She caught her breath and then her chin dropped. “And you shall have it, my lord. God help us all.”

Thomasina paced the parlor, worrying her hands in front of her body. She felt tight, like an overly wound clock that was ready to break. That sensation was only made worse by the fact that Harcourt sat on a chair before the fire, just watching her. He had not spoken since he sent his servant to find Juliana. She had waited for him to do so. To question and interrogate and demand and shout. All things she deserved considering the circumstances.

He had done none of them. But he had also not taken his eyes off of her.

She felt his silent disdain for her with every turn she made. It seemed to drip from every facet of his focused regard. And it would only get worse. When he knew the truth, he would detest her even more. He would hate her as deeply as he would surely hate Anne.

The door to the parlor opened and Juliana stepped through the entryway. Thomasina made a soft sound of relief and hurried toward her sister. She was brought up short when their father entered the room behind Juliana.

Oh God, this was going to be even worse. If she didn’t get to tell her sister the truth first, she wouldn’t be able to convince Juliana to deal with their father. That would fall on Thomasina. All of it would.

“What is going on?” Mr. Shelley said, his tone sharp as he glanced from Thomasina to Harcourt and back again. “Harcourt’s man Willard came to fetch your sister while she and I were on the dancefloor, telling her that Thomasina wanted to see her. Where is she, Anne?”

Thomasina flinched at his inability to see her for who she was. He had never been able to identify any of his daughters from each other, at least not by mere glance. An inability Harcourt didn’t share, apparently, and as his eyebrows lifted, she could see he judged her father for not knowing who she was.

She cleared her throat. “Er, I am Thomasina, Papa.”

Juliana bent her head and her breath left her mouth in a long sigh. “Oh, I thought you were being strange when you entered the ballroom tonight. That is why you were avoiding me. Thomasina!”

Her father shook his head. “Great God, you were playing your sister at her engagement ball? What is wrong with you?” He pivoted on Harcourt. “You must forgive them, my lord. I thought they had outgrown such foolish notions as to trade places, but here we are. I’m certain there is no ill intent to the act.”

“Are you?” Harcourt said, folding his fingers together and looking past Mr. Shelley to spear Thomasina with an even gaze. “I am far less so. I want to hear from Thomasina about why she would do such a foolhardy thing. I would also like to know where exactly my fiancée actually is.”