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It was Millie turn to be surprised. “But Lord Rangeley has been courting you. You don’t plan to marry him?”
“It’s a ruse,” Tillie whispered. “I agreed to help him obtain more farming equipment if he’d keep up our façade of courtship for this house party.”
Cold swept down Millie’s back. “You’re not marrying him?”
“No,” Tillie said with a wince. “But I had no idea that you were interested. I mean, I’d started to suspect, but I only planned to keep up the lie for another day or two.”
“Tillie!” Millie cried. “Lying to everyone who loves you?”
Tillie pulled her hands from Millie’s. “You don’t understand. No one would support me in the future I wanted. No one would listen.”
Millie drew in a deep breath. “I did listen, Tillie. I did. And what I heard was a whole lot of fear. You’re afraid to fail at marriage.”
Tillie stared at her for a moment before her gaze skittered away, a blush coloring her cheeks. “I didn’t say that.”
“You did. Now, as one of the strongest people I know, I will support you completely if you don’t wish to marry because your true path is research. But I can’t allow you to make decisions out of fear.”
Tillie stared at her sister. “I see.”
“You deserve the best sort of future, Tillie.”
Tillie smiled. “So do you. Which is why I’m going to say the same to you and I’m going to ask. Why did you nearly allow Rangeley to kiss you?”
Millie swallowed down a lump. “I think…” Did she dare to say the words? “I think I might love him.”
Tillie took both her sister’s hands in hers. “Well, that changes things, doesn’t it?”
“I don’t know.” Millie shook her head. “You said it yourself. He’s a rake. What if he just wants my dowry like you worried might be true?”
Tillie wrapped an arm about her sister. “I’m not the one who is good at reading people. What have your instincts told you?”
A jolt of surprise coursed down Millie’s spine. What did she think of Parker, deep down? “I’m not certain. It’s all gotten so complicated.”
Tillie squeezed her shoulder. “You figure it out and then we’ll make a plan from there.”
“And what about you?” Millie asked, wrapping her arm about Tillie’s waist as she turned so they could exit the shop.
“I’m going to spend some time thinking too, but you’re right, I can’t keep lying. It isn’t fair.” Tillie bent her head. “I’m going to take a carriage home. Would you make my excuses?”
Millie nodded. “Of course.” She wished she could go back too, but she’d spent enough time hiding. It was time to face her future and make some decisions.
