Chapter 1

Chapter One

“ F ather, I have but one request for tonight,” Lady Hannah Bolton announced as the carriage came to a gentle stop outside Langham Estate.

“Is that right?” Phineas Bolton, the Earl of Ramsbury, huffed, looking out the window as if mentally preparing himself to exit the carriage. “I was not aware that you were giving commands. Nor that I was taking them.”

“When you see Aunt Teresa, will you at least try and behave?”

“Me!” He whipped around.

“Tonight is about Selina,” Hannah continued, ignoring his exclamation. “She is anxious enough as it is, and the sight of you arguing with her mother will only worsen the matter.”

“You speak as if I want to fight with my sister,” her father complained, his chubby face scrunching up in a grimace. “When she is the one who?—”

“Father,” Hannah cut him off with a raised eyebrow and a warning stare. “Please.”

“She is right, Phineas,” Lady Ramsbury sighed. “The two of you are like children when you are together. It is most unappealing.”

“Oh, so you are on her side!”

“I am on the side of having a pleasant evening,” she said, refusing to take the bait. “And I will ask that you not use that tone with me, dear.”

Lord Ramsbury looked as if he wanted nothing more than to argue. Face still scrunched up in a grimace. Complexion turning redder by the second. He was even shaking! Yet, his wife cocked a warning eyebrow at him, and he somehow pushed those emotions down, forcing a smile as he took her hand.

“Of course, my love.” He stroked the back of her hand. “I shall behave. But if she tests me…” he muttered, again looking out the window.

“Then I am sure you will be the bigger man,” Lady Ramsbury asserted. “If such a thing is possible.”

Hannah rolled her eyes at her father’s theatrics, then met her mother’s eyes and gave her an amused grin.

Before leaving the house, they had discussed the need to keep her father under surveillance because whenever he and his sister Teresa were in the same room together, all hell broke loose, as the two could not stop bickering as if they were hens fighting over the last seed.

“We are here for Selina,” Lord Ramsbury repeated to himself, taking a deep breath as he worked to calm himself down. “And I am sure that my sister will keep that in mind. She darn well better—and where is she!” he then barked, looking out the window again. “What are the odds she is inside right now, watching us stew? Oh, I bet she loves the idea of?—”

“Phineas!” ’Lady Ramsbury snapped. “Calm down, dear. Calm down.”

To that, Lord Ramsbury scrunched up his nose and muttered something that neither of them could hear. Likely, it was not anything worth hearing anyway.

Beyond the windows of the carriage stood Langham Estate, home to Teresa Gouldsmith, the Dowager Viscountess Langham. She had invited the Boltons for a celebratory supper tonight, one which Hannah’s two older sisters and their husbands would attend as well. Hannah was very excited, as she did not see her sisters anywhere near as much as she would have liked, now that they were married with children of their own.

As to the reason for said celebration? Next week, Teresa’s eldest daughter, and Hannah’s favorite cousin, Selina, was due to wed the Duke of Thorne. As exciting an occasion as one could hope for and a perfect occasion to get the entire family together, as they had not been in an age.

The rest of the family were staying in residence, as they all lived some distance away, having made the journey specially for this supper and the wedding next week. But seeing as Hannah and her family lived nearby, they opted to arrive this evening instead… and now they were waiting to be greeted.

“Where is she?!” Lord Ramsbury snapped. “I have half a mind to storm in there without a prior notice. Let her know that we have been waiting for what feels like hours.”

“It has hardly been a minute,” Lady Ramsbury sighed. “Likely, she is busy dealing with her guests. There are half a dozen people staying here this week—surely she is busy.”

“At the very least, Charlotte or Beatrice should have seen us arrive? Oh, my sister knows how to vex me!”

Lord Ramsbury was beginning to get angry… or angrier. A man of tradition, he had insisted that they wait in the carriage until they were greeted outside by their hosts. And so, they sat tight, watching the manor, waiting for the doors to open and the Dowager Viscountess to appear.

Which she did do… only after another five minutes of waiting.

It was Teresa who appeared in the doorway first. Short and stocky like Lord Ramsbury, she was dressed finely in a colorful frock, her gray hair colored red, her round face looking sharper than usual with the powder and rouge she had applied.

She saw the carriage sitting there, waiting, opened her arms as she approached them, and beamed.

“Phineas!” she called out. “Do come and greet us properly.”

“She is fully aware of what?—”

“Phineas…” Lady Ramsbury took his hand. “Behave.”

It went exactly as Hannah had predicted. That is to say, not very well.

Her aunt Teresa greeted Lady Ramsbury with a warm hug. She then did the same for Hannah, kissing her on the cheek and gushing about what a wonderful lady she had grown into. And then she turned her gaze to her brother, cocked an eyebrow, and clicked her tongue.

“Phineas,” she drawled, her tone mocking. “You look… healthy.”

Lord Ramsbury’s eyes bulged. “And what does that mean?!”

“Nothing, nothing…” She slapped him on the arm. “Where I come from, healthy is a compliment.”

“It did not sound like one.”

“Honestly…” A sigh and a shake of the head. “One would think that I called you fat, for how you are carrying on. But did I? No. I opted to be polite, something you might wish to learn.” She looked at him flatly. “Even if you have put on some weight since the last time I saw you.”

Lord Ramsbury’s face turned bright red. “I would watch who you call fat, Sister. The layers of that dress are not fooling anyone.”

“Nice try,” she responded coolly. “I will have you know that I have slimmed down considerably this last month.” She ran her hands down her sides, as if to show off her slimmer figure. “It is not every day that one’s daughter is married, and it behooves me to look my best.”

“Your best?” Lord Ramsbury barked. “I have seen you at your best, and believe me when I say that this is far from?—”

“Speaking of daughters,” Lady Ramsbury hurried to interject. “Where are Charlotte and Beatrice?” She looked toward the manor.

“Inside,” Teresa said, wearing a smug smile on account of how easy it was to upset her brother. “The last I saw of the two, they were looking after their children. Gosh, the rate that they are popping them out, it’s a wonder they haven’t had more since they arrived.” She tittered.

“Phineas…” Lady Ramsbury took her husband’s hand. “Shall we go and greet to our daughters? And grandchildren?”

Lord Ramsbury was still shaking, still red in the face, still struggling to control himself. But at his wife’s touch, he allowed himself to breathe, tearing his eyes away from his sister’s cool facade. “Yes… I think that is for the best.”

“Supper is in an hour,” Teresa announced. “And please remind your daughters of that. I do not accept tardiness.”

“Come now.” Lady Ramsbury pulled her husband along. “Breaths, dear. Deep breaths.”

Hannah watched them go, trying her best not to laugh at her father’s antics, knowing that this was only the beginning, and it was sure to be a long night—not to mention a long week. Speaking of which…

“Aunty Teresa,” Hannah asked, “is Selina here?”

“Of course, she is, dear. Upstairs in her room, getting ready.”

“Wonderful. I shall just…” She swept past her aunt.

“And be sure to tell her to be ready!” Teresa called after her. “I do not care if she is the one getting married. Supper begins in one hour! We wait for no one!”

Hannah chuckled to herself as she made for the manor. Between her aunt’s theatrics, her father’s tantrums, the chaos of her two sisters and their children, and Selina’s wedding preparations, Hannah relished the chance not to be the topic of conversation instigated by her parents for once.

At the age of one-and-twenty, rarely a day went by when they were not pressuring her to do as was proper and find a man to court, have him marry her as quickly as possible, and then start producing children. The youngest daughter of three, she was quickly becoming the disappointment in her family because—and as she had told them time and again—she had no interest in such things.

Oh sure, she had once, but certain… events, not to mention social perceptions, had changed all of that, and now she was finally beginning to accept her lot in life.

The third-born child. She who could do as she pleased because the other two had taken care of the family’s reputation and solidified it. Perhaps not the most enduring legacy, but one that was to be her own.

Yes, a night in which Hannah could go about unseen, enjoy the drama that she would for once not be a part of and, of course, celebrate her cousin’s marriage as was the entire purpose of this little supper, to begin with.

Surely, nothing could go wrong…

“… shall we make a bet?” Hannah giggled from the foot of her cousin’s bed. “That before the night is through, my father drops at least one glass on the floor?”

“I was thinking it would be a plate?” Selina laughed. “Do you remember Christmas?”

Hannah smirked. “He still claims that he simply lost his grip, and that was why the plate ended up by his feet.”

“Of course, by his feet was somehow halfway across the room.” Selina grinned.

“Honestly…” Hannah rose from the bed and approached her cousin, who was standing before the mirror, inspecting her attire for the night. “Why he lets your mother get to him as he does is beyond me.”

“I choose not to think about it, but instead enjoy it.” Selina giggled as she turned around. “I know everybody else does.”

The two girls laughed, taking a little too much pleasure at the image of their parents behaving like children, as they did whenever they were together.

“Enough of that,” Hannah eventually managed to say as she composed herself. “I do not wish to speak of Father. It is you I am far more interested in.”

“Me?” Selina pretended to look confused. “Whatever for?”

Hannah rolled her eyes. “Oh, I don’t know. Is there anything interesting happening in your life at the moment? Surely, there must be something?”

“Hmm?” Selina pretended to think. “I do not believe so. Why? What have you heard?”

More laughter was shared between the two girls. Both one-and-twenty, cousins also, they had grown up together and considered each other best friends. Matching personalities, comparable looks, some might have mistaken them for sisters, which Hannah did not mind one little bit.

Even the fact that Selina was getting married, and to a duke no less, was cause for celebration, rather than jealousy. And it helped that Selina was not one to brag or hold it over others, treating this little arrangement as a necessary affair, rather than the life-changing event that it was.

“Oh, come now…” Hannah took her by the shoulders and turned her back so that she facing the mirror. “No need to be coy. You are allowed to show some excitement. I will not tell.”

Selina rolled her eyes. “Is that what I should be? Excited?”

“Are you not?” Hannah frowned.

“Do I not look it? His Grace is handsome and rich and renowned among the ton—well-known as a good man who any lady should be thrilled to wed. Surely that must mean that I am simply buzzing with excitement such that I can hardly stand still.”

Hannah studied her cousin, her mannerisms, not entirely sure what she should say to that. Selina had a rather dark sense of humor, and it was often hard to tell when she was being serious. And while her words were correct in their assessment, the way she said them… it was almost as if she wasn’t looking forward to marrying the man who was set to be her husband. And in less than a week’s time!

“Selina…” Hannah began carefully. “Is everything all right?”

“Oh, I am only joking, Hannah.” Selina shook her head. “Honestly, you are far too gullible sometimes.”

Hannah snorted. “And you are far too sarcastic for your own good.”

“Of course, I am excited…” Again, the right words, but they rang as false. “Just nervous, I suppose. You know, I hardly even know the man!”

“That is normal enough.”

“And we have barely said two words to each other.”

“Perhaps he is as nervous as you are?”

“And what he did say to me left much to be desired. Why, I do not think that he smiled once the entire time that we spoke. I have been to funerals where the corpse has more of a personality.”

Again, Hannah studied her cousin, sensing now that there was some truth to her words. Growing up together, Selina had never much spoken about courtship and falling in love, not nearly as much as many of their other friends had. But she was also a dutiful young lady and knew that this was her lot in life, enough that when the day came that it was announced whom she would be marrying, Hannah had assumed that she was accepting it, even trying her best to see it for the positive thing that it was. Surely?

What this must be, Hannah decided, were pre-wedding jitters. Independent in so many ways like Hannah, Selina was likely just a little nervous about married life, now doing everything she could to talk herself out of it.

“Come here.” Hannah took her by the shoulders again and forced her to look at herself in the full-length mirror. “What do you see? Tell me.”

Selina rolled her eyes. “My reflection, clearly.”

“No, not that…” Hannah forced her to straighten up. “What do you see ? Tell me.”

“My cousin who is beginning to act like a loon.”

“I will tell you myself,” Hannah said, trying not to laugh. “I see a stunningly pretty, utterly gorgeous woman who any man would walk over hot coals to be with. Dark brown hair that glimmers even in the dark. Big, round eyes that one might get lost in. And curves…” She grinned. “From the little I know of men, most would be only too eager to get their hands on them?—”

“Hannah!”

“What?!” Hannah chuckled. “Do not pretend that you do not know what I’m speaking of.”

“And you do?”

“The point is…” Hannah smiled, making sure that her cousin could see the earnestness in it. “I am thinking that when His Grace saw you, he was simply smitten, is all. This led him to be a little more reserved than usual. But once the two of you are married, he will have the rest of his life to prove to you that he is a husband worth having.”

Selina scoffed. “I never knew you to be so romantic.”

“An optimist,” Hannah corrected. “One who wishes to see her cousin happy. Is that such a crime?”

She could feel Selina relaxing. “I suppose not.”

“Good.” A nod of the head. “Speaking of which, where is the husband-to-be? I was surprised he did not meet us when we arrived.”

“Oh…” Selina scrunched up her nose. “He is where he has been all day—in my father’s old study, writing to Amelia. Honestly, the man is obsessed!”

Hannah frowned at the comment, having no idea who Amelia was or who she could be. And the way that Selina spoke of her… she got the sense that it was a name that caused some tension. Only why it did…

“Amelia?” Hannah repeated carefully. “Who is?—”

A knock at the door interrupted her.

“Yes!” Selina cried.

The door creaked open, and one of the manor’s many butlers poked his head inside. “Miss Gouldsmith, your mother has sent me to inform you that supper is ready. She insists that you join them immediately.”

“Yes, yes. Tell her we are coming.” Selina waved him away and then spun to face Hannah. “So, how do I look?”

“I just told you,” Hannah said. “Stunning. His Grace will not know what hit him. Now, shall we go?” She held her hand out for Selina to take.

“Not so fast…” Selina gave a wicked grin. She took her by the shoulders, shuffled her around, and then positioned her in front of the mirror. “His Grace has many friends, you know.”

“And?”

“And seeing as you will be meeting him for the first time tonight, I insist that you make an impression. Now…” Her eyes widened. “Tell me what you see.”

Hannah snorted. “Do not be silly.”

“Tell me!”

“I see… I see…” Hannah looked herself over. “Someone who will risk your mother’s wrath if she is not?—”

“No, no. That will not work!” Selina cocked an eyebrow in warning.

Hannah shook her head to herself, even if she was somewhat pleased with the reflection that looked back at her. Like her cousin, she had dark brown hair, almost black in the right lighting, which fell to her waist. Big brown eyes also, like a doe’s, which some called innocent while others called mischievous.

The two cousins had a similar body type, short but curvy like the flow of an hourglass. Hannah’s low-cut dress was cinched at the waist—almost scandalous for how much skin she was showing.

Did she want the Duke of Thorne speaking about her to his friends? She told herself that she did not, but deep down, would it be such a bad thing if?—

“Oh!” Seline cried suddenly as she swept her hand over Hannah’s shoulder, accidentally catching the hem, and then tearing it right up the middle. “Oh no!”

“What happened?” Hannah gasped as she swung about, only to tear the shoulder further, for Selina was still holding on.

“My ring caught on the stitching!” Selina said in a panic. “I am sorry! I—oh no!”

It was a disaster! The entire right shoulder of Hannah’s dress had been torn in half, exposing her shoulder and upper arm. The neckline slipped down, unable to stay in place. She held her hand under her bosom to keep her breasts covered, looking about wildly as if searching for an answer.

“My dress! I cannot—supper!” she stammered. “I cannot present myself at supper dressed as this! My father would kill me!”

“He is the least of your problems…” Selina bit her lip.

The two girls looked at one another in stunned silence, neither able to comprehend what they could possibly do about this. And then?—

“Oh!” Selina’s eyes widened. “I know!”

“What?”

“I have a spare dress that will fit you.”

“Thank God.” Hannah looked toward the wardrobe. “Where is?—”

“It is in the spare room next door,” Selina cut her off. “My wardrobe was full, so I thought to leave it there. But it will do perfectly.”

“Next door?” Hannah grimaced, glancing toward the closed door, not at all pleased with the idea of leaving the room in her current state.

“It will be fine,” Selina assured her. “If you slip in there now, you should find the dress hanging in the wardrobe. Simply put it on and meet us downstairs. I will make up an excuse.”

“What excuse?”

Selina’s eyes flashed. “Something scandalous—I am joking! But we do not have time!” She took Hannah by the shoulders and led her toward the door. “You know how my mother is.”

Hannah’s mind raced as she tried to piece together what was happening and what she could possibly do. Not that she had any other real option before her.

“All right,” she said finally. “Tell them I had to visit the washroom or something. I will be downstairs in less than five minutes.”

“Hurry!”

The two girls slipped out of the room, Selina going right—toward the staircase that led downstairs—and Hannah going left. She hurriedly opened the door to the spare room and stepped inside, making sure to close the door behind her.

The moment the door was closed, Hannah raced across the room, making for the wardrobe. As she went, she let go of the top of her dress, her breasts spilling out in a way that would have been highly embarrassing had it happened at dinner. She saw the spare dress immediately and decided to shimmy out of her dress before putting it on.

She stepped out of her ruined dress and reached for the spare?—

“Well, this is a rather shocking surprise, I must say,” a deep voice spoke suddenly from the corner of the room.