“I wish I could visit the sea,” Aurora gushed. “You were so lucky to grow up in a port town, Eugenia. Nothing ever happened in my village. We must go back one day soon so you can show us where you grew up.”

  “Must we?” Eugenia grimaced. “I could do without the long days of travel being thrown about in a carriage to reach the coast. Besides, we cannot possibly leave the marchioness’ side until she’s completely well, you know that.”

  “It’s something to look forward to still,” Aurora countered. “Maybe she’d like to visit the sea, too. I wonder if Wharton has a seaside property somewhere on the coast. I must remember to ask him or Sylvia later.”

  “We might all go to the sea together one day, but likely it will be some other year,” Eugenia said firmly, waving aside the topic with one elegant sweep of her hand.

  Aurora seemed not to be finished planning for the future, though it was clear that Eugenia was tired of the topic. “We could visit Hastings and your old friend there, as well.”

  Eugenia shrugged. “She doesn’t live in Hastings anymore, but I could put flowers on my brother’s grave if we went back.”

  Aurora sighed heavily. “I wish we’d lived closer growing up. Just imagine the mischief we’d have gotten into together.”

  Teddy glanced at Eugenia, full of curiosity. “I thought you lived with Sylvia in Marlow before you came to London?”

  “No. Sylvia was born in Marlow. Aurora, in a village not even on the map.”

  He guessed he’d never really known much about the Hillcrest women after all. He’d thought they’d been close their entire lives, but it must only be a recent development. “And how is the adventure going, might I ask?”

  Eugenia darted a glance down the long gallery to where her cousin stood. “Quite a bit differently than we first dreamed it might.”

  Teddy chuckled. He was sure Sylvia hadn’t planned to one day become a marchioness in the beginning, either. “That sounds like my life. I can never tell what will happen next.”

  “Poor Mr. Berringer. Life is not supposed to be predictable.” Eugenia glanced sideways at him. “But I suppose for you, it’s a different story altogether. Everyone must quiz you to find out if the Duchess of Exeter is showing any sign of increasing, so I will not bore you by doing the same.”

  “They do, and she’s not.”

  Eugenia smiled. “She and Exeter are happy, and that is all that matters, yes?”

  “I couldn’t agree more,” he said, relaxing a bit more. Some acquaintances would hint that he must be champing at the bit to inherit Sinclair’s title and lands. The duke’s late marriage to Kitty had surprised everyone, himself included. But he was happy about it. Few understood the depths of his affection for his older cousin, and his pleasure at seeing Sinclair reunited with the woman he’d loved long ago and thought lost to him.

  “A marriage with love like that is the ideal every couple should aspire to,” Aurora declared passionately, leaning a little more in his direction. “Isn’t that true, Mr. Berringer?”

  He kept his eyes on her face and refused to let them fall to her chest where, he suspected, her bosom was on inappropriate display now. “Indeed.”

  Beside him, Eugenia smothered a laugh.

  Scarsdale, who’d been silent during their exchange, shuffled his chair closer to Aurora’s now. “Are you to attend the Sanderson route tomorrow night? I’m a much sought-after dance partner,” Scarsdale boasted. “You’d do well to give me your dance card to sign now, before I’m snapped up by your competition.”

  “Sir, you are sadly misinformed,” Aurora murmured, sitting up again but casting a cheeky smile toward Teddy. “I have no competition!”

  Teddy laughed heartily at her claim. Aurora’s humor was one of her best features. They could possibly be friends one day, he suspected. If she ever stopped flirting with him, that was. “Quite true.”

  Scarsdale, though, continued to try to charm his way onto Aurora’s dance card for the route and any balls beyond. The younger Hillcrest cousin was frequently seen on the dance floor while the older, more serious Eugenia often was not. It was rude of Scarsdale to single out the young cousin for attention and ignore the elder, who, in Teddy’s opinion, was just as worthy of a good time.

  “I should be happy to dance with both of you,” Teddy promised.

  Aurora smiled her thanks, but Scarsdale continued his barrage, claiming to be the superior dance partner and warned that Teddy had two left feet.

  Teddy shook his head. “Scarsdale, you speak nonsense.” And if this was how Scarsdale planned to capture Miss Aurora Hillcrest’s interest, he was going about it all wrong, too.

  Lord Sullivan strolled over then and joined in with Scarsdale and Aurora Hillcrest, commenting on the prowess of their friends on the dance floor.

  “Might I give you a compliment, sir?” Eugenia whispered out the side of her mouth. At his nod, she whispered, “You dance very well, sir.”

  Teddy smiled. They had not danced with each other, but he’d seen her dance once, and clearly, she’d been watching him dance to have formed any opinion. “Thank you,” he whispered back, turning toward her slightly. He placed his arm on the back of their chaise and rested his chin on his fist. “You do not dance very often. Why is that?”

  A brief wince flashed over her face, and her gaze flickered toward her cousin for a moment.

  Eugenia Hillcrest was an attractive woman, easygoing in nature and good company tonight. She should have been chosen to dance with any night, at any ball. She’d never stomped on any toes of her partners that he knew of.

  “Tell me,” he pressed.

  She considered him for a moment and then shrugged. “Because men are fools who think women want nothing more than to be married.”

  “I don’t follow. Weren’t we talking of dancing, not marriage?”

  “Dancing is considered by society to be the first step toward matrimony—the beginning of any courtship. So, I do not often dance because… Well, for many obvious reasons that I shouldn’t need to spell out for you.” Eugenia heaved a heavy sigh. “I have the same expectations as many gentlemen do.”

  That was definitely a complaint against his sex. He wasn’t offended but found his interest and curiosity were unexpectedly increasing to hear more of her thoughts. “What might those desires amount to, if it is not an expectation of marriage?”

  She studied him for a long moment. “The occasional flirtation or stolen kiss is always pleasant.”

  Teddy nearly choked. This from a spinster. He was on dangerous ground now. “You don’t say?”

  She nodded slowly, a tiny smile tilting her lips up at the corners.

  Eugenia Hillcrest was enjoying his shock. Cheeky minx. And clearly, she was not as reserved as he’d first thought. “Pray continue,” he murmured, although he checked that the others were well engaging in debate first.

  “It seems to me that if a lady openly shows enjoyment of either of those things—kissing and flirting—and not a marriage, she’s considered odd and, of course, fast. Gentlemen reinforce society’s rules and only seek out young, well-dowered women from good families for dancing and consideration to be wives, but widows and wives for dalliances.”

  Teddy straightened. “I’ll take no part in adultery.”

  Eugenia nodded approvingly. “A commendable moral stand in a society that thrives on sin and vice.”

  Teddy nodded. He’d not imagined Eugenia would be so aware of the failings of so many in society. But perhaps in her former business, she’d been exposed to the frequent disappointments and regrets of her clients. And clearly, she was not just talking of her own experience, but the situations of other ladies not married, too. “So, you feel older spinsters unable to marry, through no fault of their own, are excluded from enjoying the season fully because men can either marry you or cause your ruin.”

  “Ridiculous, isn’t it?” She shrugged. “Our friends often lament the lack of excitement in their lives as they remain in the company of largely unnecessary chaperones.”

  “It should not be that way.”

  “Sadly, it is so for a great many wildflowers, incorrectly labeled a wallflower because they sit on the sidelines due to a lack of dowry. Relegated to watch all the fun simply for the lack of youth or exalted connections, too. The nights passed in boredom for lack of excitement is criminal. My young cousin is better at putting herself forward than most, and dances often, but after a while, for the rest of us, it becomes harder to hope for a little harmless excitement of any other kind. There are only so many times you can be amused by some scoundrel spiking the punch with rum.”

  Teddy laughed as he regarded Eugenia Hillcrest. He’d overlooked a great many unwed ladies for all the reasons she’d just complained of. Yet those ladies—wallflowers, he’d labeled them—might have been as bored as he’d been, but he’d never sensed it. And he really should have paid more attention to Eugenia Hillcrest—a wildflower keen to kick up her heels.

  “I see now why you were so highly regarded by the gentlemen who speak of their visit to the academy. You make us open our eyes and see the world from the other side.”

  “It is the same view.”

  “So it is.” He glanced across at Aurora Hillcrest, whose attention Scarsdale and Sullivan were still monopolizing, to be sure his next words might not be noticed. “I should also very much like to continue our conversations concerning the needs of a particular wildflower one evening soon. Might I claim your first dance tomorrow night?”

  Eugenia Hillcrest regarded him a long moment. So long that he feared he’d mistaken the nature of her interest in him. He was quite willing to flirt and kiss spinsters, provided they understood he would not seek to ruin or marry them.

  Eventually, she inclined her head. “It would be an honor to dance with you tomorrow night.”

  “We could talk more then, too, about your desire for other amusements,” he offered. He normally avoided spinsters, but he’d make an exception for Eugenia tomorrow night.

  “I would like to talk more about fulfilling your desires as well,” she murmured. “In private.”

  He did his best to keep a straight face, but he wanted to laugh out loud. The best flirtations were the ones kept private, after all, and almost always totally unplanned.

  Chapter 3

  Eugenia woke and stretched and became instantly aware that she was not alone. “There are twelve unused bedchambers in this mansion. Why are you both in mine?”

  “Well, you don’t come to mine anymore,” Sylvia complained.

  “That is because the chances of finding a marquess in your bed are so very great.” Eugenia raised her head, grinning. Her cousins were gathered around her, still in their nightclothes, and both seemed wide awake. “What time is it?”

  “A little after one in the afternoon.”

  “Only just past the middle of the day!” She collapsed back upon her pillow. “Could we not have slept till it was almost time for dinner? The bags under my eyes will have bags under them again.”

  “We’re tired, too,” Sylvia promised.

  Eugenia sat up immediately and slid her sleeping cap from her hair, allowing it to tumble down over her shoulders and back as she studied her cousins’ faces. Since coming to live under Wharton’s roof to be of help with the marchioness, they all kept very odd hours. Sleep time was precious and usually guarded well. “What has happened to the marchioness overnight?”

  “Nothing has changed for her, but Aurora couldn’t sleep.”

  Relief swept over Eugenia. It was known that the marchioness’ health fluctuated depending on the day, and sometimes the hour, too. But the news that Aurora couldn’t sleep was disconcerting. “You sleep like the dead unless you have a man on her mind.”

  “I do, but it’s not the usual,” Aurora said and then sighed. “I wish it were as uncomplicated as lusting after the unobtainable.”

  Eugenia narrowed her eyes. “Scarsdale? Or is it Sullivan again?”

  “Scarsdale,” Aurora whispered. “I don’t like that he’s singled me out for attention, even here.”

  “Perhaps he loves you,” Sylvia said with a hopeful expression.

  “Love is not what is on his mind,” Aurora warned. “All of last, he kept hinting at things a proper lady ought not to understand. Even Lord Sullivan caught his meaning, and you both know how dense he can be.”

  Eugenia had missed that last night. Her attention had been too fixed on Mr. Berringer and his distracting nearness. “Did Scarsdale make overtures toward having you?”

  “No, but it’s in his eyes. I fear he’s become infatuated. That’s why we woke you. I hoped I had imagined it.”

  “I’m sorry to say I was distracted by Mr. Berringer’s conversation last night and heard nothing that gave me alarm.”

  “Yes, you did seem more entertained than I was,” Aurora noted. “I had to rely on Lord Sullivan’s tedious conversation about his family to offer a reprieve from Scarsdale.”

  “I could ask Wharton to warn him off,” Sylvia offered.

  “I’d rather not go that far yet. The man is his friend.”

  “And frequently visiting my betrothed here,” Sylvia reminded her. “If you’ve not encouraged Scarsdale, and you don’t use Wharton to keep him at bay, what else can you do to drive him away from your side? You can’t resort to unladylike behavior here. Lord Sullivan won’t always be around to curb any scandalous conversation.”

  “I don’t know what I can do, but it must be something, and soon,” Aurora shivered. “Last night, I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was waiting to pounce on me. Thank heavens Mr. Berringer offered to see Scarsdale home when the evening came to an end. The look in his eyes as he kissed the back of my hand in farewell haunted my dreams and made sleep impossible.”

  Eugenia climbed from her warm bed, pulled on her robe, and then went to her cousin. Aurora sat at the very end, hugging her knees now. Clearly more than a little unnerved. She was the beauty of the family and was no stranger to lustful men devouring her with their eyes. But she really must be frightened if she dreamed of a man she didn’t want. Eugenia embraced her. “We’ll stay together. I won’t let him corner you again. Where you go, I go now, too.”

  Aurora hugged her back, then smiled up at her. “Thank you.”

  “You’ll have me as well,” Sylvia reminded them.

  “But you’re busy with the marchioness so much and…”

  “Scarsdale visits at any hour,” Eugenia murmured, rubbing her cousin’s back when she shivered. “He could easily corner her in the morning room alone.”

  “A pity you cannot always carry a parasol in the house in case you need to beat him with it,” Sylvia suggested with a frustrated laugh. “Oh—if we had our own servants, she might never be surprised by scoundrels.”

  Eugenia nodded slowly. “What is on our agenda for today?”

  “A meal with Lizzy, and fittings.”

  “Fittings?” Both Eugenia and Aurora said, startled.

  “The marchioness insists you both need a new wardrobe. A modiste will come here, and she plans to help with the selection,” Sylvia said with a wince of apology.

  The marchioness, Lizzy, had a great many opinions, most of which had only been imposed upon Sylvia until now. But lately, she’d been commenting on the quality and style of Eugenia’s gowns, and Aurora’s, too.

  “Apparently, we are not acceptably dressed, cousin,” Eugenia said to Aurora, pulling a face in the hope of making her laugh.

  “At least fittings and discussion of fashion will keep all men at arm’s length for today,” Aurora murmured, leaning back against Eugenia.

  It was the days after, at the frequent late-night parties to come, where Scarsdale might seek out their cousin again. If only they did have their own servants in the house. A footman wasn’t much of a deterrent for a libertine with sufficient coin to bribe them away on an errand, but they did have their uses. They could fetch one of them, or the marquess even, to put a stop to any importuning going on.

  They really did need their own loyal servants again. Eugenia regretted allowing their few former employees to be pensioned off by Wharton upon their move into his home.

  She gave Aurora one last squeeze, thinking hard about their options. So many of the decisions they’d made and taken for granted were no longer in their control. She could protest, but she’d lost more battles than she cared to recall since moving here. Was it only a month ago that they’d all moved in? It was starting to feel much longer.

  “She means well,” Sylvia promised, appealing to Eugenia not to make a fuss over the new gowns the marchioness wanted her to have. “She wants you both to be seen as the equal of everyone you meet.”

  Aurora fiddled with her nightgown. “It is kind of her to worry about us, given her poor health.”

  “We’re merely a distraction from the pain,” Eugenia noted, turning to her wash basin and making a sour expression. “Please thank her, but do tell her I couldn’t possibly need another gown.”

  Sylvia sighed. “Why must you always be difficult and try to thwart her plans?”

  “Because a lively debate means more to her than gracious acceptance. She thinks of her own mortality less when she faces my opposition.”

  “You’re evil,” Aurora whispered.

  “It does no good to coddle the sick,” Eugenia said. “I cannot sit about patting her hand or wringing mine, hoping for a swift recovery for her. She wants only Sylvia for a confidant, anyway.”

  Spending funds on them was shamefully wasteful, but the marchioness would have her way in the end, no doubt. Appearing to refuse at first made Eugenia feel better, though, and gave the marchioness something of a challenge.

  After throwing water on her face and patting her skin dry, she moved to the mirror. Her dark hair was in disarray now, but her skin was flawless. And although her eyes felt sandy and dry, she looked well enough to be seen.

  When she turned back to her cousins, she found that Aurora had crawled up the bed to lie her head upon her pillows. It had not been uncommon for them to share their beds before coming to live here, but not since. Aurora yawned widely and shut her eyes. Eugenia pulled a sheet over Aurora’s shoulders and heard a mumbled thanks before her cousin became still.