Philippa looked up. "Lady Clarissa?"
"The Earl of Hawthorn's daughter. She was at the Hartington ball the other night." Thea took a bite of her biscuit. "Estella mentioned her. The ton has given her a rather vile nickname."
Philippa frowned. "What sort of nickname?"
Thea's expression tightened with anger. "Cast-Off Clarissa."
Before Philippa could respond, the study door opened again and Estella swept in, flushed. "Your Grace, I'm so sorry to arrive unannounced but I had to tell you about the other night." She stopped when she saw Thea. "Thea. Good. You're here. Did you tell her?"
Thea nodded. "I was in the process."
Estella dropped into the chair beside Thea. Philippa hid her surprise. Yes, Estella had lived here temporarily. And during this time Thea had been welcome to come and go. But Estella had moved out, and it was still peculiar to Philippa that they continued to drop in unannounced.
Not that Philippa minded. In fact, she rather…enjoyed it. But it was still peculiar.
"Lady Clarissa Whitfield," Estella said, still a little breathless from rushing. "She's the woman who asked Sebastian to break off their arrangement. The one who was fighting for a match with a clergyman, and?—"
Philippa held up a hand. "I recall."
After all, it wasn't every day that an earl's daughter pleaded with a marquess to refuse a match so she could marry a country vicar. It had struck her then as either very brave or very foolish, and she had not yet decided which.
"The clergyman got engaged to someone else," Estella continued. "While she was in London fighting for him. He didn't wait for her."
Philippa set down her cup. Foolish. Definitely foolish.
"And now the ton has decided she's a joke," Estella said. "Cast-Off Clarissa. Spurned by a marquess, abandoned by a clergyman. Half the ballroom was repeating it by the end of the night." Estella's lips pinched. "Your Grace…she's alone. Well, nearly alone. She has Lord Alderton, but— Well, you remember him, do you not?"
Philippa nodded, and Estella did not need to explain. Lord Alderton was lovely. She liked him immensely. But he was kind and agreeable. Not the sort of guardian who could scare the ton into minding their tongues.
Estella continued as Thea reached for another biscuit. "Her parents sent her back to London to find another match, and she's trying so hard to be brave about it, and I just?—"
"You feel responsible," Philippa said.
Estella winced. "Sebastian freely admits he did not handle that situation well. And I fear I only made matters worse, and?—"
"Say no more." Philippa held up a hand again. "Your guilt is kind but misplaced."
Thea nodded in agreement. "Of course it's not your fault, Estella. But even so—" She turned to Philippa. "You really ought to help the girl."
"Me?" Philippa couldn't hide her amusement. "Why me?"
"Because you can," Thea said simply.
Estella nodded, eyes wide and pleading. "She could be your next project. Don't you think?"
Philippa slid a glance in Thea's direction. But the girl had the gall to stare back at her with wide, innocent eyes as she ate the last of her biscuit. Thea wanted some other debutante to take her place. Still…
Cast-Off Clarissa. What a horrid name.
Philippa turned it over in her mind. An earl's daughter. Good family. A young woman publicly humiliated—twice—whose parents had essentially sent her back into the arena to try again.
The girl had courage, clearly. She'd faced down Sebastian Vane, which took more nerve than most men possessed. But courage without protection was just a different kind of vulnerability.
This was exactly the sort of young woman Philippa had sworn to help. She was composing her next question when the door swung open without a knock.
"Good morning, Aunt Philippa. I've come to beg for funds again, but I thought I'd try a new approach and start with compliments. That shade of blue is very becoming—" Kit stopped. He'd registered the room. "Ah. You have guests."
When introductions were made all around, and the two young ladies were properly charmed by her rogue of a nephew, he dropped into the remaining chair as if he'd been invited. "What were we discussing? You all looked terribly serious."
