Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

T he auction went by quickly, as it always did. Edwina eventually allowed herself to relax. It was always a pleasure to look at the artwork, and even though she was aware of people’s eyes on her and certain that some were whispering about her, she found herself able to ignore that and just enjoy what was going on.

After the last piece had been auctioned off, the guests began to rise to their feet, but Lavinia appeared at the front of the room and held up her hands, signaling that they should wait. Slowly, everyone settled back into their seats, murmuring in obvious confusion.

“Before we end things, there’s one more item to be auctioned off today,” Lavinia announced.

Edwina frowned. Was there another piece of artwork? She tried to think back to what she had seen in the dining room. Nothing came to mind, but perhaps she had forgotten one.

“Do you know what this is about?” Matthew asked her.

“Not another painting?”

“No, that was the last painting.” He held up a piece of paper, and Edwina saw it was a list of all the artwork. Lavinia must have given it to him, and it made her feel frustrated that she hadn’t been given one—but then, she hadn’t planned on bidding today. Maybe that was why.

“I don’t know what it is,” Edwina said.

“I know she took you aside before the auction began. I thought she might have told you.”

“She didn’t. I don’t know any more than you do.”

Lavinia cleared her throat. “I always appreciate everyone’s enthusiasm for this auction,” she said. “And it’s an honor to be able to raise money for worthy causes each and every year. This year, I’m proud to say that we raised more money than we ever have before for our cause. But before we shut things down and retire to the dance floor, I have one more item to offer up.” She paused dramatically. “Five dates with the unattainable spinster herself—my sister, Lady Edwina!”

Edwina froze.

No.

She couldn’t have meant that. This couldn’t be happening, could it? Lavinia, selling her to the highest bidder?

What a ridiculous predicament! She would never have believed it. Lavinia had become a prankster indeed, but this was bolder than anything Edwina imagined her capable of, and she couldn’t quite believe it was truly happening.

She was about to object, but the bidding had begun. Lavinia wasn’t even looking in her direction anymore. She was fielding bids from her guests.

Edwina looked at Matthew. “Did you know about this?” she demanded.

“No, I didn’t.” Matthew looked angry enough that Edwina couldn’t disbelieve him. “I would never have done something like this. I want to see you married, but not like this. This is a carnival sideshow, not a courtship. I would never have chosen to see my sister involved in something like this.”

Edwina thought that was a bit extreme. It was an outlandish thing to do and would be a waste of everyone’s time, but there was no real harm in it. Still, she was glad her brother was on her side insofar as seeming to agree that this wasn’t a good idea—but that didn’t change the fact that Lavinia was still accepting bids. “Can’t we go and stop her?”

“I don’t see how. Not without turning this into even more of a scene than it already is. Let’s see who wins the auction. If it’s someone unobjectionable, you can go on the dates with him, and that will be that. And if it’s someone I object to, I’ll pay him his money back and send him away.”

“You would have me actually go on these dates with someone?” Now, it began to seem like less of a joke.

“Be calm, Edwina. Let’s see what happens.”

Edwina couldn’t bring herself to be calm. She was anxious at the idea that something like this could happen and that she could do nothing to stop it. That not even Matthew could stop it! How could that be true? She knew he saw how foolhardy all this was, and yet he was choosing to allow it to go on!

And the bids continued to come.

Edwina had to hand it to her sister—at least her charity would profit from this. If she hadn’t been so nonplussed about it all, she might have laughed or at least smiled in approval of Lavinia’s antics.

“Sold!” Lavinia crowed suddenly, causing Edwina to sit bolt upright. She had been so lost in thought that she hadn’t even noticed who had placed the final bid.

She found herself hoping that it would be someone dreadful—someone so awful that Matthew wouldn’t be able to tolerate him and would get her out of this.

“Sold,” Lavinia repeated, “to His Grace the Duke of Harbeck!”

Edwina’s heart sank. Allan Millington, the Duke of Harbeck, was a dear friend of Lavinia’s husband Seth, and since the wedding, he had also become closer with Matthew. He was well liked and trusted by their entire family.

In other words, no one would think he was too dreadful to be allowed to associate with Edwina. No one, that was, except Edwina herself. She was the only member of her family who had seen through his charming act.

He would be allowed to have his five dates.

It could have been worse, she tried to remind herself. After all, he wasn’t someone unknown to her. He was someone she had spent time with in the past. And he wasn’t unpleasant to look at. In fact, with his thick wavy hair and bright blue eyes, his height, and his strong jaw, she found him rather handsome.

But looks weren’t everything. He was a known rake, forever charming ladies only to move on to the next pretty thing that caught his eye. That was fine with Edwina—she didn’t want anyone to commit to her any more than he seemed to want to commit to someone. But it wasn’t something she had a lot of respect for. She knew he had left a lot of broken hearts in his wake, and gentlemen who behaved like that were a large part of the reason she had chosen spinsterhood in the first place.

Now, she would be forced into his company.

Five times.

He was on his feet, making his way to the front of the room with a delighted smile. Lavinia congratulated him on his victory, and then she called for Edwina to come to the front of the room as well.

Edwina seriously considered getting up and walking out.

She could do it. No one was going to restrain her.

But she didn’t. Doing so would disgrace her sister, and in spite of the frustration she felt at Lavinia’s antics, she simply couldn’t bring herself to do that. She loved Lavinia, and it wouldn’t be right. She owed it to her sister to see this through now, even though she felt she should have been consulted before the auction. She should have been asked what she thought about it all.

They knew I would say no to it. That’s why nobody asked me.

She walked to the front of the room, refusing to make eye contact with her sister or anyone else. She would handle this moment with dignity.

Matthew looked bothered, but he didn’t move from his seat.

“Lady Edwina,” the Duke said with a smile. “Well worth the exorbitant price. Lovely as always.”

“I’m glad you felt so free to put a monetary amount on how much I’m worth ,” Edwina grumbled through gritted teeth.

The Duke laughed. “You’re always so entertaining,” he said. “I’m going to enjoy these five dates. The unattainable spinster! We’ll see if we can change that by the time we’re finished.”

“I wouldn’t count on it.”

“And I wouldn’t count me out. I can be very charming when I want to be, you know.”

“Can you? I suppose that means you’ve never wanted to be around me.”

She’d intended to provoke him, but he just laughed again. He reached out and took her hand, bent over it, and kissed it before she could react.

Edwina yanked her hand away. How dare he be so forward?

“Edwina,” Lavinia scolded. “Be nice.”

But Edwina had no intention of being nice. “Keep your hands to yourself,” she told the Duke. “I didn’t give permission for you to do that.”

“Everyone knows how fiery the unattainable spinster is,” the Duke observed. “I look forward to this. I’ll be in touch soon to arrange our first outing together.”

He gave her a smoldering look.

Edwina felt her knees grow slightly weak. She caught her breath. He was handsome, and he had never looked at her like that before. She had known he was capable of it—she had heard of him doing it to other ladies—but she had assumed that she would be above it.

She felt her cheeks grow hot, and she was forced to look away or risk having him see how flustered she suddenly was.

He gave her one last cheeky grin, turned, and walked away, leaving her speechless with outrage.

Matthew joined Edwina and Lavinia. “Come with me,” he told them, his voice tight, and led them out of the room. The ladies followed him.

He led them into the dining room, which still held all the paintings from the auction, now bearing tags with the names of the people who had purchased them. Once the door was closed behind them, he turned to face his sisters.

“What were you thinking?” he demanded.

Lavinia was unabashed. “You know as well as I do that she needs to marry,” she said. “You know that she never will if you and I don’t do something about it. How many times have we discussed it? And how many times have you arranged suitors for her, whether she liked it or not? I fail to see why I shouldn’t do the same thing.”

“This isn’t arranging a suitor! You’ve made a joke of our sister.”

“I haven’t done anything of the kind,” Lavinia argued. “You know as well as I do the esteem the ton holds for her. Just look at all the bids she received today. People didn’t find this foolish at all. They were excited by the opportunity.”

Matthew sighed. “I don’t like it,” he said. “You should have discussed it with me first.”

“Discussed it with you first?” Edwina exclaimed. “What about me? You don’t think she should have discussed it with me before she auctioned me away like that?”

“Stay calm please, Edwina.”

“Why should I?” Edwina asked. “You aren’t staying calm, Matthew. I don’t see why you should be allowed to react to this, and I shouldn’t. We’re in agreement that it was not a good idea. I thought you were on my side.”

“It’s only Allan,” Matthew replied. “That’s not so bad, surely.”

It bothered Edwina that her brother was on a first-name basis with the Duke. She knew she was overreacting, but it felt like he was taking the Duke’s side. “The Duke of Harbeck may be a friend of yours,” she said, “but that doesn’t mean he’s suitable for courtship.”

“You don’t think anyone is suitable for courtship,” Lavinia pointed out. “Why should the Duke be any different?”

“No, Edwina is right about that,” Matthew said. “There is no future for her and Allan. He’s a charmer and a flirt, but I’ve never known him to be serious about a lady.”

“And yet you don’t see anyone calling him unattainable and auctioning off dates with him against his will,” Edwina grumbled.

“Hush,” her brother said. “The best thing to do now is to get through this, Edwina. It’s already been arranged. We don’t want to bring further disgrace upon ourselves by cancelling the arrangement.”

“Can’t you give him his money back, like you suggested you would, and send him on his way?”

“I don’t think he would accept that,” Matthew said. “Besides, at the amount he paid…”

“You wouldn’t pay that amount to buy my freedom?” Edwina hadn’t even heard the bid amount, but surely, no price was too high.

“Please don’t be dramatic,” Matthew urged. “I agree with you that this wasn’t a good idea, but you haven’t been sold into slavery, and Allan won’t do you any harm. In fact, you might have fun. Go on the dates with him.”

“Perhaps it will even turn into a romance,” Lavinia suggested. “I know neither of you believe that, but you can’t rule it out.”

“Oh, yes I can,” Edwina protested. “It never mattered who won your auction on that account, Lavinia. This was never going to turn into a romance because I don’t wish to marry, and you’ve always known that. That’s the end of it.”

But she was sure that, in spite of her words, that wouldn’t be the end of anything. It was only the beginning.