Chapter One

"How is your mother faring?" Mariah asked softly.

CeCe, setting her teacup on the saucer, glanced upstairs toward the wing housing the family bedchambers. These days, it seems everyone is whispering as if a louder voice would worsen the situation. Having someone in the family so ill was already dire.

"I really don't know what to make of it," CeCe replied, setting her cup down and clasping her gloved hands together.

They were settled into the parlor, which had always been CeCe's favorite spot at her childhood home, Mangrove Manor.

"She seemed fine at the beginning of the week. Truthfully, I feel dreadful. It was my idea that she host a house party," CeCe looked to the older woman, who had always been a second mother to her. CeCe could hardly recall a time when the Rotherford family wasn't a part of her life.

"Mariah," CeCe's eyes met the older woman's in a terrified whisper, "what if she doesn't pull through?"

"No, CeCe, you mustn't think that way!" Mariah moved to sit beside her and pulled her into a motherly embrace. "Your mother will be fine. Likely, she's just a bit under the weather. You will see. Perhaps it would be best if I checked on her myself."

"Oh, would you, please?" CeCe asked tearfully. "I'm just so worried about her. I can't even sleep at night."

"Of course you are, sweet girl," Mariah soothed, stroking her hair gently. "You just lie down, and I will check in on her."

"Thank you, Mariah. I'm not sure what I'd do without you."

**

Mariah knocked softly on the Baroness's bedchamber door. Cranes, the Baroness's lady's maid, opened the door and led Mariah to a chair near the head of the bed. The curtains were drawn, and it was stiflingly warm in the room.

A weak cough came from the bed. Her dear friend Eloise looked terribly pale against the stark white bedcovering. Perhaps Mariah had been unwise to assure CeCe all was well. After all, Eloise appeared to be rather frail, lying there still. For the first time, Mariah truly worried that something was dreadfully wrong with her friend.

"CeCe?" Her voice was weak as her eyelids fluttered.

Mariah scooted her chair forward and grasped the Baroness by the hand.

"Eloise, it's me, Mariah. I've sent CeCe to rest. I am here to tend to your needs. Can I do something for you?"

Suddenly, the bedcovers went flying off, and the baroness sat up.

"Oh, thank heavens, it's just you," Eloise replied normally. "I was dying of heat stroke under all of those blankets!"

Mariah look was incredulous. "Eloise, are you having me on? Whatever are you up to?"

Eloise caught her friend's hand in her own. "I've devised a perfectly brilliant plan. But before I share it with you. You must swear to keep it a secret!"

"I swear," Mariah replied without hesitation, "but your daughter is beside herself with worry, so this had better be good."

"Yes, I feel somewhat guilty about that," Eloise hurriedly replied, "but I was desperate. You know that CeCe has been adamant about not marrying... ever."

"So, she has said," Mariah agreed, "but surely she will settle down one day."

Eloise groaned. "I don't think she will!"

"Give her a chance, Eloise. She is young yet."

"She has turned down nine offers!" Eloise cried. "Nine perfectly eligible offers!"

Mariah winced. It was hard to refute the facts.

Eloise knew that she had a good case. "And that is not all. She said that she would not even consider any offer until a suitor came along that she could like even half as much as she adores your sons. Mariah! She won't even consider them."

"Now, Eloise," Mariah replied. "That's just idyl gossip."

"I had it straight from the horse's mouth! My daughter thinks she can outmaneuver me. But I wasn't born yesterday. I know what she needs to be happy in this world. Her desire to hide in the country away from the Beau Monde won't hinder my matchmaking schemes."

"Oh, Eloise," Mariah protested. "I beg of you. No matchmaking."

Eloise raised a delicate shoulder. "If my daughter wishes to rusticate in the country, I shall simply have to find her a country gentleman to wed. "

"I see. Yet, I am still not quite understanding, Eloise," Mariah replied, shaking her head. "I don't comprehend why you needed to feign an illness."

"It's quite simple, my dear!" Eloise grinned. "I shall keep her close to home while she looks after her dear mother and all the while be rooting for one of your boys to snatch her up!"

Mariah looked horrified. "Dear merciful heavens, Eloise. Have you lost your mind? My sons are not going to care for being manipulated. And I highly doubt CeCe will care for it either. Perhaps you should make a clean breast of it?"

Eloise snorted. "Never. A mother knows what's best for her child."

Mariah laughed out loud. "This is unlike any sort of motherhood tactic I'm aware of."

"You must keep quiet! I'm nearly on my deathbed—remember?" Eloise added, waggling her eyebrows. "I'm a pretty good actress, am I not? I could have been on Dury Lane."

Mariah shuddered. "You should thank your lucky stars you've never had to live such a life as that. Oh, Eloise, sometimes it's difficult to tell you and CeCe apart. I can see where she gets her clever mind. Let's just say I don't expose your ruse. Which son are you vying for?"

"It doesn't matter to me," Eloise replied honestly. "I love them all like I do my own. CeCe can take her pick. Although, it's plain to see she adores Charles. She has done so since they were in leading strings. After a few weeks stuck in the country with your handsome son, we shall be reading the banns in no time. It's just I may need a little help from you."

"Oh, no! Pray, do not involve me in your scheme!" Mariah chuckled softly. "Truly, I would love for CeCe to be my daughter-in-law, but I know better than to try to trick her. I can't imagine how angry she will be!"

"If it all works out, she will be so in love that she will be thanking me for my little ruse," Eloise said cheekily.

"Again, it's times like these that I know exactly where CeCe gets her mischievous personality!"

Eloise stuck her tongue out at her friend teasingly. "You won't tell, will you?"

"No, you minx! I will not. However, when all of this blows up in your face, I deserve the right to say, ‘I told you so!'"

"It's a deal!" Eloise confirmed.

"Does anyone else know that you aren't ill?" Mariah asked.

"Crane does, of course, but no one else," Eloise winked at her friend. "You're a dear friend."

"And you're going to get the both of us in trouble." Mariah stood to go. "I wish you luck, my friend. Just tread lightly, or this will all blow up in your face."

Eloise looked a bit repentant. "I don't want to scare her. I just wanted to have her spend some time here in the country. If that happens to be where your eligible, handsome sons prefer to be, that's hardly my fault. I am merely letting nature take its course."

Mariah harrumphed. "There is nothing natural about all this nonsense. But I will keep your secret. Just promise me you will make a quick recovery."

Eloise grinned unrepentantly. "I cannot say… after all, I could be here for weeks."

"Oh, you are a menace! Very well, I will make it known to the boys. CeCe will need some cheering up and companionship during your convalescence. But that's as far as I will indulge in this matchmaking fantasy of yours. If something comes of it—wonderful. But if it doesn't, I would be devastated to break their trust. Don't go getting your hopes up too high, Eloise. I don't want either of us to be too disappointed."

"That's all I can ask," Eloise promised as she watched her friend prepare to go. "I do love you, Mariah. You've been such a good friend to me and the children."

"I love you, too," Mariah replied with exasperation. "You might have the delicacy of a bear, but I know your heart is in the right place. At the very least, I'll rest easy knowing you are stuck in this stuffy bedchamber while we are out enjoying an unseasonably warm spring."

Mariah promptly closed the door before the pillow aimed at her head could make the connection.