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it is only that London ladies are not well equipped to discuss the things that interest him.”
“Perhaps,” said Aunt Hortense thoughtfully. “At any rate, he is always a welcome guest here. No matter what your mama says.”
“And will you continue to receive Lockwood?” Licia asked. “I’m afraid that when Mama thinks of it, she will try to have him turned away.”
“I will not turn him away,” Aunt Hortense promised. “Eglantine would not like it. Besides, it’s plain to see that the girl’s in love.”
“Do you think , Mama, that it’s wise to marry for love?” Penelope’s question was asked in the most casual of tones. But that did not deceive Licia.
“Of course,” said Aunt Hortense. “Providing other things are all in order.”
“Other things?” inquired Licia, watching Penelope’s face.
“Yes,” Aunt Hortense continued. “After all, it isn’t as though the girl wanted to marry a tradesman or some foreigner. She’s staying within the ton.”
Penelope’s complexion turned pale and Licia swallowed a sigh. Her cousin was not going to have an easy time of it. That much was certain.
Sometime later Penelope and Licia went upstairs to find Dezzie. She was lying on the bed, her face swollen and wet with tears. “Oh, Licia. I am so miserable! Whatever shall I do?”
“The first thing,” said Penelope sternly, “is to stop that sniveling.”
“But Mama is going to make me marry Ravenworth!”
“Nonsense! First off, your mama cannot make you marry anyone. And second, David has no desire to marry you. Listen . . .” She perched on the edge of the great bed. “There’s no need for these hysterics. Your mama is not nearly so fierce as mine.”
Dezzie stopped sniffling and sat up. “That’s true. But how did you—”
“We simply refused. And we kept on refusing. And finally Mama tired of insisting.”
Dezzie sighed. “I shall never give in. But Mama is so determined. And how long will Lockwood wait? Oh, if only the duke would fix his interest somewhere else!”
Penelope looked thoughtful. “That is not such a bad idea.”
“But, but . . .” Licia’s stomach had taken a sudden tumbling fit. “He doesn’t wish to marry.”
“He could pretend!” Dezzie cried. “He could find some lady and pretend till Mama gives up and lets me wed my Lockwood.” She reached for Licia’s hands. “Oh, dear Licia, I know I have not been the best sister, but would you do this for me? Would you ask the duke to fix his interest on someone?”
The room had taken on an alarming tendency to sway. “I? How can I ask such a thing? Penelope is the one to do it.”
Penelope shook her head. “No, I think Licia should do it.”
“But how . . . ” How could she ask Ravenworth to fix his attention on some other woman when she wanted him to . . . no, she could not allow herself to think like that. It would lead to no good conclusion.
“Please, Licia.” Dezzie’s eyes brimmed with tears. “I know you think I’m a foolish green girl, but . . . ”
Automatically Licia patted her sister’s hand. “No, dear. I don’t think that.”
“But I do love Lockwood. And if Mama prevents our marrying, I shall never wed another.” She cast her eyes heavenward. “As I live and breathe, I swear it.”
Licia looked to her cousin for help, but Penelope was nodding. “Listen to Dezzie,” she said. “In this matter of love she is right. When you love someone, really love someone, you love them forever.”
Dezzie turned and clasped her cousin in a fervent embrace. “Oh, thank you, dear Penelope. How lovely of you to understand.”
“Yes, I do understand.” Penelope looked to Licia. “So how shall you broach the subject to Ravenworth?”
With the two of them gazing at her like that she knew she had no chance of weaseling out. “I have not the slightest idea. I shall have to wait till the time comes.”
“Oh, dear!” Dezzie wailed.
“Now what is wrong?”
“Lockwood. He’s coming to
“Perhaps,” said Aunt Hortense thoughtfully. “At any rate, he is always a welcome guest here. No matter what your mama says.”
“And will you continue to receive Lockwood?” Licia asked. “I’m afraid that when Mama thinks of it, she will try to have him turned away.”
“I will not turn him away,” Aunt Hortense promised. “Eglantine would not like it. Besides, it’s plain to see that the girl’s in love.”
“Do you think , Mama, that it’s wise to marry for love?” Penelope’s question was asked in the most casual of tones. But that did not deceive Licia.
“Of course,” said Aunt Hortense. “Providing other things are all in order.”
“Other things?” inquired Licia, watching Penelope’s face.
“Yes,” Aunt Hortense continued. “After all, it isn’t as though the girl wanted to marry a tradesman or some foreigner. She’s staying within the ton.”
Penelope’s complexion turned pale and Licia swallowed a sigh. Her cousin was not going to have an easy time of it. That much was certain.
Sometime later Penelope and Licia went upstairs to find Dezzie. She was lying on the bed, her face swollen and wet with tears. “Oh, Licia. I am so miserable! Whatever shall I do?”
“The first thing,” said Penelope sternly, “is to stop that sniveling.”
“But Mama is going to make me marry Ravenworth!”
“Nonsense! First off, your mama cannot make you marry anyone. And second, David has no desire to marry you. Listen . . .” She perched on the edge of the great bed. “There’s no need for these hysterics. Your mama is not nearly so fierce as mine.”
Dezzie stopped sniffling and sat up. “That’s true. But how did you—”
“We simply refused. And we kept on refusing. And finally Mama tired of insisting.”
Dezzie sighed. “I shall never give in. But Mama is so determined. And how long will Lockwood wait? Oh, if only the duke would fix his interest somewhere else!”
Penelope looked thoughtful. “That is not such a bad idea.”
“But, but . . .” Licia’s stomach had taken a sudden tumbling fit. “He doesn’t wish to marry.”
“He could pretend!” Dezzie cried. “He could find some lady and pretend till Mama gives up and lets me wed my Lockwood.” She reached for Licia’s hands. “Oh, dear Licia, I know I have not been the best sister, but would you do this for me? Would you ask the duke to fix his interest on someone?”
The room had taken on an alarming tendency to sway. “I? How can I ask such a thing? Penelope is the one to do it.”
Penelope shook her head. “No, I think Licia should do it.”
“But how . . . ” How could she ask Ravenworth to fix his attention on some other woman when she wanted him to . . . no, she could not allow herself to think like that. It would lead to no good conclusion.
“Please, Licia.” Dezzie’s eyes brimmed with tears. “I know you think I’m a foolish green girl, but . . . ”
Automatically Licia patted her sister’s hand. “No, dear. I don’t think that.”
“But I do love Lockwood. And if Mama prevents our marrying, I shall never wed another.” She cast her eyes heavenward. “As I live and breathe, I swear it.”
Licia looked to her cousin for help, but Penelope was nodding. “Listen to Dezzie,” she said. “In this matter of love she is right. When you love someone, really love someone, you love them forever.”
Dezzie turned and clasped her cousin in a fervent embrace. “Oh, thank you, dear Penelope. How lovely of you to understand.”
“Yes, I do understand.” Penelope looked to Licia. “So how shall you broach the subject to Ravenworth?”
With the two of them gazing at her like that she knew she had no chance of weaseling out. “I have not the slightest idea. I shall have to wait till the time comes.”
“Oh, dear!” Dezzie wailed.
“Now what is wrong?”
“Lockwood. He’s coming to
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