Elizabeth and Caitlin exchanged another uneasy look. “She wasn’t completely certain,” Caitlin said. “Her sister would not tell her when she inquired, but she did overhear Lady Fanny and one of her friends—a Lady Mary—say that they would see each other at the next meeting of the Sisterhood for the Ruination of Rogues.”
“I’ll be damned,” Simon muttered, completely forgetting himself. When both his sisters gasped, he quickly said, “I beg yer pardon. I am shocked and forgot yer delicate sensibilities.”
“Think nothing of it,” Elizabeth and Caitlin said as one.
He nodded absently, pondering all he had learned. He felt certain the Lady Mary his sisters spoke of was one and the same as the Lady Mary from his past. The Sisterhood for the Ruination of Rogues, indeed! He very nearly laughed. The pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together, and he was not angry but intrigued that Anne would be a part of such a group. Actually, the more he thought upon it, the more he suspected that the group probably had been Anne’s idea. Most surely it had to have been started with the best intentions, yet it had taken a dangerous turn in attempting to ruin a good man, and that problem would be a continued one. Anne could not keep the Sisterhood going as it was, but how to persuade her to stop?
The next afternoon, Anne stood outside Simon’s home, debating the wisdom of returning, which she had done since the moment she had fled him last night. But she was here, personally wise or not, to aid Fanny, so she had to knock. Taking a deep breath, she did so, and the door immediately opened to reveal the butler.
“Good afternoon, Miss Adair,” Perceval said. “I was wondering how long you would stand outside.”
Anne blinked. “You’ve been watching me?’
“Oh yes. For quite some time actually. I thought to open the door at first, when I first glimpsed you through the window, but you seemed to be having a nice little chat with yourself. When I’m arguing with myself, it can sometimes take me quite a long while to settle my dispute, so I decided not to interrupt you.”
How mortifying! Anne was glad no one else knew she had stood there talking to herself. She cleared her throat. “Is His Grace in?”
“He’s out on an errand,” Perceval answered. “You are an hour early.”
She was. That was true, but she was surprised Perceval was aware she was supposed to be here for her next dance lesson at noon. “Did His Grace tell you I was to be expected at noon?”
Perceval nodded. “He did. He said he would be back a few minutes beforehand, but if you were early to make you comfortable, and ‘for the love of all that is holy,’ not to let you leave if you appeared to want to do so.”
Anne laughed at the butler’s bad impersonation of Simon. “I don’t think you were supposed to tell me that last bit.”
The older man frowned. “His Grace did not say not to.”
Anne bit her lip on another laugh. She was quite sure Simon had not considered that he needed to say not to. It seemed poor Perceval was becoming rather daft in his advancing years. She thought of Simon’s words. Was he so desperate for her to stay, so he could continue his plan to seduce and ruin her? Undoubtedly so. “I can sit in the parlor if you wish,” she said by way of hopefully helping Perceval decide what to do with her.
“Excellent idea! Lady Elizabeth is in the parlor waiting for you.”
“Elizabeth knows I’m here?”
“Of course. I told her you were standing outside the door talking to yourself. She watched with me for a bit, then decided to await you in the parlor.”
How unlucky! Anne prayed Elizabeth would not ask what she had been debating herself about.
Perceval saw Anne to the parlor, and Elizabeth gave her a knowing smile when Anne walked in. “Ye mustn’t be embarrassed,” Elizabeth gushed. “I frequently debate with myself! I completely understand.”
Anne nodded, embarrassed nonetheless. “Have you sewn long?” She motioned to Elizabeth’s embroidery basket.
Elizabeth nodded. “I find it soothes my nerves. Do ye embroider?”
Anne shook her head. “I used to,” she confessed, feeling a sudden need to talk.
A confused look swept over Elizabeth’s face.
“I used to be a strict rule-follower,” Anne added, “doing all the things thetonthought women should do.”
“And now?”
“And now I find I don’t care to follow rules that are not to my liking.”
Elizabeth smiled, set down the embroidery she had just picked up, and studied Anne. “Ye and Simon will make a good match.”
Anne startled at the statement. “We are not—That is, your brother and I are not—”
“He is teaching ye to dance, yes?”
