Chapter Three

"What exactly do you think you're doing?"

Lavender gasped, then clamped a hand over her mouth. She whirled and came eye to eye with Henry, the butler. He had his usual unimpressed look on his face, looking down at her through his spectacles.

"Henry, hush!" she whispered frantically, backing away from the door of her brother's study. "They might hear you."

"They might hear you," Henry pressed. "Why are you pressing your ear against the door, miss? Were you eavesdropping?"

"Oh, of course I was!" Lavender said in an exasperated whisper. "And I cannot hear anything if you distract me like this."

Lavender approached the door again, pressing her ear against the cool wood. She could hear mumbling on the other end but could not make out specific words.

"Must I remind you, Miss Lavender, that it is quite unbecoming of a proper lady to eavesdrop on others' conversation," came Henry's judgmental voice once more. "You may not hold a title but you are the mistress of this house and, as such, you are expected to conduct yourself like one."

Lavender sighed again, moving away from the door. "I hardly think it is—" She broke off at the stern look Henry gave her. It took everything in her not to roll her eyes. "Very well. But please let my brother know that as soon as he is done with his meeting with that brute of a man, he should come and see me in the drawing room."

"I shall pass on the message."

Lavender took up the book she'd left on a side table and held it to her chest once more, setting off down the hall. She glanced over her shoulder to see Henry still standing there, watching her leave. It seemed he had no intentions of letting her sneak back to listen. She supposed she would just have to bombard her brother with questions when she saw him next.

Lavender made her way to the drawing room and flopped over into her favorite chaise lounge under the open bay window. A gentle breeze wafted over her face as she opened her book to the last page she'd read. But after a few seconds, she realized it was fruitless trying to focus. All she could think about was that impudent man barging in on her conversation with Vincent.

"Who does he think he is?" she asked to no one in particular, sitting upright so quickly that her head spun.

Simply thinking about the short interaction was enough to make her blood boil. She'd never met such a rude man in her life! And Vincent had the gall to usher her out of the room as if that hadn't interrupted them! As soon as he was free she would give him piece of her mind.

She tried focusing on her book again and succeeded for a short while—until the door opened and her tired-looking brother walked in.

"Give me a second before you start asking me questions, Lavender," Vincent said just as she shot to her feet. "I need to prepare myself."

Lavender stayed quiet for three seconds—enough time for him to find a seat—before she could not hold back any longer. "Who was that man?" she demanded to know.

"That, my dear sister, was the Earl of Derby."

Shock stilled her tongue. The Earl of Derby? The same Earl of Derby rumored to be the bastard turned heir of the late earl's estates? What in God's name was he doing meeting with her brother?

She didn't realize she'd asked the question out loud until Vincent said, "We were discussing you, actually."

"Me?" Lavender repeated.

"More specifically, your betrothal to the earl." Vincent grinned at her but Lavender could only stare at him.

Seconds of silence stretched on for so long that Vincent sat up straighter, frowning in concern. "Lavender? Are you all right?"

"I might have heard you incorrectly," Lavender said in a soft tone. "Did you say that the Earl of Derby is meant to be my betrothed?"

"He is your betrothed," Vincent pressed. "We finished working out the details but that is the result of it, yes. You will get your wish, Lav. By the end of the Season, you will have your big and beautiful wedding."

"To the earl…"

"Yes, to the earl. Is something the matter?"

Lavender's legs gave out beneath her. She sank onto the chaise lounge, her breath whooshing from her lungs. This couldn't be…How could her brother expect her to be married to a man like him?

"Do you even know him, Vincent?" Lavender asked, still reeling.

"I do not need to know him well," Vincent explained. "Many lords and ladies marry each other without even meeting beforehand. In this case, you will be betrothed and get to know each other during the course of the Season, before your wedding. Isn't that what you've always wanted?"

"I did not mean for you to shackle me to a gentleman whose first words to me were ruder than anything I have ever heard before!"

Vincent frowned at that. "You sound displeased, Lav."

Lavender shook her head, trying to rein in the overwhelming horror she felt at this news. Her brother was trying, at least. After all this time, when it felt as if he always had more important things to do than heed his promise to her, it was a step in the right direction. But if that meant she was heading straight to the earl then perhaps they needed to take a few steps back.

"I ask again, Vincent," she said as calmly as she could. "Do you know who he is?"

"If you are referring to his former status as a bastard then yes, I am aware."

"What will others say if I am to be the bride of a gentleman who was once a bastard?"

"They will say nothing because he is no longer one. He is the Earl of Derby and no amount of rumours will change that." Vincent pinched the bridge of his nose, looking weary. Lavender hated whenever he put that expression on his face. "Give it some time, Lav. You will come around to the idea, and to him, in time."

Lavender swallowed her protests. She seriously doubted it. Being the earl with such rumors attached to their name was one thing. But he had already proven himself to be nothing but a rude brute with no proper upbringing. Lavender couldn't promise that she would stay civil in his presence, let alone marry him!

But she was getting what she wanted finally after all this time. A step into the life of the upper class, though tethered to the earl. At least now she would be able to enjoy the London Season and the intricacies of elite company the way she'd always seen in the books.

Perhaps it would not be as bad as she thought. God she prayed that was the case.