Page 16 of Dare to be Wicked

It was far from late, but she had not slept well, and she’d been up early too. Not to mention how tiring it was attempting not to feel jealous of her sister, and then feeling guilty for failing miserably. She was tying herself in knots pretending to be happy, pretending to be pleased for Eliza, for how popular she was, how lovely she was, how bloody, damned perfect.

Oh, she was a horrible person.

“Because it’s only for girls.”

They all looked at Victoria, who glanced up from the draughts board. “Well, that’s what she said.”

Lottie sighed and watched as Eliza took the dozens of pins from her hair, the thick, dark coils unwinding to form a shimmering mahogany curtain across her back.

“How was the comte?” Lottie asked her, hardly daring to hope that the man might have captured her sister’s affections.

“Entertaining and devilishly charming,” Eliza said, meeting Lottie’s eye via the looking glass. “I can only imagine what a reputation he must have back in France.”

“Oh, a terrible one,” Ozzie said, her eyes wide with delight. “I overheard the servants talking this morning when they were clearing the table, and they said—”

“Ozzie,” Eliza said, shaking her head. “You know how Mama feels about listening to gossip, and eavesdropping too.”

Lottie felt an immediate rush of shame for having done the exact same thing earlier that morning. To compensate, she decided to save Ozzie from their sister’s gentle scolding.

“Well, she did listen, so we may as well know what they say now.”

Eliza sighed but held her tongue, turning back to the mirror.

Ozzie grinned. “Only that he’s had a great many mistresses, and that two women duelled over him.”

“No!” Eliza and Lottie said in unison as Eliza swung back around on the stool.

“Oh, I thought you didn’t want to hear the gossip, Eliza dear,” Ozzie said, batting her eyelids at her big sister and looking as if butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth.

“Wretch,” Eliza muttered. “Tell me everything.”

“Well, there’s not much more to tell. I only heard a bit of it, but apparently two married ladies fell wildly in love with him, but he chose one over the other. The one he spurned went quite mad and challenged his lady to a duel, which was accepted. According to the gossip, he discovered what was going on and put a stop to it before anyone was hurt, for the spurned lover was a crack shot.”

“Oh, what nonsense,” Eliza said, laughing. “It sounds like one of Mama’s stories.”

“You don’t believe it?” Lottie asked in surprise.

“Of course not. It’s just tittle-tattle.”

“Oh, I don’t know. I would fight a duel for him. He’s dreadfully handsome. Mind you, his brother looks dreadfully wicked too, so either would do,” Torie said with a dreamy smile.

“Victoria!”

This time both Eliza and Lottie exclaimed, discomforted to hear their thirteen-year-old sister speak so. Like Lottie, Torie had something of a wild streak and needed little encouragement for mischief.

“Well, they would,” Torie said sulkily, turning her attention back to the draughts board.

A soft knock on the door had Eliza jumping up to answer it.

“I found this pretty creature,” said a lilting voice from the corridor. “Is it yours?”

Lottie heard her sister laugh.

“I suppose it must be. Do come in.”

She turned to see Ashton’s twin, Vivien, come in with Cat, who was holding a large hat box.

“Whatever have you got there, Cat?” Ozzie demanded.