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“And? Are we agreed?”
Bewildered, Ellie asked, “To what?”
Disgust folded the Dowager’s features.
“I see you lack some of your sister’s wit. That will make my task both easier and more difficult, I suppose.”
Ellie snapped her spine straight. “Excuse me?”
“That’s better.”
Ellie glared across the carriage.
“We will form an alliance, Miss Ellsworth. I will not inform your sister of your failure to deceive me. In exchange, I will present you about London as my new daughter by wedlock and you will behave as I wish you to behave.” The Dowager folded her hands in her lap. “Which will include convincing the ton of our mutually desired comradery.”
“You want me to pretend to like you?”
She sniffed. “I find I’m inclined to have my peers believe that my son’s wife does not hate me.” She locked gazes with Ellie. “What say you?”
“I suppose this once won’t do any harm.”
Their plan to trick the Dowager may have failed, but hopefully Ellie could still keep the woman from being angry with Lizzy May, and keep Lizzy May from being upset about missing the outing.
The Dowager shook her head.
“No. Not this once. Several times. At least five outings a week, for at least two weeks.”
“I’m certain Lizzy May will be well and out and about soon. You don’t need me to pretend to be her.”
“But I wish you to. I find her obstinate and overly familiar.” The Dowager looked along her strong nose at Ellie. “You seem much more malleable.”
Ellie winced. Malleable indeed.
“I can’t simply ask her to permit me to keep up such a pretence, going about London with you in her stead.”
“But think of the privilege and freedom you’ll enjoy.”
“It doesn’t matter what I think of. Lizzy May will not permit such a ruse.”
“She’s allowed it today.”
Would the woman argue every point?
“Yes, for one day.”
The Dowager frowned ponderously, but then her expression cleared.
“Convince your sister that you have persuaded me to take you under my wing.”
“I may be able to convince her of that, but I cannot imagine why I would wish to.” Ellie also couldn’t imagine why they still discussed such an outlandish idea. “Besides which, I won’t have any excuse to dress like her and wear her ring if she’s not ill and asking me to impersonate her.” Ellie held up her hand. “I’m quite certain that she’ll notice if I don’t give this back.”
She couldn’t help but grimace at the ring.
“Yes. Hideous, isn’t it?”
Ellie stared at the Dowager in surprise.
“I thought they had to force you to give it up.”
