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“It’s my pleasure. I’ll just—What’s that in your bag?”
“What?”
“That book.”
Elizabeth cursed under her breath and shoved the book down under a handkerchief. “It’s nothing.”
“Did you borrow a book from Lady Danbury?”
“In a manner of speaking.”
“Oh, good. I’ve read everything we possess. Not that we possess much any longer.”
Elizabeth just nodded and tried to dash past her.
“I know it broke your heart to sell off the books,” Susan said, “but it did pay for Lucas’s Latin lessons.”
“I really must go—”
“Can I see the book? I should like to read it.”
“You can’t,” Elizabeth snapped, her voice coming out much louder than she’d have liked.
Susan drew back. “I beg your pardon.”
“I have to return it tomorrow. That’s all. You won’t have time to read it.”
“Can’t I just look at it?”
“No!”
Susan lunged forward. “I want to see it.”
“I said no!” Elizabeth hopped to the right, just barely managing to elude her sister’s grasp, and then dashed toward the stairs. But just as her foot hit the first step, she felt Susan’s hand grabbing the fabric of her skirts.
“I have you!” Susan grunted.
“Let me go!”
“Not until you show me that book.”
“Susan, I am your guardian and I order you to—”
“You’re my sister, and I want to see what you’re hiding.”
Reason wasn’t going to work, Elizabeth decided, so she grabbed her skirt and yanked hard, which only resulted in her slipping off the step and her bag tumbling to the floor.
“Aha!” Susan yelled triumphantly, snatching up the book.
Elizabeth groaned.
“HOW TO MARRY A MARQUIS?” Susan looked up, her expression somewhat puzzled and wholly amused.
“It’s just a silly book.” Elizabeth felt her cheeks grow warm. “I just thought…that is, I thought I—”
“A marquis?” Susan asked dubiously. “Setting rather lofty goals for ourselves, aren’t we?”
“For the love of God,” Elizabeth snapped, “I’m not going to marry a marquis. But the book might have some sort of useful advice in it, since I have to marry someone, and nobody is asking.”
