Birdie was wide-eyed, and the twins had the same expression of astonishment on their faces.

Blanche sniffled and clutched the velvet cushion to her breast.

Only Bernadette seemed unaffected. “That was rather odd,” she said reflectively. “I wonder if he received one too many blows to the head?”

Viola had been wondering the same thing. She placed the sheet music on the pianoforte and went to Blanche. “Hush now.” She patted her shoulder.

“How can he do this to me? I don’t want to marry Flanders or Middleton.”

“Don’t panic, ladies,” Viola said. “We’ll find a solution.”

“I’m not panicking. I’m perfectly calm,” said Bernadette. “If he attempts to force me to marry, I’ll simply run away to find succor at your club, Miss Beaton. I shall go there and throw myself upon the lady scholars’ mercy.”

“No one’s running away,” said Viola firmly. “And you will all perform as scheduled at the musicale.”

“But you heard him,” Belinda said, her lower lip wobbling. “No balls, no musicale . . . no Season. Oh, it’s too, too horrible to contemplate. My friends will laugh at me and pity me.”

“Then they’re not your true friends,” Viola said.

Betsy bounced to her feet. “Since we’re not practicing for the musicale, may I go out and play cricket?” She had a group of male friends who accepted her as one of their ranks, mostly because she was better at every sport than any of them.

“Stay here, ladies,” said Viola. “I’m going to go and talk to your brother. I’ll explain everything rationally, in language he can understand.”

Her emotional proclamations about the power of love had been the absolute wrong approach. The duke cared about his sisters. His genuine affection for them was the leverage she must use to make him see that he was acting wrongly.

Blanche lifted her head and managed a wobbly smile. “Oh, would you?”

Normally, she wouldn’t. Under ordinary circumstances, she would stay as far away as possible from Westbury, for fear of betraying her forbidden feelings about him in some unguarded word, or, heaven forbid, touch.

But this was too important.

“Yes.” She nodded forcefully. “I’ll make him understand why you must be allowed to have a Season and to have your choice of suitors.”

She knew enough about him that she ought to be able to influence him. Use subtle persuasive tactics and bring him round to her way of thinking. He mustn’t rob his sisters of the only freedom afforded to young ladies before marriage.