“No,” Pru said. “We cannot admit to havingthebook in our possession. Dev would be outraged.”
“And he would demand I surrender the other books in the series,” Christabella added. “If Grace had not been gadding about with it, Aylesford never would have discovered it in the first place.”
“I fear I must agree with Pru and Christabella,” Bea added. “If Grace lostthebook, she has to pay the forfeit.”
“Even if it means parading about in a feigned betrothal with a rake?” Eugie demanded, sounding indignant.
“Everyone else is right, Eugie,” Grace intervened on a tired sigh. “I am responsible for Aylesford’s discovery ofthebook, and I must make it right. Even if that means accepting his madcap bargain.”
“You do not sound particularly displeased with the notion,” Christabella observed, her tone sly.
“It is not a horrid idea,” she found herself saying. “As I told Eugie when Aylesford first made his proposal to me, a feigned betrothal is not entirely without merit. I will not be forced to suffer through an endless round of suitors, and Aylesford will get the estate he wants. It will be mutually beneficial.”
“Except for the part where he stole our book and used it as leverage against you,” Eugie pointed out, her gaze narrowing. “I know he is friends with Hertford, but truly, the man is a scoundrel for sinking so low and taking advantage of the situation. I cannot fathom it.”
“He is not as bad as he may seem,” she defended.
Four sets of eyes swung to her, making her realize, belatedly, what she had just said.
She cleared her throat. “He is arrogant, it is true, and more than aware of how handsome he is. Pompous as well. But he can be quite thoughtful. Last night in the gardens, he offered me his coat and stood there in the frigid wind in nothing but his shirtsleeves.”
Oh dear.This revelation, too, had been far too much information. More than she needed to volunteer to her sisters, certainly.
Her ears went hot.
“What were you doing alone with him in the gardens?” Eugie demanded.
“You kissed him,” Christabella guessed.
The fire spread to her cheeks. “I did nothing of the sort.” She licked her lips.
“You always lick your lips after you tell a lie,” Pru pointed out.
“You do, Grace,” Bea agreed.
“You definitely kissed him,” Christabella crowed, clapping her hands excitedly. “Oh, do tell us what it was like, Grace. None of us has ever experienced a true kiss before.”
“I have kissed aplenty,” Bea and Eugie protested in unison.
Eugie’s betrothal to the Earl of Hertford had just been announced as well. Three of the five Winter sisters were now engaged to be wed. Two in truth, one in deceit.
“The two of you have not been kissing rakes.” Christabella waved a hand through the air, as if she were clearing away an undesirable scent. “Lord Hertford and Mr. Hart are both lovely, but according to everything I have read, rakes kiss far more proficiently than gentlemen. You must tell us what it was like to kiss the viscount, Grace.”
“Lord Hertford is incredibly skilled at kissing,” Eugie said, championing her new betrothed.
“As is Mr. Hart,” Bea added.
“Nevertheless,” Christabella said, warming to her cause, “they are neither of them rakes. I want to know what it is like to kiss a rake.”
“Do stop reading those novels of yours, Sister,” Pru said calmly, ever the voice of reason.
“I kissed him,” Grace admitted, tired of the back and forth of her sisters arguing.
Silence fell.
All eyes were on her once more.
“And I liked it,” she added. “Christabella, I cannot speak for all rakes, but I can assure you that Lord Aylesford kisses with remarkable aplomb. Indeed, I would have continued kissing him last night had it not been for Dev’s timely interruption.”
