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The hurt in her sister’s eyes broke Victoria’s heart. “No, Amelia. I do not hate you. And I did not do this to hurt you. I only knew that there was no other way to keep you from ruining my chances with Julius. I hate that I had to mislead you in order to have the man I—”
“Love?” her sister spat. “I wonder if any of you three liars know what the word even means.”
“Hold me in contempt if you like, but Withing—”
“I shall blame whomever I please,” hissed Amelia. “As the one played false, I have that right.”
Victoria’s temper boiled. “Now you listen to me, Amelia! When Withy agreed to help us, he knew nothing of you other than what I had told him and what he himself observed at the ball, which”—she raised her voice, drowning out her sister’s protest—“which, unfortunately, did nothing to discredit my description of you. When Julius asked for his help as well, he agreed for the sake of his friend’s happiness.”
“You think I don’t know what people think of me? I’ve heard the names, Victoria. Amelia of the Absent Heart. Madam Glacier. The Blade. But to have you, my own flesh and blood, add Dupe to that list is—”
“You must admit that your own behavior has contributed to this,” Victoria snapped. “You set out to steal my suitor, the same as you always have, only this time it went awry. You cannot blame me for wanting—”
“I was trying to protect you!”
“From what? Finding love? Happiness? A life of my own?”
Her sister’s face became ashen. “You don’t know anything, Victoria. You cannot possibly begin to—” She stopped, her expression becoming inscrutable. “The matter is moot. What’s done is done, and there is nothing I can say or do that will change it. You will marry Cavendish and find out for yourself what sort of man would deceive a woman in order to achieve his ends.”
“Augh!” Victoria railed. “You are so bloody stubborn! Yes. The matter of Cavendish and me is indeed moot, but the matter of you and Withington is not. Yes, at first he thought of you as the enemy—and you were. But his opinion of you changed as he came to know you. He didn’t expect to like you, much less love you, by the time all was said and done, and now he regrets having deceived you. Immensely.”
“Too little, too late,” her sister said through her tears. “I will not marry a man who has deceived me.” She lay back down and rolled over to face the back of the couch, ending the conversation.
Victoria stood for a moment staring at her. “I’m sorry, Amelia. There was no other way.”
“Get out.”
“All will be well,” Julius reassured Victoria as he knocked on her father’s estate office door.
“Enter,” came the reply from within. “My God, where have you been?” he said, rising as they entered. “I was only just informed that you did not return with the others. I was preparing to send out a search party. Was there some sort of accident? Are you injured?” he asked, coming forward.
“We are well, Your Grace. However, I must speak with you regarding a matter of some delicacy.”
Richmond looked from him to Victoria and back again, confused.
“As a matter of honor, I ask you for Victoria’s hand in marriage,” said Julius, taking her hand in his own and giving it a reassuring squeeze.
Her father’s eyes widened as comprehension dawned. He sat abruptly and stared at his daughter. “Upon my soul, I would never have dreamed you would do such a thing. Your own sister…”
“Papa, I can explain—”
“Don’t dare to speak to me!” he barked. “I’m not the blind old fool you must think me, daughter. You think I have not witnessed the rivalry between you?”
“Rivalry?” she gasped. “Papa, she has run off every single gentleman that has ever—”
“You little idiot! She was protecting you!” He ran his hands over his face. “She’ll be pilloried when this gets out.”
“Papa—”
“I don’t want to hear it. Just…go. I can’t bear to look at you, and I need my wits about me in order to think this through. There is much to be done to smooth things over, if indeed such a thing can even be accomplished. I shall make arrangements for a special license. You’ll be married at once. The least you can do is keep it quiet until after the wedding. Perhaps that’ll give me enough time to get her out of London and away someplace quiet before the uproar begins. Now get you gone. I expect to see you both downstairs forthwith, cleaned up and dressed appropriately,” he added, looking at their bedraggled appearance with disdain, “and you are to behave as though nothing has changed, is that clear?”
Julius stepped forward. “Lord Richmond, please understand, we never meant to—”
“I blame you just as much as I do that one,” said Richmond, pointing an accusing finger toward Victoria. “I guess I should be thankful that Amelia didn’t actually marry you.” His eyes widened. “The Marquess…damn me, I nearly forgot. How in heaven’s name am I to explain this to him?”
“I shall tell him. He is my friend, after all,” Julius offered quietly.
Richmond’s tired eyes snapped up to pierce him. “Friend?” He gestured at them with unconcealed disgust. “Some friend! You think I cannot see what is between you? That I do not know what you’ve done? Do you truly think me such a fool?”
