your
whereabouts
.”
Thank goodness. He hadn’t told after all. Liliana smiled and released a breath before the real worry grabbed her. “Why would he do that?” She grimaced, berating herself. She’d been a fool last night, too careless, too loose with her tongue.
In more ways than one.
“I don’t know.” Penelope tilted her head, her heart-shaped face etched with concern. “Do you think he’s onto you?”
Probably.
“No,” Liliana assured her. “Of course not. I’ve given him no reason to look twice at me.”
Penelope stared hard for a moment, and Liliana did her best not to squirm. She never could get one past Pen. “Well, whatever the reason, Mother’s convinced Stratford is smitten with you,” Penelope tossed over her shoulder as she resumed their pace.
“That’s absurd,” Liliana exclaimed as they exited thestairs and made their way to their door. Despite her words, something that could only be described as excitement ran through her, pooling in unfamiliar places that left her feeling unsettled and…unsatisfied. She frowned.
“Nevertheless,” Penelope said as she bustled Liliana inside the still empty room, “she’s determined to take advantage.” She finally let loose of Liliana’s hand and skirted around behind her. “I warned you that by not telling Mother your true reasons for accepting this invitation, you were giving her tacit approval to matchmake,” Penelope scolded, quickly unbuttoning the back of Liliana’s dress. “I told you that you didn’t comprehend what you were letting yourself in for.”
Liliana stepped out of the garment, which Penelope snatched up and draped over a cream armchair.
“You know I couldn’t tell her the truth,” Liliana defended, the familiar anger simmering through her. Aunt would prefer to pretend that her brother and his unorthodox wife never existed. Aunt had always considered it an embarrassment that Liliana’s mother had flouted convention and practiced as a healer…and that her father had allowed it. Maybe that’s why the woman had always tried so hard to change her, to erase her parents’ influence—causing Liliana, in turn, to fight harder still to carry on their work, to not let her parents’ memories die.
Her fingers fumbled as she undid her garters and rolled her stockings off. “Besides, Aunt never would have agreed to fund this trip if she didn’t think I was serious about finally finding a husband.” She reached for the thin nightgown Penelope held and yanked it over her head. “I didn’t think she’d aim so high. I’m virtually on the shelf, for goodness’ sake. I’d rather hoped she would focus her efforts on snagging Stratford for you.”
And ignore me.
Penelope huffed. “Oh, wonderful. Throw me to the wolves.”
“You know that’s not what I meant,” Liliana replied as she climbed into bed, settling herself under the covers.
Penelope waved a hand. “Of course. Poor Mother…when she learns that I’ve set my cap for a mere baron, she’ll likely have an apoplexy. With all of these hasty preparations, I don’t think I’ve had the chance to tell you, but I met Michael in the park the afternoon before last and he—”
The doorknob turned sharply, and Pen’s mouth snapped shut. She dropped into a chair just as Aunt Eliza pushed into the room.
“Good afternoon, Mother,” Penelope chirped, a little too enthusiastically.
“Good afternoon, Aunt,” Liliana parroted, quite feebly.
“It is precisely that…
afternoon
.” Aunt Eliza’s green gaze pinned Liliana. “An entire morning wasted. Gentlemen have been arriving in a steady stream whilst you lie about and let the other girls have the advantage. Of course”—her voice dropped in tone and volume—“so far I have been less than impressed with the quality of prospects. Only a handful of titles amongst them, and very little in the way of fortune.” She
tsk
ed, staring thoughtfully
whereabouts
.”
Thank goodness. He hadn’t told after all. Liliana smiled and released a breath before the real worry grabbed her. “Why would he do that?” She grimaced, berating herself. She’d been a fool last night, too careless, too loose with her tongue.
In more ways than one.
“I don’t know.” Penelope tilted her head, her heart-shaped face etched with concern. “Do you think he’s onto you?”
Probably.
“No,” Liliana assured her. “Of course not. I’ve given him no reason to look twice at me.”
Penelope stared hard for a moment, and Liliana did her best not to squirm. She never could get one past Pen. “Well, whatever the reason, Mother’s convinced Stratford is smitten with you,” Penelope tossed over her shoulder as she resumed their pace.
“That’s absurd,” Liliana exclaimed as they exited thestairs and made their way to their door. Despite her words, something that could only be described as excitement ran through her, pooling in unfamiliar places that left her feeling unsettled and…unsatisfied. She frowned.
“Nevertheless,” Penelope said as she bustled Liliana inside the still empty room, “she’s determined to take advantage.” She finally let loose of Liliana’s hand and skirted around behind her. “I warned you that by not telling Mother your true reasons for accepting this invitation, you were giving her tacit approval to matchmake,” Penelope scolded, quickly unbuttoning the back of Liliana’s dress. “I told you that you didn’t comprehend what you were letting yourself in for.”
Liliana stepped out of the garment, which Penelope snatched up and draped over a cream armchair.
“You know I couldn’t tell her the truth,” Liliana defended, the familiar anger simmering through her. Aunt would prefer to pretend that her brother and his unorthodox wife never existed. Aunt had always considered it an embarrassment that Liliana’s mother had flouted convention and practiced as a healer…and that her father had allowed it. Maybe that’s why the woman had always tried so hard to change her, to erase her parents’ influence—causing Liliana, in turn, to fight harder still to carry on their work, to not let her parents’ memories die.
Her fingers fumbled as she undid her garters and rolled her stockings off. “Besides, Aunt never would have agreed to fund this trip if she didn’t think I was serious about finally finding a husband.” She reached for the thin nightgown Penelope held and yanked it over her head. “I didn’t think she’d aim so high. I’m virtually on the shelf, for goodness’ sake. I’d rather hoped she would focus her efforts on snagging Stratford for you.”
And ignore me.
Penelope huffed. “Oh, wonderful. Throw me to the wolves.”
“You know that’s not what I meant,” Liliana replied as she climbed into bed, settling herself under the covers.
Penelope waved a hand. “Of course. Poor Mother…when she learns that I’ve set my cap for a mere baron, she’ll likely have an apoplexy. With all of these hasty preparations, I don’t think I’ve had the chance to tell you, but I met Michael in the park the afternoon before last and he—”
The doorknob turned sharply, and Pen’s mouth snapped shut. She dropped into a chair just as Aunt Eliza pushed into the room.
“Good afternoon, Mother,” Penelope chirped, a little too enthusiastically.
“Good afternoon, Aunt,” Liliana parroted, quite feebly.
“It is precisely that…
afternoon
.” Aunt Eliza’s green gaze pinned Liliana. “An entire morning wasted. Gentlemen have been arriving in a steady stream whilst you lie about and let the other girls have the advantage. Of course”—her voice dropped in tone and volume—“so far I have been less than impressed with the quality of prospects. Only a handful of titles amongst them, and very little in the way of fortune.” She
tsk
ed, staring thoughtfully
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