She sighed. Extricating her fingers from Jackson’s grip, she curtsied to Jackson’s family, low enough the dowager duchess couldn’t claim fault, and said, “Your Grace.” A slight turn. “Lord Figaro.” Another turn to the ladies at the door, and this time, Anna noted the title of the book in the one lady’s hands.
She took in the trio with new eyes and smiled. “And you are the weird sisters, I presume?”
Jackson sucked ina breath.She hadn’t just... She wouldn’t.
But of course, she would.
Anna had just called three of the most influential widows in the English countrysidestrangeto their faces.
Everyone stood frozen.
God, he had to diffuse the situation before the spiders ate her alive. But his mind was reeling. In what order did he make introductions again? “May I introduce the Dowager ViscountessTisway, the Dowager Viscountess Holloway, and the Dowager Baroness Febass. Ladies, may I present—”
“Yes, yes, we heard.” There was a gruff cackle from Lady Febass, the black, laced bonnet on her head tipping dangerously with the action. “Hail to thee, Miss Greene.” A waved hand to Jackson’s mother. “A charming addition to our coven.” A shrewd look directed at Anna. “But can she play?”
Anna smiled. “Cards, piano, or illiterate dukes, for your pleasure, my lady.”
The three widows shared another laugh, looking truly amused.
Jackson needed to sit down.
“What is this nonsense about a betrothal?” At least his mother could be counted on to remain true to irked form. “Who is this woman, Jackson? What are her connections? Who are her family?”
“Never mind all that,” Lady Holloway said. “MissGreene, did you say? Your father would not have been Henry Greene, the great locksmith?”
Anna stiffened. “Yes.”
“A locksmith!” The dowager duchess looked faint. “Jackson, you cannot be serious?”
“More than that,” Lady Tisway said. “Her brother is also the new Viscount Brixby. Titled and honored by the Regent himself.”
Thathad gotten the dowager duchess’s attention. “‘Honored’?”
Lady Tisway was still looking at Anna. “For distinguished heroism on the battlefield.”
Anna startled.
Jackson would share in her surprise, except the spiders always knew everything about everyone. As if every fly on the wall came to report.
Lady Tisway shared a look with the other ladies before her gaze fixed on Anna’s face. “Come closer, girl, so I may see you better. My eyes aren’t what they used to be.”
Anna—alarmingly obedient—came forward and stood for inspection.
When she’d finished, Lady Tisway looked pleased. “You’ll do. Now, tell me straight: how are you at whist? I won’t take on any greenhorn as my partner.” She nodded toward the baroness and the other viscountess. “Not with those two vipers always upping the ante.”
Lady Febass sniffed. “It’s not fun unless there are stakes.”
“Ladies, really!” The dowager duchess admonished. “It is unseemly to openly gamble.”
Lady Holloway cast their hostess a blank expression. “Then, by all means, Ester, look away.”
Jackson had walked into an alternate Grandfellow Hall, he was sure of it. That, or he was having a terrible reaction to the pudding he’d eaten yesterday. A feeling of queasy excitement that was becoming commonplace.
His gaze went to Anna, knowing exactly from whom the feeling had originated.
She smiled as the trio of women shooed away the servants and busied themselves clearing off the table at the far end of the room and rearranging the chairs before a deck of cards was produced.
His betrothed could plant a fine facerandtame wicked widows.
