Page 21

K ynthea stared at the heavy jewelry in her hand.

She was sitting upright on her bed after not sleeping the entire night through.

What was he thinking, giving her this? Did he know what she could do with it?

She could make any wild claims she wanted about him and use this as proof.

Not everyone would believe her, but many would.

Assuming she wasn’t clapped in irons as a thief.

A single knock sounded on her door before it swung open. It was Zoe, of course, looking none the worse for wear after a night’s dancing. Her cheeks were rosy, her eyes bright, and she had all the energy of a sixteen-year-old girl who was an early riser.

Kynthea closed her fingers quickly, then slipped the ruby into the folds of her gown. She smiled at her young companion and attempted to order her thoughts.

“Good morning, Zoe. You are looking very good. Did you enjoy last night?”

“I’m so glad you’re dressed,” Zoe said as she dropped unceremoniously onto Kynthea’s bed. “And I had a wonderful time last night.”

“Tell me about every moment,” she said. “Were there any gentlemen who stood out? What caught your attention the most?”

Instead of bubbling over with delight, Zoe’s expression turned sober. She adjusted herself to a demure position and regarded Kynthea with sober eyes. “You know what stood out.”

Oh dear. “I didn’t mean to trip.”

“I know you didn’t!” Zoe huffed. “But it doesn’t matter. The biddies are saying you did it on purpose and Mother is beside herself. That’s bad enough, but Papa’s angry, too, and that’s not good for him. He’s still in bed and does not think he will be able to rise at all this day.”

That had more to do with him exerting himself too much last night, but that didn’t matter. Kynthea’s spectacle had been a stress and society’s reaction to it would weigh on both Zoe’s parents.

“I tried to be circumspect,” Kynthea said. “I sat with the chaperones for the rest of the set. I managed the servants during the supper buffet, then left the ballroom altogether. Last night was your night. I never meant to draw attention to myself.”

Zoe looked around the room, her misery palpable. “I know you didn’t,” she said. “As if you could force the duke’s spat to come undone. What they’re saying is ridiculous, but that doesn’t stop the gossip. And Papa hates gossip.”

Kynthea touched Zoe’s hands. The girl had a pure heart. She was clearly miserable that Kynthea was yet again the center of ugly gossip. So she took a page from the duke’s book and offered up her sincerest apology.

“What can I do? How can I make this better?”

“I don’t know that you can,” the girl sighed. “Mama is beside herself.”

Kynthea looked down at her pale yellow gown. It didn’t suit her coloring, but had been given to her by Zoe’s mother. Kynthea wore it when she wanted to please the lady, but it wouldn’t do to be this bright in the drawing room. “I’ll change into my gray gown and—”

“Don’t go down.”

“What?”

“Mama thinks it would be best if you stayed out of sight today.”

Kynthea watched as Zoe looked everywhere but at her.

“If I am not in the drawing room for visitors, people will assume your mother blames me.”

Zoe bit her lip. “I know.”

“They’ll get louder as they denounce me. Everyone will say I’m… I’m…”

“They already are,” Zoe said. Then she stuck her hand into the pocket of her gown and pulled out a folded sheet of newspaper.

It had been ripped out of the main paper, and she handed it over with a heavy sigh.

“I tore this out of Papa’s paper. I didn’t want him to read it, but I couldn’t stop Mama. ”

It was Mr. Pickleherring’s column. He’d devoted himself lately to exposing gentlemen who were hiding a stark reversal in fortune.

He’d also had a few dry comments about an audience that paid to attend the theater only to talk over the actors.

Today’s column followed the same pattern except for the last paragraph.

Miss Petrelli once again showed her desperation as she faked a stumble on the dance floor.

The duke was gallant enough to pretend he was at fault, but since she’d bared herself for all to see, his gallantry fools no one.

How long will the Earl of Satheath allow this Jezebel to poison his daughter?

She should be hung for what she has done to poor Lady Zoe.

Kynthea’s hands shook as she read the words, which was an odd thing because she couldn’t feel the tremble. She stared at the words wondering how this had happened. She was well and truly ruined now. Good God, she should be hung? For stepping on a duke’s broken spat?

“I didn’t,” she murmured. “I wouldn’t.”

Zoe pulled the page out of her hand, crumpled it, and threw it into the grate. “I despise that Pickleherring.”

“I should be hung for what I’ve done to you?” Kynthea echoed. Had she truly harmed the girl? And why did the ton need a villain anyway? Didn’t they have enough to gossip about without picking on her?

“It’s ridiculous,” the girl said. “They think you’ve taught me lustful things, destroying my chances for a decent marriage.”

“No,” Kynthea whispered.

“If anything, I explained it to you. Remember how shocked I was that you’d never seen horses mate?”

Kynthea choked back a sob. What was she going to do? And what if it was true? Had she truly made things worse for Zoe? The girl wasn’t truly tarnished by association. Right?

She wasn’t being completely virtuous in her thoughts. If her aunt and uncle threw her out, her only hope was that Zoe married well and brought her along as nanny or companion or something.

“I admit that the situation is dire,” Zoe said as she patted Kynthea’s hands.

Dire? It was catastrophic. “How angry is your mother?” she whispered.

The woman had only ever accepted Kynthea out of duty to her husband’s family.

Though she was kind enough, their bond had never been one of love.

Her gaze went to Zoe. “She’s going to sack me, isn’t she?

” she asked, doing her best to appear strong before her cousin. “I knew it last night.”

Zoe jaw firmed. “Not yet, she isn’t.”

“What? Why not?”

“Because I put laudanum in her tea.”

“What?”

The girl waved away Kynthea’s shock. “Her joints are paining her after last night. She was going to take a little anyway, but I put in extra. Given how upset she was by that column, I was helping to settle her nerves.”

“You lied to your mother,” Kynthea said. “And dosed her!” She moaned. “I have been a terrible influence on you.”

Zoe snorted. “As if this was the first time. I knew the uses of laudanum by the time I was eight.”

That was not a comforting thought.

Meanwhile, the girl gripped Kynthea’s hands. “Now listen. I have a plan.”

It had better be one that got her a position well outside of society. Perhaps with an elderly woman who never left Yorkshire. Though the idea of moldering away in Yorkshire horrified her, it was better than being hung for whatever mysterious thing she’d done to Zoe.

The duke’s ruby lay heavy in her pocket, but even so, she couldn’t believe he’d keep so enormous a promise. And yet, she couldn’t discard the possibility out of hand.

“Did the duke stop by?” She hadn’t heard the knocker, and it was still early. Likely he wouldn’t visit until later.

“He sent around a missive early.”

“A missive?”

Zoe nodded, excitement sparking in her eyes. “An invitation! He’s taking us to see Whirl tomorrow. I want to have a word with his stable master. He doesn’t take care of the older mares. All his attention is on the promising fillies.”

Kynthea felt her heart sink. He wasn’t coming today. And she’d likely be tossed out by the time he arrived tomorrow.

“Don’t you see?” Zoe pressed. “That’s why Mama took to her bed. She doesn’t know what to do.”

“What?”

Zoe rolled her eyes. “The invitation was for both of us. He said that quite specifically. Me, with you as chaperone. That’s what Mama was so upset about.

She can’t dismiss you if the duke doesn’t want it.

But with Mr. Pickleherring’s column, everyone is telling her she must. She doesn’t know what to do. ”

Neither did Kynthea.

“But don’t worry,” Zoe rushed to add. “I’ve got a plan.”

Kynthea sighed. It was Zoe’s love potion plan that had started this whole mess to begin with.

“You’re coming with me tomorrow,” Zoe said firmly, “and Mama and Papa are staying here because I told them they have to stay. I have a plan and they’d mess it up.”

“Your mother won’t do that.”

“She will because I told her that together, you and I will bring him up to scratch.”

Kynthea felt her heart sink. “Zoe, we can’t—”

“Psst!” She cut off Kynthea’s words with a hard slash of her hand. “I won’t hear a word of disagreement. He’ll propose and I’ll insist that you stay as my companion. I’ll even make you my maid of honor at the wedding!”

So many things were wrong with that statement, but her cousin clearly needed to believe it. “Zoe, the duke isn’t going to propose. He thinks you’re too young.”

“Yes, he is because Prinny said so! Besides, no one else has my pedigree, beauty, or dowry.”

“Prinny can’t command—”

“Yes, he can! Mama heard it from the dowager duchess. And since Papa has already drafted my marriage contract, it’s all but done.”

Zoe was adamant, and Kynthea had enough experience with the girl to know she wasn’t going to see reason.

Still, she had to try. “It is not settled,” she said as gently as possible.

“Your father drafted the marriage contract before the season began. And there’s been no direct negotiation with the duke. ”

Zoe shrugged. “We don’t know that! Papa’s been closeted with so many stuffy men. And the duke spoke to him for nearly an hour after the first Mr. Pickleherring article.”

Damn that blasted writer.

“Anyway, it doesn’t matter. When the regent says he approves of a match, it’s as good as done.

” She folded her arms in front of her as if that was the final word on the subject.

“I was willing to wait until the end of the season, you know. The Season isn’t as much fun if you’re spoken for in the first week.

But catching a duke this fast is quite a coup. In fact, it’s the match of the Season!”

“It is,” Kynthea said weakly. It would be, if the duke were going to do it. “But Zoe—”

“No more buts.” There was noise in the hallway as someone walked past. It could be any one of their many servants, but Zoe took it as a sign that her mother was rising.

“We’re running out of time,” she said hurriedly. “I need you to go to My Lady’s Apothecary for me. Go now and stay away all day.”

“What?”

“Mama can’t fire you if she can’t find you.”

“I’ll have to come back tonight.” Not to mention what everyone would say if they knew she’d been out all day.

“I’m sending you on errands!” Zoe repeated forcefully.

Then she pressed a purse and a list of purchases into Kynthea’s hands.

“Go buy things for me. Have the shopkeepers send them back to us throughout the day. I’ll tell the servants that I want to hear when every package arrives.

That way everyone will know that you are doing something wholesome. ”

Or it would keep her in the front of everyone’s mind and on the tip of their tongues.

“Tell the messengers to relay how busy all the shops are and that you’ll be gone a terribly long time.”

“Zoe—”

“Don’t worry. This will work. At the apothecary, you’ll purchase the things I need to make more liniment for Whirl. I’ll even tell anyone who asks that you’ll be mixing the ingredients yourself. That’s why you have to stay there forever.”

Kynthea frowned. “You want me to mix it myself?”

“Don’t be silly. I’ll do it tonight. No one else gets the texture right.”

“But—”

“And you’ll need to get more love potion. I used all that I had on the duke yesterday.”

Kynthea winced. “You didn’t throw it in his face, did you?”

“I thought of something more clever! I put it in his finger bowl at dinner.” Her expression fell. “But it wasn’t strong enough. You have to tell Madame Ilie that.” She blew out a breath. “I think he’ll have to drink it.”

“Zoe, this love potion nonsense has gone far enough. You must know—”

“You aren’t listening! I will not lose you, and this is the only way I know of to make everyone happy.

The Crown has decided that I shall wed the duke.

He will propose tomorrow because I can’t keep Mama dosed forever.

I can keep her from sacking you for a day, maybe two, but no longer.

Not unless I’m going to be a duchess. The minute I’m engaged, I’ll declare what I want. And I want you!”

Kynthea’s heart warmed at Zoe’s words. The girl was near tears as she dictated how things would go, even though she had little control over any of it. Certainly, she had no influence over the duke which was probably why she’d set her hopes in a love potion.

“And if none of it goes as you want?” she asked.

“It will!” She squeezed Kynthea’s fingers. “You will help me. You’ll see.”

What could she do but embrace her young cousin?

In Kynthea’s experience, nothing ever went how it was meant to.

At least not the way young girls thought it should.

And yet, Zoe’s desperation was real. Everything was changing for the poor girl.

Her parents were ailing, she was being forced too young to marry, and now her friend and cousin was about to be ignominiously thrown away.

As desperate as Kynthea felt about her own future, she still had compassion for the girl who clearly felt like her world was ending.

“I will do everything I can for you,” Kynthea said.

“No, no!” Zoe said. “It’s my turn to protect you. Now go. Go out the back and stay away all day!”