At the top of the stairs Arabella’s voice sounded sleepy as she bade everyone good night but Helena’s was sharp as she demanded of her husband, ‘It’s time to take your sister to task and demand that she have nothing more to do with Lord Rampton. He’s dangerous.’ ‘You wish to expose the charade?’ Charles sounded nervous, as well he might, and Rose cringed at the knowledge that she’d forced it upon all of them, without real thought for the consequences. ‘How can we?’ snapped Helena. ‘No, I’ll continue to play the innocent virgin but Rose is out of her depth. Do you not see how she turns into a blushing fool the moment he all but looks at her?’ The rest of the conversation was lost as the pair continued along the passageway and all of Rose’s earlier excitement drained away. Yes, she was being a fool. A fool to entertain any hopes that something might come of her association with a dashing, eligible man who clearly desired her and was in need of a wife. So it was with resigned enthusiasm that she listened to her Aunt Alice expound upon the possibilities inherent in a recently-received invitation from their fabulously wealthy Great-Aunt Gwendolyn who was in need of an heir.
