Page 65 of The Perks of Loving a Wallflower

“Were Agnes and Katherine Sir Reginald’s daughters?”

“It doesn’t look like it,” Tommy answered. “He only had sons.”

Philippa frowned. “Are they relatives?”

“Maybe. I don’t know. Graham is working on it. According to servant gossip, Captain Northrup’s family Bible was destroyed in an unfortunate ‘accident’ having to do with placing it in the fireplace and pouring whiskey on top.”

“He destroyed a Bible? There must have been something in it he didn’t want anyone to find.”

Such as proof of Agnes and Katherine’s existence. And perhaps more.

“That will just make Graham try harder,” Tommy said. “He’ll hunt for baptism, marriage, and death records in the places where Sir Reginald lived. If there’s anything there, my brother will find it.”

“There’s something to find,” Philippa said firmly. Was that true? Or did she so long for adventure that she was seeing symbols and conspiracy where there was nothing?

The dance drew to a close, and a reel began.

“Shall we find partners or shall we take a turn in the garden?” Tommy asked.

Garden.Without a doubt.

“Neither,” Philippa said glumly. “You should return me to my mother. I am forbidden from dancing with you until I’ve stood up with Northrup. Perhaps she’ll forgive me if I only disobey for half a set.”

“Shall I find you after you dance with him?”

“Please,” Philippa said. After suffering through Northrup’s touch, she would need the comforting feel of Tommy’s arms about her.

Philippa was beginning to suspect she would always long for Tommy’s embrace.

Tommy had barely brought her back into her mother’s orbit when Mother snatched Philippa to her side with far more force than was seemly.

“That will do,” she seethed at Tommy. “No more sets with Philippa this evening.”

Tommy inclined her head. “As you wish, madam.”

“Humph.” Mother barely waited for Tommy to walk away before berating Philippa beneath her breath. “What were you thinking? I told you to use him as a stepping-stone, not cling to him like lichen. You’ll never attract Captain Northrup if you don’t put yourself in his line of sight.”

Yes. That sounded like a lovely plan.

Stay out of Northrup’s sight.

“Dancing makes me very visible,” Philippa murmured. “Everyone was watching. And I didn’t wish to be rude to the baron.”

“It is rude to disobey one’s parents,” her mother snapped. “Forthatinsubordination, our parlor is hereby forbidden to the members of your little reading circle. There’s a bigger fish than Baron Vanderbean on the line.”

Philippa’s muscles twitched with panic. “But—”

“The entire house, daughter. No one but gentlemen callers shall cross our threshold until you are betrothed. And don’t think for a second that I mean Baron Vanderbean. He is limited to once per month, which means I expect four weeks of bliss before that foreigner darkens our door again.”

Philippa sucked in a breath. “But—”

“I am doing this foryou,” her mother said. “You are clearly incapable of making a suitable match on your own. Three and twenty, Philippa. On the shelf, long in the tooth, ape leader. Do you think I want these things said about my child? Viscountess has a much nicer ring to it. No one will dare mistreat my daughter then.”

Philippa blinked. “People are calling me ‘ape leader’?”

“Why do you think your father and I have rejected all the proposals from common fortune hunters?”

“Because they’re…common fortune hunters?”