Cassandra silently groaned. Theyhadbeen raised properly, but an outsider wouldn’t be able to notice, especially if they were wealthy. Sometimes, she wondered why her family didn’t try to live better.
“My lords,” Cassandra said, “let me introduce you to my father, Baron Featherstone.”
The lords bowed to her father, and he returned the gesture. It surprised her that Lord Hanover bowed at all. Apparently, it was only lowly women he didn’t show his respect to.
As her father introduced his two sons, Charles and Jacob, Cassandra noticed Olivia gracefully making her way down thestairs as her gaze stayed on their visitors. She sashayed toward Cassandra and stopped right beside her.
Biting her inner cheek, Cassandra tried not to laugh. Her sister had taken the time to brush out her ringlets to give their visitors the impression she was a woman instead of a girl. It must have worked, because Olivia gained attention from both lords.
“I heard you tell my daughter that your carriage broke down not too far from here.” The baron folded his arms across his chest. “If you would like my boys to take a look at it—”
“How thoughtful of you,” Lord Kentwood said. “However, all we ask is the use of your servants for now.”
Cassandra held her breath. A small gasp escaped Olivia’s throat and her face paled. Cassandra cursed her family’s fate. Servants? The Featherstone family hadn’t been fortunate enough to have servants for the past five years.
“I, um…” Her father cleared his throat, shifting from one foot to the other. “Unfortunately, my servants… Um, well… You see, they are not here at the moment.”
Olivia’s gaze swung to Cassandra, and the girl’s eyes were wide with terror. Cassandra clenched her teeth.Father is lying to them!Obviously, her parent had forgotten that he had been raised a titled lord as well.
“None of them are here?” Lord Kentwood asked in a tone laced with skepticism.
Her father laughed, shaking his head. “I only have a few, you see, and there was a death in their family, so I released them from their duties for a few days.”
Lord Hanover continued to stare at Cassandra’s father in doubt, but Lord Kentwood’s gaze shone with appreciation. The two men were completely opposite, but she feared they both knew how to deceive people, just as most men of the realm.
“Baron Featherstone, you certainly have a giving heart,” Lord Kentwood remarked.
The baron’s chest seemed to swell as a grin stretched over his face. He turned to Charles and Jacob. “Collect the tools from the shed and we shall go with these fine gentlemen to fix their carriage.”
“Yes, Pa,” both Charles and Jacob answered simultaneously before rushing past, heading out the back way.
Pa looked at Cassandra. “You and Olivia start making dinner. I’m sure these men will be hungry by the time we are finished.”
“Yes, Pa.” Cassandra glanced at the two lords again. Only Lord Kentwood smiled. The other lord appeared bored and perhaps a bit impatient. That man would be difficult to tolerate, and she hoped they didn’t plan on staying long.
As Cassandra turned toward the kitchen, Olivia spun around and followed. When they were both inside the room, Olivia released a heavy breath and placed her hand to her chest.
“I don’t think I have ever seen more handsome men in my life.” She collapsed dramatically on the counter and smiled dreamily. “And to think they are going to have supper with us.”
Cassandra rolled her eyes. “Not if you don’t get your head out of the clouds and help me.”
Olivia straightened slowly. “Ma will be home soon, and she can do it.”
“Liv, I suggest you shake those impure thoughts out of your head now.”
Olivia’s eyes widened as a blush covered her face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Those men out there are true lords, which means they are not going to give us a second look.” Cassandra swished her hand through the air. “They have eyes, and I’m sure they can see just how poor we are. In fact”—she stepped closer to her sister—“once they discover Pa lied to them about our so-calledservants, those two handsome lords will not want anything more to do with our lying father or his family.”
Frowning, Olivia leaned her hip against the counter. “Do you think we are going to turn into spinsters?”
A feeling of desperate longing squeezed Cassandra’s heart. She had worried that her father’s mistakes would keep her and Olivia from finding good husbands. Spinsterhood was in her future. The only way they would ever become married was by finding a farmer and convincing him that they could help with the farm, since that was what Cassandra and her sister had been doing since the servants left.
Ma had tried to bring up her daughters to respect others and have giving hearts. She had taught them how to stay cheerful even through the times that appeared bad, such as now. Grandfather Featherstone hadn’t been wealthy, but he made do with what he had, which was passed to Cassandra’s father. Unfortunately, her reckless father wanted more from life, which was why he started gambling. At least now he didn’t have any money left to gamble.
A slight ache throbbed in Cassandra’s head. “I pray that won’t happen to us, Liv. We deserve to find good husbands. I don’t want to live here the rest of my life, but it is up to us to find our own way. After all, I still believe in miracles.”
Or, at least, shewantedto believe.
