Selena narrowed her eyes. Lord Harrowden could make himself attractive and charming when he wished to. But he was one who hid his teeth. With Rebecca’s wealth, she would never be made to feel Lord Harrowden's darker side. That is, until he’d spent all of it down to the last penny.

"Rebecca,” she called out, and they both turned. “Lady Harrowden has sent me to find you. She wishes us to begin training in deportment, so you may be ready for your London Season.” Selena would leave it to Lady Harrowden to break the news that the Season would not start quite so soon.

Rebecca sighed loudly. "How boring. Why am I to do such a thing now? I’ll have enough practice at the balls like last night.”

“Lady Harrowden hopes to turn you out well for your Season—perhaps as an Incomparable,” Selena added, not quite truthfully. “She believes you would benefit from some training in the arts of a young lady, and she suggested we start working on that now." Selena was eager to get her away from Lord Harrowden. “Shall we go then?”

Rebecca turned and followed Selena without arguing, although she sighed again. Loudly. Lord Harrowden took a step forward as if he was going to join them, but with a glance at Selena, he turned abruptly and left through the door that led to the stables. Selena hoped he would go for a horseback ride and lose himself in the woods.

She opened the door to the sitting room. "I believe we can be comfortable here. Lady Harrowden is, as we speak, directing the servants to prepare a move to the dower house."

"Move?" Rebecca exclaimed. "I have no interest in moving. I like it here. I've always envisioned myself in a grand estate like this, and it suits me very well to live here. Although," she said reflectively, "I would not mind settling for a smaller estate if I married Sir Lucius."

There was so much to address there that Selena did not know where to begin.

"Rebecca, if you wish to make a good marriage and be mistress of an estate like this, you need training. There are no two ways about it.” In her most coaxing manner, Selena added, “No young lady likes training—or perhaps there are very few who excel in such arts. There are many more of us who wish to have an adventure or wish to do something else rather than hold ourselves perfectly straight, or sit and force a needle into fabric, or wrack our brains to remember how to conjugate French verbs. But it is something we all must do."

Selena ended with a breathless huff. She hadn't realized how much of her own frustration was coming out, especially since she had done all these things and where had they led her? Straight to the role of governess-companion to two of the least grateful women she had ever had the privilege to meet. At the very least, she could torture Rebecca with the same training. The thought gave her quiet satisfaction.