Natalie felt some heat rise to her cheeks despite her mood. “It is only because she speaks French, and she has bright red hair.”
“Are all of those things not glamorous? It is what England sorely lacks. Most ladies look the same, and nearly every gentleman is seeking a blonde-haired and blue-eyed wonder!” She rolled her eyes at the last sentence. “The Rogue has excellent tastes.”
Natalie found a small pillow and playfully tossed it at Hannah, and they laughed.
"We must be careful, now more than ever,” she warned gravely. “No one can ever know about this.”
"Of course! I will take this to my grave, Natalie," Hannah replied. “You can trust me.”
“I trust you, Hannah.” Natalie bit her lip before saying, “I won two thousand pounds through the games I played.”
Her cousin’s eyes enlarged. “Twothousand?”
Natalie grinned. “Yes, and I want to give a thousand to George to repay some of our debts while we share the other thousand.”
Hannah immediately shook her head. “Oh, I cannot accept that. It is yours.”
“And you are my sister. I want to share it, and I will not rest until you accept.”
Her cousin chewed her lip as she considered. “I accept, but I want you to give George my share.”
“Very well,” she agreed. Their debts were monumental, but this sum would help them greatly. Natalie was tempted to gamble again but she quickly pushed the thought away. She had been lucky but that could change. George was excellent in every game of cards, yet he never risked their fortunes to make more. And there was good reason for it.
A knock came at the door, and Natalie answered it. The butler handed her a note. “This just arrived, My Lady. The messenger is waiting for a response.”
This prompted Natalie to open it as soon as possible. “Give me a moment,” she said, closing the door and walking to Hannah’s bureau.
“What is that?” her cousin asked.
Natalie broke the wax seal and unfolded it, her heart leaping when she saw Jasper’s penmanship.
My darling,
If you will accept, I shall come for you in two days to grant your fencing wish.
J.
“I am fencing with Jasper in two days,” she said absently to Hannah.
“Oh, how marvelous that you use his Christian name!”
Natalie shook her head and penned a response that said simply:I accept.
Then she opened the door and gave the note to the butler. When she turned around, Hannah was giggling with a hand clapped over her mouth.
“What is it?”
“I feel terribly triumphant knowing something society can only dream of discovering.”
"I should remind you that you were once at the fore of this ignorance and speculation, Hannah," Natalie teased.
Hannah dismissed her statement with, "Now that I know, I feel as if I am the Goddess of Knowledge. Allow me this victory, Natalie."
“You may have it.” She looked down once more at the note from Jasper, and her insides fluttered. She yearned for him, but she also wanted answers.
Chapter 27
The Masked Rogue of London and the Comtesse De Villepin filled Dale’s with revelry last night. According to Mr. Lupton, Sir Marcus Hiddleton has made the Comtesse a marriage offer. Unbelievable!
