Conflict had been added tonight.
“So, what happened between Harbury, Neville, and Asquith?”
“Don’t know. Godmama called you and Cassie down to tell you what amends had been arranged between Asquith and the duke, but—”
“But Cassie pretended to be me.”
“Luckily, she believed Cassie. Never needs salts herself, but Mama used them whenever—”
“I know,” Eliza interrupted. “I remember.” Her mother frequently required salts when her husband was in residence.
“Godmama accepted without question that Cassie shares the same constitution, and she refused to reveal the plan without both of you present. Asquith protested. He wanted the thing tidied up before heading back to the Albany.”
“If Godmama wouldn’t tell Cassie what happened, how do you know so much?”
“Waylaid Asquith on his way out, naturally. Told me everything but what had been agreed. That, he said, Cassie deserved to hear from Godmama.”
They reached the servants’ entrance into the room Eliza shared with Cassandra.
“Thank you, Millie.” Eliza embraced her sister tightly.
Millie turned her head into Eliza’s hair. “You smell funny! Like”—she sniffed—“man.”
“The groom’s cloak, remember?” she replied hastily. The lies were just tripping off her tongue, now! “How are Lenora and Annette?”
“Remarkably well, considering. Lenora couldn’t care less about Almack’s.”
Eliza exhaled. “She’s only ever had eyes for Asquith.”
Millie nodded. “She says if she cannot turn his head, she means to become a spinster. Nettie was distressed, but mostly on Cassie’s behalf. Eventually, she fell asleep in belly-full-of-pastry bliss.”
“Again, thank you.”
“You had better be thankful. I imagine, as you neither look very happy, nor have you mentioned success, that your grand plan to solve our problems went awry?”
“I don’t appreciate your tone, Miss Millie. Mrs. Dove-Lyon is going to arrange an introduction to a man she thinks would suit me.”
“A man who’d suit you? Unlikely.”
“Oh, stop. At least we now have a second plan to fall back on. I’m not putting our future solely in Asquith’s hands. Now, I must get some rest. Godmama is bound to want to see me earlier than that old mongrel rooster got to crowing back ho—” She decided against the word. “Back at Willowhurst.”
Millie squeezed her sister’s shoulder. “’Night.”
“Good night,” Eliza rejoined.
Millie disappeared up the stairs to the nursery. Poor Millicent. Nineteen and still relegated to the nursery with her two younger sisters. Something had to be done.
Correction—something would be done.
For too long, she’d been allowing Asquith and her formidable godmother to make decisions on behalf of all the Wainwright sisters. Eliza felt as if she’d finally been jolted out of a haze of bewildered grief. Tonight, she’d found the conviction she’d been missing for the past two years.
Nothing had been solid or reliable since their parents died mere months apart. Immediately following their father’s death, Lady Asquith had summoned them here. As executor of her father’s estate, Asquith had come up with a plan to sell Willowhurst and plump their dowries—after deliberating amongst themselves, they’d all agreed.
Sometimes Eliza wondered if they’d been too hasty. But Cassie and Annette had been thrilled by the possibility a London Season, Lenora was content to be anywhere she might run into Asquith, and Eliza had felt a responsibility to facilitate her sisters’ happiness. So, after the appropriate period of mourning, Asquith’s mother had launched the eldest sisters into Society,with plans for the younger three to come out in subsequent years.
In other words, Eliza had allowed the Asquiths’ good intentions and her sisters’ dreams of enviable marital matches to navigate. Now, she would take matters into her own hands.
Mrs. Dove-Lyon had helped her mother’s friend survive a terrible scandal—she must trust the Black Widow to help her do the same.
