During her nightmares, the solution had come to her. “Father is too much a coward to duel. He’ll send Christopher.”
“And you’d have your own brother die for you?” Miranda said, disapproval puckering her lips.
“Of course not,” Grace said, exasperated. “I’ve spent the past sixteen years of my life keeping that boy out of trouble — no easy task, mind you. Do you think I’d let all that good effort go to waste?” She shook her head as she turned from her maid. “I would never endanger him. I’ll post a letter to Christopher today, apprising him of the situation. If Father sends him to confront Lord Sutherland, Christopher will simply go elsewhere. If I am fortunate, Christopher and Helen will both be safely away before Father ever hears of my troubles. Perhaps our inheritance will even be settled by then.” Grace spoke brightly, clasping her hands and facing Miranda, who rolled her eyes.
“And perhaps Harrison will quit snorting like a deranged pig.”
“Harrison is a dear, suffering so to be here with me,” Grace said, defending him. “Would that I could send you both back to London. I worry over Helen at home without me.”
“She’ll be fine,” Miranda said, her tone softening. “You’ve more need of us right now.”
Grace bit her lip. “I fear that I do — more than ever.” She’d come to the part of her plan Miranda was least likely to be in favor of.
“Father will be furious. He’ll wish he could flay me for such a careless mistake.” Grace winced, remembering all too well the times she had felt the sting of a switch. “I’ll post a letter to Helen too,” Grace said, once again fearing for her sister. “She cannot be home when Father receives the news. But as for me — and what happened here last night — there will be nothing he can do, no way to repair the damage to me, or to Helen, either. Our family’s good name, ” Grace said sarcastically, “will be beyond repair.”
“And will you write your father a letter as well?” Miranda asked. “Telling him all that has transpired last night?”
“Oh, no,” Grace said. “He’ll not hear from me. He will simply ... hear of it.”
For everything to transpire, the servants would have to talk. Grace thoroughly intended that those few scandalous moments be recounted explicitly to the right people and at the right places. She suppressed a shudder as she recalled them: the surprise of Lord Sutherland’s arm across her chest, the feel of his chest, bare beneath his robe when she’d pushed him away —
“Being in Lord Sutherland’s bed is enough to ruin me, and any possibility for Helen as well,” Grace reiterated, feeling both determined and delighted. “And if neither of us can marry, Father will simply have to get on another way — without us. And we will be free of him.”
“It is what the duke intended all along,” Miranda said.
“I know,” Grace said. “And it pains me to have to besmirch his good name in ruining mine. But I see no other way. Father will not desist. Not when he believes there is money to be had through us. We must take this opportunity that has befallen us.”
“Dear girl.” Miranda wrung her hands. “You worry over the reputation of the deceased, when it’s your own life you ought to be thinking on. You don’t realize what you’d suffer.”
“Perhaps not,” Grace agreed. “But I can well imagine what I — and Helen — may suffer if I do not take this action.” She hugged her arms to her chest. “Thus far I’ve been fortunate in finding ways out of disagreeable marriages. We both know that that cannot go on forever. What will be Mr. Preston’s disposition? Will I be barring my door at night from him as well? Will he wish me to sit demurely at his side and hold my tongue the remainder of my days while he heaps whatever abuses he fancies upon me? Grandfather left me that money so I would not have to marry. I believe he would agree with this decision.”
“There must
“And you’d have your own brother die for you?” Miranda said, disapproval puckering her lips.
“Of course not,” Grace said, exasperated. “I’ve spent the past sixteen years of my life keeping that boy out of trouble — no easy task, mind you. Do you think I’d let all that good effort go to waste?” She shook her head as she turned from her maid. “I would never endanger him. I’ll post a letter to Christopher today, apprising him of the situation. If Father sends him to confront Lord Sutherland, Christopher will simply go elsewhere. If I am fortunate, Christopher and Helen will both be safely away before Father ever hears of my troubles. Perhaps our inheritance will even be settled by then.” Grace spoke brightly, clasping her hands and facing Miranda, who rolled her eyes.
“And perhaps Harrison will quit snorting like a deranged pig.”
“Harrison is a dear, suffering so to be here with me,” Grace said, defending him. “Would that I could send you both back to London. I worry over Helen at home without me.”
“She’ll be fine,” Miranda said, her tone softening. “You’ve more need of us right now.”
Grace bit her lip. “I fear that I do — more than ever.” She’d come to the part of her plan Miranda was least likely to be in favor of.
“Father will be furious. He’ll wish he could flay me for such a careless mistake.” Grace winced, remembering all too well the times she had felt the sting of a switch. “I’ll post a letter to Helen too,” Grace said, once again fearing for her sister. “She cannot be home when Father receives the news. But as for me — and what happened here last night — there will be nothing he can do, no way to repair the damage to me, or to Helen, either. Our family’s good name, ” Grace said sarcastically, “will be beyond repair.”
“And will you write your father a letter as well?” Miranda asked. “Telling him all that has transpired last night?”
“Oh, no,” Grace said. “He’ll not hear from me. He will simply ... hear of it.”
For everything to transpire, the servants would have to talk. Grace thoroughly intended that those few scandalous moments be recounted explicitly to the right people and at the right places. She suppressed a shudder as she recalled them: the surprise of Lord Sutherland’s arm across her chest, the feel of his chest, bare beneath his robe when she’d pushed him away —
“Being in Lord Sutherland’s bed is enough to ruin me, and any possibility for Helen as well,” Grace reiterated, feeling both determined and delighted. “And if neither of us can marry, Father will simply have to get on another way — without us. And we will be free of him.”
“It is what the duke intended all along,” Miranda said.
“I know,” Grace said. “And it pains me to have to besmirch his good name in ruining mine. But I see no other way. Father will not desist. Not when he believes there is money to be had through us. We must take this opportunity that has befallen us.”
“Dear girl.” Miranda wrung her hands. “You worry over the reputation of the deceased, when it’s your own life you ought to be thinking on. You don’t realize what you’d suffer.”
“Perhaps not,” Grace agreed. “But I can well imagine what I — and Helen — may suffer if I do not take this action.” She hugged her arms to her chest. “Thus far I’ve been fortunate in finding ways out of disagreeable marriages. We both know that that cannot go on forever. What will be Mr. Preston’s disposition? Will I be barring my door at night from him as well? Will he wish me to sit demurely at his side and hold my tongue the remainder of my days while he heaps whatever abuses he fancies upon me? Grandfather left me that money so I would not have to marry. I believe he would agree with this decision.”
“There must
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