“So many?” Peter asked. Usually, three or four men with stringed instruments were enough to provide the music for a ball.

“I intend this ball to be talked of in London,” Millicent said lightly. “Our family has become decidedly provincial in the last years, and we have a need to regain our standing.”

“Millicent...” Peter began warningly. He tried to indicate George’s presence. He did not want to argue in front of their cousin. He had only just arrived.

“It is no less than the truth. I want to place us right at the top of society. Where we belong. And I also want you to enjoy yourself and become cheerful again.” She gave him a firm glance. “So, we need to have a grand ball.”

“Millicent,” Peter began. How little did she know her own younger brother, if she thought a ball would lift his spirits? He hated balls.

“I will request that Mr Harris help me. He ought to have the capacity to find some seats and oversee the staff to move them,” she said swiftly.

“Of course,” Peter replied. “Will you not join us for tea?” he added, feeling a little uncomfortable. He should have suggested that earlier.

“Yes. That is very kind of you, Peter.”

Peter rang the bell, summoning Mr Harris to bring an extra cup and saucer for Millicent. He arrived almost at once, and Peter instructed him, relieved to have something else to do besides arguing with his sister. Millicent took a seat at the table.

“This is pleasant,” she sighed, leaning back. “I have barely sat down all week.”

“You are working too hard,” Peter told her firmly. “You can trust the household to oversee things.”

“This household?” Millicent raised a brow. “They have not been supervised by a countess for a long time. They have become positively lazy. I do not know when Harwell last saw that the silverware got a good polishing.” She made a disapproving face.

“The silverware...” Peter began. He could barely believe it. Had his sister truly noticed such a thing? She had barely been there for four days yet! He was perfectly happy with the staff—simply glad to be away from London.

“It’s a disgrace! You need to find a countess, Peter. This place will fall apart if you do not do so soon.”

“Sister...” Peter said angrily. That was a step too far. He was the earl. She might be his elder sister, but she was not his father. What he chose to do in his personal life was none of her business.

“It is nothing less than the truth, brother,” Millicent said firmly.

The butler arrived and placed a cup before her.

She did not even look up to acknowledge him, but poured her tea and continued talking as though nobody was there.

“This estate is going to rack and ruin. Leaks in the roof. Spots on the cutlery. What next?”

Peter said nothing. George was sitting quite still, not speaking. He seemed to be trying to act as though he was not there.

“The estate has been maintained without anybody besides the staff being present for the last six months,” Peter reminded his sister firmly. “If certain matters have not been maintained, like the cutlery, that is to be expected. Who would have been using it in all that time?” He held her gaze.

“It does not matter,” his sister said airily.

“Such things should be maintained. Now, I have invited Lord and Lady Winthrop to the ball. Their daughter Adeline is going to be there as well, of course. I want you to pay special attention to her. She was a shining diamond at the balls of London this year.” She held his stare.

“Lady Adeline has just debuted,” he reminded his sister, his voice almost a growl. “I would not like to impose on such a young lady.” There was not such a great disparity between their ages, just eight years, but that might be the only objection Millicent would be willing to hear.

“Oh, Peter! It’s hardly as though you are an old man,” Millicent said scornfully. “She is barely younger than you. And she is quite absolutely a paragon.”

Peter did not say anything. He had met Lady Adeline, since Lord and Lady Winthrop had been friends of the family while Papa still lived. In his opinion, she was shallow and uninteresting, but he had to admit that he had not seen her in many years. Perhaps he was being unfair.

“I must insist that you dance with her tomorrow at the ball,” Millicent continued. “It would be very rude to old friends of the family were you not to,” she added, head tilted as though she was chiding a child.

“Millicent...” Peter began. His right hand clenched the arm of the chair, his left hand closing into a fist around the cuff of his jacket.

He was fighting his growing rage. She had no right whatsoever to demand anything of him, especially nothing that would, ultimately, affect only himself, such as who became the next countess.

“I regret that I have business I must attend to. Pray excuse me,” he murmured. He stood up.

“Brother...” Millicent began. Peter walked to the door. He turned, checking to see if George was offended by his abrupt statement. George caught his eye. He looked sad, but not offended.

Peter stalked down the hallway. It felt as though his cheeks were burning, rage flaring up inside him, incandescent and unable to be suppressed. He had to go riding. It was the only thing that he knew of that would calm him.

He hurried around the corner towards his chamber. He had to get out before he lost his temper.

A cry of rage escaped him as he collided, quite forcefully, with someone hurrying the other way. He staggered forwards, just as the person staggered back and fell, hard, onto the hallway floor on their back.

Peter stared in shock. Long brown hair tumbled around the person’s face, which was pale and slim. Green eyes, round and frightened, stared up at him from the slender face. It was the new maid.