to a gentleman of supreme standing. Then Lilywhite and Gallantine shall do the same for each of your sisters. Such a diverting challenge this will be for us all.”
“Are you referring to finding matches for the gels, Lotharian ?” Gallantine busied himself by making minute adjustments in the position of his wig.
To Mary, he seemed more than a little ill at ease at the moment.
“Or... perhaps you are referring to proving the gels’ lineage?” Gallantine asked. “For you have yet to mention the latter, and I daresay that task will be far more of a challenge to accomplish.”
For the briefest instant, worry cinched Lotharian’s ample brows, but in the next, his expression relaxed and his characteristic rakish grin made its appearance on his lips.
“Why, both , my man! For the only way to secure the Royle sisters’ futures is to secure their past as well.”
“Did you hear, sisters? They mean to help us—in all things!” Elizabeth , unable to restrain her excitement, let forth a high-pitched giggle before stifling it by clapping her hand to her mouth.
Lotharian chuckled softly, then set himself to the task of turning the bookcase, opening it wider.
Taking this as a cue to leave, Mary made to step into the secret passage, but the ancient rake held her firmly in place for a moment more.
“I do not jest, Miss Royle ,” he told her with all seriousness. “There will be no settling for a simple mister or even a sir for you.”
Once again, Mary did not know how to respond.
Certainly, she didn’t need anyone’s help selecting a husband. She was more than capable of managing her own life. Why, she had already set her cap for a very worthy man—and a titled war hero at that.
She was about to admit as much when she happened to glance at her two sisters.
If there was even a chance that the Old Rakes of Marylebone could see to her sisters’ marital futures, well, she would have to go along with the plan, at least for a while.
It was true that Anne’s and Elizabeth’s charms were many, but they were completely distracted by this tale of the blue-blooded babes.
Unlike she herself, they lacked the focus needed to set their futures on the proper path—by finding husbands.
Because of this, Lady Upperton’s guidance and direction in making proper matches was truly a godsend.
Why, with Lady Upperton as their sponsor, surely their minds would be too occupied with the hunt for husbands to allow them to waste their time and meager resources investigating the farcical tale of their supposed royal birth.
Lotharian raised a brow. “Do you doubt my connections, miss?”
“Oh, no, my lord,” Mary blurted.
“Very well then. We shall focus our matchmaking attentions on dukes, marquises and earls... though we might consider a viscount or even a baron—but only if the family is very old and prominent.”
Mary squinted at him. “Why is a title so important?”
“Why indeed,” he said, winking at her playfully as he released her to follow her sisters into the hollow blackness behind the bookcase, “because, my dear, you are the daughter of the future king of England .”
Chapter 4
R ogan and Quinn were soaked to the skin, but this was no great surprise. They should not have raced like mindless schoolboys to Hyde Park when the rain was so clearly poised to fall.
Still, Rogan had never been able to turn his back on a challenge, especially one from his brother, Quinn.
Just as he’d known all along, Quinn’s mystery chit was nowhere to be seen when they finally arrived at the park.
At least, Rogan mused, she had been wise enough to stay at home on a wet day like this. Showed she had a brain in her pretty little head. That was something to recommend her.
Not wishing to slosh water up the stair treads to their chambers, Rogan and Quinn headed straight for the glowing hearth in the parlor and began to shed their clothing there.
Rogan dried his thick hair, then handed his valet the wet towel in exchange for
“Are you referring to finding matches for the gels, Lotharian ?” Gallantine busied himself by making minute adjustments in the position of his wig.
To Mary, he seemed more than a little ill at ease at the moment.
“Or... perhaps you are referring to proving the gels’ lineage?” Gallantine asked. “For you have yet to mention the latter, and I daresay that task will be far more of a challenge to accomplish.”
For the briefest instant, worry cinched Lotharian’s ample brows, but in the next, his expression relaxed and his characteristic rakish grin made its appearance on his lips.
“Why, both , my man! For the only way to secure the Royle sisters’ futures is to secure their past as well.”
“Did you hear, sisters? They mean to help us—in all things!” Elizabeth , unable to restrain her excitement, let forth a high-pitched giggle before stifling it by clapping her hand to her mouth.
Lotharian chuckled softly, then set himself to the task of turning the bookcase, opening it wider.
Taking this as a cue to leave, Mary made to step into the secret passage, but the ancient rake held her firmly in place for a moment more.
“I do not jest, Miss Royle ,” he told her with all seriousness. “There will be no settling for a simple mister or even a sir for you.”
Once again, Mary did not know how to respond.
Certainly, she didn’t need anyone’s help selecting a husband. She was more than capable of managing her own life. Why, she had already set her cap for a very worthy man—and a titled war hero at that.
She was about to admit as much when she happened to glance at her two sisters.
If there was even a chance that the Old Rakes of Marylebone could see to her sisters’ marital futures, well, she would have to go along with the plan, at least for a while.
It was true that Anne’s and Elizabeth’s charms were many, but they were completely distracted by this tale of the blue-blooded babes.
Unlike she herself, they lacked the focus needed to set their futures on the proper path—by finding husbands.
Because of this, Lady Upperton’s guidance and direction in making proper matches was truly a godsend.
Why, with Lady Upperton as their sponsor, surely their minds would be too occupied with the hunt for husbands to allow them to waste their time and meager resources investigating the farcical tale of their supposed royal birth.
Lotharian raised a brow. “Do you doubt my connections, miss?”
“Oh, no, my lord,” Mary blurted.
“Very well then. We shall focus our matchmaking attentions on dukes, marquises and earls... though we might consider a viscount or even a baron—but only if the family is very old and prominent.”
Mary squinted at him. “Why is a title so important?”
“Why indeed,” he said, winking at her playfully as he released her to follow her sisters into the hollow blackness behind the bookcase, “because, my dear, you are the daughter of the future king of England .”
Chapter 4
R ogan and Quinn were soaked to the skin, but this was no great surprise. They should not have raced like mindless schoolboys to Hyde Park when the rain was so clearly poised to fall.
Still, Rogan had never been able to turn his back on a challenge, especially one from his brother, Quinn.
Just as he’d known all along, Quinn’s mystery chit was nowhere to be seen when they finally arrived at the park.
At least, Rogan mused, she had been wise enough to stay at home on a wet day like this. Showed she had a brain in her pretty little head. That was something to recommend her.
Not wishing to slosh water up the stair treads to their chambers, Rogan and Quinn headed straight for the glowing hearth in the parlor and began to shed their clothing there.
Rogan dried his thick hair, then handed his valet the wet towel in exchange for
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