Chapter One
“Adare?” Lady Hazel Thorne repeated, already feeling that nauseating sensation in the pit of her stomach.
Her longtime friend Cordelia Abernathy, the Duchess of Galleon, clasped her hands behind her back and rocked on her heels with an expression far too delighted for the gravity of the moment.
“Indeed. I heard it myself. A group of girls, quite excitable creatures, were boasting that one of them would sneak into the Duke of Callbury’s chambers this very afternoon and steal a trinket. For bragging rights, you know.”
Hazel did not blink. “And you waited until now to tell me this?”
“Well,” Cordelia pointed out brightly, “I wanted to verify the rumor before alarming you. But now I am confident it is an absolutely scandalous idea, and you adore preventing scandal, so here we are.”
Hazel tore her gaze from her friend and surveyed the crowded drawing room of Lady Winfield’s house party with the calculation of an army general. If asked, gentlemen would say that she was a beautiful young lady, with an appearance that was one of quiet distinction rather than striking beauty. Her hair was a warm, reddish-brown, and it caught the light with coppery glints when she moved.
But she rarely had any time to glance at the looking glass and consider her own appearance. Her sisters always made sure of that. It was her job to look after them, because she had always done so. It was as simple as that.
And now, she watched the sunlight gleam over satin gowns, powdered shoulders, and half-concealed giggles. She looked once, then twice. The third surveywas much slower, and it made her stomach drop.
“Where,” Hazel whispered, “are my sisters?”
Cordelia winced. “Surely they are in the garden. Or the music room. Or… well, somewhere perfectly respectable.”
“They are not here,” Hazel said, while her amber eyes narrowed in a way that made debutantes scatter. Her freckles stood out sharply as her complexion paled. “Cordelia, listen to me. When I say my sisters are nowhere to be seen, I promise you they are somewhere they ought not be.”
Cordelia tried for optimism. “Chastity and Patience cannot possibly be involved in such mischief.”
Hazel inhaled through her small, turned-up nose. “Cordelia, allow me to refresh your memory.”
She lifted a finger.
“Last month, Chastity thought itthrillingto climb onto the roof of Belvington Manor in order to rescue a stray cat. I found her dangling from a gutter that nearly came off in her hand.”
Cordelia bit her lip to hide her smile. Hazel raised a second finger.
“The week before that, Patience attempted to teach herself fencing using kitchen knives. When I walked in, the cook was having a fit, and Patience had sliced clean through the hem of her own gown.”
Cordelia choked on a laugh. Hazel raised a third finger.
“And do not forget,” she said tightly, “the incident with the carriage wheel. Chastity swore she couldrepairit herself. Instead, she rolled down the drive with it, shrieking like a banshee, until she crashed into the garden wall.”
Cordelia was now openly giggling, with her entire slender frame shaking. “Oh Hazel, forgive me, but truly, sometimes I forget how marvelous your sisters are.”
“They are hazardous, is what they are,” Hazel snapped. Her hands curled at her sides, small and capable. “And if they believesneaking into a duke’s bedchamber is part of some harmless girls’ game, they will do it without hesitation. And likely take the most foolish route possible to get there.”
Cordelia wiped her eyes. “Well… the Duke of Callbury is out riding. That gives them a narrow window, does it not?”
Hazel stared at her. “Cordelia.”
“Yes?”
“Does the Duke of Callbury strike you as a man who would respond kindly to strangers rifling through his personal belongings?”
Cordelia paused. “Now that you mention it… no.”
“No,” Hazel said grimly. “He would not. He is cold, severe, and far too dignified to appreciate adolescent nonsense. If my sisters set foot in his chambers, they would not only disgrace themselves but possibly terrify themselves into fainting. And then, naturally, I shall be the one to carry them out.”
Cordelia placed a sympathetic hand on Hazel’s arm. “What is your plan of attack then?”
Hazel squared her shoulders with the air of a general marching into battle. “I shall find them. And I shall do so before they ruin their reputations, the Duke’s temper, or this entire house party.”
