“I doubt it,” Marianne said. “He is an honorable gentleman and a military man to boot. Such knowledge would not sit well with him.”
“And if Lady Blackwood were indeed a double agent? What would happen to her marriage… and her family?” Thea’s throat constricted. “She told me she has three young boys.”
Marianne’s expression turned somber. “It is a disquieting notion, certainly.”
Thea’s instincts balked at the idea that Lady Blackwood was evil. “At the masquerade, she was so kind to me. And she was clearly in love with her husband.”
“According to Tremont, the lady has a talent for deception,” Marianne said.
“As a spy, I imagine that skill was necessary for survival,” Thea said. “She—and Tremont, for that matter—performed a great service for our country. They risked life and limb whilst the rest of us slept easy in our beds. And they did so knowing that their valiant efforts would never see the light of day. To me, that makes them heroes.”
“You have a point, and yet I fear you underestimate how the business of espionage might shape a person. You don’t know what Pandora Blackwood is capable of.” Marianne paused. “Or Tremont, for that matter.”
Thea stiffened. “What are you implying?”
“No need to get your back up, dear. I’m not trying to impugn your marquess’ character. But I do think he may have certain complexities at odds with your own optimistic view of the world.”
“I’m not a foolish miss,” she protested.
“No, you are a Kent,” Marianne said gently, “which means you have a good and loyal heart. I do not wish to see it broken.”
Irritation scuttled through Thea. “Why does everyone think I’m fragile? Doesn’t anyone see that my health has improved? I’m not as weak and useless as I used to be.”
Frowning, her sister said, “Who said you were weak and useless?”
“I know I was once the runt of the litter. But I’m stronger now, and I can help Tremont—”
“You’re not a runt. How could you think that?” Emma sounded genuinely surprised. “Dearest girl, you’re the rock of the family.”
She blinked. “I’m not the rock. You are.”
“According to Strathaven, I do have the impact of a boulder when I’m after something,” Emma said with a rueful grin, “but when it comes to being the stabilizing presence in our family—that is your role, Thea. It always has been.”
“No it hasn’t. I’m the sickly one,” she said, bewildered. “You’re always worried about my lungs, my health… ”
“Is this your way of saying that I’m too overbearing?”
“You are especially protective of me. And not without reason.” Thea’s throat worked. “I know my constitution is not as robust as everyone else’s.”
“If I’m overprotective, it’s a habit from when you were a little girl. In truth, it says more about me than it does about you.” Sighing, Emma said, “Iamtrying to be less managing.”
“You are caring, loving, and no one could ask for a better sister,” Thea said.
“And you, my dear, are even-tempered, kind, and the fulcrum of family peace—just like Mama was.” Em’s voice grew wistful. “She rarely took sides and saw the best in everyone.”
It stunned Thea that Emma saw her this way. “I always thoughtyouwere the one most like Mama. You’re so practical and industrious. When times were lean, you made sure we had food on the table, kept us clean and clothed. We survived because of you.”
“Andthrivedbecause of you. You never complained about anything and set an example for us all.” Emma’s head tipped to one side. “Remember the year we spent Christmas in the schoolhouse?”
Frost melted from a window of the past. Thea saw that long ago day clearly.
“You’d stretched that cheese and loaf of bread as far as anyone could, even giving up your share,” she said in soft tones, “but the younger ones were still so hungry. I can still remember Vi’s stomach rumbling.”
“The only thing louder was Violet herself.” Emma shook her head in fond reminiscence. “The way she was carrying on you’d think she hadn’t eaten for weeks. She got Polly and Harry going too, and soon they were caterwauling abouteverything, from the lack of plum pudding to the dearth of presents that year. Christmas might have been ruined entirely if you hadn’t remembered the keys.”
“Keys?” Marianne asked.
“To the schoolhouse. Papa had just been dismissed from his position as the schoolmaster because of his illness,” Thea explained, “but I remembered he had a set of spare keys—”
