“Yes,” Miranda answered. ‘There must be something in the water in Scotland.”
“They should bottle it.” Her mother narrowed her eyes. “I thought you meant to wear the green silk tomorrow,” she said, straightening Miranda’s silver necklace and its depiction of a perfect silver rose.
“Yes, but I couldn’t help myself. It’s so pretty.”
“It’s also made for dancing. Perhaps I could inquire if Francesca or any of her offspring mean to attend the Darlington ball tomorrow night. If not, you could wear it again. Your father and Matthew and I would certainly keep your secret.”
Ah, to own no secret but that of wearing a dress two nights in a row. “I think Eloise does mean to attend,but Matthew would know that.” As she spoke, Miranda turned to look up the stairs.
She had barely set eyes on her brother since he’d handed her over, literally and figuratively, to Captain Vale, and she had more than a hunch that she was the reason he delayed coming downstairs now. His discomfiture was of his own making, and she meant to do nothing to make him feel more comfortable. His idiocy, after all, affected her far more than it did him.
The only good thing at all about it, in fact, had been her unexpected friend, if she could call Aden that. And perhaps a few of her conversations with the Highlander. And that… lifting feeling in her heart when he grinned, because that meant he’d figured out something helpful. Her only ally, Aden MacTaggert was, and for that reason could she admit that she looked forward to seeing him again tonight.
A moment later a door slammed upstairs. “On my way,” Miranda’s brother called. “Couldn’t find one of my boots.”
As he appeared at the top of the stairs, Miranda abruptly wished her older brother had made up an excuse to be elsewhere. They’d always been close; growing up with only a year separating them had meant interest in ponies, reading, dancing, and the idea of marrying had hit them at nearly the same time. For all of her twenty-three years she had known Matthew to be amiable, good-humored, and well liked. She’d also thought him to be trustworthy, someone who would look after her as she looked after him. Now, though, she felt as if she needed to reexamine her beliefs. Had she merely been lucky on those occasions when he’d steered an unwanted suitor away from her? Or had he been truly on her side until the moment he’d fallen beneath Vale’s influence?
She preferred that it be the latter, that he’d been led sofar astray so quickly he hadn’t even realized he was lost until it was far too late for him to find his way back. But since he wouldn’t talk to her, and since the last time hehadspoken to her he’d actually tried to convince her that Captain Vale would make her a good match, she had no idea what to think.
“We are a fine-looking group,” her father said, nodding at the butler as Billings opened the front door for them. “And I have little doubt you’ll end the evening with most of your limbs still attached, Matthew.”
“Such violent things you say, dear, and yet I remain amused.” Their mother wrapped her arm around Miranda’s as they walked outside to climb into the Harris coach. “I’ve always liked Eloise, but I have to confess that I find her even more delightful knowing she has three mountainous brothers. Two of them yet unmarried.”
Matthew’s chuckled sounded uneasy, but that might have been Miranda listening too hard. “Haven’t you heard, Mama? Mia’s taken with a certain naval captain.”
“Just as well,” her father put in. “I’ve heard that Aden, the middle brother, has been seen frequenting Jezebel’s and other less… acclaimed establishments.” He banged on the ceiling, and the coach lurched into motion. “Gaming hells. You don’t need to become fast friends with him, Matthew, or think that you need to go out wagering with him to earn his respect.”
“I know that, Father,” Matthew returned, his voice clipped, as he took the rear-facing seat beside Miranda. “He hasn’t yet asked me to join him, and I haven’t offered.”
“Good. If his ship sinks, you don’t need to be aboard it. Neither are you to be drilling holes in your own ship.”
Her brother shifted in his seat. “I understand the metaphors, Father. I have learned my lesson.”
“I believe Aden is also a great reader, though, and that’s always attractive in a man.” Elizabeth Harris leaned forward to straighten Miranda’s skirt. “He was here just the other day, asking after a book Miranda had mentioned to him.”
“Yes?” Albert lifted an eyebrow. “Which one was it?”
Blast it all.Miranda cleared her throat. “Someone had spoken of it as a jest, and I commented that we owned one. That’s all it was.”
Even Matthew looked at her sideways. “But which book was it?”
She sighed. “Tom Jones.”
“What?” Elizabeth Harris blushed a bright red.
Matthew burst out laughing. “And you had to fetch it for him?”
“I had no idea we still kept one about,” their father mused. “Haven’t read it in ages.”
“Well, you won’t be reading it again,” his wife countered. “Good heavens. Tell him he may keep it, Miranda. But quietly. I don’t want anyone else knowing we own such risquéthings, much less go about lending them to people.”
And now she had an excuse to speak to him in private once again.Tom Joneswas proving to be far more useful than she ever would have expected. Her suddenly speeding heart was only nervous that he’d changed his mind or that he hadn’t found anything helpful, she told herself. Not that she looked forward to seeing him. Exchanging a few words with him. Kissing him. “I’ll tell him tonight. Don’t fret. I think he was only curious.”
As they stopped in front of grand Oswell House, Eloise pranced outside to meet them before Smythe the butler could do so. The genuine, obvious affection between her and Matthew was heartwarming—or it had been, beforeMatthew had decided that selling his sister to a gambler was a better choice than allowing rumors of his debts to end his engagement.
A hand touched Miranda’s cheek, and she started. “I’m sorry?”
Her mother’s smile faded. “I only asked if you mean to sit out here in the coach all evening. Whatever is wrong, my dear?”
