“As I said, I was shocked to discover how mistaken I was. In any case, even if I do decide to bring my sister out this season, that’s several months away. I’d dearly love to see her make a few friends before then. She’s terribly lonely, and I’m so busy here. She’s only got her old governess for company.”
“It would certainly be easier for her if she made some new friends before the season begins. Your neighbors in Berkshire are the obvious choice.”
“I know, but as I said, they don’t seem willing to be her friends.”
“How do they treat you? With similar indifference?”
“I can’t answer that, since I haven’t yet met any of them.”
“You haven’t? Well, then,” she added, laughing as he shook his head, “that explains it.”
“I don’t see how.”
“No one in the county is going to call on your sister until you’ve called first. The newest gentleman to the neighborhood always calls first. You need to visit the other gentlemen of the county, who will introduce you to their female relations. Then, and only then, the ladies can call upon your sister. Until then, they are prevented by etiquette.”
“It’s as simple as that?” He shook his head, baffled anew at how themost minor failure to observe the rules could have such a powerful impact. “So it’s not snobbery? How can you be so sure? The Duchess of Moreland seemed to think I was beneath her notice.”
“She’s like that with everyone. And I’d be lying if I said there weren’t more like her. But if you call on the local families while you’re home this weekend, your sister will probably find the other young ladies of the county willing to reciprocate.”
“And if that doesn’t happen? If there’s more to this than mere etiquette?”
“Then you’ll need to bring out the heavy guns.”
“Such as?”
“Me. I can easily put in a good word with your neighbors. I once lived in Berkshire, near Reading, so I know quite a few people there. I can easily facilitate any needed introductions. I can also help launch her when she comes to London for the season. Introduce her about, chaperone her, that sort of thing.”
Such a plan was unlikely to come to fruition. If she was guilty, she couldn’t be allowed anywhere near his sister. And if she was innocent, she’d hardly be willing to help him once the truth came out and her beloved Ritz was booted out and perhaps arrested. And who could blame her? “Oh, I don’t think that’s really necessary,” he began.
“She’ll need a chaperone, Simon.”
“Well, I suppose she will, but I can’t possibly impose on you.”
“If it were an imposition, I wouldn’t have offered. You don’t seem to relish the idea,” she added, making a rueful face. “But really, you don’t have to make excuses. If you don’t want me around her because you don’t like me, you can just say no.”
“It isn’t that,” he assured her. “It has nothing to do with my opinion of you. But there’s something you need to know,” he added, improvising as he spoke. “And once you do, you’ll probably want to take back your offer.”
“Oh?” She set down her knife and fork, giving him her full attention. “What is this awful piece of news?”
He met her eyes across the table, dread like a knot in his stomach. “My father was a thief. When he was a cashier, he embezzled money from the hotel where he worked.”
“Oh, that.” She waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. “I know all about that. Max told me.”
“I see.” He hesitated, but something in him, something he couldn’t quite define, drove him on. “There is one thing your cousin didn’t tell you, because he doesn’t know.”
“Oh? What’s that?”
“After he was caught out, the hotel intended to prosecute my father for the thefts, and he shot himself rather than face the disgrace.”
Again, her reaction was not what he’d expected. Instead of looking appalled, she tilted her head, studying him. “You’re angrier about that than about the theft, aren’t you?”
“Should I not be?” he countered. “He committed a criminal act, and when it was about to be exposed, he shot himself rather than face it.”
“Yes, but sometimes,” she said, her voice soft, “people are in such pain, suicide can seem like the only way out.”
Strangely enough, he’d never stopped to consider it from that angle. “Nonetheless,” he said, watching her closely, “he was a thief.”
She shrugged. “There are worse things.”
