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Jane rolled her eyes. “Men.”
“Stop bickering,” Susan said distractedly. “I think I had better go in and see her.”
“Yes,” Jane replied, “as I was just saying—”
“Why does everything have to be your idea?” Lucas said sullenly. “You always—”
“This was my idea!”
“Quiet!” Susan practically barked. “Downstairs, the both of you. And if I find out that either one of you has disobeyed me, I shall overstarch your undergarments for a month.”
The two small children nodded and ran down the stairs. Susan took a deep breath and knocked on Elizabeth’s door.
No answer.
Susan knocked again. “I know you’re in there.”
Footsteps, followed by a vicious yanking open of the door. “Of course you know I’m in here,” Elizabeth snapped. “They can probably hear me all the way to Danbury House.”
Susan opened her mouth, closed it, and then reopened it again to say, “I was going to ask if something is wrong, but then I realized how ridiculous that sounded, so instead perhaps I might ask what is wrong?”
Elizabeth’s reply was not verbal. Instead, she turned her head and glared at a red object lying in the corner.
“Dear God!” Susan exclaimed, scurrying across the room. “Was this the thud I heard?”
Elizabeth glanced disdainfully at HOW TO MARRY A MARQUIS, carefully held in her sister’s hands.
“This book belongs to Lady Danbury!” Susan said. “You yourself made me promise not to even crack the spine. And you threw it across the room?”
“My priorities have changed. I don’t care if that book burns. I don’t care if Mrs. Seeton burns.”
Susan’s mouth formed a perfect circle. “Were you damning Mrs. Seeton to hell?”
“Perhaps I was,” Elizabeth said in an insolent voice.
Susan clapped a hand to her face in shock. “Elizabeth, you don’t sound like yourself.”
“I don’t feel like myself.”
“You must tell me what has happened to make you so upset.”
Elizabeth let out a short, shallow breath. “That book has ruined my life.”
Susan blinked. “You have never been given to melodrama.”
“Perhaps I’ve changed.”
“Perhaps,” Susan said, clearly growing a little irritated with her sister’s evasions, “you would care to expound upon how this book has ruined your life.”
Elizabeth looked away so Susan couldn’t see how badly her face was trembling. “I wouldn’t have flirted with him. I would never have approached him if I hadn’t gotten it into my head to—”
“Dear God!” Susan cut in. “What did he do to you? Did he dishonor you in any way?”
“No!” Elizabeth cried out. “He would never.”
“Then what happened?”
“Oh, Susan,” Elizabeth replied, silent tears streaming down her face. “I could love him. I could truly love him.”
