Jo Beverley by Forbidden Magic

happy to assure you that your brothers and sisters will instantly become as my own, to be raised and educated with the same care, and suitably provided for.
    Ã€ demain,
Saxonhurst.
    Meg read it through again, though it was direct enough. It even included a clear recognition of his offer of marriage that she could take to a court of law and use to claim damages. Susie was right. He was a rash man.
    But the handwriting soothed her. It had been her observation that handwriting indicated personality, and the earl’s showed nothing too terrible. She could handle a rash, impetuous man with eccentric ways. And if he was physically unattractive, she certainly had no right to balk at that.
    â€œVery well,” she said to the maid. “Tomorrow at eleven.”
    Susie’s smile was blinding. “You won’t regret it, Miss Gillingham! You’ll have all the servants on your side if he gives you any trouble.”
    As the door banged shut, Meg sank into a chair. Gives me any trouble? Oh dear . . .
    â€œWhat’s happening at eleven o’clock tomorrow?” Rachel demanded rather shrilly.
    How scared the twins were. She’d thought she was doing a better job of hiding the seriousness of the situation.
    She called up a bright smile. “I’m getting married.”
    They all just stared at her and she laughed, a genuine laugh of relief. Whatever the consequences, they were surely better than the worst. “I’m not mad, sweethearts! I’m getting married. We’ll move to a big house. There’ll be no more scrimping and saving, and you’ll have good food to eat.”
    The twins still looked doubtful. “Truly?”
    â€œTruly!”
    â€œBut who?” asked Laura, rather pale. “Not . . . not Sir Arthur.”
    Meg leaped up to hug her fiercely, thanking heaven for their escape. “Not Sir Arthur. The Earl of Saxonhurst.”
    â€œAn earl ?”
    Meg looked her in the eyes, knowing that none of them, but especially Laura, must suspect that she was doing this for them. “Do you not think me worthy of an earl?”
    Laura flushed. “Of course. You’re worthy of a prince! I just didn’t know you knew any noblemen.”
    Meg hastily assembled a story. “We met at the Ramillys’.”
    â€œBut why tomorrow? There’s no time for any preparations!”
    â€œWhen you know the earl, you’ll know he acts on impulse. Our situation is dire, so why wait? Which reminds me,” she said, turning back to the chopping block, “we still have to eat today.”
    Laura started to cut onions, but said, “Aren’t you going to describe him to us?”
    â€œNo.” Meg set the bone to simmer. “You can wait and see.”
    When Jeremy returned home, however, it wasn’t so easy. A stocky seventeen, he was very like Meg in looks, with their mother’s soft brown hair and their father’s square chin. He was far cleverer, however, and loved to study. Walter Gillingham had predicted that his elder son would far outstrip him in scholarship.
    That was back in the good days, when it had been assumed that Jeremy would follow his father to Cambridge. Recently, he’d talked of finding employment as a clerk. He couldn’t even have continued with his studies if Dr. Pierce hadn’t insisted on carrying on without pay.
    New joy brought the sting of tears to her eyes. She was going to give him back his dreams, his destiny. What he deserved. He must never, however, know the truth. He was as stubborn and resolute as she, and would never let her sacrifice herself.
    He didn’t accept the story as easily as the others, but after a few searching questions, he gave up. She knew she’d have to deal with him later.
    Though clearly concerned, Jeremy and Laura followed her lead and scarcely mentioned plans for the next day, but the twins were not so easily suppressed. When Meg laughingly refused to