Harcourt turned his attention toward Juliana, and Thomasina took her opportunity. “I shall let you two discuss that,” she said. “And excuse myself. Good afternoon.”

Harcourt blinked at her as she set the plate down on the sideboard and then backed away. His gaze stayed on her, even and cool, all the way until she turned and hurried from the room. Even then she felt those eyes on her, dark depths that one could lose oneself in.

“Great God, girl,” she muttered as she staggered through the earl’s halls, away from the parlor toward so many other chambers. She needed to find an empty one. One where she could hide for a moment and regain her composure. She tested the first door and found it open.

She hurried inside and shut the door behind herself, her breath short. “You need to stop feeling this!” she admonished herself softly.

“Stop feeling what?”

Her sister Anne sat up from her reclining position on the settee in front of the fire, where Thomasina hadn’t been able to see her. It was almost as if the floor had come open beneath her as she stared in shock at Anne.

“I, er,” she stammered. “I didn’t—”

“Oh gracious, you are turning purple!” Anne said, getting up and crossing the room to her. She caught her hands and drew her toward the warmth of the fire. “Take a breath, Thomasina, before you fall over! I’m certain whatever you are feeling, it cannot be so bad as that.”

“You would be surprised,” Thomasina muttered as she did as her sister required and drew a few long, cleansing breaths. Then she shook her head. “Wait, what are you doing in the parlor? I just saw you at the luncheon.”

Anne rolled her eyes. “Oh, I needed a break from it all. I swear, ever since we arrived it’s been one thing after another. This never-ending march to my doom.”

She said the last with feeling, and all but hurtled herself away from Thomasina.

Accustomed to this high drama in Anne, Thomasina shook her head slightly. “Well, it is your wedding celebration, isn’t it? You must have expected there would be much to do.”

“I suppose,” Anne said, plucking at a loose thread on the back of a chair on the opposite side of the room. “I just thought it would be more…more fun. There has only been one fun thing here and it—”

Anne broke off with a blush. Thomasina stared at her. Her sister was truly out of sorts. That was a rare thing, as Anne normally carried herself with as much certainty and confidence as her future husband did. Now she shifted as she paced the room, worrying her hands in front of her, her lips pinched and her cheeks pale.

Thomasina stepped in her path and caught Anne’s cold hands in hers. “Dearest, I realize that marrying must be a rather overwhelming idea. After all, it is pledging your life to one man for the rest of your days. But you will be happy. Harcourt will make sure of it.”