Drat, Lavvie. Why couldn’t she have kept her mouth shut? “I’m doing this for you as well.”
“No, you are doing it because Papa convinced you we are rolled up.”
Elizabeth’s eyes widened as the implication of what her brother said sank in. “You mean we’re not?”
“No. It was Papa’s way of ensuring you would accept Merton if he made an offer.”
She stopped struggling, and her brother released her. Anger and hurt rose, threatening to choke her. She had always trusted her father. A sob broke loose. “How could he do this? I thought he cared about me.”
“In his way he does.” Her brother’s tone softened. “He wanted to see you well settled. Merton’s rich as Golden Ball, and he’d be kind to you. Unlike that rascal Lavinia married.”
Elizabeth’s throat tightened. She blinked to keep tears from falling. “But what if I had loved another?”
Gavin’s gaze sharpened as he searched her face. “Do you? Do you love Merton?”
She shook her head slowly. “No. There is no one. Although I’ve always thought I would like to marry for love.”
He seemed to relax. “Then it’s a good thing you didn’t go out there. Who could ever love a cold fish like Merton?”
She thought Miss Stern might, but held her tongue. A disturbance near the door caused her to glance over. Miss Stern, Merton, Lord and Lady Worthington, and Lord Rutherford entered the room from the garden. Merton and Miss Stern were smiling, nodding, and greeting the other guests. Lavvie, her lips forming a thin line, and three other ladies scurried behind them.
“What the devil?” her brother said.
“Do not use that language in front of me.” Elizabeth frowned at him. “I suppose it is a good thing you stopped me. Imagine how awkward it would have been if both Miss Stern and I had arrived.”
“Looks like Merton’s going to get leg shackled without your help.” Gavin grinned but almost immediately sobered. Listen here, Aunt Agatha is in Town, and I have arranged for her to sponsor you.”
Their aunt, the Countess of Shirring, had married off all four of her daughters with good matches. Still, despite knowing that Elizabeth had no one, Aunt Agatha had not offered. “How did you talk her into it?”
He gave her a smug smile. “When I told her Lavvie had you in hand, she ordered her trunks packed and the town house opened. She doesn’t have any better opinion of our cousin than I do. If you ask me, she was waiting for Papa to ask her to take you on.”
Lavvie must have seen Elizabeth and her brother because her cousin had her polite smile on her face as she walked purposefully in their direction.
“Where were you?” Lavvie hissed.
“I stopped her.” Gavin’s voice was cold and scathing. “Have you lost what little brains you have?”
Almost breathing fire, Lavvie stood toe-to-toe with Elizabeth’s much larger brother and whispered fiercely, “No, Gavin. I am trying to help save my family from certain ruin.”
The two of them had always been at odds, and Elizabeth prayed they wouldn’t start a row in public.
He raised a brow. “I shall take care of that and my sister.” Piercing Elizabeth with a stern look, he said, “I’ll call for the coach now. Try to stay out of trouble until I get back.”
After he’d gone, Elizabeth breathed a sigh of relief. “What happened?”
“When we got there, he was proposing to Miss Stern, but he’ll not want her for long.”
Elizabeth closed her eyes for a moment. She wasn’t sure she even wanted to know what her cousin had done. “What do you mean?”
Lavvie shrugged one shoulder. “I merely told Lady Brownfield they looked as if they were about to anticipate their vows on the spot.”
Glancing around to make sure no one was near, Elizabeth pulled her cousin farther behind the palm. “How could you do such a mean, spiteful thing?”
Unabashed, Lavvie responded, “She hurt you, my dear.”
“You should not have—”
Suddenly a peevish male voice intruded. “What are you doing behind this”—Viscount Manners took out his quizzing glass and studied the plant—“bush? My wife ought to know better. Have you no care at all for what people think?”
