you as our sister, Maura.”
It seemed ironic that she should be the one offering consolation for being expelled from their family home, but Maura smiled comfortingly. “You could never lose me, my dears. But your mother will not be happy that you are here visiting me.”
Hannah frowned. “Well, there you are mistaken. Mama gave us permission to call on you this morning. Indeed, she encouraged us to come and even let us have the carriage.”
Maura must have looked skeptical for Lucy hurried to explain. “Mama said she regrets sending you away last night.”
“Did she now?” Maura replied in surprise.
“Yes, because of your betrothal to Lord Beaufort, you see.”
She felt her mouth twist with faint humor. “I suppose I do see.” Priscilla must have recalled that a marquess trumped a viscount and that making an enemy of her stepdaughter’s future husband was extremely unwise. No doubt she would try to endear herself to Ash, just as she had Noah Collyer.
Hannah took over the explanations then. “Mama believes she acted too hastily and has offered to let you come home. But Lucy and I have discussed it at length, and we think you should make her grovel a bit—but only if you won’t hold it against us, Maura.” Hannah glanced around the elegant parlor adorned with flocked silk wallpapering, velvet draperies, and expensive chintz and rosewood furnishings. “So long as you are staying in this splendid house, it won’t be a hardship for you, will it? In fact, you may be much happier living here. But we don’t want you to forget us.”
“Surely you know I could never forget you,” Maura said. “And it may be best if I keep away from you at present. Your mother is right: My associating with you could bring Deering’s wrath down upon your innocent heads.”
“We don’t care!” Lucy declared loyally.
Hannah was less certain on that score, however. “It is rather worrisome. Mama lives in dread that he will destroy our chances to find husbands. Given our family scandal, even a whiff of censure from Viscount Deering would drive away any potential suitors. But that cannot be allowed to matter—and it is not as if we had any suitors beating down our doors to court us anyway.”
“Certainly it matters,” Maura asserted. “But I promise you, Deering’s threat will never come to pass. My friends mean to lend you their patronage. If the entire Wilde family is seen to support you, Deering will find it difficult to bring about your ruination. In fact, Skye and Katharine have offered to take you about society so that you may meet some eligible gentlemen.”
“Oh, that would be famous!” Lucy exclaimed, while Hannah professed, “Mama will be vastly relieved.”
And so will I, Maura thought, grateful to her friends.
Although, she added to herself, it would mean yet another reason to be indebted to Ash and his family, not just for protecting her stepsisters, but for averting a possible murder. For if Deering dared to harm Hannah or Lucy, she would strangle him with her bare hands or shoot him with her pistol, and then she truly would be thrown in prison and hanged, this time for slaying a nobleman rather than merely stealing back her stallion.
While Maura was consoling her stepsisters, Ash was conferring with Quinn in the library. By then, the Wilde family council had disbanded, with Skye and Kate repairing to the drawing room to attend to their correspondence, Jack to return to his own home, and Uncle Cornelius to prepare for an appointment with a colleague.
Quinn remained behind to discuss possible ways to take down the viscount.
“You would have the most leverage over Deering,” Quinn suggested, “if you could reveal him as a cheat as well as a liar. When he played against Collyer, were the cards actually marked, and if so, who marked them? If it was Deering, he might attempt to cheat in the future, given high enough stakes. If you were to play him at cards, you could contrive to expose him.”
“An excellent notion,” Ash said with a thoughtful nod. “I’m glad you occasionally put that brilliant mind of yours to good use.”
Quinn smiled. “Let me know if you need assistance against him. I would relish the opportunity.”
“At some point I may require your help, but for now, I hope to let Miss Collyer orchestrate his defeat as much as possible. She has a large score to settle with Deering and needs the satisfaction of routing him herself.”
“That I can understand,” Quinn said. “What confounds me is how easily you allowed yourself to be caught up in Kate’s preposterous theory. Only a few days ago you were bent on making your own destiny.”
“I still am,” Ash contended.
“Have you determined if she is your true love?”
Ash hesitated. “I don’t yet know.”
His cousin’s amused blue eyes held a hint of mockery—a cynicism that was not unexpected. Of all the Wilde cousins, Quinn was the least likely to believe in such unproven possibilities as lovers who were fated to be together.
But given his closeness with his cousin, Ash felt the need to expound. “I imagine I will know in short order. Although it seems longer, it has only been three days since we embarked on this endeavor together. Our betrothal should prove a good test.” He paused another moment. “I do feel something for her, I admit. But pray, don’t tell Kate or I’ll mill you down.”
Quinn returned a pained grin. “I wouldn’t dream of it, for it would only encourage her matchmaking.” Rising from the table, he gave a friendly squeeze to Ash’s shoulder. “But pray remember, my own freedom depends upon your success or failure. Kate will hound the rest of us unmercifully if you end up losing your heart to your legendary lover.”
His cousin’s assertion left Ash pondering his ever more complex feelings for Maura. Admittedly, his carefree bachelor’s existence had begun to lose its flavor. He had no wish to wind up like his Uncle Cornelius, alone and unloved but for his relations’ children.
Furthermore, Ash was willing to concede that he had never wanted a woman more than the honey-haired vixen who had invaded his life so profoundly this past week. His admiration for her had grown even more. Maura was courageous, smart, resourceful, passionate, and sensual as the devil, yet at the same time comfortable and familiar. She would easily fit into his family, with their bonds of loyalty and affection and repartee.