Thomasina could barely hold herself upright at his pointed, accusatory tone and words. She was going to have to tell the truth now. Tell him the truth. In this room where everyone was staring at her, waiting for her to explain herself and Anne, his was the most important gaze. He held her captive with it. There was only him.

She felt Juliana move next to her. Felt her sister take her hand, but she couldn’t drag her gaze from Harcourt. Even when Juliana whispered, “Just say something, dearest. You are frightening me.”

Her father was less gentle and his sharp “Speak!” broke her state.

She shook her head. “I—Anne asked me to take her place. She said it was just for tonight, a way for her to clear her mind. To get herself into a better attitude for the wedding. But—but—”

Harcourt rose from his seat at last, a slow unfolding of long legs and arms. He moved toward her a step, his voice suddenly gentle. “But?”

She swallowed past the dryness of her mouth, the thickness in her throat, and squeaked, “She ran away.”

She held the note out toward him, but before he could take it, her father snatched it. He and Juliana bent over the words, shouting together, but Thomasina could barely hear them, barely registered as they rushed together out of the room, probably to look for Anne. All she could do was stare at Harcourt.

And he stared back, his expression impassive. He didn’t look angry or sad or upset. He was utterly unreadable and completely captivating. His gaze flitted from her head to her toes.

“You agreed to this nonsense?” he said softly. She felt the accusation in every word.

“I-I didn’t know her plans, my lord, or I would have tried to talk her out of such a foolish thing,” she said, and wished he would believe her. Wished, did not imagine.

“Hmmm,” was his only response, and he moved another few steps closer.

She braced for him to touch her, as he had done on the terrace, in the hall, but he passed by her, only brushing her shoulder with his own and bent to retrieve the note from her sister.

“Did my father drop that?” she asked, stunned for she hadn’t noticed that.

He nodded. “In their haste, they were not thinking to hide the further evidence of your sister’s ridiculous behavior.” He turned over the note and read it slowly. Finally, he lifted his stare to hers again. “Well, we certainly have ourselves a serious problem here, don’t we, Thomasina Shelley? Now I wonder, what in the world do you propose we do about it?”

Chapter 4

In his life, Jasper had experienced a great many betrayals. Living with a father and a brother such as his, he’d been disappointed and deceived enough times that he had learned to harden himself to it. Harden himself to any emotion that could allow him to be hurt in such a way.