“Tell yer sisters to pack their bags,” he heard himself say. “We’re moving.”

4

How on earth would she secure even one husband for seven impoverished ladies when she could not secure one for herself?

Teresa rested her chin on her palm and stared out the window onto the street before Diantha’s townhouse. According to the footman, Mr. Yale would be home shortly. Diantha would tell her nothing of Lord Eads, but Teresa understood that her husband knew the earl quite well.

As she watched carriages clatter by on the street she catalogued the sisters. One of the two whose name she did not yet know was clearly the beauty of the family, followed by the vivacious twins, Effie and the other.

Abigail was pretty too, and sensible; she’d known Teresa was not a doxy. Una had a clever eye and ready smile. Sorcha was all business. Judgmental, prim, and self-possessed, Elspeth reminded her of Mr. Waldon.

She had plenty to work with, but it was probably best to begin with the quality that men noticed immediately in a woman: beauty. It stood to reason that if she found a husband for the beautiful sister first, the rest would soon become known to his friends and acquaintances.

A horseman dismounted before the house. He wasn’t Mr. Yale, but as the only man in the world that thought highly of her, her brother Tobias was always welcome company.

She met him at the door. “Have come to see Wyn? He mentioned that you were to call on him.”

“He knows a few fellows that might help me get a leg up at the War Office.” His handsome face glowed with pleasure. “But that’s not my purpose today. I’ve come to escort you shopping.”

“Shopping?”

His brow lifted beneath hair two shades darker than hers. “Is it me or shopping that inspires this listlessness?”

“Shopping, of course. I know. Unprecedented. Toby . . . I . . .”

“What is it, T? You look pretty as a picture today, but all the same, glum.

Not like you at all.”

She had not told Diantha. She had not told Annie. The only people that knew were the earl and his sisters, and she was perfectly at sea. She was coming to see that if one wished to achieve grand dreams, one needed help from trusted friends.

“Yesterday afternoon after three days of research among the gossips of London, I discovered the address of the Earl of Eads and paid him a call. He is a penniless Scotsman with an unproductive estate and seven half sisters to wed off, and I made a wager with him that if I found them all husbands within a month he must marry me.”

Her brother stared at her quite the way the earl and his sisters had the day before.

“Are you insane?”

She slumped down in a chair. “That’s what he said.”

“Sounds like a sensible fellow.”

“I am not insane. I do not wish to marry Mr. Waldon but Papa is determined, and I—”

“You think your only option to Waldon is this?”

“I cannot bear the idea of it, Toby! Merely sitting beside him makes me feel all prickly and ill. He’s not really that awful. It’s only that I am terrified of spending the remainder of my life as his chattel.”

“Well, I understand your hesitation there. Waldon’s a thorough prig. But you needn’t throw yourself on the mercy of an unknown Scot to find a husband. Diantha must know plenty of gentlemen who’d be glad to court you.”

“She and Wyn have taken me about town. But, you see, I made the acquaintance of Lord Eads when I was in town with Aunt Hortensia. Rather, not quite his acquaintance . . . But . . .” She folded her hands. “I want him.”

“You want him?” His eyes widened. “Oh, no, T. Don’t tell me that when you were here last year you—”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“Because I’ve heard stories from the grooms in Father’s stables. I know that maid of yours is—”

“I didn’t do anything! I only saw him and, well, something about him . . . fits. Toby, please try to understand.”

“But this is—”

“I know!” She leaped up. “It’s madness. I have no idea why I feel so strongly about a man about whom I know next to nothing. But I know scads and scads about Mr. Waldon and I simply abhor him.”

Her brother’s brow crunched. “Those don’t follow.”

“Of course not. But I’ve done it, Toby. I’ve made the wager with Lord Eads despite his considerable reluctance. He doesn’t believe I will manage it.”

“What exactly did he say when you made this offer?”

“He said he would not do it.” She suspected he had finally agreed only to make her go away. “If a lady asked you to marry her, would you?”

“If she’d called in secret at my home and wagered herself against my sister’s future? No.”

“Why not? I am not an antidote and I do have a marriage portion.”

“T, if a man’s got any honor in him he wouldn’t treat a lady in a manner he wouldn’t want his own sisters to be treated, would he?”

He had a point. And Toby didn’t know the half of it.

She didn’t care what the gossips said about the earl’s unsavory past. He was trying to protect her from herself.

“Listen here, T, I won’t let you go near him again until I’ve spoken with him and learned something of his character and his intentions toward you,” Tobias said firmly.

“He doesn’t have any intentions toward me. I think he would rather I go away.”

“Be that as it may, he’s got fodder for gossip now that could ruin your reputation.”

“Toby, Papa and Mama have determined that Mr. Waldon is my destiny. If I ruin my reputation here perhaps he will refuse to take me.”

“And every other man!”

She shrugged. “Then it seems that my brothers’ future wives will be obliged to put up with old spinster Aunt Teresa as a permanent house guest.”

He chuckled. “Nonsense. Now come on. Collect your cloak and we’ll find some gowns and what-have-you’s so Mama will be happy you’ve done your duty to her.”

She pursed her lips and shifted her eyes away.

Her brother’s mouth flattened. “You invented that story, didn’t you?”

“I did. I came to London only to find Lord Eads and make him marry me.”

“An I for one think it a grand plan.” The voice that came from the doorway was clear and warm.

“Lady Una Eads and Lady Moira Eads,” the footman announced.

Aha! Moira was the beautiful one.

Teresa went forward. “How kind of you to call. I never imagined you would.”

Una’s vibrant blue eyes met hers honestly. “We almost didna. Ye left no card. We were at a loss until I demanded that ma brither reveal how ye kent o’ him. He refused to tell me more than the name o’ the gentleman whose house this is.”

Teresa’s heart did a little twist. He had not told her the truth. He did remember seeing her that night with Diantha at Lady Beaufetheringstone’s ball.

She recalled her manners. “Mr. and Mrs. Yale are not in now. But please allow me to make you acquainted with my brother.”

Tobias bowed. Una nodded. Moira performed a lovely curtsey, her satiny dark curls dangling about her brow and neck and her gentle blue eyes downcast.

“Miss Finch-Freeworth,” Lady Una said, “our brither wouldna explain yer extraordinary proposal, so we’ve come to make sense o’ it.”

“There is really nothing to make sense of.”

Una’s slender brows rose. Tobias folded his hands behind his back.

“I wish to marry him.”

“That we already understood,” Una said with a slight grin. “But he’s flustered enough aboot it that we wanted to hear the rest o’ it from ye.”

“You flustered an earl, T?” Tobias said. “Well done.”

“I’d the same thought maself, sir.” Una’s grin widened.

Tobias smiled back at her. He seemed completely unaffected by the Aphrodite beside her.

Teresa’s pulse was spinning. She had flustered him. “I made a wager with him that if I found husbands for you and your sisters he must marry me.”

“He told me as much, though I thought he was funning.” Una’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “In truth it seems a fine plan. But are ye a virtuous leddy, Miss Finch-Freeworth?”

“Now see here, miss,” Tobias said, his shoulders squaring. Lady Una set a curious gaze on him. “That is, my lady,” he amended. “My sister is the best sort imaginable. If she wishes your brother to court her then she must know he is an honorable man.”

“Aye, he is. A’ times too honorable for his own guid.”

Moira looked between them, a little smile playing about her rosebud lips.

Una nodded decisively. “Weel, I dinna suppose we’re helping ye match-

make by holding ye here nou, are we? Ye’d best get on wi’ it, Miss Finch-

Freeworth.” Her eyes sparkled.

Teresa’s breath shot out in relief. “Do call me Teresa.”

“If we’re to be sisters,” Moira said sweetly, “ye must call us by our given names too.” She extended a delicate hand for Teresa to shake. “I’m Moira, and I hope ye marry our brither, Teresa.”

Tobias cleared his throat. “Ladies, with all due respect to my sister’s uncanny sense of a man’s good character and to your filial loyalty, I insist on meeting Lord Eads before this outrageous program proceeds any further.”

“Naturally,” Lady Una said.

“And I should like your word,” he said, his face becoming very sober now, “that news of this project will remain among us.”

“Sir,” Lady Moira said softly, “since she’s to be our sister, it wouldna serve us otherwise, would it?”

He looked to Lady Una who smiled.

“All right.” He stepped forward and took Una’s hand on his arm. “Shall we be off?”