Elizabeth’s teacup rattled her plate. “Indeed, Lady Stanton, you know me well.” She took a hot sip and turned to Milton. “I am more inclined to lose myself in the pages of good fiction, you see, rather than in the fiction that is good society.”
He squeezed her leg approvingly. “Lady Stanton, you must divulge more of my betrothed, for I know too little of Miss Winthrop’s predilections.”
“And how longhaveyou known our Lizzie, Baron?” Lady Stanton’s brow arched.
“Why, all of four days now, isn’t it, dear?”
Elizabeth winced.
“Four days?” The lady’s brow inched higher. “What whirlwind romance is this?”
Her sisters, as one, leaned forward in their seats.
“Well, I…” Milton smiled disarmingly at his audience. “Shall I tell them, dearest? You won’t mind, will you?”
Alarm bells rang in Elizabeth’s head, though she flashed him a sincere enough smile. “Oh, I trust you’ll do our story justice, sir.”
Milton patted Elizabeth’s lap. “As I am sure you are aware, ladies”—the trio leaned further in to listen—“Miss Winthrop’s father is most keen on cards. So keen, in fact, I met him but a few nights past at the tables of an upstanding gaming establishment. And being, of course, an upstanding man myself, I let matters rest until the morrow, when I presented myself at his residence to collect my winnings. Only imagine who should greet me there instead of his lordship…”
Elizabeth’s gut twisted as he left the three ladies hanging.
“Why, Miss Winthrop herself. Then imagine, if you would, my surprise when the young lady quite stole my arm and led me to her father’s kitchen. In no time at all I was called to defend her honor before some scoundrel of a butcher come round to collecthisdebt. Indeed, Miss Winthrop was a veritable paragon of virtue when she thanked me for having come to her rescue, though I was astounded that a lady of her character should offer herself so wholly and unabashedly to one such as my?—”
Lady Stanton’s jaw dropped as Elizabeth’s heart ceased beating.
“—self, and for such price asshenegotiated on behalf of her darling papa.” He let out an appreciative whistle. “Ladies, I was smitten. Nay, entranced. I did not hesitate to offer Lord Winthrop five thousand pounds for his beautiful, brave daughter, and was overjoyed to find my sum accepted with delight.”
Elizabeth nearly cast up the contents of her stomach.
“And since that day, I have spent each and every afternoon in the company of my betrothed, overjoyed Miss Winthrop is to be my wife. I could not have dreamed a better match.” He leaned back against the chaise as three shocked faces blinked back at him in horror.
Elizabeth violently pushed his hand from her lap, but that same hand pinned her forcefully to her seat.
With a choked gasp, Lady Stanton began to breathe again. “Elizabeth.” Her voice trembled. “Is it true, dear, that you—why, that you offeredyourselfto the Baron in lieu of-of payment for your father’sdebts?” She barely whispered the last word.
Elizabeth drew up every shred of pride she had. “I did indeed, Lady Stanton, offer myself in place of my sister, whose hand, I should clarify, went for Milton’s five thousand whereas mine was worth a mere?—”
“Elizabeth.” Milton shifted in his seat. “I gave your father five for you, not four.”
She refused to look at him. She could not. “Baron of Milton is overly modest.” Her tongue felt like caked dirt. “For while I cannot deny my actions that day, I admit my motiveswere less mercenary in nature. You see, the Baron’s exceptionally handsome bearing and oh-so-gallant behavior quiteovercame my feminine faculties such that I simplyswoonedat the thought of becoming his wife.”
Milton inhaled a hiss.
“I was so taken by his wealth of charm and bold powers of persuasion, ladies, that I’d have done anything to have him.” She violently pushed his hand from her person to inch closer to the edge of the chaise, leaning forward so that her knees nearly touched Lady Stanton’s skirts. “Anythingat all.”
The lady startled so violently Elizabeth took the opportunity to stand and nudge the pug from her feet. She continued to lie through her teeth. “And now if you’ll excuse me, I really must check on Annabelle, as my sister’s felt poorly all morning and I promised we’d call but a short while at your home.Docontinue to regale the Baron of my penchants and pursuits, however. After all, you know me so very well, Lady Stanton. And as my betrothed is so enamored of your pug”—she was too angry to look at Milton—“I would not dream of stealing him from your company just yet. Good day, ladies.”
She curtsied before making the fastest exit of her life, heading straight for her father’s house and as far as humanly possible from the awful, utter scoundrel she was betrothed to.
Beast!
***
Milton discovered not only Sir Wigglebottom pressed firmly to his lap, but six eyeballs trained in great anticipation on his person. He was shocked by the way Miss Winthrop had just turned tables on him, utterly.
He remained, as manners required, fifteen minutes longer to listen to the three excruciating women wax rhapsodic about his future wife. He allowed the pug to drool upon his thigh. He even took the crumpet handed him to feed said pug small bites, letting it lap crumbs from his trousers with its leathery tongue. But the moment the room’s clock ticked past the quarter mark he deposited the panting pug upon the chaise and excused himself.
A certain conversation urgently needed to happen.
