Chapter 1

One

S elena leaned back against the carriage seat and sighed. Soon, they would arrive at Harcrest Manor for the Christmastide house party that Emma had insisted upon hosting. If it had been up to her, she would have stayed home, yet here she was, traveling with her cousin and his wife to a social gathering sure to be filled with individuals she loathed. There were very few people she tolerated, though thankfully, those she genuinely liked would be present. That would make the gathering somewhat more bearable, but not by much.

Victoria leaned her head on her husband, David, the Earl of Foxcroft’s, shoulder and stifled a yawn. “I do hope we arrive soon. I’m quite weary from the confinement of this carriage.”

David patted her arm lightly. “We are all tired, darling. But we should be there shortly. It has been quite some time since I last visited Harcrest Manor. It will be wonderful to see our friends.”

Selena didn’t disagree with her cousin on that point. In truth, she looked forward to seeing her friends as well. It was not her companions she wished to avoid; rather, it was all the other guests Emma would have invited—the sort of people who personified the society she had come to detest. She yearned to be free of it all, though she was uncertain how to accomplish such a feat. Unlike Lilah or Cora, she did not have a specific target for her frustration. Even Victoria had someone in particular in mind when she had schemed against David. Each of her friends had set out for vengeance, only to find love instead. Selena was happy for them, truly she was... but she no longer desired love or marriage. That dream had died with her first disastrous season.

She’d continued attending balls and social gatherings only because David had been so insistent. He had hoped she would find a respectable match. But with her outdated gowns and a pitiful dowry, she had been mostly overlooked. Courting? There had not even been a remote possibility a gentleman to call upon her. She might be considered pretty, but in the marriage market, that was not enough.

“Has Emma told you about her plans?” she asked Victoria.

Victoria shook her head. “I am not sure why she wanted a Christmastide house party,” she replied. “But it will be fun, nonetheless. I do adore house parties.”

“As long as you are not the hostess,” David drawled. “I recall you complaining about the guests and their endless demands at the party held at Ardmore.”

Victoria wrinkled her nose. “Do not remind me.”

“I do not recall that,” Selena said. “I thought you enjoyed the house party.”

“I did not despise it,” Victoria admitted. “But some of the guests were insufferable. I blame the rain. We could not do any of the planned outdoor activities, which had everyone on edge. At a Christmastide house party, guests are generally prepared for indoor amusements.”

“Except the hunting for a yule log,” David reminded her.

Victoria waved her hand dismissively. “That is simply an excuse for the gentlemen to indulge too much, traipse through the snow, and engage in silliness to find the ‘ideal’ log to cut down and burn. We ladies shall remain inside like sensible beings. We do not need a yule log.”

David laughed. “As you can tell, my wife has rather strong opinions about yule logs.”

She narrowed her gaze at her husband. “They are unnecessary,” Victoria retorted.

“Very little in life is truly necessary, my love,” he said, then kissed her quickly. “But that does not mean we should not enjoy anything. You may not see the point, but there is no need to scorn those who do.”

“Very well,” she replied in a reluctant tone. “Since I do not have to participate, I shall keep my peace on the matter.”

Selena sighed. She did not care one way or the other if the men hunted for a yule log. She cared for very little of it, in fact. Yet, she had to endure conversations like these. She adored David and Victoria—they were dear to her. Still, their love could be suffocating at times, particularly when she could not escape the confines of a carriage. She was genuinely glad they had found happiness together, but as someone whom love had forsaken, it was sometimes difficult to bear.

“It seems we are about to turn down the drive to Harcrest Manor,” she announced, having stared out the window for some time now. Relief washed over her as they neared the manor; soon, she would be free of the carriage.

“Emma will want to meet with us,” Victoria said. “Since we are arriving a day before the other guests, I suspect she has a specific purpose in mind.”

“I assumed as much,” Selena replied.

“Do I want to know what you ladies are planning?” David asked, lifting a brow.

“I would not ask too many questions,” Victoria told him. “It is best if you remain uninformed.”

David had some inkling about the revenge pact, though neither Selena nor Victoria had given him many details. All he knew was that they had resolved to help each other succeed in society. However, they had omitted just what sort of ‘success’ they were each after, and how they intended to achieve it.

“Very well,” he said. “But do let me know if I can be of service. I would be more than willing to assist you in your endeavors.”

Selena almost laughed aloud. He might not be so eager to help if he had any inkling that their pursuits involved a touch of vengeance.

“You are very kind to offer, but it is unnecessary.” Victoria smiled at her husband. “Just enjoy yourself with your friends.”

The carriage came to a halt, and Selena nearly bolted from her seat the moment a footman opened the door. She did not wait for David or Victoria. She had her own plans, and all of them involved some solitude, far from anyone’s interference.

Selena sighed as she entered the sitting room. Victoria, Lilah, and Cora were already there. Where on earth was Emma? She wished this little meeting would be over quickly so she could return to her solitude. “Hello,” she greeted the other ladies.

“Hello, Selena,” Lilah said. “Come, pour yourself a cup of tea. Emma should be here shortly.”

Selena walked over to the tea cart, prepared her cup, and selected a couple of biscuits on a plate. She carried her tea and biscuits to the settee and settled in to wait for Emma. Nothing about this house party made her feel comfortable—even with the other wallflowers in attendance to ease her discomfort. At least after Emma’s scheme, and then Selena’s eventual revenge they could be done with their pact and just stay good friends.

Emma finally strolled into the sitting room, a broad grin on her face. Selena nibbled on her biscuit as she watched her friend. “Hello,” Emma greeted, joining them. “I am so happy to see everyone.”

Victoria grinned. “We are glad to be here.” She patted the settee beside her. “Come, sit and tell us everything. I am eager to hear your plans.”

Emma took the seat next to Victoria, walking right past the tea cart without a glance. Selena took a sip of her own tea, waiting for Emma to begin. Perhaps she should be thrilled to hear about Emma’s plans for revenge, yet she could muster no enthusiasm. She simply did not want to be here.

“We are all curious,” Cora said, taking a sip of her tea. “I was thrilled when the invitation arrived. I suspected you were up to something. Especially since Lilah despises socializing.” She wrinkled her nose. “And bravo for having her host. You know all those harpies are relishing the chance to see if Viscount Harcrest is still besotted with her.”

Lilah rolled her eyes. “That man adores me,” she said with a contented sigh. “I am truly fortunate to have won his heart. Though, if you had asked me before that house party, I would have thought you all mad.”

“Indeed,” Emma agreed. “But truly, my brother is the fortunate one. He could have ended up married to the likes of Lady Daisy Allen.”

“She is dreadful,” Selena agreed. “He is indeed lucky she did not sink her claws into him.” She took another sip of tea. “Has anyone heard what has become of her?”

“As far as I know,” Emma replied, flashing a wicked grin, “she is still at that finishing school her father sent her to.”

Selena was curious about that finishing school. Perhaps she would inquire later, though Emma did not seem inclined to share too many details just now. Tilting her head, Selena mostly listened.

“She deserved worse,” Lilah said. “She nearly ruined my life, all because she believed Henry belonged to her. She was willing to do anything to have him. It is vile.”

“It is,” Selena agreed. “But she did not win, and that is what matters.” She nodded toward Emma. “And now we are here to support you in getting your revenge.” She leaned back and regarded Emma thoughtfully. “What do you need from us?” Secretly, she hoped Emma would not need much.

“Nothing, really,” Emma replied. “But I will share my plans with you, just in case I require help I have not yet anticipated.”

“Go on, then,” Lilah encouraged. “What should we know?”

Emma stood and went to the tea cart, pouring herself a cup and adding two lumps of sugar. She stirred slowly, then returned to sit beside Victoria, sipping her tea and closing her eyes briefly. When she opened them, the others waited, watching her intently. Selena wanted this to be done. Emma was stalling, almost as if she thrived on the dramatic effect. She nearly rolled her eyes, but refrained.

“There is much I have not told anyone,” she began. “I mentioned as much to Lilah when we discussed the invitation.”

“You did,” Lilah confirmed. “Are you ready to share now?”

“Not entirely,” Emma said. “It concerns my time at finishing school. Henry thought it would be good for me to go. I was terribly shy then, and I begged him to let me stay home. In some ways, it helped me to grow bolder.” A shadow crossed her expression. “But I was always destined to be a wallflower.”

“What happened at school?” Victoria asked gently.

“It was not one thing,” Emma replied. “Many things happened—some of which I would rather forget, though I cannot. There were two particular girls who made my life miserable. They are the ones I want revenge on, and I intend to have it.”

“Who are they?” Selena asked.

“Yes,” Cora added. “Tell us.”

Emma shook her head. “Not yet. When I need your help, I will let you know. But I want to handle as much as I can on my own. I need them to understand the weight of their cruelty.”

“And you shall,” Lilah assured her. “Are you at least going to share your plan, even if we do not know their names?”

Emma shook her head. “I can’t. It is too intricate, and I fear if I speak it aloud, it might all unravel.”

Selena laughed lightly. “All right, keep your secrets. We will be here if you need us.”

In the meantime, Selena would consider what she wanted. Would she try for some sort of revenge? Probably not. She had no need for revenge. Selena just wanted to be herself. Perhaps that was what she would do at this house party. She would act as she always wanted—society be dammed. Yes. That would be her revenge. If one could call it that. The revenge would be to tell everyone what she thought, whether or not it was socially acceptable, and she would not hold anything back. She would shock them all so much they would not know how to respond to it. She smiled to herself as she made plans of her own that would be enacted alongside Emma’s revenge.