Page 67 of The Duke Meets His Match

No. It was best if she didn’t see him again. She’d never forget the determined look on Michael’s face when he’d rejected her in Huntingdon’s library.

Chloe cleared her throat and looked at her sisters. “There is something else I must tell both of you. A secret I’ve kept to myself for far too long.” She’d always believed she could keep her darkest sins from her sisters. But things were different now, and she’d withheld her past for too long. She was tired of the secrets, tired of carrying the burden.

Amelia lowered her cup. “Your secret has to do with the Duke of Cameron, doesn’t it? We know you have strong feelings for him.”

Chloe bit her lip. “It no longer matters.”

“Of course it does, darling,” Eliza said, reaching out to touch her hand.

Chloe felt like an ungrateful wretch. Her sisters were always her champions. “That’s not what I want to discuss. The duke, I mean. My secret goes back years to when I was sick and a burden on both of you, financially and emotionally.”

Both Amelia and Eliza looked confused and stricken. “You were never a burden,” Amelia said.

“It’s true. Never say such a thing,” Eliza admonished.

“I felt like I was,” Chloe said, casting her eyes downward. “I was always sick with that lingering cough and never able to work as hard as both of you in the print shop.”

“You are the youngest. It was my responsibility to care for you,” Eliza said firmly.

Chloe didn’t want to argue, she just needed to tell them the truth. “I did something horrible. You will both look at me differently when I confess.”

“It’s clear something has been a burden on your shoulders. Tell us,” Amelia urged.

Chloe took a deep breath. “I picked pockets. I stole from the wealthy shoppers on Bond Street.”

“Why on earth would you do that?”

“I wanted to help pay for the cost of my cough tonic with Mr. Allenson at the apothecary. I know it was very costly and I…I needed to help any way I could.” Chloe’s voice sounded weak to her own ears.

“So you stole?” Eliza said. “I always wondered why the price of the tonic decreased over time. When I inquired, Mr. Allenson said the cost of the special herbs to make the medicine fluctuated. I thought he was being kind to our situation.”

“He wasn’t,” Chloe said.

“But there’s more, isn’t there?” Eliza asked. “Mr. Allenson wouldn’t accept anything but coins. Did you only steal purses from rich gentlemen?”

Always the shrewd businesswoman, Eliza caught on faster than Amelia when it came to the finances.

Chloe swallowed. The rest of the story was worse. “You’re right. Mr. Allenson only wanted money. I traded the stolen goods for coins from Madame Satine at the Seven Sins brothel.”

A horrible silence descended.

A heartbeat passed, then Amelia threw back her head and laughed. “And I thought I was the only one who felt sinful for following in father’s footsteps and painting forgeries of priceless artwork.”

Eliza looked more taken aback, but then she took a deep breath. “And I thought I was the most deceitful when I repeatedly lied, assuming the false identity of a widow to open the print shop.”

Chloe looked at her sisters in astonishment. “You don’t blame me?”

“How can we when we’ve all committed scandalous misdeeds? I do believe we should call ourselves the Infamous Somertons,” Amelia said.

“The only thing we can blame you for is your foolish belief that you were ever a burden to us,” Eliza said.

A huge sense of relief overwhelmed her at their understanding and compassion. Her sisters’ love and acceptance wrapped around her like a warm blanket. The words came easier now. “You were right about the duke. I’ve fallen in love with him.”

“That’s wonderful, darling! Has he secretly proposed marriage?” Eliza asked.

“He did.”

Eliza beamed. “Then he must speak with Vale and Huntingdon.”