“But twigs are not money,” Gwendolyn pointed out.
“Dear sister, have faith in your abilities. Father was a renowned gambler. Remember his coming home with his arms loaded with presents? That happened more than once—”
“Perhaps twice?” Elise observed.
Dara ignored her. “And healwayspraisedyour talent, Gwennie. He said you had his own luck. That you ‘sensed’ the cards. Besides, what else are we going to do?” She paused, meeting her sisters’ gazes with a solemn one of her own. “Stay here? Marry Squire Davies? Or Mr. Bellamy, the innkeeper? Or, considering how desperately Richard wishes to be rid of us, Patrick Lynch, the pig farmer? Don’t worry. He’ll save Lynch for me.”
Then she made her plea. “But what if my plan works? What if Gwendolyncoulduse her talent to win three hundred pounds, even six hundred pounds, and we take ourselves off to London? What if we introduce ourselves to Lady Blandford, who supposedly was very fond of Mother and even sent a note of condolence when she died? Gram saved it. That was how important that note—and the connection—was. What if Lady Blandford sponsors us into the highest ranks of society? And we meet dukes who areyoungandhandsomeandwealthy?”
She paused to let her questions sink in before adding, “Even ifnoneof that happens, we are still better off than being under Richard’s thumb. His resentment will make our lives miserable.”
Dara looked hopefully at her sisters. “Come with me on this adventure. I don’t wish to marry Patrick Lynch. The body sounds he makes even in public, such as at the last Assembly dance, are embarrassing.”
Her sisters had gone very quiet.
Dara prayed they were considering her words and realizing they must try or be doomed to—what? Losing their birthrights? Unfortunately, that had already happened the moment Richard had claimed the house. They would have to rebuild someway, somehow.
And then help came from another source.
“I think we should do it,” Tweedie announced.
All three sisters gave a start of surprise. Tweedie stood, leaning on her walking stick. “Dara is right. There is nothing for you here. Or for me.”
“You will be with us,” Dara assured her. “You are our chaperone. Besides, you have been to London, and we haven’t.”
“Oh, aye, but it was decades ago. But what a wicked city. I had a wonderful time. Then I returned home,” Tweedie concluded with a sigh.
“There are so many risks,” Gwendolyn said. “Too many.”
“There are risks to everything,” Tweedie said. “I wonder some days if I will climb out of bed without breaking my neck, but that doesn’t mean I stay under my covers.”
“We’d be doing thisalone,” Gwendolyn said.
“Yes,” Dara agreed. “Just the three of us and Tweedie, which is how it has been since Father and Gram died.”
“Do you really believe he is dead?” Elise asked. “I don’t. He can’t be. Wouldn’t we have beeninformed? Expected to fetch his body or something?”
Dara and Gwendolyn exchanged glances. They’d had this discussion before. Elise really wished to believe he was alive.
Gwendolyn answered, not unkindly, “I think he has been gone for longer than he usually stayed away.”
There was a long moment of silence.
Gwendolyn broke it. “There is a club in Dublin that Father frequented, the Devil’s Hand. He said the play was good there, and I believe it was one of his favorite haunts. I say we go there.”
“You’ll do it?” Dara was both stunned and triumphant. Dublin was the next county over. It couldn’t be that hard to reach. She’d never visited, but why not now?
“Of course,” her older sister answered. “I have to save you from Patrick Lynch and his body noises... and myself from Squire Davies and all of those children.” But there was no triumph in her voice. Instead, her shoulders slumped, and she whispered, “If we fail, I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you, Elise, or Tweedie.”
“My dear,” Tweedie said, “what if yousucceed? Why, the three of you haven’t even been to Dublin, let alone London. You have barely traveled across County Wicklow. Isn’t it high time you took a risk?”
“Exactly,” Dara agreed. “And don’t we owe it to ourselves to at leasttryfor a better life? Are we not our father’s daughters?”
“Richard will want to stop us,” Elise warned. Then she added with a sly smile, “We’d best sneak out tonight.”
She was right. They needed to act before reason cooled their desire for action. And just like that, Dara’s plan was set into motion.
Chapter Two
