‘Oh don’t be such a complete mutton head,’ snorted Charity. ‘The only words you’ve exchanged are about the deuced weather.’ She paused and gritted her teeth in frustration. She loved her twin sister dearly, but Chastity’s proclivity for seeing romance in any male under the age of sixty in possession of his own teeth was tiresome to say the least. She sat down on the vicarage parlour’s chaise longue, usually occupied by their stepmother Agnes. On this occasion the matron had decided totake her afternoon nap in her bedchamber. Which was fortunate given the current subject matter over tea.
‘And besides,’ Charity continued, her voice turning desperate, ‘the person you are speaking of resides in a one-bedroom cottage which he shares with his mother and three sisters.’
Chastity frowned. ‘He does?’
Charity nodded, wondering if she was finally getting through. Really, she wished her sister had agreed to a season in London. As romantic as she was, Chastity would almost certainly snare herself, if not a Lord, then at least someone of fairly reasonable means.
Unfortunately, Charity’s own refusal to take part in the marriage mart had her younger twin nobly sacrificing herself to spinsterhood. The wordsnobleandsacrificehad been accompanied by the dramatic declaration that she would simplydiebefore abandoning the person she described as, amongst other things …closest to her heart; her other half; the sun to her moon; the night to her… Charity wasn’t sure what. At this point she’d given up listening.
Charity sighed. Of the two of them, Chastity was far more suited to matrimony. Unfortunately, it was beginning to look as if the only way the silly goose was ever likely to find a man even remotely suitable, was if she herself agreed to partake of a London Season alongside her twin. She frowned, suddenly realising Chastity was speaking again.
‘Well, Mr Timson informed me that he had been offered a dependency in Brixham. He was most insistent that it would be accompanied by a small apartment.’
Charity frowned. If her sister had indulged in an actual conversation with the odious toad that was Obadiah Timson, then things were much worse than she thought.
‘When did you have this conversation with Mr Timson?’ she queried, taking care to keep her tone light and conversational, while inside, her stomach was roiling sickeningly. Her twin coloured up, and Charity’s heart plummeted to join the party. ‘We simply took a walk after church on Sunday,’ Chastity explained.
‘You said you were going to take a slice of apple pie to Mrs Peterson in the village,’ Charity accused.
‘Well, I did,’ Chastity retorted. ‘Mr Timson was kind enough to walk me there.’
Charity stared at her sister in horror. ‘For goodness’ sake, Chastity, what the deuce were you thinking?’ she bit out, fighting to hold her temper. ‘Father will be furious when he finds out. You’ll be lucky if he doesn’t confine you to the attic for the next six months. Have you lost what little wit you have?’
‘I should think he’d be more likely to pack you off to Mrs Brandreth’s Seminary for Fallen Women,’ commented a new voice from the doorway.’ Both twins turned to their sister Prudence as she continued into the parlour and helped herself to a biscuit from the tray.
‘Aren’t you supposed to be going to fetch Anthony from Blackmore?’ questioned Charity tartly.
‘I saw a pamphlet in his study,’ Prudence continued nonchalantly, ignoring her sister’s query.
‘What pamphlet? I’ve never heard of such a place.’ Charity’s voice was scathing but underneath was a thread of doubt.
‘You’ll be forced to scrub floors from dawn until dusk, then fed bread and water before being dragged abed. A bit like that horrible place Patience was imprisoned.’
‘Don’t be so ridiculous, Pru,’ Charity retorted. ‘There is no such place.’
Prudence shrugged and took another biscuit. ‘Have a look for yourself,’ she suggested. ‘The pamphlet’s sitting on his desk.’
‘What were you doing in Father’s study anyway?’ demanded Chastity, trying to force away lurid visions involving a scrubbing brush.
‘I was looking for Freddy,’ Patience responded. ‘I thought to take him with me to collect Anthony.’
‘I’m certain you are fully aware that Father’s in the Red Lion,’ answered Charity. ‘And will undoubtedly have Freddy with him.’ She gave her sister a challenging stare.
‘Well, that will give you plenty of time to remove the pamphlet from Father’s desk then, won’t it?’ Prudence declared with a wicked grin, before heading back out of the door.
‘We really shouldn’t have taken it,’ whispered Chastity an hour later. They were seated in their bedchamber with the offending circular on the bed between them.
‘I’ve no idea why you’re whispering,’ grumbled Charity. ‘It’s not as if anyone is likely to hear you. And anyway, do you really want to risk having…’ she paused and peered down at the piece of paper on the bed… ‘the evils of your mind put aside in favour ofhard labour and prayer?’ Chastity shook her head mutely as her sister sat back on her heels.
‘Well, if Father finds out about Obadiah Timson, you might as well start preparing your knees for calluses right now.’ Charity knew she was being harsh. She also knew that the prospect of their father deciding to send one of his daughters to an institute for fallen women was about as likely as him marrying one of them off to Percy. She frowned. That said, the pamphletwason his desk…
‘What are we going to do?’ Chastity breathed, fighting back tears.
Charity sighed and shook her head. ‘What we always do,’ she muttered. ‘Send a note to Grace…’
Chapter Two
‘Oh, Chastity,’ Grace remonstrated. ‘What on earth were you thinking?’
