“No, only one head that I saw.” And a very nice head at that, Catherine thought. A very nice everything. He was tall, taller than she by several inches, broad-shouldered but not so broad that his chest reminded her of a tree trunk, and his eyes were the loveliest shade of brown— a polished mahogany color that she could get lost in.
Not that she intended to get lost in the man’s eyes—or any man’s eyes for that matter. At twenty, she was an avowed spinster. If Elizabeth wanted to marry the man, bear his cuffs and smacks when he drank too much and cry when he stayed out all night with whores, leaving her and her children home alone, then that was Elizabeth’s concern. Not hers.
Unless she didn’t delay Elizabeth’s marriage. “Josie, I need your help.”
Josie laughed. “I thought you’d never ask.”
“You’d better wait until you hear me out before you agree. I must take drastic measures.”
Josie’s eyes lit. “Oh, now, this will be too much fun. How drastic?”
“I have to escape my father and escape London before Lizzy and Valentine marry. If I don’t, I’ll be forced to marry as well.”
“I see.” Josie rolled the empty wineglass in her hands. “It’s a wonderful idea, but we don’t have any money.”
“What about your grandfather’s pirate treasure?” Catherine whispered, aware that Josie didn’t like to speak in public about the treasure. “What if we found the treasure? You could lend me a tiny bit—just enough to help me escape to America—and then once I got my feet under me, I’d pay you back.”
Josie looked surprised at the suggestion but not opposed. “It might work,” she said after several long seconds of uncharacteristic contemplation. “But I’ll need time to find the map and figure out where to start searching.”
“How much time?” Catherine grabbed Josie’s arm. “I’m running out.”
“Then you’ll have to make more. Keep Valentine and Lizzy apart a bit longer, and in the meantime, ward off your father’s potential suitors for you.”
“Ward them off? How? He’s probably paid any suitors he’s found, and, as you pointed out, I don’t have any money.”
Josie rolled her eyes. “Just be unsuitable. Suitors don’t like unsuitable girls.”
When Catherine still looked blank, Josie added, “Be horrible and nasty—the kind of woman no man would want to marry.”
“But how do I do that?”
Josie slung an arm around her neck. “Act like Lizzy. The real Lizzy.”
Chapter Four
“Get out here right now, Catherine Anne,” her father shouted from the other side of her bedroom door. Catherine quaked at the sound of anger in his voice. She did not like to anger her father, but she had no choice. Just as she’d anticipated, he’d brought three of his own handpicked suitors home this afternoon, and the men were waiting to meet her in the drawing room. Well, they would have to wait. She wasn’t going down there.
Her father pounded on the door again, and Catherine jumped.
One, two, three . . .
Oh, he would beat her for this. She’d be black-and-blue for weeks. What had Josie told her to do?
Play the shrew. That’s it. Josie had assured her that was the only way to run the men off and ensure they would not want to marry her.
“Catherine Anne!” her father bellowed.
Four, five, six . . .
What would a shrew say? “Go away!” she called, leaning with all her weight against the door. He banged again, and her whole body inched forward, but the triangle of wood she’d wrenched under the door held. Barely.
“Get out here right now, little—dear.” His voice sounded high and false, and Catherine knew he was trying to impress her suitors with his fatherly kindness.
Well, she was trying to unimpress them. To that end, she screamed, “I’m never coming out!” That didn’t seem like quite enough, so, knowing it would mean more misery later, she added. “I don’t have to do anything I don’t want to!”
“Why you ungrateful—” Her father’s voice cut off, and Catherine pressed one ear to the door to hear why. Were the suitors running off to court sweeter, more docile brides?
She couldn’t hear the men, but she thought she heard Elizabeth’s voice. Then she heard her father move away, and there was a light tap on the door.
