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"Why not?"

Charlotte tried to be vague "I haven’t had nearly enough time to prove myself to your parents Much less your sister Frances looks at me as if I’d lead you into ruin at the hands of the nearest roué"

"Frances is protective, and she pays too ossip At least I don’t have any older brothers to object Only Edmund, and he’s easily persuaded"

I wouldn’t be so certain about that, Charlotte thought

"What’s holding you back? Is it Lord Granville?"

The question took her by surprise "How did you know?"

Delia shrugged "You left the ballroom as soon as he arrived, and I kno yourfor the ht as well reside on the moon, the ht, too Until she’d found herself not only within reach of him, but clasped in his embrace The memory sent a shiver down the back of her neck

She sat down and took Delia’s hand "There’s so I must tell you I’m worried about how you’ll take it"

"Charlotte, you’re my dearest friend You can always confide in me"

A lump formed in her throat Would she still be Delia’s dearest friend once she told her the truth?

A small crash froer crash drew the room and followed the sounds of broken pottery to the entrance hall, where a shamefaced Edmund stood next to the remnants of a vase

Accompanied by none other than Piers

Each of them clutched a billiard cue in his hand

Lady Parkhurst rushed down the stairway to join theh she’d woken from a nap with a jolt

"What on earth?" She took in the scene with a quick sweep of her gaze "Edive iving Ed? With billiard cues?"

"Yes We were too enthusiastic, I’m afraid Edaze slanted to another pile of broken bits in the corner "And the cupid"

"And the pheasant in the billiard room," Edmund piped up "That was hi I hope you can forgive my clumsiness"

Charlotte bit back a smile Clumsiness? As she kneell fro reflexes and full co the blame for the boy Just as he’d taken the blame for her

"I will, of course, replace all the broken items," he told Lady Parkhurst

"Oh, please don’t," Delia said "They were dreadfully ugly"

"Delia," her ave her daughter a look of"I will fetch the downstairs maid to sweep Kindly take your brother upstairs"

Delia obeyed, taking Ed hied his feet in protest Before he reached the top of the stairs, he looked over his shoulder and whispered at Piers, "This isn’t over I have my eye on you"