“Attacking my stories will most definitely make me growl.” Fortuity joined her at the hearth. “Shove over. I’m cold too.”
“How did it go?” Serendipity asked as she entered the room. After a few steps in, she halted and arched a brow. “Oh dear. Fortuity, you’ve a face like thunder. What happened?”
“He suggested my scenes were inaccurate.”
“I see.”
“What do you mean byI see?” Fortuity was in no mood for Serendipity to side with the enemy.
“I mean that I feared this might happen. Any time one asks someone for an opinion or recommendation about something, there is always a risk they might say something one won’t appreciate.” She tucked a snowy blonde curl behind her ear and idly paced back and forth in front of them. “What exactly did he say?”
“That my hero was a churl, and my heroine a lightskirt.”
Serendipity stopped pacing and frowned at her. “What sort of stories are you writing?”
“Tales of romance where my characters are imperfect and must learn to love one another.” Fortuity stepped away from the hearth, lifted her nose, and sniffed. “Gracie, you might wish to check your chemise. I smell a crispiness in the air that might not bode well.”
“Drat!” Grace moved away from the fire while trying to turn and check the condition of her hemline.
“Grace Elena Daisy Abarough!” Serendipity scolded. “What would Mama say about such language?”
“Mama used that word on more than one occasion,” Grace said as she headed for the bedroom on the left. “I am going to get Nellie to see if I’ve ruined this one too, and then I’m having a good cuddle with my hounds. I hereby pass off chaperone duties to you, Seri. May God have mercy on your soul.”
“I do not need to be chaperoned in my own home,” Fortuity shouted after her before turning to Serendipity. “And she played with the dog the entire time she was there, so do not believe her act of being so sorely put upon.”
“When did Ravenglass get a dog?” Serendipity asked. “I don’t recall one there last year when we took Blessing to see him.”
“Ignatius the pug is a newer member of the household. Procured to help Mrs. Sykesbury with her grief.”
Serendipity gave Fortuity a syrupy smile that almost made her gag. “How precious. Lord Ravenglass is such a caring man.”
“Matthew Ravenglass is a selfish, pompous arse.”
Serendipity’s eyes flared open wide. “Fortuity Marion Ivy Abarough! What has gotten into you and Gracie today? Perhaps an afternoon with that gentleman was ill-advised. The two of you are using language from the gutter.”
“It thrills me to no end that you remember our full Christian names, sister.” Fortuity rolled her eyes at the scolding. She much preferred railing about the imperious Lord Ravenglass than jousting with Serendipity. “We had been there over an hour, and he hadn’t even gotten through the first few pages of the story. First, he blamed the dog for making too much noise, and then he blamed me for distracting him.”
“Did he now?” Her sister’s tone suggested that once again Fortuity had overshared. “And how did he say you distracted him?”
“He didn’t.”
“Didn’t what?”
“Didn’t say.”
Serendipity frowned. “I may be confused. Did he say you distracted him or not?”
“First, he blamed the dog, then me, and then Eleanor—and from what I observed of her behavior at the ball, I believe she was the actual distraction. He said we should warn Chance that he is her goal.”
Serendipity huffed. “Many in the Marriage Mart are after Chance, but he is far from ready to becaught.” She slowly shook her head, as though confused. “If he was so distracted that he only made it through the first few pages of your story, how did he conclude that there were inaccuracies in the first twochaptersin need of repair?”
“I foolishly gave him another hour to redeem himself for only reading the first pages. In that last hour of our visit, he completed the first two chapters.”
“And then gave his recommendations.”
“Which I intend to ignore.”
“Tutie,” Serendipity said, “publishers often change manuscripts. Remember how they did Papa’s journal when they published his novel about his travels? The changes are to make the books more pleasing to the general public, and therefore, more saleable and successful. Lord Ravenglass is considered an expert in the publishing industry. Perhaps all he was trying to do was save you from experiencing that with a publisher. If you submit a perfect manuscript to them, they shall have nothing to pick apart.”
