Page 97 of A Devious Secret

“I am not,” her aunt replied. “You are family, and that means something to us. Besides, Marielle is Mr. Wycomb’s sister. Do you suggest we send her away?”

“Of course not, but she has the protection of Hugh’s name,” Gemma replied.

“And you have the protection of ours,” her aunt asserted. “Your uncle is a powerful man, and he will not stand by and let our names be dragged through the mud.”

“I did not mean to cause trouble,” Gemma said.

Her aunt gave her an amused look. “This is hardly trouble,” she responded. “You must stop worrying about what is best for everyone else and focus on what is best foryou.”

Gemma gave her a sheepish smile. “I’m afraid that does not come naturally to me.”

“I know, dear, but it is okay to be selfish at times,” her aunt counseled. “If we spend all of our energy on others, what is left for us?”

Dinah stepped into the room and asked, “Did I miss the intervention?”

“There was no intervention,” her aunt replied. “We just had ourselves a nice little chat, did we not?”

Gemma’s lips twitched. “It was an intervention.”

“I knew it,” Dinah declared as she came to sit down next to Gemma. “Did the intervention work?”

Her aunt sighed. “Again, it wasn’t an intervention.”

“I have decided not to return to Hawkinge,” Gemma said.

Dinah clasped her hands together. “What wonderful news!”

“Edith has assured me that my presence here won’t cause a great scandal,” Gemma shared.

Marielle interjected, “Which is a good thing for Stephen. How could he possibly press his suit if you left Town?”

Dinah arched an eyebrow. “Does this mean you have finally accepted Mr. Wycomb as a suitor?”

“I am not as opposed to it as I once was,” Gemma replied.

“That is vague, and not at all helpful,” Dinah joked.

Gemma laughed. “I would prefer if we spoke about something else,” she said. “How are you feeling?”

Dinah let out an unladylike groan. “I feel awful. Who knew having a baby would be so miserable?”

“It will all be worth it the moment you hold the baby in your arms for the first time,” her aunt responded. “It is a feeling unlike any other.”

“Until then, I feel like I am going mad,” Dinah said. “I can go from starving to nauseous in a matter of moments.”

“You should drink more tea. It will help calm your stomach,” her aunt suggested.

Dinah’s eyes lit up when she looked down at the tray. “I would prefer biscuits,” she said as she reached for one.

Gemma leaned forward and placed her teacup onto the tray. “If you will excuse me, I would like to rest before dinner.”

Her aunt gave her an understanding nod. “We shall talk more over supper.”

Stephen stood outside his townhouse at the precise time that Lord Hawthorne had requested him to do so. The sun was beating down on his neck and he could feel the sweat dripping down the middle of his back.

He had just pulled out his pocket watch to check the time when a hackney came to a stop in front of him.

The door opened, revealing Hawthorne, and he ordered, “Get in.”