Between my mother and my sister, it will be a miracle if I do not make the journey with my entire wardrobe!
“Only if you do not fall in love with another first.” Emily laughed, while Lady Cotswalts scowled.
“I am not going to fall in love with the Duke! I barely want tolikehim. I just want to get through the next three weeks and never have to see him again.” Jane sat on the edge of the bed, deciding that it would be entirely pointless to give her opinion on what clothes she wished to pack.
Lady Cotswalts nodded, looking immensely relieved. “As you should. Your sister is being silly—don’t listen to her, Jane. It will be far better to focus your efforts on the other men who will be there.”
“I do not think I am being silly. I think it is quite fun to see Jane so spirited. I cannot remember the last time I saw her like this.” Emily winked playfully at Jane, who threw a pillow at her. “Ow!”
“Emily, you are just being contrary. Jane is spirited enough without chaining her to a duke with the morals of a hound.” Lady Cotswalts shook her head. “I shudder to think what kind of influence a man like that might have on you.”
“Perhaps Jane will influence him for the better.” Emily wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, and Jane rolled her eyes.
“I doubt anything short of an act of God could be a good influence on that man,” Jane scoffed as she began to pack away some of the growing pile on her bed.
“Oh, come now, that is a rather defeatist attitude.” Emily surveyed Jane, as though she was looking for something.
“It is a realistic one,” Jane retorted.
“Really, Jane, why have you packedthis?” Lady Cotswalts exclaimed, holding up an emerald-green ballgown.
“I didn’t.” Jane frowned at the gown in her mother’s hands. “I don’t think I have worn that in… well, years.”
“I packed it. I thought it would bring out the color of your eyes—and you always look so wonderful in green.” Emily beamed at Jane.
“Do I?”
“Yes.” Emily nodded. “Perhaps it will help you attract the man of your dreams.”
Jane snorted. “I think one matchmaker in the family is more than enough, dearest Emily.”
“I quite agree.” Lady Cotswalts nodded. “Especially if you are foolish enough to think the Duke a suitable contender for your sister’s affections.”
“Well, he seems rather more interesting than many of the other men.”
“An interesting man does not make a good husband.”
“Father is interesting.”
“Your father has morals. And he is highly respectable. Will you stop doing that?”
“Doing what?”
“Putting back the dresses I have picked out for your sister.”
“But they are so… not Jane.”
“They are hers, are they not? Which would make them decidedly Jane.”
“Not necessarily.”
Sighing, Jane decided that the best thing to do would be to leave her sister and mother to their arguing. She quietly slipped out of the room and spoke to one of the maids, asking her to assist with the remainder of the packing.
“I might as well enjoy my last few hours of freedom before I need to meet with the dratted Duke again,” Jane mumbled, slipping into the library and picking up one of her favorite books. “With any luck, we will have very little to do with each other, and I shall enjoy the next three weeks in peace.”
* * *
Later that afternoon, after much arguing over the dresses to pack, Jane and Emily were settled into their rooms at Kenton Estate. Cressida had suggested a tour of the grounds, and Jane had agreed, eager to stretch her legs.
