“And what shall he do if you dare to turn it down again? Securing a proposal is not an issue, I believe. With your beauty, I believe even married gentlemen will be willing to ask for your hand in marriage.”
Alice laughed at that. “Please, do not dare to say such a thing before Father nor our guests.”
“I am bold but not foolish,” Emma said with her own giggle. “But I say that to tell you that Father can try all that he’d like, but if you do not want to be married then there is nothing he can do. Unless you are afraid he might disown you, which is as likely as the sun and the moon crossing paths, then I would not worry overmuch.”
With the dress finally fitted into place, Emma sat her vanity table and proceeded to look through her jewelry box. Alice hadn’t cared to wear any jewelry save for the simple pearl drop necklace her mother had left behind.
Leave it to Emma to make a serious situation worth nothing more than a grain of salt. Alice felt all the weight on her shoulders lift instantly.
“That being said,” Emma twisted her head around to look at Alice, forcing Hellen to shift her position in order to snap the necklace into place, “what do you think our guests will look like?”
“Like men, I believe,” Alice responded uninterestedly.
“Oh, you can be such a bore sometimes,” Emma sighed. Now that her jewelry was on, Hellen stepped away and Emma turned around to face Alice fully. “What I meant, dear Sister, is do you think they will be handsome? They are brothers, after all. If one is handsome, then it is likely that they both are.”
“I’m afraid I could not care less if they are,” Alice told her honestly.
“You might say differently when you actually see them. I’ve heard of the Marquess of Erlington before. Rumor has it, he is quite handsome and quite the heartbreaker.”
Had she been around anyone else, Alice would have thought twice before scowling. “A heartbreaker? That does not sound like the sort of person I’d like to be around at all.”
“Apparently, he’s flirted and courted many ladies before, but has never entertained the thought of marriage with any of them. In fact, he always moves on to the next without extending a proposal. Now, mind you, I am not sure how much of the rumors are true, but if he is truly as handsome as they say, then I wouldn’t be surprised if it is.” Emma sighed dreamily, resting her hand against her cheek. “What do you think it would be like to be charmed by a gentleman like him?”
Alice narrowed her eyes at Emma. There was only a three-year age difference between them, which had turned Alice into a cynical lady who despised the thought of marriage, and had turned Emma into quite the opposite. Her dear sister was a hopeless romantic at heart, longing for the day she would one day fall in love with a dashing gentleman and begin a family of her own.
Alice wanted her sister to be happy. In fact, she would give up everything she owned to ensure that Emma was safe and had everything she needed. Her protectiveness surged when she saw the spark of excitement in her sister’s green eyes. “Surely, you aren’t thinking of entertaining such behavior, Emma?”
“Me?” Emma asked with wide, innocent eyes. It had fooled Alice when they were younger, but it wouldn’t fool her this time. “Why, what would give you that impression?”
“There are stars in your eyes.” Alice leaned closer, narrowing her own eyes in scrutiny.
Emma huffed a laugh, shaking her head. “You do not need to worry so much, Alice. I am only curious about them. In fact, I am more curious about the Marquess’ brother. Do you think he is anything like the Marquess?”
Alice didn’t get the chance to respond when there came a knock on the door. Nancy peeked her head in, looking first at Alice then Emma before she said, “Please forgive the intrusion, My Ladies. The guests have arrived.”
“Oh, yes, finally!” Emma shot to her feet, clapping her hands excitedly. Alice stood as if rocks were weighing her down. She trailed behind her sister, who rushed out of the room and looked back impatiently at Alice. Once in the hallway, Emma tucked her arm into Alice’s and began to lead her in the direction of the grand staircase.
Alice’s mind was still on what Emma had said about the Marquess of Erlington. The fact that her father was planning on inviting a rake into his home, not so subtly hoping that Alice would catch the eye of either him or his brother, did not sit well with her. It bothered her even more knowing that there was as likely a chance that this gentleman might set his sights on her sister. She wouldn’t allow anyone to hurt Emma.
I already know that I will not like them. Oh, goodness, please let the next few weeks of their stay go by quickly so that I can put this entire thing behind me.
Emma chattered excitedly in her ear during their trek to the foyer and upon reaching the grand staircase, she fell silent when they looked down and spotted their father. The Duke of Warington stood in the center of the wide space, rising from a bow. Alice caught the end of a wide smile and sighed inwardly at what was to come.
But when they drew closer, she could no longer remember why.
Two men stood opposite the Duke, closer to the front entrance of the manor. They were both tall, almost equal in height, but the similarities ended there. One of them had light-colored hair, either blond or sandy brown—though Alice couldn’t see well from the distance. He had a kind smile and happy disposition that instantly marked him as trustworthy.
And the other…he was quite literally the most beautiful man Alice had ever laid eyes on. His hair was dark, nearly as dark as her own, which was cut Titus-style. He had a sharp jaw that smoothed out into a rounded chin, bearing a wide smile. A deep dimple sunk into his left cheek, giving him a boyish charm that made her heart thud.
Alice didn’t realize she was coming closer, that an excited Emma was pulling her down the steps. She tore her eyes away from the beautiful gentleman standing in her foyer, but realized soon enough that she couldn’t manage that for long. Upon reaching her father’s side, she looked back up at him, seeing that he had hooded eyes the color of the blue sky.
“Ah, here they are!” the Duke of Warington exclaimed at the sight of his daughters. “Please, Girls, allow me to introduce you to the guests that will be staying with us.”
The beautiful man looked at them both, and his charming smile widened when his eyes landed on Alice. He bent into a bow, murmuring the words that made Alice’s heart sink, “Greetings, My Ladies. My name is William Millington, the Marquess of Erlington.”
Chapter 2
Warington Manor was quite an extravagant-looking manor, with a stiff-lipped butler and yards of land space stretched out behind it. Considering it was far roomier than the London townhouses, William already knew he would be as comfortable staying here as he would be at Erlington Manor.
