“Rose! Stop!” The alarm widened Cecily’s eyes and turned her skin dark red. “What are you doing?”
The whisper disappeared. “And I’m just your sister.”
Cecily’s voice broke. “Why did you do that?”
“Because I love you. And right now, at this point in time, you are the most vulnerable you have been since you were an infant. I dearly hope Lord Philby is glorious, will treat you like a queen, and that you will both be madly in love and married by the end of June. But he’s not the only one who will be pursuing you with sweet words, special attention, and striking colognes.”
“But are they not pursuing me because they want to marry me?”
“Most, yes. Some will merely want to have their way with you, not caring if they ruin you. For them, it’s about the conquest. And some of the men with marriage on their minds are after your dowry and your—an heir. Love is not in their plan, except to woo you. If you want to marry for a title, that’s up to you. What you and I need to work toward is making sure that whatever happens, it’syourchoice. Something you want—not what Father or Mother wants, not because you’ve been seduced or coerced into a promise you regret making.”
Cecily looked down at her hands. “Some of the other debutantes were talking about the men their parents already have picked out for them. After the introductions, the men will choose and it’ll be done between the men and the women’s fathers. Even Beth thinks if an appropriate suitor doesn’t appear soon, her father will take the lead in arranging something.”
“And if Mother had her way, that would be your path. She has a list that she’s dying to give you. Papa would rather you have more freedom, but only because he knows I’ll look out for you.”
“And if you can’t—”
“—He’ll step in. The first suitable candidate who offers for you will become your husband.”
“Whether I like him or not.”
“At that point, your preferences are irrelevant. You will have no choice.”
“This is why you destroy so many men.”
“This is why I reveal scoundrels to be the despicable villains that they are.”
“And you think Lord Newbury can help you in that goal.”
Rose sat a little straighter and crossed her arms. “I do. But I’m also not going into this blindly. I have sent out messages the last day or so, asking for more reports on their past few years. More than I had before.”
“And?”
Rose uncrossed her arms and pulled out a side drawer on her desk. She slipped a piece a paper from one of them, placed it on the desk, and put on her spectacles. “Robert is seen as intelligent but somewhat eccentric with a slightly outrageous sense of humor. He is an incorrigible flirt and is frequently seen at White’s and Jackson’s boxing salon. He likes to bet on fights and some of the odder wagers in White’s betting book, but never gets too deeply into debt. Also horse races, some of which he participates in. He is an excellent rider. He’s not participated in any of that in”—she checked the paper—“twenty-two days. He prefers a particular brothel near Covent Garden that caters to the aristocracy—”
“Oh dear.”
Rose grinned. “—Although he has not been seen there in more than a month.”
“I thought you said he had a mistress.”
“He did. Men can do both, you know.”
“Um... no, I did not. Why would a man go to a brothel if he has a mistress?”
Rose paused. Then swallowed hard. “Let’s go with ‘variety’ for now, shall we?”
“Oh.”
“He has not seen the mistress in the same length of time. That’s about the time His Grace handed down his instructions to both of them.”
“That’s what Beth said.”
“According to what I’m hearing, she’s correct. They moved back into Ashton House and have been trying to rectify their behavior and reputations. So far... it’s not going well.”
“Too long the rogues.”
“Indeed. That’s where we come in.”
